Strictly does Halloween…
which normally necessitates a lie down.
Craig actually bothered to get into the spirit of the opening routine, which was mainly a chance to gawp at the costumes (and try to work out who some people were) - I thought what they did with Greg was especially effective - but a very nice tribute, nonetheless.
Louise…would not be my pick to play Harley Quinn, although from all his HINTING in the VT and behaviour in the background of the Clauditorium for the rest of the show, I think Kevin legitimately is a Joker fan. But as it was highly unlikely we’d have got a tango with HQ in B:ATS garb (CAN YOU IMAGINE? Like if that had been Laura and Giovanni's theme!?) this cartoony Charleston would have to do. I didn’t love it as much as the judges, although I can’t put my finger on why. (Maybe it's that Louise and Kevin don't excite me much.) Maybe because all I could think of was what it wasn’t?
Judge Rinder came next, and even if the wispy wings caused them problems, I think they won the costuming. Every time I have seen Oksana on Sunday and on tonight's ITT, I spot a new detail. Setting that aside, that was his best dance, he danced it so strongly and I legitimately enjoyed it (and eventually voted for him).
Claudia F was also really, really good. This was more impressive from her, for me, than the Charleston, because she put together dancing strengths (the footwork, apparently - I’m not the one to notice, but little touches and the dynamism and fluidity and rotation throughout I noticed and appreciated) instead of just depending on the gymnastic skills. There were one or two moments where I still didn’t get AJ’s choreography, but I was so chuffed for her straight nines.
Anastacia performed like she always does, but the smoke and whether it was obstructing my view and how it wasn’t and working out where they put the smoke machines grabbed my attention more than the dance. She looked like a Kardashian being a bat. Okay, better than that.
Danny and Oti’s make-up made a lot more sense when their dance started and the opening was interesting, as, for me, was the elastic (predictably Len hated it) and I was just seeing some sway and then I saw it go wrong. Actually it went way wrong - and Danny knew it. He came off as humble for someone for whom a 30 is a bad score (and at this point, left him in the bottom half of the leaderboard). It was a bit of a shock, though, because he’s been so consistently good and the show felt locked into its top two men trajectory with the battle being for which female celeb would join them in the final. I liked the inventive choreography, but I couldn’t make myself vote them safe just because of that.
Laura came back determined! I was surprised at the identity of Seductive Death in the VT, because I thought it was Pasha, although I should have recognised the moves from the James Brown tribute. But yeah, that was a fierce, good-quality tango, one or two forced ‘sexy’ bits aside, and I think from how she went up the stairs she must still be in pain, so that’s impressive and I’m not going to quibble with her also getting four nines.
The show should just stop doing werewolves, even with a twist. I didn’t like Ore’s Charleston routine - too much stopping to faff about with props when a Charleston should be go, go, go. I noticed the mistake with the lift, but Craig did go a lot too far. Ore underperformed compared with the past few weeks instead of taking advantage of Danny’s wobble, thus making things far less predictable.
‘Wake me up!’ (with bonus shouting from one of the male singers) isn’t a song that I’d naturally associate with a rumba…and Natalie did what she usually does with Greg. I didn’t feel that he was too overpowering like in his American Smooth, but I thought there was a lift and not enough rumba content. Although he crashed into the picture on the table at the end, the shot of Natalie walking away was very effective. I can see where Craig is coming from, while thinking he was harsh. Natalie over-reacted, because she has been protecting Greg a lot, but if Len was seeing improvement on the feet, that’s something.
Daisy was a little too shaken by being in the dance-off. I mostly agree with the judges. I’d say she was stronger in the second half and deserved to be a bit up on Judge Rinder.
It had gradually become obvious that we were ending with Ed. Clearly, the show has decided to embrace him, for now. At least I could watch the whole thing. It was hysterical - I don’t think I’ve heard an audience respond that way before, and while he both minced and thrust, he didn’t do terrible mistakes. He’s just the weakest dancer left.
But what a weird night resultswise. Ed should be in the dance-off always, but I think Anastacia is more likely to be. A part of me was madly curious about what would happen in the unlikely event that Danny and Ore were…
Strictly Results
Very dramatic and fun Strictly does vampires opening from the pros. I liked that they appropriated 'In the Air Tonight' for it too.
Tess and Claudia remained in black, just different versions.
Unlike Bruno, I can see why Daisy was under the red light, although she is a better dancer than many. She didn’t do a good enough performance to make extra people run to her cause and Craig didn’t go too far (Greg, Ore…) abd get her some pity votes.
Laura Mvula did a cover, but her voice was in check and the song was repetitive, so after clocking that she looked fabulous and what her dancers’ MO was, I was wondering why the audience was whooping at random intervals. They might as well do their MOR oldies and have the pros waft about. I don't expect her to be a future Strictly celeb any time soon.
Danny’s mistakes were even more egregious in slo-mo (foreshadowing for the producers letting him wait until the very last to find out he was safe) while Ed’s ‘Ooh. Ah.’s just revealed that this whole Len’s Lens concept was a chance for the control room to show off stuff like this that they’ve picked up.
In a way, the other four couples waiting for Anastacia’s name to be called (except arguable Danny because he messed up so much) didn’t deserve to be made to wait so long. Daisy sounded very English and unPaso like in the conversation before. I enjoyed Anastacia’s performance more this time around, even though she was more inhibited, clearly thinking about the Ks and Fs. But Daisy did not fall on her bum, which was the only way she’d lose. I’ll miss Anastacia, whose voice had a few wobbles on ITT and was very gracious.
There was more padding in this episode.
This entry was originally posted at http://shallowness.dreamwidth.org/258763.html.
