Belated Strictly stuff
ITT pro challenge:I can understand why they did it the way they did, from going for the number of fleckerls first and then the DQs, and Grazziano must have known that if they were going to tell him before Nadiya, there was a good chance she’d won, but HIS FACE! And the way Nadiya was overwhelmed suggested that this was a moment where English being not their native tongues meant that they were a little slow to realise what had just happened, though I’m sure all the lady pros will be delighted for Nadiya, once these competitors et over their own loss.
Strictly semi finals
Could hear the audience was louder than it’s been, and it was really nice for the celebs that family could be there. Another reminder of what a different year this has been. Colour from Tess, which one welcomes on principle, but the skirt was a bit long at its lowest point, but Shirley brought a classier gown and Motsi a suitably dramatic one.
Jamie was the first celeb to be broken by messages from his family - they’re always tired and emosh at this point, but in 2020, messages from family are bound to land harder, as we’ve seen all series. Claudia probably hates the producers for sticking to this because she can’t comfort them.
I appreciated the relatively slow start to the salsa, and although I could have done with more movement - when Craig talked about the figure of eight rotation, I went ‘aha’ - I thought it again showed how far Jamie’s come. Consistent eights, and another fast one to prepare for.
Rob Brydon read the Ts and Cs better than some people they’ve had this year. (Repeating the not Anton bit made Claudia’s quip inevitable.)
I’m not sure if the order had to do with how well the producers thought the couples would do or whether it was truly decided by the contrasting routines making for a more interesting programme. Ranvir’s waltz was always going to be her stronger dance. I didn’t love the song, and I may have mumbled ‘Caroline’s developees were better’, but, as ever, her frame and their connection were great, and I liked the simplicity of the ending.
I loved how Bill (also broken in a more understated way) felt he needed to explain to Oti who everyone was. Their Chatleston was the first Bill routine I’ve felt connected to for a while, actually. I liked the details and the timing, though he didn’t look as good when Oti caught the eye. He didn’t do enough to get any more than an 8 from Craig, which he might have if this had been their only routine of the week.
Maisie got a visitor and a video call as well as the messages (and she was probably the most squeezed for practice time.) I wondered if her gruelling week would lead to mistakes, as I had been guided to, although I also suspected she might look better at steet than Gorka. Well, I can’t tell if she did, because she demanded all the attention. Absolutely her dance, best female celeb street we’ve seen, SURELY, and totally deserving of the full house.
And then HRVY’s rumba - a rumba-starved audience settled down happily, and there was a beautiful atmosphere. Janette wisely choreographed a dance she could do in front of her husband, and HRVY’s partnering was impressive. Then the judges’ comments came. Maybe Janette had tried to push the Christmas concept in the hope of Christmas show scoring, but no. I got FURIOUS at Craig’s 7, not that I don’t think Craig’s scoring was fairly consistent, but that HRVY ended up at the bottom of the leaderboard at the end of the first round because he’d been given a rumba when nobody else, not even a lady celeb, had. Terrible timing. (And I know they want variety, and I think it’s a bonus that we haven’t had one of those -athons, but if everyone had to do the same dance on the same show, it would make for different results.)
Round 2 and this year, we got to have the couples Goggleboxing the judges’ comments.
As I took in the fake cow, the outfits - boots and jeans and Karen’s wig - and the first moves, I was all ‘how is this a quickstep?’ and then it sort of was, with bonus hoedowns, and it was all Strictly at its most bizarre. Jamie didn’t get the kindest song choices, between everything, in these semis, did he?. More seriously, I didn’t think the transitions from the traditional quicksteppy bits in hold and the bits out of hold worked that well, but Mr Exuberant Consistency got 24, and by the end of the night, he should be grateful for it.
Next came Ranvir’s jive, and this is as good a point as any to say that the singers had QUITE the range of songs to deliver tonight from Italian operetta to this to Metallica. The messing abaht told its own story and then it was a bit oh dear because Ranvir doing proper Laitn is very different to Ranvir in ballroom, and I wondered which style of couples choice they’d have gone for during the routine. The comments and scores were very oh dear, 5 in a semi final, and they were so deflated that let’s blame that for Giovanni’s rambly spiel when asked to say why Ranvir should be in the final.
