Strictly 2022

[sheepdog]

Seems its that time of the year when the BBC license tax earns it's value by making me watch Saturday night TV in the main room. Yes, Strictly Come Dancing is back on our screens with the usual list of "celebs"!

Starting with failed pop star turned relatively successful actress and grandmother, it's none other than Kym Marsh with probably a show to promote in between:

Not to be outdone, second on the list is jobbing soap actor and failed pop singer (oh the 90's had so many forgettable acts, cue exhibit 1): Will Mellor

Lets see what tomorrow brings us in the surface analysis of celebrity barrel sampling.

Also 4 new pros to be shoved in the background replacing Aljaz & Oti. No change in the judges other than Bruno will no longer be in the cupboard at all making Anton permanent. Guess we're still getting Craig and Shirley and probably a guest judge as well at some point. Unfortunately the BBC won't get rid of TessBot & Grimace so yet again, the teleprompter will be in full effect with Christmas cracker jokes. 

On the other hand, the Masked Dancer is slated for an autumn release this year. 

[sheepdog]

Tonights review is brought to you with the added bonus of Argentina v Mexico commentary!

Tess in hot office christmas party outfit, Claudia in Primark party pooper. Oversized white heels again? Motsi in normal hairstyle! Less said about the hot pink dress the better. 

Will & Nancy: Charleston. Hmm Mexico look to be on the attack. Which is what he did but lacked fluidity for me not exactly helped by the tune. Just like Argentina. Scored 38 for some reason. 

Molly & Carlos: Tango. Did I like the acting performance: yes. Did I like the routine: yes. Did I like the dancing: no. A bit like the footie game really, not one of her best but scored a respectable 35

Ellie T & Johannes: Jive. Messi has a free kick in front of goal but puts it nowhere near the goal. Just like this jive. Awful really for a week 10. Comments made about her not being able to do this in week 1 as "progress" but in reality, it would have been better doing it in week 1 given the competition then. Like Argentina, is facing elimination at this point. 25 is probably nice as a score but not in week 10 I'm afraid. Tony Adams scored 24 for his Jive so you know its the end. 

Fleurgh & Vito: Rumba. Inelegant to me but judges gave 35 for some reason.

Hamza & Jowita: Argentine Tango. Argentine tango on whilst Argentina are playing badly just like Hamza tonight. Couldn't see why the judges awarded 35 and probably based on past performances. A bit like Messi tonight. Jowita was awesome though.

Half time and its nil nil. Which is the mark I'm giving to the DAO tonight. 

Helen & Gorka: Samba. Oh dear. Definitely not her dance though she did try hard. After last week, second bottom on the leaderboard with a score of 29. Which is where Argentina are in their group table. 

Anyway, show seemed quite short tonight as even the second half hadn't started by the time it finished. Final score was Argentina 2 Mexico 0. Argentina can still be eliminated if they fail to beat Poland next week. 

Sunday results show at 6pm which I'm going to miss as I'm out due to the Spain v Germany game at 7pm which I'm also going to miss. MMA is a duo who's names are like most of the Mexican's teams: forgettable so I'm probably not going to be impressed anyway. 

[Cleoriff]

I have to say I missed a bit of this. Birthday yesterday and my eldest who works nights, rocked up here just after the start!! (I knew that would happen!!)

The panel and presenters:

Claudia : Please stop wearing foul white high heels with black dresses. In fact stop wearing white high heels. UGH!

Motsi: hair ok but the pink striped glittery dress was awful.

Will and Nancy. Charleston.

I can't stand Will but this was a damn good dance. Quite unique. Loved it. Scored 38

Mollie and Carlos. Tango. The music was awful. I really enjoyed the dance. I thought she was undermarked. Scored 35

Ellie and Johannes. Jive. Oh dear me!! A very poor dance. Very blocky with a few mistakes. Looks like Johannes has given up. Scored 25

Fleur and Vito. Rumba. Passionate performance but trying too hard with technique. Breathing all wrong.

Scored 35.

Hamza and Jowita. Argentine Tango. Didn't enjoy this at all. Normally excellent but this was NOT. Considering the judges all said the top half was good and the bottom half was poor (it was) He was overmarked. Scored 37!

Helen and Gorka. Samba. Missed this completely. Apparently it was poor as the judges scored them 29.

Looks as if Ellie and Helen should be in the dance off. Hope Ellie goes.

[Cleoriff]

Just want to add. Hamza is obviously the favourite of the two female judges. Standing up, clapping and giving him a score of 10 is totally ridiculous. (I've watched the show again.) Did they fail to see his pigeon toes and terrible leg (non) movements. Jowita may as well have danced alone. In fact her excellent dancing showed how poor he was.

Helen was poor tonight and such a shame really. When you compare this week to Blackpool, she went from the Wow factor to the poor factor. Undermarked really when you compare her to Hamza.

