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shallowness) wrote2025-01-07 07:43 am
shallowness) wrote2025-01-07 07:43 am
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The Masked Singer - it's series 6, apparently.
Episode 1
The opening VT of this year’s masked singers in a space ship was endearing. All 12 were on stage for the opening routine of ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ (subtle), with, of course, the possibility that one of them was a Spice Girl. It was all a bit overwhelming.
Jonathan Ross might want to reconsider that particular shade of hair dye.
The episode started with the reveal of who Giant Joel - still freaking actual Joel out – was. Props to the costume designers and makers. Jonathan got the first bragging rights, because it was Mo Farrah, who he'd guessed. Mo ‘sang’ once again, and then joined the panel. Most of his guesses were terrible, but he did come up with a zinger by calling regular Mo ‘Slo Mo.’
I don’t buy that the producers would relinquish control of the order to Maya or any of the panel. They were told who to pick.
First up, Teeth in a very cartoony costume. Unlike Maya, I really don’t think that the costumes are a clue, generally. Not a proper singer and I tend to agree she sounded like a woman when she sang, but the panel were divided about that.
Snail’s costume posited them as a lady in a period drama, and the VT and staging of the song played on it. Should also note that their main colours were pink and green, which is VERY on trend. A woman, with a huskier voice than I expected, I did not like her singing in her upper register as much.
Tattoo’s costume was amazing, like a certain kind of tattoo brought into three-dimensions. She could sing (and is willing to throw shade at Sophie Ellis-Bextor, because she’s a better singer) and probably didn’t need cartoonish figures acting out the ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ around her on stage. My best guess was Roisin Murphy, I thought the closest guess from the panel was Paloma Faith, although I didn’t think it was right.
Kingfisher’s costume leaned into the whole fisherman thing mightily. I felt like I knew the voice, both the speaking one and the singing one, although I couldn’t place it. Charming and engaging presentation (for someone who isn’t a good singer.) Ooh, Alan Titchmarsh sounded like a good guess, although I thought Kingfisher was younger.
Spag Bol was a simple costume in one sense, but also the spaghetti bits were structurally amazing (especially the fork in the head.) Another woman with a husky voice, and she wasn’t really trying to sing. My mad guess was Mishal Hussain, but Mo’s deciphering the riddle as Ruby Wax felt really plausible.
Dressed Crab, a crustacean in a ruffled gown that made me think of Spain, closed. An older African American, I thought, and then he broke out and was clearly a professional singer. I thought Gregory Porter was the best guess.
Tattoo and Dressed Crab were the best singers. I also rather wanted Kingfisher to go through, and I had no idea who the others were. I’d only hazard a guess that five out of the six were Brits. I was happy with the audience’s saves. The panel would have to decide between Teeth and Spag Bol, and saved Teeth, probably because they hadn’t yet settled on their gender. ‘Take it off!’ chanted the audience with glee – but Joel ran back on and said that the first reveal would happen on the next episode, proving that the producers are determined to keep it fresh and hook us back. It’s a new year’s staple! I was totally going to watch anyway!!
Episode 2
Vicky McClure joined the panel, and we’ll have to see if her guesses were any good.
The hangover from the previous episode (and that’s what it felt like, honestly, so I hope they cut this out) meant that the panel repeated their guesses about who Spag Bol was (and McClure plumped for Mary Berry, which proves she’s a fan of TMS.) It turned out that no-one was close for it was Kate Garraway. I’m all for her having fun things in her life, and she was amusing and accurate about her singing prowess.
So, on with the show. Puffer Fish’s costume was very colourful. At first I thought she was an older lady with a deep voice, but she turned out to be a decent singer, and probably a pro. Davina made a strong argument for her being shorter than she appeared.
Bush (much mirth from the panel, explain that to they younger children watching) – clever use of tulle in a shapeless costume. I’d come up with Sarah Brightman based on some of the clues, but I took that back the second she sang. Absolutely not used to singing in public, so an upbeat song was a good idea.