On to the much anticipated metal tango, and at first I thought the projected guitar would only augment the dance, but I changed my mind. There was a bit that Shirley would reference where I went ‘what happened there?’ It just felt like a very angry, sometimes frenzied if not stompy tango from him, with the song slightly getting in the way of doing a tango. Shirley gave him less than Craig! But of course she’s a closet metalhead (though I think all subsequent interviews should demand evidence, because it would be hilarious to find out who her faves are and has she been to the same gigs as Bill.)
Gorka was being a little too sweet when he said that the judges’ issues with Maisie’s footwork were the difference between a 9 and a 10, although she has come on since the quickstep. Routinewise, I could have done without the guitar, but she was very expressive. Possibly the judges were a touch more gushing than I expected, but the 29 wasn’t a surprise from what they’d said, and Maisie was definitely the winner of the night and really ought to have done enough not to be in the dance-off.
I’d only realised from Friday’s ITT that HRVY’s Charleston was going to be to La La Land’s opening number, but that made me desperately look forward to seeing it. HRVY’s jive feels like aeons ago. I loved the routine, I loved the clever nods to the film from Janette’s yellow outfit to the choreography/set, the storytelling and the light and shade of the routine - I imagine someone gave Janette a lot of an assist on the choreography, but she’s made up for a lot this year. And he danced it well; I wan’t expecting talk of artistry, but that’s another 30.
Motsi wore the OPEN sunglasses best. I debated over voting for Ranvir, but in the end decided not to, but I did vote for Maisie and HRVY. A lot is going to depend on whether the couples get to choose their dance-off dance or have to do the last one again.
Results
Again, I had issues with the shape of Tess’s dress, although I was grateful for white accents given all the black.
Great pro routine, v. dramatic, using the atmosphere of the song, with an engrossing narrative - een Aljiaz was believable as a scary Mephistophelean figure, loved the electric blue of the main protagonists’ clothes and how the rotating stages were used.
Not too much to read ito the recap, I think they had to put Jamie first because Motsi had stated he was opening the night and then followed the scoring for both rounds. Bruno turned up, but not where his scoring might have decongested anything. All the couples were wearing the outfits for their higher scoring routines, (or in Jamie’s case, less ridiculous one.) Fair enough that Maisie and HRVY were announced first. I thought we were going to hear which dance all the couples had chosen though I think in all the other cases, it might credibly be couples choice*, but no. Fair enouh to let Janette bask in being in the finals.
Alas, Ranvir was in the dance-off, but if I hadn’t felt motivated to vote for them this time, because the jive was so patently the weakest dance of the night…and anyway she was doing ballroom, I thought.
Motsi was the only judge to restrain herself, not do a demo and stick to the 2m rule. Claudia should have pressed Craig to Charleston when hthe finale lines open.
Three-quarters of Little Mix performed (had to check it wasn’t COVID related), and they were definitely singing live (i.e. not always great) but let’s focus on Johannes and Luba, who were totally on it this time, and Luba’s dress was amazingness.
Both the remaining couples had ben placed in the dance-off slots, which fels mean. I couldn’t bring myself to believe Bill would be in trouble. He seemed really chuffed in a Bill Bailey way, and I don’t think Oti believed she’d be in the final again after the cha cha.
Tess tried to make out the scores were really close, but we an Jamie knew Ranvir was doing ballroom. I hearted him and Karen for celebrating being in the dance-off so much, because what else can you do?
And then they danced. I’m not convinced Jamie put in that much more rotation as Crag asked for, and I started off feeling sorry again for the song choice, but it was another strong Jamie dance-off performance, and as Ranvir did her admittedly lovely waltz again, I did wonder if this being her first dance-off told against her. Or maybe it was the style? Craig and Motsi didn’t give any reasons for their choice, I note that both voted for the couple they’d been asked to give a pep talk to, although a part of me thinks Motsi decided to let Miss Shirley do her head judge thing, and gah, it was close. Ranvir and Giovanni’s speeches to each other did suggest that they’ve run out of things to say about her narrative, and though we all know her frame and her connection were great in ballroom, Jamie improved in all kinds of genres. I am even fairly confident that he lowered Karen properly off camera from their last lift.
