Pottymouth, you amaze me with the heights of your brilliance! You reached a new high in ingenious ways to slip Hugh Jackman into a commentary that ostensibly has nothing at all to do with Hugh Jackman! You are the Queen!

And I agree with almost all of your assessment on this past week's show. Phil getting hiphop twice in 4 weeks? Melissa pulling ballet out of the "hat"? Vito and Karla getting stuck with the KOD dance, the Quickstep? It was obvious the producers/Nigel wanted V & K gone. But I think Jean Marc did everything he could to save them (that routine was brilliant), and they did their best as well.

I too wondered what happy pill Mia was on...and how long it will take her to rebound from the high.

I love Sonya and all her works -- but I agree with you, the routine with Mark and Courtney last year was even more brilliant for the one she did for Kayla and Pono. I had forgotten about that one. Thanks for the reminder!

I still cant get on the Melissa/Ade train though. I just feel underwhelmed by them, and I guess at this point it's not going to change. I don't hate them though, so I won't begrudge them any success they have on the show.

Caitlin sort of impressed me for the first time in a routine with Jason. But I found my eyes drawn more to Jason than to her.

And as a final note: reading your recaps, I realize just how much I tune out from the judges comments and all the filler. Thanks for suffering through the insufferable so that I can get the goods by reading rather than by suffering through myself!

Great recap pottymouth.
I too cannot believe how set up the dances were this week. Last season when Katie and Will got the pas-de-deux, I remember thinking it had to have been planned - I just didn't think any other two dancers could have pulled it off (I know there is a lot of people out there who did not love Will - I did and I just did not think that the other guys could have done this dance, as great as they were). But to have every couple, expect the one that is obviously on a very short leash, dancing in their own style, is ridiculous.
As for all the filler each week - I cannot figure out if I like it or hate it. I don't think we would have loved dancers like Joshua, Benjy, Donyelle, Sabra... quite as much if not for the filler, but then, it can also turn me off of some of the amazing dancers. I am slowly falling more in love with Vitolio and out of love with Brandon and Philip. They are kinda buggin' me now. These guys can dance, but if I have to hear Philip with his "I am too cool attitude" any more, I will scream (this was made only worse by his on screen reaction to who was in the bottom three this week - I will say no more to make sure not to have any spoilers of you recap).
Anyway, I thought everyone danced amazing this week - big improvement over last week. I still cannot figure out who I want to win this time. I am starting to lean towards a dark horse like Jeninne or something.
Cheers.
Ps - man I love Jean mark and France - they are so quintessential French-Canadian.
P.S.S - as a science geek I say get on your soap box and yell twice as loud pottymouth. We desperately need the arts!

Great minds think alike, Pottymouth! I thought the same thing about Mia's comments for Randi, meaning I couldn't believe I actually agreed with her! I was texting my little sister throughout the show and was like, " I can't even believe I'm saying this, but I agree with Mia!"

As for the comments about little girls watching the classical ballet and asking for lessons, that was sooo my daughter! She is already in ballet, jazz and tumbling, but on summer break. She kept saying,"Mommy when do I go to dance class?" She's only 3, but she LOVES to dance. She mimicked every dance the couples did! She was especially cute doing the cha-cha! She's got that attitude already!!

I'm only on the first page, but has anyone else notice that Brandon seems to only touch Janette with the slightest of touches? He's either worried about being offensive, or just not that into her. They're one of the better couples, but it takes away from the believability for me...back to the recap!

I’m usually the last person to join a conspiracy theory movement, but this season is leaving me all kinds of jaded. I agree, the picks hardly seem random. On a side note, why have they stopped showing the footage of the dancers drawing a card out of the hat? This used to be presented as an entire segment. If they drew cards in front of a live audience, and there was no question that the cards weren’t tampered with between picks, it would give the “random” draw back its credibility. Then again, maybe there’s a good reason this segment is no longer shown…

The only angle I haven’t figured out is this: Caitlin is clearly a favorite, what with the complete lack of negative comments by the judges and her saves from the bottom three, which were IMESHO (I’m just making my own abbreviations up now) completely unwarranted. But if she is a favorite, and the picks are being tampered with, why hasn’t she gotten any routines she would be sure to excel in? It’s a bit of a conundrum.

I’ve consulted the Grassy Knoll Conspirator’s Guide and come up with a possible solution. The producers would know that the “randomness” of the picks is bound to raise suspicion. So how do you throw off suspicion? Offer up a red herring: a girl who can dance nothing except her own style is continuously given routines she has no hope of performing well, and is not only inexplicably given no negative comments by the judges, but is also saved after each solo, even though each solo consists of nothing more than the same movements in a different order. This would make it seem like the girl was a favorite, when in fact she is just a plant to make viewers who are suspicious of the assigned routines reconsider their opinion on the grounds that one of the judges’ favorites never picks an auspicious dance style.

