Air Date: 10/29/09
View Date: 10/31/09
This week's episode again started off with a peek into the strategizing at each camp, as well as the misery being experienced due to the weather. Galu still had to elect a new leader, and the guys decided to elect Shambo to get her on their side. Luckily the guys had the numbers to make it happen. Monica started questioning her status in the tribe with the election because she thought Shambo was going home next. The guys don't have any faith in Shambo, but wanted her on their side.
The reward challenge was a matching game. The tribe members searched for thirteen matching pairs of survival items, and would be awarded a point for each match. However, the tribe leader could keep the item uncovered by forfeiting the point for the match. The reward was travelling by sailboat for the day with a feast. Galu found the first two matches and decided to keep the firestarting kit, then later kept a tarp. The matches continued, with everyone keeping the points to try to win the reward. In the end, Galu won the reward, but also sent a member to the Foa Foa camp who would not participate in the reward. Team members, particularly the girls, did question Shambo's decision to send Laura and her leadership in general.
Laura started palling around Foa Foa and pulling others from doing work around camp. Russell planted the seed of starting an alliance with her and Natalie, while Natalie really buddied up with her.
At the immunity challenge, the tribe members had to paddle out to retrieve 6 sets of fish shaped puzzle pieces. Once all sets had been retrieved, three members would complete a puzzle, with immunity going to the winner. Foa Foa wondered if the leader necklace was bad luck and left it at home. Jeff indicated that, as long as they had a leader, the necklace was just symbolic. Foa Foa got off to a great lead, and tend to be pretty competitive with purely physical challenges. Rather than paddling, teams swam and pushed their boats out tot he pieces, but rowed back to the shore. Three members of each tribe worked on the puzzles while the other members untied puzzle pieces. Galu won the challenge, even after Foa Foa came up with the pattern first. Jaison seemed to give up during this challenge, both after the collection and during his working on the puzzle.
After the challenge, Russell started questioning his plans to knock out Liz and began thinking about Jaison. Jaison did realize that he might be at risk due to his performance at the challenge. At tribal, Russell indicated that he was really hoping for the merge to even have a chance at winning. Liz was voted out, and Jeff indicated that they weren't very good at challenges, but were getting really good at blindsides.
10 words or less: Waiting for the merge next week.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
SYTYCD
View Date: 10/27/09
The first episode of the season, which provided us with an introduction to the new dancers in their own style, will be reported on at a later date once I see the entire thing. Tonight is the first competition episode. Due to the baseball playoffs, no results show will be seen this week. Instead, the judges eliminated two dancers tonight. Another sad bit of news was that Billy Bell, who was one of my favorite dancers from the auditions, had to drop out of the competition due to illness. He was replaced with Brandon Dumlao. Noelle also injured her knee this week and would not be able to dance, being replaced by her choreographer for this week's performance.
We were graced by our permanent table of judges tonight in Nigel, Mary, and Adam. The first pairing was Channing and Phillip performing a Jason Gilkison jive number. I thought this was a cute number, and Phillip's experience in tap gave him the right performance quality. I agree with Mary that it was not bad, but it left me wanting to see what else was to come.
Next up was Ashleigh and Jakob, who danced a Tyce DiOrio Broadway number. The steps were technically performed very well. Jakob was almost too perfect in his moves, particularly in his leaps and extensions. I actually enjoyed Ashleigh's performance, and thought she brought the right amount of sexiness to Tyce's routine.
Ariana and Peter were up next, performing a Tabitha and Napoleon hip hop routine. The routine started off really slow, but that was by no means the dancers' fault. It just didn't WOW me. They seemed rather uncomfortable, and they didn't really mesh well. They seemed really out of step at points, and their levels of movement were very different. What I mean is, he seemed to do a much more subtle hip hop, while she was hitting harder but more sloppily. He seemed to capture more of what the choreography seemed to mean, but it just wasn't very good all around.
The next couple was Noelle and Russell dancing a Foxtrot by Tony and Melanie. I really love Russell as he has amazed people every step along the way. Because Noelle cannot dance tonight due to a knee injury, Russell danced with Melanie, his choreographer. Seeing him on that stage, you would never know he was a krumper. I love the Foxtrot, and he look like he was made to dance it. This was the quality of dance that I was waiting for. The judges had some issues with the footwork, but they did commend his lines, extensions, and performance.
Bianca and Victor were up next, with a Travis Wall contemporary piece. Victor is a contemporary dancer, while Bianca is a tapper. I am sooooo glad they brought Travis back as a choreographer this season. There is a definite piece of him in everything he designs. I thought it was danced beautifully, and could really see the story that was intended come out through the dance. I also agree with Nigel that the pair was the most connected of all the couples we have seen so far tonight.