*Confirmed that Bill and Jamie are on ITT.
This entry was originally posted at https://shallowness.dreamwidth.org/447383.html.
Strictly semi finals
Could hear the audience was louder than it’s been, and it was really nice for the celebs that family could be there. Another reminder of what a different year this has been. Colour from Tess, which one welcomes on principle, but the skirt was a bit long at its lowest point, but Shirley brought a classier gown and Motsi a suitably dramatic one.
Jamie was the first celeb to be broken by messages from his family - they’re always tired and emosh at this point, but in 2020, messages from family are bound to land harder, as we’ve seen all series. Claudia probably hates the producers for sticking to this because she can’t comfort them.
I appreciated the relatively slow start to the salsa, and although I could have done with more movement - when Craig talked about the figure of eight rotation, I went ‘aha’ - I thought it again showed how far Jamie’s come. Consistent eights, and another fast one to prepare for.
Rob Brydon read the Ts and Cs better than some people they’ve had this year. (Repeating the not Anton bit made Claudia’s quip inevitable.)
I’m not sure if the order had to do with how well the producers thought the couples would do or whether it was truly decided by the contrasting routines making for a more interesting programme. Ranvir’s waltz was always going to be her stronger dance. I didn’t love the song, and I may have mumbled ‘Caroline’s developees were better’, but, as ever, her frame and their connection were great, and I liked the simplicity of the ending.
I loved how Bill (also broken in a more understated way) felt he needed to explain to Oti who everyone was. Their Chatleston was the first Bill routine I’ve felt connected to for a while, actually. I liked the details and the timing, though he didn’t look as good when Oti caught the eye. He didn’t do enough to get any more than an 8 from Craig, which he might have if this had been their only routine of the week.
Maisie got a visitor and a video call as well as the messages (and she was probably the most squeezed for practice time.) I wondered if her gruelling week would lead to mistakes, as I had been guided to, although I also suspected she might look better at steet than Gorka. Well, I can’t tell if she did, because she demanded all the attention. Absolutely her dance, best female celeb street we’ve seen, SURELY, and totally deserving of the full house.
And then HRVY’s rumba - a rumba-starved audience settled down happily, and there was a beautiful atmosphere. Janette wisely choreographed a dance she could do in front of her husband, and HRVY’s partnering was impressive. Then the judges’ comments came. Maybe Janette had tried to push the Christmas concept in the hope of Christmas show scoring, but no. I got FURIOUS at Craig’s 7, not that I don’t think Craig’s scoring was fairly consistent, but that HRVY ended up at the bottom of the leaderboard at the end of the first round because he’d been given a rumba when nobody else, not even a lady celeb, had. Terrible timing. (And I know they want variety, and I think it’s a bonus that we haven’t had one of those -athons, but if everyone had to do the same dance on the same show, it would make for different results.)
Round 2 and this year, we got to have the couples Goggleboxing the judges’ comments.
As I took in the fake cow, the outfits - boots and jeans and Karen’s wig - and the first moves, I was all ‘how is this a quickstep?’ and then it sort of was, with bonus hoedowns, and it was all Strictly at its most bizarre. Jamie didn’t get the kindest song choices, between everything, in these semis, did he?. More seriously, I didn’t think the transitions from the traditional quicksteppy bits in hold and the bits out of hold worked that well, but Mr Exuberant Consistency got 24, and by the end of the night, he should be grateful for it.
Next came Ranvir’s jive, and this is as good a point as any to say that the singers had QUITE the range of songs to deliver tonight from Italian operetta to this to Metallica. The messing abaht told its own story and then it was a bit oh dear because Ranvir doing proper Laitn is very different to Ranvir in ballroom, and I wondered which style of couples choice they’d have gone for during the routine. The comments and scores were very oh dear, 5 in a semi final, and they were so deflated that let’s blame that for Giovanni’s rambly spiel when asked to say why Ranvir should be in the final.