Wolf looked amazing, with a roguish costume and such detail on the headgear. The Southern American accent seemed uber fake. And then: he was heavily impersonating David Bowie as he sang ‘Let’s Dance’ with a whole lupine layer to the performance. Clearly a good singer and performer. I’m not sure about his age (or who he is), but I’m fascinated as to what he’ll do next.
Pegasus may have won the costume of the season, because the fake decorative body armour worked so well with the Pegasus elements. I thought that she was an actress who’d done Shakespeare, definitely older and not a singer. (Why were CARROTS dressed as Grecian dancers? Because it’s The Masked Singer.) Jonathan guessed Prue Leith – not for the first time ever on this show – and as she gave her riddle, her speaking voice did sound like her.
Toad in the Hole’s costume was dandyish, they were a gold toad, while also representing the foodstuff well enough. I only realised she was a woman when she sang, and she had a distinctive voice. Macy Grey was guessed by one of the newbies (Joel was all ‘Someone always guesses her’, which is true, but someone always guesses Stacey Solomon and, recently, David Tennant, too.)
I hope Bear wasn’t given traumatic flashbacks to not getting picked for teams at school by having to wait until last. Hard to describe the costume they gave him; anyway, he emphasised the thespian thing so hard that I wanted to discount it, but when I saw the coffee clue I was all ‘Anthony Head, PLEASE’ except we had a basso profundo rendition of ‘Pick a Pocket or Two’. More an actor than a singer, I thought, but the panel based their guesses on his height.
There was a lot of ‘No, they’re a better/worse singer’ from my sofa at the panel’s guesses.
I thought the audience picks for who was automatically through were fair, and in the head-to-head between the contestants with the lowest votes, the panel saved Bush, meaning Pegasus would be unmasked, and yes, she was Pru Leith and Jonathan got to be smug. (Also the carrots made more sense in hindsight.) She may have sung some of the right notes occasionally, but I’m glad it was a curtailed reprise. I am 0 for 2. I was probably less into this second episode, but that may be because I was forced to watch it in two sittings as well as diminishing returns.
As ever, I probably won’t post about the show again until the finale.
The opening VT of this year’s masked singers in a space ship was endearing. All 12 were on stage for the opening routine of ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ (subtle), with, of course, the possibility that one of them was a Spice Girl. It was all a bit overwhelming.
Jonathan Ross might want to reconsider that particular shade of hair dye.
The episode started with the reveal of who Giant Joel - still freaking actual Joel out – was. Props to the costume designers and makers. Jonathan got the first bragging rights, because it was Mo Farrah, who he'd guessed. Mo ‘sang’ once again, and then joined the panel. Most of his guesses were terrible, but he did come up with a zinger by calling regular Mo ‘Slo Mo.’
I don’t buy that the producers would relinquish control of the order to Maya or any of the panel. They were told who to pick.
First up, Teeth in a very cartoony costume. Unlike Maya, I really don’t think that the costumes are a clue, generally. Not a proper singer and I tend to agree she sounded like a woman when she sang, but the panel were divided about that.
Snail’s costume posited them as a lady in a period drama, and the VT and staging of the song played on it. Should also note that their main colours were pink and green, which is VERY on trend. A woman, with a huskier voice than I expected, I did not like her singing in her upper register as much.
Tattoo’s costume was amazing, like a certain kind of tattoo brought into three-dimensions. She could sing (and is willing to throw shade at Sophie Ellis-Bextor, because she’s a better singer) and probably didn’t need cartoonish figures acting out the ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ around her on stage. My best guess was Roisin Murphy, I thought the closest guess from the panel was Paloma Faith, although I didn’t think it was right.
Kingfisher’s costume leaned into the whole fisherman thing mightily. I felt like I knew the voice, both the speaking one and the singing one, although I couldn’t place it. Charming and engaging presentation (for someone who isn’t a good singer.) Ooh, Alan Titchmarsh sounded like a good guess, although I thought Kingfisher was younger.
