Posted Aug 25th 2008 10:20AM by Jane Boursaw
Filed under: Programming, OpEd, American Idol, Music and Variety, TV Squad Lists, So You Think You Can Dance
It's sad when you can't remember who won the last American Idol. Oh yeah, David Cook. And we're avid fans around this house, too.
Simon Cowell probably remembers, but, apparently, he's as bored as the rest of us. In a TVGuide.com story, he says of Season 7, "I was a little bored ... I think [last season] the talent was great, and the ratings were great, I just think it could be more interesting and controversial."
That's why he plans to mix it up a little come January 2009, when he'll be taking a larger role in the show, perhaps compensating for executive producer Nigel Lythgoe stepping back to focus on his other show, So You Think You Can Dance.
Simon's not saying how he'll shake things up, but I have a few ideas:
Continue reading Simon Cowell to shake up American Idol - I've got some ideas for him
Posted Aug 8th 2008 7:41AM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: OpEd, Episode Reviews, So You Think You Can Dance
(
S04E23) It all comes down to this. The season has been a bit underwhelming at times compared to seasons past, but it did indeed have its fantastic moments. I'm sure I won't soon forget Twitch and Kherrington's Viennese waltz or Katee and Will's pas de deux.
Still standing at the end is a girl who is the ultimate underdog, a girl who would've quit, a guy with absolutely no formal training, and a guy who was #21 last season, just shy of making the top 20 dancers. Let's talk about the season finale of
So You Think You Can Dance. For Real!
Continue reading So You Think You Can Dance: Season Finale
Posted Aug 7th 2008 8:23AM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: Episode Reviews, So You Think You Can Dance
(S04E22) The two night season finale is here and there are only four dancers left. On the guys' side we have Joshua and Twitch, two hip-hop dancers with very different styles. The girls are representing contemporary and jazz this year, with both Katee and Courtney. I can't say I would have expected this top four at the beginning of the season, but with the range of talent we had this year, it was hard to guess who might make it here.
With Mandy Moore joining Nigel and Mary on the judging panel, we were treated to a two hour extravaganza of dance dance dance! Each of the four finalists danced no less than five separate times, sometimes with only a commercial break between them. Those whiners at
American Idol talk about how exhausting that show can be, but can you imagine the physical strain these dancers go through? Especially as they ramp up to a show as demanding as this finale. Thankfully, it was packed from beginning to end with amazing numbers and amazing dancing!
Continue reading So You Think You Can Dance: Top 4 Perform
Posted Aug 4th 2008 7:00PM by Kona Gallagher
Filed under: Industry, American Idol, News and Gossip, So You Think You Can Dance
It's been several years since I've cared about the outcome of
American Idol. The contestants are all starting to look the same to me and half the time I get them confused with people on
Top Model. Apparently, I'm not alone. While it's still a ridiculously high-rated show, Last season's
Idol did experience a ratings dip. Now,
even its executive producer is jumping ship.
Nigel Lythgoe has produced
Idol for seven seasons, but according to sources, he's grown tired of the singing competition and has said privately that he's "not passionate about it anymore." Instead, Lythgoe is going to spend more time with his
other successful Fox competition show,
So You Think You Can Dance. This comes on the heels of news that
Fox has picked up Dance for a 5th season.
Even though
SYTYCD is a summer show, it attracts a good audience and a lot of buzz. Plus
its stars are adorably crazy, as opposed to Paula Abdul crazy. Which show is your favorite? Are you still devoted to
Idol, or does
Dance take the formula and do it better?
Posted Aug 4th 2008 2:23AM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: OpEd, Pickups and Renewals, So You Think You Can Dance
Looks like next summer we are getting
another season of So You Think You Can Dance. The dance competition will continue to rule the summer with its fifth season next year.
This shouldn't come as a big surprise to anyone -- whether you watch the show or not. It's basically the
American Idol of the summertime, the off-season Lythgoe/Fuller powerhouse. The ratings are stellar. Both Wednesday and Thursday telecasts rank number one in their respective time periods in all key demographics. Furthermore, the show has been Emmy nominated, earning four nods this year for choreography by Wade Robson, Shane Sparks, and Mandy Moore.
