Strictly week 11
Dec. 4th, 2023 08:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shallownessWhile watching ITT last week, I realised that not only would Bobby be competing with the memory of Louis and Ashley, there’d be two nods to past Kelvin routines. Although we’ve had a Strictly take on Elphaba in the past, at least Johannes and Annabel would be doing a new song from Wicked, and Layton and Nikita would be dancing to a new song/mash up from stage Moulin Rouge!
So, quarter-final/musicals week
I have nothing to say about the opening VT, but I did spot the couples’ names in lights before the title.
A Chorus Line pro group dance to open – and it felt like a proper production of three ‘acts’, with shouty Gio playing the choreographer as they all ‘rehearsed’, then Karen got the feature about how much she loves to dance (she was great) and then this explosion of gold for the finale. (Some pros were miming!)
Tom Hiddlestone sighting!
Tess wore a short black gown, Claudia a long silver gown. Craig had a sympathetic grey jacket, and the judges all had canes with top hats for the gents. They needed a bit more rehearsal for their bit.
Enter the couples, and then it was confirmed that yes, Nigel and Katya were missing, he’d got injured and had to withdraw. (I suppose a lot of viewers would have already known this, but I didn’t. On tonight’s ITT, Nigel confirmed that the injury had happened on Friday.)
This is when the show went off the familiar rails. Don’t get me wrong, I think they made the right call not to eliminate anyone this close to the finals after losing Amanda, but it changed the tenor of the show hugely.
First, Ellie and Vito’s Beauty and the Best quickstep. What a production! What a show! I felt cheated of a fraction of actual quickstep, but what are you going to do on musicals week? Still, she did it all with aplomb, including dancing with other pros, which was recognised in the judges’ comments.
I spotted Amy in the Clauditorium (she’s had a time of it.) The absence of one couple meant that we got the full Vito account of the dance. As Claudia quipped, it was now Tuesday. Four 9s – it’s been a while since Ellie and Vito have failed to get a 10.
Next Annabel (in green) would be foxtrotting with Johannes as boy!Glinda. No extra dancers. This was so emotive, allowing us to marvel at how much she’s come along. I thought it was beautiful. The judges were now taking advantage of the extra airtime in their commentc, with Craig paying her compliments as the last non-actor standing, Motsi emoting and some disagreements about the frame. Three 8s and an Anton 9, which made it the highest scoring foxtrot of the series.
Debbie McGee sighting!
Claudia got to interview Nigel and Katya, and…it was empathetic wincing time as we heard about his rib injury and the painkillers and Katya’s disappointment (and it’s not as though they’ve been subtle about it being a while since she’s gone so far into the competition.) They were both in a state. It wasn’t the way they wanted to leave.
But on with the show, and Layton and Nikita would be doing a Moulin Rouge! paso (and I really want to go see the stage show after hearing this mash-up.) It was very, very good. It played to his strengths, obviously, but like Shirley, I thought that the bit where he was leading the other dancers was excellent. (Is it me, or was the second drop right at the beginning a bit off?) Lots of references to haters (on ‘the socials?’) to which I’m not privy. Craig finally pulled out the 10 for the first full house, making them clear top of the leaderboard.
I giggled at Bobby and Dianne’s good-natured references to Dirty Dancing in their VT. As to their salsa: Dianne’s wig and, to a larger degree, her choreography were exceptional. I was watching her more for all the clever references to the film in the routine than Bobby, honestly, so I can only say that he didn’t pull off The Lift (the others were fine, but as Anton referenced, everyone was watching for The Iconic One) and he didn’t quite lead the pros in formation behind him as well as Layton had (but he’s not a pro dancer.) A 9 from Shirley as well as Anton’s inevitable 9 put him third.
Capping off a bonkers night, they decided to have the Fisherman’s Friends sing a recap. I responded about as well to recap by shanty as I have to Fleur’s raps on ITT.
With no public vote, it was kind of a free pass for the four couples (saves them some nervous energy, as they’ll all have to do two dances next week.) Layton was obviously the best, but if there had been voting, I’d have voted for the ladies (except I might have voted for Nigel too in the counter factual, because his paso from way back when had got overshaded.) We learned a bit about how the producers would rejig Sunday’s show – I mean, I’m curious to know whether Nikita can protect Layton from a ballroom and if Ellie and Vito are going to get a couples choice and if so what it’ll be, but that’s no red light drama.