Karen and Kevin danced a Tony and Melanie Cha Cha. Karen is a Latin ballroom dancer, while Kevin is a hip hopper. I think it is hilarious that they danced to the Glee version of Push It, as in performed by the cast of Glee. I thought he tried really hard, but this was totally her dance. She looked totally at ease with this dance. He was gorgeous, but it was really hard to pull my eyes away from Karen. Karen was the first of the year to be put on Mary's Hot Tamale Train.
Ellenore and Ryan danced a contemporary jazz routine choreographed by Sonya. Sonya claimed that she had never been so inspired until the day she met this couple. If I didn't know better, I would never believe that Ryan is a ballroom dancer. He reminds me of Ade from last season because he is so powerful. It was a really good routine and seems like a really good pairing.
Pauline was to be dancing with Billy, but will now be partnered with Brandon. They danced a smooth waltz choreographed by Jason Gilkison. I usually not a huge fan of the smooth waltz, but the dancing itself was lovely. I looked like it could have come out of a romantic movie. Also, these two had some major chemistry between them. And considering he joined the show a day and a half ago, the performance was amazing.
Kathryn and Legacy were up next, with a Dave Scott hip hop routine. I totally expected Legacy to rock this performance, but he did even better than I thought he would. Kathryn, for being a contemporary dancer, was wonderful. Loved the story and thought that it worked really well with the music. Great hitting from both of the dancers throughout the routine, and they really brought out the humor in the piece. I also agree with Adam that they had great chemistry, and they can learn a lot from each other.
Mollee and Nathan were the last couple to perform, and they did so with a Doria Sanchez disco routine. There were lots of great tricks, but I could have used more from her. She did well, but she didn't seem to have the right groove throughout. Very showy, just like disco is supposed to be. He was a great partner, mostly because he was a great base for the tricks. The routine came across as effortless. I couldn't quite put my finger on what I didn't latch on to, but something just struck me as wrong.
The judges then had to nominate 4 dancers to be at risk tonight, when they would be judged on everything they knew of them since meeting them. The dancers selected were Ariana, Brandon, Pauline, and Russell. The announcement of Russell got huge boos and gasps from us at home. He was the only one I was really surprised about from that grouping. These four performed their solos, of which I enjoyed those of Pauline and Russell the best due to the energy involved. The other two dancers performed very well, but of the four, I would prefer to see Ariana and Brandon go home.
From the girls, Ariana was eliminated from the show, mainly due to a lack of charisma and love in her performances. Next up, the judges eliminated Brandon due mainly to an unfortunate sequence of events that got him into the top 20. Because of his circumstances, Nigel will be talking to the powers that be to see if he can come back next season. So next week, there will be a new coupling with Pauline and Peter.
10 words or less: Too close for Russell. Hope to see Brandon next season.
The first episode of the season, which provided us with an introduction to the new dancers in their own style, will be reported on at a later date once I see the entire thing. Tonight is the first competition episode. Due to the baseball playoffs, no results show will be seen this week. Instead, the judges eliminated two dancers tonight. Another sad bit of news was that Billy Bell, who was one of my favorite dancers from the auditions, had to drop out of the competition due to illness. He was replaced with Brandon Dumlao. Noelle also injured her knee this week and would not be able to dance, being replaced by her choreographer for this week's performance.
We were graced by our permanent table of judges tonight in Nigel, Mary, and Adam. The first pairing was Channing and Phillip performing a Jason Gilkison jive number. I thought this was a cute number, and Phillip's experience in tap gave him the right performance quality. I agree with Mary that it was not bad, but it left me wanting to see what else was to come.
Next up was Ashleigh and Jakob, who danced a Tyce DiOrio Broadway number. The steps were technically performed very well. Jakob was almost too perfect in his moves, particularly in his leaps and extensions. I actually enjoyed Ashleigh's performance, and thought she brought the right amount of sexiness to Tyce's routine.
Ariana and Peter were up next, performing a Tabitha and Napoleon hip hop routine. The routine started off really slow, but that was by no means the dancers' fault. It just didn't WOW me. They seemed rather uncomfortable, and they didn't really mesh well. They seemed really out of step at points, and their levels of movement were very different. What I mean is, he seemed to do a much more subtle hip hop, while she was hitting harder but more sloppily. He seemed to capture more of what the choreography seemed to mean, but it just wasn't very good all around.