Craig actually bothered to get into the spirit of the opening routine, which was mainly a chance to gawp at the costumes (and try to work out who some people were) - I thought what they did with Greg was especially effective - but a very nice tribute, nonetheless.
Louise…would not be my pick to play Harley Quinn, although from all his HINTING in the VT and behaviour in the background of the Clauditorium for the rest of the show, I think Kevin legitimately is a Joker fan. But as it was highly unlikely we’d have got a tango with HQ in B:ATS garb (CAN YOU IMAGINE? Like if that had been Laura and Giovanni's theme!?) this cartoony Charleston would have to do. I didn’t love it as much as the judges, although I can’t put my finger on why. (Maybe it's that Louise and Kevin don't excite me much.) Maybe because all I could think of was what it wasn’t?
Judge Rinder came next, and even if the wispy wings caused them problems, I think they won the costuming. Every time I have seen Oksana on Sunday and on tonight's ITT, I spot a new detail. Setting that aside, that was his best dance, he danced it so strongly and I legitimately enjoyed it (and eventually voted for him).
Claudia F was also really, really good. This was more impressive from her, for me, than the Charleston, because she put together dancing strengths (the footwork, apparently - I’m not the one to notice, but little touches and the dynamism and fluidity and rotation throughout I noticed and appreciated) instead of just depending on the gymnastic skills. There were one or two moments where I still didn’t get AJ’s choreography, but I was so chuffed for her straight nines.
Anastacia performed like she always does, but the smoke and whether it was obstructing my view and how it wasn’t and working out where they put the smoke machines grabbed my attention more than the dance. She looked like a Kardashian being a bat. Okay, better than that.
Danny and Oti’s make-up made a lot more sense when their dance started and the opening was interesting, as, for me, was the elastic (predictably Len hated it) and I was just seeing some sway and then I saw it go wrong. Actually it went way wrong - and Danny knew it. He came off as humble for someone for whom a 30 is a bad score (and at this point, left him in the bottom half of the leaderboard). It was a bit of a shock, though, because he’s been so consistently good and the show felt locked into its top two men trajectory with the battle being for which female celeb would join them in the final. I liked the inventive choreography, but I couldn’t make myself vote them safe just because of that.
Laura came back determined! I was surprised at the identity of Seductive Death in the VT, because I thought it was Pasha, although I should have recognised the moves from the James Brown tribute. But yeah, that was a fierce, good-quality tango, one or two forced ‘sexy’ bits aside, and I think from how she went up the stairs she must still be in pain, so that’s impressive and I’m not going to quibble with her also getting four nines.
The show should just stop doing werewolves, even with a twist. I didn’t like Ore’s Charleston routine - too much stopping to faff about with props when a Charleston should be go, go, go. I noticed the mistake with the lift, but Craig did go a lot too far. Ore underperformed compared with the past few weeks instead of taking advantage of Danny’s wobble, thus making things far less predictable.
‘Wake me up!’ (with bonus shouting from one of the male singers) isn’t a song that I’d naturally associate with a rumba…and Natalie did what she usually does with Greg. I didn’t feel that he was too overpowering like in his American Smooth, but I thought there was a lift and not enough rumba content. Although he crashed into the picture on the table at the end, the shot of Natalie walking away was very effective. I can see where Craig is coming from, while thinking he was harsh. Natalie over-reacted, because she has been protecting Greg a lot, but if Len was seeing improvement on the feet, that’s something.
Daisy was a little too shaken by being in the dance-off. I mostly agree with the judges. I’d say she was stronger in the second half and deserved to be a bit up on Judge Rinder.
It had gradually become obvious that we were ending with Ed. Clearly, the show has decided to embrace him, for now. At least I could watch the whole thing. It was hysterical - I don’t think I’ve heard an audience respond that way before, and while he both minced and thrust, he didn’t do terrible mistakes. He’s just the weakest dancer left.
But what a weird night resultswise. Ed should be in the dance-off always, but I think Anastacia is more likely to be. A part of me was madly curious about what would happen in the unlikely event that Danny and Ore were…
Strictly Results
Very dramatic and fun Strictly does vampires opening from the pros. I liked that they appropriated 'In the Air Tonight' for it too.
Tess and Claudia remained in black, just different versions.
Unlike Bruno, I can see why Daisy was under the red light, although she is a better dancer than many. She didn’t do a good enough performance to make extra people run to her cause and Craig didn’t go too far (Greg, Ore…) abd get her some pity votes.
Laura Mvula did a cover, but her voice was in check and the song was repetitive, so after clocking that she looked fabulous and what her dancers’ MO was, I was wondering why the audience was whooping at random intervals. They might as well do their MOR oldies and have the pros waft about. I don't expect her to be a future Strictly celeb any time soon.
Danny’s mistakes were even more egregious in slo-mo (foreshadowing for the producers letting him wait until the very last to find out he was safe) while Ed’s ‘Ooh. Ah.’s just revealed that this whole Len’s Lens concept was a chance for the control room to show off stuff like this that they’ve picked up.
In a way, the other four couples waiting for Anastacia’s name to be called (except arguable Danny because he messed up so much) didn’t deserve to be made to wait so long. Daisy sounded very English and unPaso like in the conversation before. I enjoyed Anastacia’s performance more this time around, even though she was more inhibited, clearly thinking about the Ks and Fs. But Daisy did not fall on her bum, which was the only way she’d lose. I’ll miss Anastacia, whose voice had a few wobbles on ITT and was very gracious.
There was more padding in this episode.
This entry was originally posted at http://shallowness.dreamwidth.org/258763.html.