shallowness (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
shallowness) wrote2023-01-08 09:11 am
shallowness) wrote2023-01-08 09:11 am
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The Masked Singer
It’s only on its fourth series, but The Masked Singer feels like an established sign that the new year has come in. At least everyone knows it’s ridiculous. My main thought on starting to watch it was that women have won the last three, will it be the same again?
Joel’s suit and Davina’s hairstyle were quite something.
First up: Knitting (such a clever concept and I loved what they did with the needles and stitches) versus Jellyfish, which was the more beautiful outfit with the glowing lights.
Knitting was clearly a woman and possibly a professional singer.
Jellyfish is also female and a confident singer (probably the best singer of the night.) I agreed with the judges that maybe there was a little soul there, even if she was singing a rock song.
Jellyfish won the head to head, and quite right too. As one out of three would be eliminated, I felt fairly confident that Knitting wouldn’t be one of them.
Otter (looking like a cartoon brought to life) vs Ghost (ditto, but that’s the most basic outfit, as Joel said, we’ve ever seen on the show.)
Otter is a woman, either an actress, performer, or very game. I had a bit of a delayed realisation that she was performing the Baywatch theme with a hamster and dancers in a giant paddling pool. As you do on the Masked Singer.
Ghost is clearly male and not a singer. I was discounting all accents, and certainly his ‘Scottish’ one.
I was pleased that Otter got saved.
The final encounter was between Cat and Mouse (the Krankies, I thought when I saw the silhouettes, and then I wondered if they’re even alive. Look, be grateful I haven’t committed my other guesses) and Phoenix (the snazzier look.)
So, a double act, with Cat as a Sherlock-esque feline, and Mouse as a thief. Cat switched his accent to sing, and Mouse is a woman. I reflexively liked them for choosing ‘Anythin You Can Do’. I tended to agree with Jonathan that she was an actress – I don’t know if she had more freedom of movement than Cat, but she was using her whole body.
Phoenix was very into the bird’s head business and could sing, but I am in awe of the mad creative team for giving us a crooner’s take on ‘Get Lucky’. Also, the most plausible judge guess of the night was Jonathan’s David Tennant – I could buy that given the timbre of Phoenix’s voice, and there was that clue that fit a Doctor.
Phoenix got saved, and the judges would have to pick which act to unmask and evict. Obviously, it should be Ghost as the weakest singer, and simply because that would be quite an easy unmasking. Cat and Mouse lead to Mo uttering the phrase, ‘The person we’ve decided to save is Cat and Mouse.’
So, Ghost was the first to go, and we had the ‘…’ moment when he turned out to be in a (masked) skeleton outfit under the sheet (that’s still basic!) Under that, it turned out was Chris Kamara, about whom I know very little, but must admit I am surprised he released an actual album. Serve Davina right for saying Cash in the Attic (which she clearly doesn’t watch either) and still not guessing right for sticking to Marti Pellow when she could at least have gone along with another guess.
Episode 2 - I liked Joel’s suit far more. Jacket Potato (hee) vs Fawn (aiming for Panda’s cute factor, perhaps even exceeding it).
Jacket Potato gave a very decent Elvis tribute act, although his look with a cheese quiff was already preparing us he’d go there whereas another vibe might have had a bigger impact, but Mo was right to say that it was a good way to start the show. I’ve never heard him sing, but I did wonder if it was Tom Ellis based on some of the clues.
Pretty-faced Fawn was tackling...Beauty and the Beast. I revised how old I thought she was downwards as the song went on, as a slightly rusty beginning turned into a far purer rendition that developed into something rather special. The dancers were doing a Masked Signeresque version of the story – although as the male ‘Beast’ reached for Fawn!Brauty’s hand, she was about to tackle a big note, so he couldn’t lead her into a dance and that bit of the performance was underwhelming. I’m torn, as really I think she’s had musicals experience, but a part of me wonders if she’s Kate Winslet.
No jeopardy despite the ad break as to the result of that head to head. (Fawn was saved, Jacket Potato would have to wait.)