The next couple was Noelle and Russell dancing a Foxtrot by Tony and Melanie. I really love Russell as he has amazed people every step along the way. Because Noelle cannot dance tonight due to a knee injury, Russell danced with Melanie, his choreographer. Seeing him on that stage, you would never know he was a krumper. I love the Foxtrot, and he look like he was made to dance it. This was the quality of dance that I was waiting for. The judges had some issues with the footwork, but they did commend his lines, extensions, and performance.
Bianca and Victor were up next, with a Travis Wall contemporary piece. Victor is a contemporary dancer, while Bianca is a tapper. I am sooooo glad they brought Travis back as a choreographer this season. There is a definite piece of him in everything he designs. I thought it was danced beautifully, and could really see the story that was intended come out through the dance. I also agree with Nigel that the pair was the most connected of all the couples we have seen so far tonight.
Karen and Kevin danced a Tony and Melanie Cha Cha. Karen is a Latin ballroom dancer, while Kevin is a hip hopper. I think it is hilarious that they danced to the Glee version of Push It, as in performed by the cast of Glee. I thought he tried really hard, but this was totally her dance. She looked totally at ease with this dance. He was gorgeous, but it was really hard to pull my eyes away from Karen. Karen was the first of the year to be put on Mary's Hot Tamale Train.
Ellenore and Ryan danced a contemporary jazz routine choreographed by Sonya. Sonya claimed that she had never been so inspired until the day she met this couple. If I didn't know better, I would never believe that Ryan is a ballroom dancer. He reminds me of Ade from last season because he is so powerful. It was a really good routine and seems like a really good pairing.
Pauline was to be dancing with Billy, but will now be partnered with Brandon. They danced a smooth waltz choreographed by Jason Gilkison. I usually not a huge fan of the smooth waltz, but the dancing itself was lovely. I looked like it could have come out of a romantic movie. Also, these two had some major chemistry between them. And considering he joined the show a day and a half ago, the performance was amazing.
Kathryn and Legacy were up next, with a Dave Scott hip hop routine. I totally expected Legacy to rock this performance, but he did even better than I thought he would. Kathryn, for being a contemporary dancer, was wonderful. Loved the story and thought that it worked really well with the music. Great hitting from both of the dancers throughout the routine, and they really brought out the humor in the piece. I also agree with Adam that they had great chemistry, and they can learn a lot from each other.
Mollee and Nathan were the last couple to perform, and they did so with a Doria Sanchez disco routine. There were lots of great tricks, but I could have used more from her. She did well, but she didn't seem to have the right groove throughout. Very showy, just like disco is supposed to be. He was a great partner, mostly because he was a great base for the tricks. The routine came across as effortless. I couldn't quite put my finger on what I didn't latch on to, but something just struck me as wrong.
The judges then had to nominate 4 dancers to be at risk tonight, when they would be judged on everything they knew of them since meeting them. The dancers selected were Ariana, Brandon, Pauline, and Russell. The announcement of Russell got huge boos and gasps from us at home. He was the only one I was really surprised about from that grouping. These four performed their solos, of which I enjoyed those of Pauline and Russell the best due to the energy involved. The other two dancers performed very well, but of the four, I would prefer to see Ariana and Brandon go home.
From the girls, Ariana was eliminated from the show, mainly due to a lack of charisma and love in her performances. Next up, the judges eliminated Brandon due mainly to an unfortunate sequence of events that got him into the top 20. Because of his circumstances, Nigel will be talking to the powers that be to see if he can come back next season. So next week, there will be a new coupling with Pauline and Peter.
10 words or less: Too close for Russell. Hope to see Brandon next season.
Top Chef
Top Chef
View Date: 10/28/09
Quickfire Challenge: Tonight's guest judge was Paul Bartolotta, a famous Italian chef who is particularly well-known in Vegas. The chefs needed to take a classic TV dinner and reinvent it. However, they had to base their dish particularly on a specific classic TV show. The contestants drew knives to determine which show would be their inspiration. The pairings were as follows:
Kevin: Sopranos
Robin: Sesame Street
Eli: Gilligan's Island
Bryan: MASH
Jennifer: Flinstones
Mike I.: Seinfeld
Michael V.: Cheers
The dishes they used were really cool, and looked like a classic TV dinner tray. Some of the contestants had problems because they had never seen the shows before. The least favorite dishes were Jennifer's and Robin's. The favorite dishes included Kevin's and Bryan's. While both did very well, Kevin won, which surprises me based on the judges' reactions. His dish will be featured in a frozen line coming out by Top Chef.