Spag Bol was a simple costume in one sense, but also the spaghetti bits were structurally amazing (especially the fork in the head.) Another woman with a husky voice, and she wasn’t really trying to sing. My mad guess was Mishal Hussain, but Mo’s deciphering the riddle as Ruby Wax felt really plausible.
Dressed Crab, a crustacean in a ruffled gown that made me think of Spain, closed. An older African American, I thought, and then he broke out and was clearly a professional singer. I thought Gregory Porter was the best guess.
Tattoo and Dressed Crab were the best singers. I also rather wanted Kingfisher to go through, and I had no idea who the others were. I’d only hazard a guess that five out of the six were Brits. I was happy with the audience’s saves. The panel would have to decide between Teeth and Spag Bol, and saved Teeth, probably because they hadn’t yet settled on their gender. ‘Take it off!’ chanted the audience with glee – but Joel ran back on and said that the first reveal would happen on the next episode, proving that the producers are determined to keep it fresh and hook us back. It’s a new year’s staple! I was totally going to watch anyway!!
Episode 2
Vicky McClure joined the panel, and we’ll have to see if her guesses were any good.
The hangover from the previous episode (and that’s what it felt like, honestly, so I hope they cut this out) meant that the panel repeated their guesses about who Spag Bol was (and McClure plumped for Mary Berry, which proves she’s a fan of TMS.) It turned out that no-one was close for it was Kate Garraway. I’m all for her having fun things in her life, and she was amusing and accurate about her singing prowess.
So, on with the show. Puffer Fish’s costume was very colourful. At first I thought she was an older lady with a deep voice, but she turned out to be a decent singer, and probably a pro. Davina made a strong argument for her being shorter than she appeared.
Bush (much mirth from the panel, explain that to they younger children watching) – clever use of tulle in a shapeless costume. I’d come up with Sarah Brightman based on some of the clues, but I took that back the second she sang. Absolutely not used to singing in public, so an upbeat song was a good idea.
Wolf looked amazing, with a roguish costume and such detail on the headgear. The Southern American accent seemed uber fake. And then: he was heavily impersonating David Bowie as he sang ‘Let’s Dance’ with a whole lupine layer to the performance. Clearly a good singer and performer. I’m not sure about his age (or who he is), but I’m fascinated as to what he’ll do next.
Pegasus may have won the costume of the season, because the fake decorative body armour worked so well with the Pegasus elements. I thought that she was an actress who’d done Shakespeare, definitely older and not a singer. (Why were CARROTS dressed as Grecian dancers? Because it’s The Masked Singer.) Jonathan guessed Prue Leith – not for the first time ever on this show – and as she gave her riddle, her speaking voice did sound like her.
Toad in the Hole’s costume was dandyish, they were a gold toad, while also representing the foodstuff well enough. I only realised she was a woman when she sang, and she had a distinctive voice. Macy Grey was guessed by one of the newbies (Joel was all ‘Someone always guesses her’, which is true, but someone always guesses Stacey Solomon and, recently, David Tennant, too.)
I hope Bear wasn’t given traumatic flashbacks to not getting picked for teams at school by having to wait until last. Hard to describe the costume they gave him; anyway, he emphasised the thespian thing so hard that I wanted to discount it, but when I saw the coffee clue I was all ‘Anthony Head, PLEASE’ except we had a basso profundo rendition of ‘Pick a Pocket or Two’. More an actor than a singer, I thought, but the panel based their guesses on his height.
There was a lot of ‘No, they’re a better/worse singer’ from my sofa at the panel’s guesses.
I thought the audience picks for who was automatically through were fair, and in the head-to-head between the contestants with the lowest votes, the panel saved Bush, meaning Pegasus would be unmasked, and yes, she was Pru Leith and Jonathan got to be smug. (Also the carrots made more sense in hindsight.) She may have sung some of the right notes occasionally, but I’m glad it was a curtailed reprise. I am 0 for 2. I was probably less into this second episode, but that may be because I was forced to watch it in two sittings as well as diminishing returns.
As ever, I probably won’t post about the show again until the finale.