SYTYCD Season 7 - first competition episode

What can I say that hasn't already been hashed out on Twitter and message boards? The opening competition episode of this season of So You Think You Can Dance was overall pretty great, although I don't know if the All Star format is as much of a success as Nigel Lythgoe seems to think. I won't disect every routine, just talk about some highs and lows and ah-ha moments.

Good stuff:

• Damn Neil Haskell, I f*cking missed you. And Tyce Diorio really needs to stick to contemporary routines. Ashley and Neil got a nice piece, while Billy Bell was saddled with Tyce's crap "Broadway" stuff.
• Someone on this show FINALLY USED JASON MRAZ'S SONG BUTTERFLY for their choreography. I know so many people hate Mraz but I'll always love him for his live performances and seriously, I love "Butterfly". A lot.
• Sean Cheesman's African dance. Kind of tremendous. And Robert is so sexy and such an amazing dancer.
• Alex and Allison dancing a Sonya Tayeh contemporary routine to Jeff Buckley. Breathtaking.

Bleh:

• One of my favorite songs was finally used on this show...but used very poorly by Napoleon & Tabitha for a lyrical hip hop routine that was totally uninspired. I had always imagined Butterfly being used for a latin dance choreographed by someone like Jason Wilkinson.
• Kent's coming real close to annoying me. C'mon kid, I want to like you.
• Hey Nigel, Mia, and especially Adam? Could you take it down about 100 notches? I am already exhausted by you and it's the first damn episode. You almost overpraised Alex tonight; and he was AMAZING. Just step back a little.
• Hey Nigel and producers, if we're going to be stuck with this shitty stage and lighting all season, at least have quality camera work. PLEASE. That opening was a total mess.

Hmmm...

• Jose does yoga. And has a totally hot body that is hidden under all that b-boy swag.
• Mandy Moore still loves her some 80s music. I'm serious; there's maybe been 2 routines she's done for this show that hasn't featured a song from the decade when I graduated from highschool.
• Adam Shankman had a bad case of "gay face" in 1991. He's so much more handsome now.