The Sunday show
Three-part tribute to My Fair Lady, with Jowita dancing beautifully as Eliza in the first and second, partnered by Gorka, and Neil as her dad, partnered by Lauren, who stole more attention. I was very taken by the multicoloured bowler hats some of the pros wore. Again, some (Kai, anyway) mimed along.
Claudia seemed to have dressed down a little, while Tess stayed about at the same level (good weekend sartorially for Tess, I thought.) Less heightened recap, with the couples covered from the top of the leaderboard (Layton) to the bottom (Annabel.) The celebs all talked earnestly about how important the points were and I thought, ‘really? They’ll be about worth a sixth of the combined total next week by my calculations.’
Tess was allowed up to the Clauditorium to interview one couple. We learned Annabel practically wants to (or has) adopted Johannes.
Joss Stone sang her blah song well and I pondered why they’d dressed her mic stand up, until Graziano and Michelle came along to dance a showdance rumba thing. There was one extraordinary lift that I don’t think I’ve seen before.
The judges toddled on (LOVED both the ladies’ dresses/gowns) to talk and talk and talk some more. Obviously, Craig had to discuss the 10 and they had to talk about Bobby’s so-so lift.
Another batch of interviews, and Ellie getting a video message from her old teacher and Bobby getting a video message from his god-daughter was far more touching than the ‘celeb friends’ one.
As for the big ‘reveal’ of what dances our semi-finalists would be doing – Layton gets to avoid the ballroom, I mean, will be dancing a rumba and Charleston. Annabel will be doing a salsa (!?) and Viennese waltz and seemed the most anxious about learning two. Bobby will be doing a paso and quickstep, and Ellie will be doing a cha cha and ???, which I take to mean a couples choice.
Nigel was barely mentioned, and seeing as he can no longer compete, it’s not a bad final four.
So, quarter-final/musicals week
I have nothing to say about the opening VT, but I did spot the couples’ names in lights before the title.
A Chorus Line pro group dance to open – and it felt like a proper production of three ‘acts’, with shouty Gio playing the choreographer as they all ‘rehearsed’, then Karen got the feature about how much she loves to dance (she was great) and then this explosion of gold for the finale. (Some pros were miming!)
Tom Hiddlestone sighting!
Tess wore a short black gown, Claudia a long silver gown. Craig had a sympathetic grey jacket, and the judges all had canes with top hats for the gents. They needed a bit more rehearsal for their bit.
Enter the couples, and then it was confirmed that yes, Nigel and Katya were missing, he’d got injured and had to withdraw. (I suppose a lot of viewers would have already known this, but I didn’t. On tonight’s ITT, Nigel confirmed that the injury had happened on Friday.)
This is when the show went off the familiar rails. Don’t get me wrong, I think they made the right call not to eliminate anyone this close to the finals after losing Amanda, but it changed the tenor of the show hugely.
First, Ellie and Vito’s Beauty and the Best quickstep. What a production! What a show! I felt cheated of a fraction of actual quickstep, but what are you going to do on musicals week? Still, she did it all with aplomb, including dancing with other pros, which was recognised in the judges’ comments.
I spotted Amy in the Clauditorium (she’s had a time of it.) The absence of one couple meant that we got the full Vito account of the dance. As Claudia quipped, it was now Tuesday. Four 9s – it’s been a while since Ellie and Vito have failed to get a 10.
Next Annabel (in green) would be foxtrotting with Johannes as boy!Glinda. No extra dancers. This was so emotive, allowing us to marvel at how much she’s come along. I thought it was beautiful. The judges were now taking advantage of the extra airtime in their commentc, with Craig paying her compliments as the last non-actor standing, Motsi emoting and some disagreements about the frame. Three 8s and an Anton 9, which made it the highest scoring foxtrot of the series.
Debbie McGee sighting!
Claudia got to interview Nigel and Katya, and…it was empathetic wincing time as we heard about his rib injury and the painkillers and Katya’s disappointment (and it’s not as though they’ve been subtle about it being a while since she’s gone so far into the competition.) They were both in a state. It wasn’t the way they wanted to leave.
But on with the show, and Layton and Nikita would be doing a Moulin Rouge! paso (and I really want to go see the stage show after hearing this mash-up.) It was very, very good. It played to his strengths, obviously, but like Shirley, I thought that the bit where he was leading the other dancers was excellent. (Is it me, or was the second drop right at the beginning a bit off?) Lots of references to haters (on ‘the socials?’) to which I’m not privy. Craig finally pulled out the 10 for the first full house, making them clear top of the leaderboard.