Continue reading FOX orders season five of So You Think You Can Dance
Posted Aug 3rd 2008 2:04PM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: OpEd, TV Squad Polls, Celebrities, So You Think You Can Dance
Reasons why I tune in to
So You Think You Can Dance on both Wednesday and Thursday nights...
1. The dancing. I want to see who got what style and if he / she can pull it off.
2. The judges. Sans Mary's screams and stupid fake-outs, I find the judges rather informative in their critique. Unlike some other shows... *cough*
Idol.
3. Cat Deeley and her outfits. Cat is a refreshing host: truly concerned for the
SYTYCD hopefuls, genuinely excited for the guest performers, and always ready to engage with the judges.
Continue reading Cat Deeley's crazy outfits
Posted Aug 1st 2008 9:00AM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: OpEd, Episode Reviews, So You Think You Can Dance
(
S04E21) Nigel told the final six that while they were getting plenty of applause and adulation on the show, they would have to get used to rejection if they continue on this career path. He advised that they use the rejection to propel them forward. But, the final six shouldn't feel too bad because each one of them got over a million votes going into this results show.
And the stakes are even higher going into the finale. Adam Shankman has added a role as a featured dancer in his new movie to the winner's prize package.
So let's see who will be battling it out next Thursday on
So You Think You Can Dance.
Continue reading So You Think You Can Dance: Top 4 Revealed
Posted Jul 31st 2008 9:21AM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: OpEd, Episode Reviews, So You Think You Can Dance
(S04E20) I think by the twentieth episode of
American Idol we were just getting to "Hollywood Week." But here on
SYTYCD we're on the cusp of the "Final Four!" Last week, we lost Will and Comfort. Comfort was due, but I really think Mark should have been the one to go on the guy's side. But I can understand Will. Like Katee for the girls, he was the most technically proficient of the guys, but he just didn't connect with the audience in the ways that the other guys do. He didn't come across as aloof to me, but neither was he particularly charismatic.
It was nice to see Cat return to form with an absolutely hideous outfit. She looked positively lovely last week in classy dresses that fit her well. This week she wore a sparkly garbage bag cinched at the waist with shower poofs attached to the heels of her ... heels. Adam Shankman came back to the judging panel this week and was a little late to the praising the choreographers schtick they're doing this year. He got with the program with Tyce DiOrio and the flow of choreographer love continued unabated throughout the night.
Continue reading So You Think You Can Dance: Top 6 Perform
Posted Jul 26th 2008 8:02AM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: OpEd, Episode Reviews, So You Think You Can Dance
(
S04E19) This was an exciting week on
So You Think You Can Dance. We had great routines, great costumes, great performances. Nigel wore white leather. He insinuated once again that he and Mary Murphy have more than a working relationship. The woman who sang "Mickey" was on the show. (I was half-hoping that she would perform last night. Maybe even as one of LL Cool J's dancers. She's the original locker, don't ya know?)
And after those eliminations, I think I'm in the twilight zone.
Will America please (pretty please) send home Mark and his crooked pinky fingers next week? Sheesh.
Continue reading So You Think You Can Dance: Top 6 Revealed
Posted Jul 25th 2008 12:42PM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: Episode Reviews, So You Think You Can Dance
(S04E18) Eight contestants left and only two weeks left until the finale? Things are going to be moving fast around the
SYTYCD set. To help us keep things moving along, Nigel and Mary were joined by Toni Basil. She's best known for the '80s pop hit "Mickey" and since then she's continued to do ... you know, stuff. But where did she come from to suddenly become a judge on
So You Think You Can Dance? Okay, I know she's been active in choreography behind the scenes, but it was still a pretty abrupt addition to the show.
She started off a little worrisome to me, talking about how she didn't take notes and was just enjoying the performances as a fan, but then she really got into the dances and offered valuable criticism. Whereas last week seemed pretty lackluster overall with more disappointing dances throughout the evening, this week saw one stellar performance after another. But which dancers shone the brightest for you?
Continue reading So You Think You Can Dance: Top 8 Perform
Posted Jul 18th 2008 9:52AM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: OpEd, Episode Reviews, So You Think You Can Dance
(
S04E17) Well, we've certainly moved on to the next part of the competition. America decides. And we don't have to listen to cranky Nigel or that lunatic Mary anymore. Lil C, however, I will listen to. I thought he was a great judge last night. And his comments tonight were good, too. Speaking of
Wednesday night, the big announcement was that
Comfort would be replacing Jessica (who has a couple broken ribs).
