So this little review is very late; mostly because I was on vacation without web access right after the final 4 performances, and partly because I've still been processing the last 4 hours of this season and haven't been able to put my thoughts in any kind of order.
The first problem I had with the finale week was the show's move to the Kodak Theater. On one hand it was wonderful to see that the powers that be have so much faith and pride in the show. They clearly wanted to showcase it in a larger venue and have a bigger audience to appreciate the dancers and allow the great choreographers to have a chance to show off. But for me the larger stage just didn't work. It didn't help that the lighting and the camera work were shitty, but somehow the dance performances were all dwarfed on that big stage and it was hard to pull off the subtle nuances that a few of the routines required. It was very obvious that most of the routines were choreographed for a smaller space originally. Even Wade Robson's opening bit seemed "small" on the Kodak stage.
Anyway, it was clear that the judges had an agenda from the beginning of the final to push Jeanine and Brandon and dump on Evan; and I was totally fine with this because Jeanine and Brandon were the best with Kayla trailing behind in 3rd and Evan a distant 4th. I just wish the judges hadn't been so over-handed with their favoritism.
Thursday's final results show worked much better on the Kodak stage. I don't know if it was the routines that were chosen, or if it was that they got the lighting, cameras, and staging working better but most of the performances worked. I especially loved the return performance of the top 16 "calle ocho" hip-hop/salsa fusion piece that Dmitry and Nappy Tabs did. It popped on the bigger stage.
The encore "judges favorites" routines mostly were those I liked this season (except "butt dance"? really?), but they did come off as producer picks rather than routines that the judges in question actually chose. Big ups to new-to-this-show choreographer Louis Van Amstel for having the most dances highlighted. I also really enjoyed seeing the winner from the Aussie version of this show dancing a Sonya number to one of my fave songs "Shot You Down".
Anyway, the winner came down between the 2 most deserving, Brandon and Jeanine, with my girl taking the big prize. I couldn't be happier except it's sort of sad that her "reign" will only last for a couple of months because season 6 begins in a couple of weeks. As much as I adore this show, one of the reasons I like it is because I associate with summer. Cramming another season so close to the ending of this one feels totally wrong. But if it means more viewers for Glee than I'm all for it.
I'm not going to lie - me and my almost 40 yr old ass will be first in line to see the remake of the movie Fame.
Real Housewives of Atlanta & Watch What Happens L!ve -
I promised myself that I wouldn't get caught up and watch the second season of RH:Atlanta, but dang it they sucked me in right from the first episode. Sigh...
I'm still having a love/hate relationship with Andy Cohen and his little weekly gabfest. On the one hand I like the informality of the show, like we're hanging out with friends gossiping over cocktails. But then again Andy Cohen is very annoying and that seemingly won't be changing anytime soon.
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