Elimination Challenge: The chefs took over Tom Collichio's restaurant and his menu. Once the chefs got to the restaurant and started reviewing the steaks, Tom brought in a guest taster for the night, Natalie Portman. She dropped the bomb that, while she's an adventurous meals, she is also a vegetarian. Therefore, a chop house would need to go vegetarian for one night. That changed everyone's meals and all of the dishes needed to be totally rethought. Some of the chefs had a great deal of experience with vegetarian cooking, while others had a really hard time changing concepts at the last minute.
Robin was up first, but she had some problems with time and plating, not getting beans onto all of the plates. The plating was very beautiful, but the seasoning had some balance issues.
Eli was up next, and the judges thought it was a rather tasty dish.
Michael was also pressed for time due mainly to his approach to food being riskier than the other contestants'. The judges really liked the dish, but some were a little put off by the large lumps of banana in his polenta. There were more people tonight to call him Picasso, in that it was very pretty and very good if a little confusing.
Jennifer was nervous and really shaky, which was particularly noticeable when she sauced the individual plates at the table. The tasters considered it not quite substantial enough, and that it would have made a really good side dish.
Mike provided a plate of vegetables that did not have a protein. They liked the colors and the appearance, but decided it could have been executed better.
Bryan was also in a time crunch, and was not able to plate all of his components. There was lots of gutter talk around the table while the judges were describing their opinions of this dish.
Kevin was disappointed in his plating thinking that it looked sloppier than he wanted. The dish was very substantive, and the tasters thought it was a very manly vegetarian meal. Additionally, they felt that this was truly and entree, as it was not a light plate of vegetables.
First up to judge's table were Kevin, Michael, and Eli, who of course had the favorite dishes of the evening. Praise was given all around, then Natalie announced that Kevin was the winner for this challenge. Michael's competitive side was really coming out after coming from judge's table, because he was really not happy about Kevin winning for a “simple” dish. For winning this challenge, he won a suite of GE appliances.
As the least favorite dishes, the judges wanted to see Robin, Jennifer, and Mike. Mike was full of excuses, and still could not answer the judges' questions about why there was no protein on the plate. Robin really shot herself in the foot, because she just wouldn't stop talking. Tom called her on that as a sign of her being all over the map in her cooking. Jennifer was called out on not providing a very substantial dish, but she also really didn't give any excuses for her poor performance. That was a nice change, especially after seeing Mike's and Robin's reactions, but she did seem a bit defeated. In the end, Mike was eliminated from the competition. While the elimination was not a total surprise, I really thought Robin would be going home before Mike. Mike has not yet reached the level of the top competitors, but he did have talent.
10 words or less: When will Robin finally leave?
View Date: 10/28/09
Quickfire Challenge: Tonight's guest judge was Paul Bartolotta, a famous Italian chef who is particularly well-known in Vegas. The chefs needed to take a classic TV dinner and reinvent it. However, they had to base their dish particularly on a specific classic TV show. The contestants drew knives to determine which show would be their inspiration. The pairings were as follows:
Kevin: Sopranos
Robin: Sesame Street
Eli: Gilligan's Island
Bryan: MASH
Jennifer: Flinstones
Mike I.: Seinfeld
Michael V.: Cheers
The dishes they used were really cool, and looked like a classic TV dinner tray. Some of the contestants had problems because they had never seen the shows before. The least favorite dishes were Jennifer's and Robin's. The favorite dishes included Kevin's and Bryan's. While both did very well, Kevin won, which surprises me based on the judges' reactions. His dish will be featured in a frozen line coming out by Top Chef.
Elimination Challenge: The chefs took over Tom Collichio's restaurant and his menu. Once the chefs got to the restaurant and started reviewing the steaks, Tom brought in a guest taster for the night, Natalie Portman. She dropped the bomb that, while she's an adventurous meals, she is also a vegetarian. Therefore, a chop house would need to go vegetarian for one night. That changed everyone's meals and all of the dishes needed to be totally rethought. Some of the chefs had a great deal of experience with vegetarian cooking, while others had a really hard time changing concepts at the last minute.
Robin was up first, but she had some problems with time and plating, not getting beans onto all of the plates. The plating was very beautiful, but the seasoning had some balance issues.
Eli was up next, and the judges thought it was a rather tasty dish.
Michael was also pressed for time due mainly to his approach to food being riskier than the other contestants'. The judges really liked the dish, but some were a little put off by the large lumps of banana in his polenta. There were more people tonight to call him Picasso, in that it was very pretty and very good if a little confusing.
Jennifer was nervous and really shaky, which was particularly noticeable when she sauced the individual plates at the table. The tasters considered it not quite substantial enough, and that it would have made a really good side dish.