[Cleoriff]

The set for the opening number was lovely  but no idea what the dance was all about, other than the professionals suddenly changed into coloured clothes?

The music came from a guy called Tom Brennan who was drowned out by his backing singers.

The couples in dance off were

Fleur and Vito

Ellie and Johannes.

Both Couples danced better 'tonight'

Fleur and Vito saved..... Ellie and Johannes going home. Good call.

Next week it's Musicals week.

[sheepdog]

Interesting concept for the opening number of monochrome to colour but really a garish mess. Was that Amy throwing her knickers in the air??? Actually the routine reminded me of those 70's/80's tv shows where for no reason you'd have a dance segment with no real context other than a space filler. Then again, it wasn't done by Jason Gilkerson so is that a plus point?

The editing of the results show was terrible, I could see the double sided sticky tape when they cut scenes. As for Tess, obviously rocking an office party catalogue with wigwam flares. Claudia, a bonus point for deep red, minus 10 for fish scale flares. Wait, did we get a replacement Motsi as she looked quite normal. 

As for the MMA duet. Some sped up version of Sia/David Guetta Titanium with a late 90's euro dance vibe complete with knob twiddler in the background. As you might have guessed, as forgettable as most knob twiddler euro dance acts from back in the 90's. Also, if you're going to wear IEM's then you have both of them in your ears because you end up being completely disorientated. Mind you that what it did sound like. 

Was rather pleased it was Ellie in the dance off but surprised that Fleurrgh was there rather than Helen. Thought Ellie did better second time then again, if the technique of walking around is what the judges wanted, she stood no chance anyway. Right choice even though it pains me to say it given I detest the rhumba. 

Oh so Strictly is on Friday night next week at 8pm if you're not tempted by the Serbia v Switzerland or Brazil v Cameroon on ITV final group games instead. BBC has the winner of Group C v second place of Group D on Saturday night at 7pm hence the move. Which could be the rather interesting match up of Saudi Arabia v Australia if results go the right way! 

[Cleoriff]

So @sheepdog 

If SCD is being moved to Friday due to bloody football....is the Results show on Sunday as usual?

No I've  checked, the results show is on Saturday and will be another sticky tape job ie starts at 5.40 pm and ends at 6.20pm. (rammed in between two football matches. 😂)

[sheepdog]

Week 11 and according to the BBC:

Who doesn't love a good showtune? Our six remaining couples are channelling the best of the West End this week, as the curtain rises on our spectacular Musicals special.

Here are the stage classics hitting the Ballroom floor this Friday...

Fleur & Vito: Quickstep to I Got Rhythm from An American In Paris

Helen & Gorka: Couple's Choice to Mein Herr from Cabaret

Kym & Graziano: Cha Cha to Fame from Fame

Molly & Carlos: Charleston to Hot Honey Rag from Chicago

Hamza & Jowita: Samba to They Live In You from The Lion King

Will & Nancy: Foxtrot to Sun And Moon from Miss Saigon

Not heard of any of those bar Fame and I'm not YouTubing the songs to find out the others either so I'll reserve judgment on "spectacular". Hang on, a cha cha to Fame? I'm guessing its a remix because its definitely not a cha-cha tune.

Who to pick out as dance-off contenders is rather difficult at this stage. So based on popularity, rather the lack of popularity, that will be Fleurgh and Molly having both been in the dance-off 3 times this series. Though Kim is a prime contender if she's not recovered enough but if its the wrong tune, there's no saving it. 

[jonsie]

Could they have found any worse songs from musicals?

[Cleoriff]

We may as well  just cut to the chase and give the 'ball' to the judges favourite Hamza, (the female judges favourite I mean)

Lets face it, he did one of the worst Argentine Tangos I've ever seen. Motsi and Shirley were standing up clapping like seals, yet Craig and Anton said the top half was good but his legs were pretty poor. For all that, he still  scored 36.

He's never been in the dance off and if he was, he would be saved by the very biased judges.

I don't like Will at all. Far too cocky for my liking. (Add to that he plays a murderer in Corrie 😂)

Of all the above, I  like the idea of a Couples Choice for Helen and Gorka. The performance will depend on Helens state of mind though. She looked happy and did a great dance 2 weeks ago at Blackpool, but last week when doing a Samba, she looked sad and uninterested.

Must remember it's on Friday this week!!

[sheepdog]

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@jonsie wrote:

Could they have found any worse songs from musicals?

---

I'm guessing that they may be the cheapest songs they could licence out of the bucket of West End bilge. Or  more like they're in cahoots with the West End box office to sell tickets. 

Oh you just reminded me, the MMA this week is bound to be some West End musical song they got in on the cheap 😂 I think I'll be dual screening and watching Serbia v Switzerland on the ipad.