On to the much anticipated metal tango, and at first I thought the projected guitar would only augment the dance, but I changed my mind. There was a bit that Shirley would reference where I went ‘what happened there?’ It just felt like a very angry, sometimes frenzied if not stompy tango from him, with the song slightly getting in the way of doing a tango. Shirley gave him less than Craig! But of course she’s a closet metalhead (though I think all subsequent interviews should demand evidence, because it would be hilarious to find out who her faves are and has she been to the same gigs as Bill.)
Gorka was being a little too sweet when he said that the judges’ issues with Maisie’s footwork were the difference between a 9 and a 10, although she has come on since the quickstep. Routinewise, I could have done without the guitar, but she was very expressive. Possibly the judges were a touch more gushing than I expected, but the 29 wasn’t a surprise from what they’d said, and Maisie was definitely the winner of the night and really ought to have done enough not to be in the dance-off.
I’d only realised from Friday’s ITT that HRVY’s Charleston was going to be to La La Land’s opening number, but that made me desperately look forward to seeing it. HRVY’s jive feels like aeons ago. I loved the routine, I loved the clever nods to the film from Janette’s yellow outfit to the choreography/set, the storytelling and the light and shade of the routine - I imagine someone gave Janette a lot of an assist on the choreography, but she’s made up for a lot this year. And he danced it well; I wan’t expecting talk of artistry, but that’s another 30.
Motsi wore the OPEN sunglasses best. I debated over voting for Ranvir, but in the end decided not to, but I did vote for Maisie and HRVY. A lot is going to depend on whether the couples get to choose their dance-off dance or have to do the last one again.
Results
Again, I had issues with the shape of Tess’s dress, although I was grateful for white accents given all the black.
Great pro routine, v. dramatic, using the atmosphere of the song, with an engrossing narrative - een Aljiaz was believable as a scary Mephistophelean figure, loved the electric blue of the main protagonists’ clothes and how the rotating stages were used.
Not too much to read ito the recap, I think they had to put Jamie first because Motsi had stated he was opening the night and then followed the scoring for both rounds. Bruno turned up, but not where his scoring might have decongested anything. All the couples were wearing the outfits for their higher scoring routines, (or in Jamie’s case, less ridiculous one.) Fair enough that Maisie and HRVY were announced first. I thought we were going to hear which dance all the couples had chosen though I think in all the other cases, it might credibly be couples choice*, but no. Fair enouh to let Janette bask in being in the finals.
Alas, Ranvir was in the dance-off, but if I hadn’t felt motivated to vote for them this time, because the jive was so patently the weakest dance of the night…and anyway she was doing ballroom, I thought.
Motsi was the only judge to restrain herself, not do a demo and stick to the 2m rule. Claudia should have pressed Craig to Charleston when hthe finale lines open.
Three-quarters of Little Mix performed (had to check it wasn’t COVID related), and they were definitely singing live (i.e. not always great) but let’s focus on Johannes and Luba, who were totally on it this time, and Luba’s dress was amazingness.
Both the remaining couples had ben placed in the dance-off slots, which fels mean. I couldn’t bring myself to believe Bill would be in trouble. He seemed really chuffed in a Bill Bailey way, and I don’t think Oti believed she’d be in the final again after the cha cha.
Tess tried to make out the scores were really close, but we an Jamie knew Ranvir was doing ballroom. I hearted him and Karen for celebrating being in the dance-off so much, because what else can you do?
And then they danced. I’m not convinced Jamie put in that much more rotation as Crag asked for, and I started off feeling sorry again for the song choice, but it was another strong Jamie dance-off performance, and as Ranvir did her admittedly lovely waltz again, I did wonder if this being her first dance-off told against her. Or maybe it was the style? Craig and Motsi didn’t give any reasons for their choice, I note that both voted for the couple they’d been asked to give a pep talk to, although a part of me thinks Motsi decided to let Miss Shirley do her head judge thing, and gah, it was close. Ranvir and Giovanni’s speeches to each other did suggest that they’ve run out of things to say about her narrative, and though we all know her frame and her connection were great in ballroom, Jamie improved in all kinds of genres. I am even fairly confident that he lowered Karen properly off camera from their last lift.
*Confirmed that Bill and Jamie are on ITT.
This entry was originally posted at https://shallowness.dreamwidth.org/447383.html.