Cleverly designed outfit, with Rubbish having to be wheeled on (by Joel!) and then popping ‘open’ into a more human form. I wondered if they’d fully thought through the dangers of picking ‘Rubbish’ as their concept/name, but then he started with the resort of the bad singer: ‘Let Me Entertain You’. The dancers’ skirts were fabulous. The singing was flat, but he was clearly a good sport (I‘d guess coming from somewhere between Chris Hoy and Goldie and NOT being a member of Blue.)
Then came Pigeon and she went for it (helped perhaps by having more freedom of movement than Rubbish) but I think she’s a more natural performer anyway, and it felt like an interpretation of No Scrubs, along with a Scrub to play off. This was backed up by the byplay with the judges. To be clear, the singing wasn’t great.
No surprise that of those two, the audicence saved her.
The next head to head was a study in contrasts, tiny Piece of Cake and huge Rhino.
All I got was short woman from the package, and when she sang, clearly a woman grown. I found her voice mystifying, though by the time Jonathan was seeking Rita’s agreement that Piece of Cake was a professional singer, I was leaning that way and guessing Lulu because of the timbre of her voice.
And then we got Rhino’s package and he was doing a ‘surprise’ high-pitched voice and an ‘American’ accent. And then he sang and after a few notes, it was clear that he was a very good singer. (Having said that, apart from the shift when singing the chorus, it was a bit of a boring performance.) At first I wondered if it was the other one who gets to sing solo in Westlife, but then thought I could hear a bit of Lewis Capaldi’s rasp. Jonathan’s James Blunt guess was the only plausible guess of the bunch. Joel was so convinced he knew who it was he wrote his name down on a piece of paper. And as we all know, if the producers really wanted capable guessers, they’d have asked Nicola Roberts to join the judging panel.
Fairly obviously, the studio audience voted to save Rhino.
I presumed that the judges would choose to unmask Rubbish, because he was the weakest singer, but no, they saved him first!?!? And then chose to boot Piece of Cake – Jonathan was the only one who changed his guess, so he was a degree closer, but no..it was Lulu. (I’ve got one out of two right!) You could tell she was a little narked they’d voted her off. How many of the other mased singers will have sung a Bond theme song? It’s not unheard of for the judges to boot a professional singer early, but this was one of the more embarrassing times. (Also, second grandparent to be unmasked!)
I’ll keep watching, but probably not bother posting until the final, unles if something madly unexpected happens (adjusted for TMS standards).
Joel’s suit and Davina’s hairstyle were quite something.
First up: Knitting (such a clever concept and I loved what they did with the needles and stitches) versus Jellyfish, which was the more beautiful outfit with the glowing lights.
Knitting was clearly a woman and possibly a professional singer.
Jellyfish is also female and a confident singer (probably the best singer of the night.) I agreed with the judges that maybe there was a little soul there, even if she was singing a rock song.
Jellyfish won the head to head, and quite right too. As one out of three would be eliminated, I felt fairly confident that Knitting wouldn’t be one of them.
Otter (looking like a cartoon brought to life) vs Ghost (ditto, but that’s the most basic outfit, as Joel said, we’ve ever seen on the show.)
Otter is a woman, either an actress, performer, or very game. I had a bit of a delayed realisation that she was performing the Baywatch theme with a hamster and dancers in a giant paddling pool. As you do on the Masked Singer.
Ghost is clearly male and not a singer. I was discounting all accents, and certainly his ‘Scottish’ one.
I was pleased that Otter got saved.
The final encounter was between Cat and Mouse (the Krankies, I thought when I saw the silhouettes, and then I wondered if they’re even alive. Look, be grateful I haven’t committed my other guesses) and Phoenix (the snazzier look.)
So, a double act, with Cat as a Sherlock-esque feline, and Mouse as a thief. Cat switched his accent to sing, and Mouse is a woman. I reflexively liked them for choosing ‘Anythin You Can Do’. I tended to agree with Jonathan that she was an actress – I don’t know if she had more freedom of movement than Cat, but she was using her whole body.
Phoenix was very into the bird’s head business and could sing, but I am in awe of the mad creative team for giving us a crooner’s take on ‘Get Lucky’. Also, the most plausible judge guess of the night was Jonathan’s David Tennant – I could buy that given the timbre of Phoenix’s voice, and there was that clue that fit a Doctor.
