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. 

[Cleoriff]

Less said about the opening number the better! What a messy mash up. Didn't rate the singers either.

The man was lip syncing.

Apart from that it was a damn good night for all the couples. They all gave us a real great show.

Molly and Carlos. Charleston

Wow just wow!! Absolutely spot on. Loved it, the best Charleston I've seen for a long time Scored 38

Hamza and Jowita. Samba.  A damn good effort although seemed a bit weird watching a Samba to that music. No pigeon toes this week. Scored 36

Kim and Graziano. Cha Cha. I thought the music was ok with the dance. They were good but probably a bit 'placed' Scored 34

Will and Nancy. Foxtrot. No secret that I don't like Will but this as one hell of a dance tonight. Motsi was holding back the tears. Very emotional and a beautiful dance. Scored a well deserved 39

Helen and Gorka. Couples Choice. Wow, Wow, Wow!! What a dance. Helen out of her shell tonight. Just brilliant. As Craig said, a real Bob Fosse number. So good I actually watched it twice! Scored 39 and should have been all 10's.

Fleur and Vito. Quickstep. Sadly I missed most of this. However the judges loved it Scored 38

Going to be difficult to choose the bottom two, although I'm guessing Kym will be one of them.

[sheepdog]

Wasn't that opening number just an atrocious bit of television. Filmed without a live studio audience. Which is a good thing because it looked like it was filmed over several hours with all those dodgy edits and it still was awful. Dual screening the Serbia v Switzerland match was a good choice.

Oh well onto tonights fashion attempts. Tess: greeny yellow pvc dominatrix outfit. Not that I would know the latest fashions in certain circles but er, it fascinated me....as for Claudia? Suppose black zebra stripe on a foil suit that isn't all black is a change but no. Motsi, good hair but pink isn't her colour nor is accessorising with black bin bags.

Molly: on first which was "Oh no Molly is on first". Thankfully it was her best to date and dare I say it, best charleston of the series. Everything was just perfect except the score of 39. 

Hamza: awful music full stop. Thought he lurched a bit but ok. 

Kim: Judges said her solo parts were good, I say no they weren't and the routine went downhill after that. Routine, which wouldn't have been a bad zumba dance video number, mostly downhill given the tune she was given. Dance-off queen this week. 

Will: Didn't like it at all. Felt he was walking too much rather than foxtrotting. Also didn't like his saturday afternoon off down the pub beer garden outfit. A score of 39? Not really but I think I'm in the minority on this one in the household!

Helen: Oh. My. Goodness! What an awesome jaw dropping routine and the bonus of actually being original and not another commercial/street! The way she kept in character all the way through only to be denied a 10 from Craig. 

Fluergh: hmmm. Compared to previous weeks this was better but too much stop start for my liking for a quickstep. Plus points, she did look the part. Overmarked I think from the two women judges. 

Other than Kim, I'd put it down to Fleurgh or Hamza or being the other in the dance-off. 

Did we need the backing dancers? Some worked (Helen & Molly) some just too much in the way (Kim & Fleurgh). Otherwise a good show from all. 

So we get an act from "The Cher show" as the musical entertainment. Oh great, its karaoke time on Strictly. 

[Cleoriff]

Not too keen on the opening number from Guys and Dolls

First two couples saved are. Helen and Gorka and Will and Nancy. (I do dislike Nancy)

Then we had the Cher Show!

Now I like Cher, always have even when she was with Sonny. However THREE Chers and other dancers was a bit of a failure.  Very forced so not for me.

Next two couples saved are Hamza and Jowita (Shock horror) and Fleur and Vito

So the couples in the dance off are:

Kim and Graziano (No surprise)

and

Molly and Carlos (shocking!!)

Although Anton saved his favourite Kim the other three saved Molly and Carlos

So next week SCD is on Sunday.

[sheepdog]

Missed about 75% of the opening routine and can't say I'm going to youtube it. As for the outfits on the presenters, tick box for Tess in white, Claudia might as well as turned up in a cardboard box as it would have been more effort. 

Also that Cher show thing was another mess. I for one don't mind a bit belting out a bit of Cher whilst not on a conference call but 3 of them weren't exactly in harmony so grated on the ears. As for the dancers, oh dear. Back to dance school please. Almost makes you want to appreciate Jason Gilkerson's routines 😂 To be brutally honest, is that really 2 hours worth of a show that people willingly pay for which is basically a karaoke competition. Marks out ten: no those are my claw marks wanting it to stop.

So Molly gets to be in the dance-off to what must be a record 4th time and thankfully gets saved over Kim. What was Anton playing at saving Kim? Deliberately trying to goad Shirley to create a non-existent drama? Though I would imagine she'll be having a kirby kiss with him after. 

Missed that bit about the Sunday live show. Back to the good old days of waiting an hour or so for the results show. Double dances as well though does that mean double pro dance routines and double the amount of filler VT's?

[Cleoriff]

The quarter finals of the World Cup are on Friday and Saturday next week @sheepdog so that must be the reason for SCD on Sunday. 