But we got another big announcement last night --
So You Think You Can Dance received four
Emmy nominations. The make-up team was nominated as well as three choreographers. Wade Robson's Hummingbird & Flower piece got a nod as did Mandy Moore's Table routine (the one to "Sweet Dreams") and Shane Sparks' Transformers number to "Fuego." Mia Michaels is crying in corner somewhere. You'll get 'em next year Mia.
Continue reading So You Think You Can Dance: Top 8 Revealed
Posted Jul 17th 2008 12:44AM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: Episode Reviews, So You Think You Can Dance
(S04E16) Well, what do you think about that? Before the show even began the Top 10 has changed with hip-hop dancer Comfort coming into replace Jessica. Apparently,
Jessica suffered an injury that forced her to withdraw from the competition. Before the show began we didn't know any more specific details, so I wasn't sure if it was a physical injury or a psychological one at all the verbal abuse she's taken during her stint as Will's partner.
Luckily, another change this week is the established partnerships. Gone is Twitchington and from here on out we get rotating partners along with changing dance styles. It's at this point, with your Top 10, that it's time to separate the truly gifted dancers from the ones who are only good because their partner is good (like the judges thought about Jessica. Damn, I guess we'll never find out now). And now it doesn't matter who the judges hate because from here the only vote that matters is yours. No more "bottom three" leading to a judges' choice. Lowest vote means a quick trip home so pay attention and get it right!
Continue reading So You Think You Can Dance: Top 10 Perform
Posted Jul 14th 2008 1:17PM by Joel Keller
Filed under: TCA Press Tour, Casting, So You Think You Can Dance
Interesting news coming from the first FOX press conference of the day here in Beverly Hills: top 10 finalist Jessica King has had to bow out of
So You Think You Can Dance due to an unspecified injury. Comfort Fedoke, who was recently eliminated, will replace her.
Creator Nigel Lythgoe told the gathered writers and critics that, for legal reasons, he can't specify what Jessica's injury was, how she got hurt, or when. He told reporters, though, that Jessica will discuss the injury on this week's show.
He also tried to imitate Comfort's Southern accent, repeating what she said when she heard she was returning, but he didn't quite make it. More on the
SYTYCD press conference later today.
Posted Jul 11th 2008 9:02AM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: OpEd, Episode Reviews, So You Think You Can Dance
(
S04E15)It's time to find out which dancers will be going on tour after
So You Think You Can Dance ends this August. I'm going to put it out there now (I think it's time): I want either Joshua or Katee to win this competition. I think it would be especially nice if the girl they almost didn't put on the show won the whole sha-bang!
Other thoughts before we begin... Nigel is a little cranky lately. I don't like him chiding Cat. All she did was remind everyone to tune in to the finale. By the way, there's going to be a sick popping battle during
SYTYCD's live finale. Awesome. My review of tonight's show is after the jump.
Continue reading So You Think You Can Dance: Top 10 Revealed
Posted Jul 9th 2008 11:02PM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: OpEd, Episode Reviews, So You Think You Can Dance
(S04E14) Tonight's "jidges" included the return to the panel of Mia Michaels. In a reversal of Kristin's thinking last week, I'm actually disappointed to see Michaels joining Nigel and Mary on the dais this week for two reasons. First, I think she does some amazingly bizarre things with the dancers and I find myself always incredibly curious and mesmerized by her choreography, even if there are those times where I don't get it. But even more importantly, I hate
hate HATE her as a judge. She's completely subjective and criticizes the most nonsensical things.
And then tonight she completely surprised me by being generally pretty solid before derailing again to the point I wanted to throttle. But still she can't help but get all ethereal and bizarre leaving confusion in their wake. How do you learn and grow from a comment like "I wanted more movement"? And how do you respond to what was said to Will (which I'll get to later)? Overall, the night wasn't as strong as prior episodes, but there were still some gems among all that rough.
Continue reading So You Think You Can Dance: Top 12 Perform
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Six shows that I am watching pretty regularly this season