Phoenix got saved, and the judges would have to pick which act to unmask and evict. Obviously, it should be Ghost as the weakest singer, and simply because that would be quite an easy unmasking. Cat and Mouse lead to Mo uttering the phrase, ‘The person we’ve decided to save is Cat and Mouse.’
So, Ghost was the first to go, and we had the ‘…’ moment when he turned out to be in a (masked) skeleton outfit under the sheet (that’s still basic!) Under that, it turned out was Chris Kamara, about whom I know very little, but must admit I am surprised he released an actual album. Serve Davina right for saying Cash in the Attic (which she clearly doesn’t watch either) and still not guessing right for sticking to Marti Pellow when she could at least have gone along with another guess.
Episode 2 - I liked Joel’s suit far more. Jacket Potato (hee) vs Fawn (aiming for Panda’s cute factor, perhaps even exceeding it).
Jacket Potato gave a very decent Elvis tribute act, although his look with a cheese quiff was already preparing us he’d go there whereas another vibe might have had a bigger impact, but Mo was right to say that it was a good way to start the show. I’ve never heard him sing, but I did wonder if it was Tom Ellis based on some of the clues.
Pretty-faced Fawn was tackling...Beauty and the Beast. I revised how old I thought she was downwards as the song went on, as a slightly rusty beginning turned into a far purer rendition that developed into something rather special. The dancers were doing a Masked Signeresque version of the story – although as the male ‘Beast’ reached for Fawn!Brauty’s hand, she was about to tackle a big note, so he couldn’t lead her into a dance and that bit of the performance was underwhelming. I’m torn, as really I think she’s had musicals experience, but a part of me wonders if she’s Kate Winslet.
No jeopardy despite the ad break as to the result of that head to head. (Fawn was saved, Jacket Potato would have to wait.)
Cleverly designed outfit, with Rubbish having to be wheeled on (by Joel!) and then popping ‘open’ into a more human form. I wondered if they’d fully thought through the dangers of picking ‘Rubbish’ as their concept/name, but then he started with the resort of the bad singer: ‘Let Me Entertain You’. The dancers’ skirts were fabulous. The singing was flat, but he was clearly a good sport (I‘d guess coming from somewhere between Chris Hoy and Goldie and NOT being a member of Blue.)
Then came Pigeon and she went for it (helped perhaps by having more freedom of movement than Rubbish) but I think she’s a more natural performer anyway, and it felt like an interpretation of No Scrubs, along with a Scrub to play off. This was backed up by the byplay with the judges. To be clear, the singing wasn’t great.
No surprise that of those two, the audicence saved her.
The next head to head was a study in contrasts, tiny Piece of Cake and huge Rhino.
All I got was short woman from the package, and when she sang, clearly a woman grown. I found her voice mystifying, though by the time Jonathan was seeking Rita’s agreement that Piece of Cake was a professional singer, I was leaning that way and guessing Lulu because of the timbre of her voice.
And then we got Rhino’s package and he was doing a ‘surprise’ high-pitched voice and an ‘American’ accent. And then he sang and after a few notes, it was clear that he was a very good singer. (Having said that, apart from the shift when singing the chorus, it was a bit of a boring performance.) At first I wondered if it was the other one who gets to sing solo in Westlife, but then thought I could hear a bit of Lewis Capaldi’s rasp. Jonathan’s James Blunt guess was the only plausible guess of the bunch. Joel was so convinced he knew who it was he wrote his name down on a piece of paper. And as we all know, if the producers really wanted capable guessers, they’d have asked Nicola Roberts to join the judging panel.
Fairly obviously, the studio audience voted to save Rhino.
I presumed that the judges would choose to unmask Rubbish, because he was the weakest singer, but no, they saved him first!?!? And then chose to boot Piece of Cake – Jonathan was the only one who changed his guess, so he was a degree closer, but no..it was Lulu. (I’ve got one out of two right!) You could tell she was a little narked they’d voted her off. How many of the other mased singers will have sung a Bond theme song? It’s not unheard of for the judges to boot a professional singer early, but this was one of the more embarrassing times. (Also, second grandparent to be unmasked!)
I’ll keep watching, but probably not bother posting until the final, unles if something madly unexpected happens (adjusted for TMS standards).