[sheepdog]

This weekend is looking rather good value on TV. Friday and Saturday are the World cup quarter finals and Strictly to do its semi-final and results on Sunday night. Well 2 out of 3 days aren't bad ;-). Anyway, these weeks weird choices and why's this been chosen for the penultimate double dance disaster:

Fleur & Vito: Charleston to Tu Vuo' Fa L'Americano by Fiorello and Paso Doble to The Time Is Now by Moloko

Helen & Gorka: Argentine Tango to Here Comes The Rain Again by Eurythmics and Waltz to Only One Road by Céline Dion 

Molly & Carlos: Paso Doble to Survivor by 2WEI ft Edda Hayes and American Smooth to Easy On Me by Adele

Hamza & Jowita: Charleston to Pencil Full Of Lead by Paolo Nutini and Waltz to What The World Needs Now by Burt Bacharach

Will & Nancy: Couple's Choice to Know How / Fools Gold / Step On Young MC / The Stone Roses / Happy Mondays and Paso Doble to Uccen – DWTS Remix by Taalbi Brothers, DWTS

@Cleoriff looks like the last AT of the series is for Helen and if she repeats last weeks CC, could be special.

Three Paso's in one night could see both Molly, Will or Fleurgh vie for a dance-off though we may be bored by another 2 charlestons as well. Fleurgh is doing both dances so running order could be key for her. Though got to say that this series of Paso music has been abysmal and really needs to change. 

[Cleoriff]

@sheepdog 

That's a real mash up of music for Will and his Couples Choice? In fact there seems to be a competition as to who chooses the weirdest music this year.

Well I like the Paso nearly as much as the AT so I won't mind comparing them. Probably the best will be one who gets the music choices correct.

[Cleoriff]

By the way the show runs over two nights @sheepdog 

Sunday is the main show at 7.15pm and the results show on Monday at 8.15pm

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006m8dq/broadcasts/upcoming 

[Cleoriff]

I have to be quick with this...no time for technicalities 😂

Fleur  and Vito. Paso Doble. I started off liking it and then went off it a bit. Overly aggressive at times Scored 35.

2nd Dance Charleston. I liked it but thought it was overmarked Scored 39

Helen and Gorka. Waltz Lovely dance but was undermarked. Scored 35

2nd Dance Argentine Tango. Excellent. too much nit-picking by Shirley. Scored 37

Hamza and Jowita. Charleston. It was ok but footwork was off in parts Needless to say the judges were OTT and overmarked. Scored 39

2nd dance Waltz. More footwork issues. Poor posture at times. Scored 37

Molly and Carlos. American Smooth. Despite the judges criticism, I loved it. Scored 36

2nd Dance. Paso Doble. ABSOLUTELY SUPERB. Best paso of the series. Not enough for dumb Craig to get his 10 paddle out. Scored 39.

Will and Nancy Paso Doble. Not for me. Positioning and shaping poor Scored 32

2nd Dance Couples Choice. Loved the music but felt they could have done more with the dance. Great to see Bez there! Scored 38 (overmarked)

[sheepdog]

Either it was the lights or the co-hosts really went overboard on the fake tan tonight. Pretty much poor showing fashion wise from both and Claudia really needs a tailor. Motsi: oh gawd what was that. I spent the entire show thinking she was Marty from Madagascar in Chris Rock's voice! In fact, this clip summarises the Strictly intro perfectly every week far too accurately:

Scoring all over the place: 10's undeserved and obvious the judges want Will in the bottom two. Having two dances this week showed how hard it was for all couples with below par dancing. 

Fleur & Vito: 

1st dance Paso Doble: hmm. Skirtography and arms out wide. Can't say I was impressed. 

2nd stomp: Charleston. Clompy to me though good in places and not a great outfit I'm afraid. Unfortunately having seen Hamza's Charleston, it wasn't as good either. 

Helen & Gorka:  

1st dance: Waltz. Robo-girl has been rebooted. Nice but bland.

2nd dance: Argentine Tango. Sultry Helen way better 🙂 Heel caught in dress which jarred her midway otherwise excellent. 

Hamza & Jowita: 

1st dance: Charleston in a kilt! Not seen Kenny Logan have we seen a kilt. And it was good unlike Kenny was. Excellent lifts. 

2nd dance: Waltz. Not very good and quite a big step backwards. Guessing  like the others two dances too much. 

Molly & Carlos: 

1st dance: American Smooth. Another highly competent performance from Molly. Judges a little harsh I thought. 

2nd dance: Paso Doble. Really liked it, full of drama and best Paso of the series for me. 

Will & Nancy: 

1st dance: Paso Doble. Started off well but the cape work left a bit to be desired. Found it amusing when his pot belly got undue attention during one walking part 😉 Liked the routine but not quite there. Nancy none too pleased with judges comments so beware of sharp fingernails behind the scenes.

2nd dance: Couple's Choice. Hmm, danced well but felt it was flat and below expectations lacking a signature move. Maybe because it was street/commercial so we've seen it all before. 

I'm going for either Helen because she didn't quite live up to the last few weeks or Fleurgh as I thought she was the second weakest of the night. Will as the default in the dance-off or given its anybody, Molly because she's the usual choice for no reason other than she's less popular than Fleurgh. 

Since Monday night's MMA is Lewis Capaldi and given he is the definition of utter mediocrity especially after his last appearance on Strictly, I'll just give him the award of worst of the series now.