Oh, that Nigel schemes in layers… but I’m on to him and I plan on exposing his shady plots.

I never knew watching a dance show could be so exhaustive.

IMESHO??? Please clue me in... BTW I agree with everything posted here - seems a little odd but I am not surprised since they have to ensure that the "right casting" is done for the tour. You can't have it stocked with dancers that people really want to see, can you (insert sarcastic voice here)?

These 2 episodes made me effin' cranky.
I hate Mia. How were you gonna pull all that talent that you supposedly saw in Brandon from DAY ONE when you voted against letting him through? Really, Mia?
I hate Kapono (and Nigel). His dumbass personality and his ridiculous muppet clothing. His solos are by far the worst every week, and yet, he is given a pass. Why bother with solos if they don't mean anything? Dance for your life, my ass. It's just an excuse in case they need to save one of their favorites (Kayla) from the bottom.
Finally, Cat. It is pretty bad when I can't decide if you are better or worse than Samantha Harris. Yeah, you win, but not by a lot. Please, try to act like an intelligent woman and not a stupid teenage girl, with the giggling behind the hand, and the "cute" banter with the contestants (ugh, the "cheeky!" after the butt dance was particularly grating - not to mention the goofy fawning over those kid dancers). And the prom dress this week? I have the feeling that, deep down, you are not a total fool. Stop acting like one.
Aaaah. Rant over. I feel cleansed.

I am officially on team Jeannine now (although I fear she will be voted off at top 10).

messystation: personally, I love Cat Deely! I love that she's this gorgeous Amazon of a woman has no qualms about acting silly and seems to have a genuine affection and empathy for the kids who come across that stage. She brings humour and kindness to very tense situations. She acts silly, but I don't think for a second that she's a fool. I think she knows exactly what she's doing and why she's doing it. For me she's the best host on television. She doesn't come across as fake, smarmy, or detached like some others

*coughryanseacrestcoughsamanthaharriscough*

But to each their own, right? I can understand why she would irritate some people, but I hope she stays along for a long long time. (I actually wish they'd give her double duty over at AI.

First - I like Cat - and accept her as she is, quirks and all... I had prety much the same reaction about Mia's behavior - pure B.S. - she was just doing what she was required to do if she wanted to be on the show any more.

Finally, I can accept the public being arbitrary in their picks, but I expected better of the judges than what they did this week. I was shocked and angered by their choice (and their twisted "logic" for making it). Maybe that was something Mia negotiated in exchange for publicly (almost) admitting she was wrong? (Hey! Let's start a "blame Mia" movement!)

Another fine recap!

I'm sorry but Vitolio gives off major skeeze vibes to me. His personality reeks of "that guy" at the club who rubs up on you and acts like he's the hottest thing there when really he is not.

Karla has zero personality so she seems like she'll be out next-i forget she's even on the show until she pops up and then I'm like, oh right, that chick.

Either that or poor little Randi and Evan will be in the bottom three. I doubt it though-people love their Fosse :).

Anywho, so the reason why Sonya reacted with a "YES!" when Nigel mentioned Twilight is because the song that she used was featured in the movie rather prominently. Don't ask how I know that...;P

Ditto: recap and all comments about the highly suspicious nature of the "random" picks.

I can't understand the love for Caitlin. I actually think she's a very good dancer, but performance-wise, I think she's just bleh. Every week, for me, it's like watching one of the brady bunch or Sandra Dee perform. Which is why this week didn't work for me, because I thought she was just too "cutesy" to infuse the dance with the tough personality it needed.

And while I really enjoyed Kayla and Kupono's dance (without even being big fans of theirs), I enjoyed even more watching Mark and Courtney. Now there's personality!

I guess, for me (again), it comes down to, not only great dancing, but also the acting chops to pull off the mood of the dance. We had that in a lot of the dancers last year. This year, not as much.

IMESHO=In My Ever So Humble Opinion, perhaps?

"I'm going to stuff you inside some corn mush, wrap you in a husk, and steam you! Yes I am!"

Substitute Hugh Jackman for Mary, and I’ll be happy to participate. Wrapper…wrappee…whichever.

Mia was full of BS with her “backpedaling.” She’s hard on Brandon because she thinks he’s brilliant? Then why did she say he was smug, egotistical, phony, didn’t “get” his talent, didn’t “believe” what he offered as a dancer, and she didn’t want him on the show…and didn’t clap when he was cast? What a liar.

If Kupono’s “Sonya” shirt is an example of his “clothing design,” he better pray this dance thing pans out.

Thank goodness someone else mentioned the Twilight Soundtrack song…I was embarrassed I knew it, and wasn’t looking forward to ‘fessing up.