I giggled at Bobby and Dianne’s good-natured references to Dirty Dancing in their VT. As to their salsa: Dianne’s wig and, to a larger degree, her choreography were exceptional. I was watching her more for all the clever references to the film in the routine than Bobby, honestly, so I can only say that he didn’t pull off The Lift (the others were fine, but as Anton referenced, everyone was watching for The Iconic One) and he didn’t quite lead the pros in formation behind him as well as Layton had (but he’s not a pro dancer.) A 9 from Shirley as well as Anton’s inevitable 9 put him third.
Capping off a bonkers night, they decided to have the Fisherman’s Friends sing a recap. I responded about as well to recap by shanty as I have to Fleur’s raps on ITT.
With no public vote, it was kind of a free pass for the four couples (saves them some nervous energy, as they’ll all have to do two dances next week.) Layton was obviously the best, but if there had been voting, I’d have voted for the ladies (except I might have voted for Nigel too in the counter factual, because his paso from way back when had got overshaded.) We learned a bit about how the producers would rejig Sunday’s show – I mean, I’m curious to know whether Nikita can protect Layton from a ballroom and if Ellie and Vito are going to get a couples choice and if so what it’ll be, but that’s no red light drama.
The Sunday show
Three-part tribute to My Fair Lady, with Jowita dancing beautifully as Eliza in the first and second, partnered by Gorka, and Neil as her dad, partnered by Lauren, who stole more attention. I was very taken by the multicoloured bowler hats some of the pros wore. Again, some (Kai, anyway) mimed along.
Claudia seemed to have dressed down a little, while Tess stayed about at the same level (good weekend sartorially for Tess, I thought.) Less heightened recap, with the couples covered from the top of the leaderboard (Layton) to the bottom (Annabel.) The celebs all talked earnestly about how important the points were and I thought, ‘really? They’ll be about worth a sixth of the combined total next week by my calculations.’
Tess was allowed up to the Clauditorium to interview one couple. We learned Annabel practically wants to (or has) adopted Johannes.
Joss Stone sang her blah song well and I pondered why they’d dressed her mic stand up, until Graziano and Michelle came along to dance a showdance rumba thing. There was one extraordinary lift that I don’t think I’ve seen before.
The judges toddled on (LOVED both the ladies’ dresses/gowns) to talk and talk and talk some more. Obviously, Craig had to discuss the 10 and they had to talk about Bobby’s so-so lift.
Another batch of interviews, and Ellie getting a video message from her old teacher and Bobby getting a video message from his god-daughter was far more touching than the ‘celeb friends’ one.
As for the big ‘reveal’ of what dances our semi-finalists would be doing – Layton gets to avoid the ballroom, I mean, will be dancing a rumba and Charleston. Annabel will be doing a salsa (!?) and Viennese waltz and seemed the most anxious about learning two. Bobby will be doing a paso and quickstep, and Ellie will be doing a cha cha and ???, which I take to mean a couples choice.
Nigel was barely mentioned, and seeing as he can no longer compete, it’s not a bad final four.
no subject
Date: 2023-12-05 10:40 am (UTC)I didn't see Debbie McGee or Amy, but good to know they were there. They are both brave ladies, especially Amy.
It's sad that Layton and Nikita are still getting haters, but I think hate is increasing everywhere now 🙄
Yes, Joss Stone's song was really blah and what was going on with her microphone?!?
And Craig pulled out his 10, which made Nikita break down into tears. Bless.
I'm half looking forward to the semi finals, half not because it means it'll be over soon and it's so pressurised...
no subject
Date: 2023-12-06 08:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-12-06 03:18 pm (UTC)I always think they need a couple of It Takes Two episodes AFTER the final, for everyone to 'debrief' and 'process what happened.' They could have an episode or two with all the celebs and pros, like an after work party. I think that would be really nice and interesting and cosy.
no subject
Date: 2023-12-08 07:42 pm (UTC)I like your idea of an episode or two of It Takes Two after for a debrief. They used to do something on the red button when Zoe Ball would invterview everyone in the Clauditorium after the finale, but it was a bit too frenetic. Nobody had processed anything and were understandably tired and emotional, and just wanted to celebrate.
no subject
Date: 2023-12-09 09:15 am (UTC)The debrief might be better with separate couples perhaps, or one week later so they had processed it. I just feel it's such a sudden cut off after the final. Boom! It's over. I'd like to wind down a bit more.