Not buying Phillip “accidentally” getting hip hop twice. For some reason the producers really want him to hang around…but I don’t get the hype.

I hated the alien thing…I don’t like Caitlin. I’m also not getting the Kayla love. I’m kind of under whelmed with Melissa and Ade.

As much as I love Evan and Randi (and they ARE my favorites,) I agree they were among the lesser performances of the night. So I’m gonna go watch their dance from last week again just to make myself feel better…

You want to talk about conspiracy. How about getting rid of Philip?!! I know he's got a hugh fan base, thats why the producers and the judges are keeping him in the competition. The fact is he only escel in Hip Hop and suck on the rest of the the genre of dance. He is the weakest dancer in the show. He should be kick off!! Brandon and Jeanette still my favorite couples along with Melissa and Ade. Follow by Evans and Randi. Karla suffer the same faith as Will and Danny. They came across as being snobbish despite their excellent technical skills. Mary and the other judges should learn from their pass lessons if they pimping too much for a particular contestant the voters are going to revolt.

I never even understood what Mia disliked so much about Brandon. It seemed like he had personally offended her in some way. If she had actually ever said what she thought was wrong with him, I wouldn't feel like it is some personal vendetta on her part--which is totally out-of-place in a judge. Yeah, it's bad for the producers and judges to have "favorites" but it's even worse for someone in power to set out to destroy a dancer because of some weird personal reason. (She doesn't like his personality?)

I can understand wanting to keep the dancers that the audience likes, but some of the teacher's pets this year are baffling.

When Melissa came out with the ballet shoes I almost gave up on this show. But then I thought that most of the other girls could probably do ballet, just not as well. I like Randi and Evan but I keep wanting them to do hip hop or crunk just for the fail aspect.

Oh, and if Mia is hardest on those with the most potential, then Jessica from season 4 must have been one hell of a dancer cause she was SO mean to her as well.

Lizbot: Is it just Melissa, just Ade, or the two of them together? I’ve had people I’ve been like that with on the show; everyone else thinks they’re so wonderful, but to me they’re just meh.

brat: Thanks for the soapbox encouragement! I have major issues with how arts programs get slashed. I’ve always loved the part in Mr. Holland’s Opus when he says, “You can cut the arts all you want to, Gene. Sooner or later, these kids won’t have anything to read or write about”

Tadow: I hadn’t noticed that. I have to keep my eyes peeled for that this week.

ohhhyeah: I’ve never been one for conspiracy theories myself, but this was way too blatant to ignore or deny. That’s a very interesting red herring theory. I like the way your mind works!

Pikey578: Why would you do that? Then you’d sell tons and tons of tickets. Of course will anyway, so never mind.

messystation: The Mia thing had me yelling at my TV as though she might be able to hear me. That pissed me off to no end. But I have to disagree with you about Cat – I really like her.

tv freak: I am right there with you.

Lizbot: I don’t think I’d want to see Cat over on AI – it’s a different feel over on that show, and I might not like her so much if she were forced to participate in inane banter with Mr. Cowell.

fire@will: How’d your move to a new hideout go? Ve vill find you. I would be happy to start a blame Mia movement with you – Kupono can design our T-shirts!

pixiegal262: Ooooooh, I never thought of that about Vitolio, but I think you’ve hit on something!

Allison: I agree, there’s definitely that certain something lacking in the performance aspect this year. There’s such a lack of passion from so many of them.

cattyfan: Mmmmmmm, a Hugh tamale…….food for thought. ;) I’m really hoping Randi and Evan can pull it together; I really like them and would love to see them go far.

bambinoitaliano: I think Phillip’s time is almost up – within the next two weeks he’ll be off. They want to keep him so he can go on the tour, even if it’s as an alternate. I love what he does, but am disappointed that he hasn’t been able to pull off anything else.

pixielated: Mia is a bitch. The whole thing with Brandon has been so uncalled for and unprofessional. I get that there are some people you just don’t like, for whatever reason, but the specific things she said to him were way out of line. The backpedaling she’s doing now just makes her look like more of an ass than she already did.

newcastlefan: Hah! Who knows? Maybe they’ll surprise us and be super gangsta!

brat: Exactly.

Thanks for all the great comments! I think we’re going to have more and more to talk about as some of favorites get the boot.

SWAK, PottyMouth

That is correct Pikey578

IMESHO = what Allison said. Well, just the bottom part and not the whole post, because that would be crazy talk.

PM - the move went smoothly - three days to drive 1100 miles in a car that just got ut of the shop. It now has a dead battery, but had no trouble on the trip. (I attribute these problems to Mia, of course - although she will claim it was just because I have so much well hidden latent talent.) Thanks!

LMAO! But only after telling you that what you bring to the table pisses her off and she wants you outta here! CUT!! Because you're Amaaaaaaazing.