Mike provided a plate of vegetables that did not have a protein. They liked the colors and the appearance, but decided it could have been executed better.
Bryan was also in a time crunch, and was not able to plate all of his components. There was lots of gutter talk around the table while the judges were describing their opinions of this dish.
Kevin was disappointed in his plating thinking that it looked sloppier than he wanted. The dish was very substantive, and the tasters thought it was a very manly vegetarian meal. Additionally, they felt that this was truly and entree, as it was not a light plate of vegetables.
First up to judge's table were Kevin, Michael, and Eli, who of course had the favorite dishes of the evening. Praise was given all around, then Natalie announced that Kevin was the winner for this challenge. Michael's competitive side was really coming out after coming from judge's table, because he was really not happy about Kevin winning for a “simple” dish. For winning this challenge, he won a suite of GE appliances.
As the least favorite dishes, the judges wanted to see Robin, Jennifer, and Mike. Mike was full of excuses, and still could not answer the judges' questions about why there was no protein on the plate. Robin really shot herself in the foot, because she just wouldn't stop talking. Tom called her on that as a sign of her being all over the map in her cooking. Jennifer was called out on not providing a very substantial dish, but she also really didn't give any excuses for her poor performance. That was a nice change, especially after seeing Mike's and Robin's reactions, but she did seem a bit defeated. In the end, Mike was eliminated from the competition. While the elimination was not a total surprise, I really thought Robin would be going home before Mike. Mike has not yet reached the level of the top competitors, but he did have talent.
10 words or less: When will Robin finally leave?
Project Runway
View Date: 10/29/09
This week, the designers started out waiting for Heidi with their backs facing the runway. When she approaches, they are allowed to turn around and are surprised by seeing their best looks from the season. Their task is to create a companion look to their first piece. Of the remaining designers, Logan is the only one whose best look wasn't a winning look for a challenge. However, he did note that he was happy by the look they chose for him. The designers have one day to complete this challenge.
While shopping at Mood, Irina spent quite a bit of time standing at the counter having already checked out while the other contestants continued to scramble around the store. Logan had an interesting concept to expand on his zippers from his first look. Therefore, he bought 40 zippers, and said that the outfit would be very much metal and trim.
There was lots of griping and bitching this week in the workroom and about other people's designs as they came down the runway. As there were only 6 people left, the judges talked to everyone. The preferred looks were from Irina, Carol-Hannah, and Althea, while those who were had the least-fabulous looks were Logan, Christopher, and Gordana. The judges also seemed to really rip apart the outfits tonight that they didn't like, sounding really petty. Just because they didn't agree with the designer's concept doesn't mean that other people wouldn't. Althea won this competition, and Irina was thoroughly pissed because she swears that the sweater idea was copied. Logan and Gordana were the bottom two, with Logan being asked to leave.
10 words or less: All the hotness just went out the door with Logan.
This week, the designers started out waiting for Heidi with their backs facing the runway. When she approaches, they are allowed to turn around and are surprised by seeing their best looks from the season. Their task is to create a companion look to their first piece. Of the remaining designers, Logan is the only one whose best look wasn't a winning look for a challenge. However, he did note that he was happy by the look they chose for him. The designers have one day to complete this challenge.
While shopping at Mood, Irina spent quite a bit of time standing at the counter having already checked out while the other contestants continued to scramble around the store. Logan had an interesting concept to expand on his zippers from his first look. Therefore, he bought 40 zippers, and said that the outfit would be very much metal and trim.
There was lots of griping and bitching this week in the workroom and about other people's designs as they came down the runway. As there were only 6 people left, the judges talked to everyone. The preferred looks were from Irina, Carol-Hannah, and Althea, while those who were had the least-fabulous looks were Logan, Christopher, and Gordana. The judges also seemed to really rip apart the outfits tonight that they didn't like, sounding really petty. Just because they didn't agree with the designer's concept doesn't mean that other people wouldn't. Althea won this competition, and Irina was thoroughly pissed because she swears that the sweater idea was copied. Logan and Gordana were the bottom two, with Logan being asked to leave.
10 words or less: All the hotness just went out the door with Logan.
SYTYCD
Air Date: 10/26/09
View Date: 10/31/09
This was a special episode that showcased the top 20 dancers as a means of America meeting them before having to vote on them. We got to see the dancers perform in their own style in a non-elimination round. The set is new for the regular season but was used for the finale of last season. There have been mixed fan reviews about the new set, especially because it looks very large and does not have stairs or anything the dancers could use.
The first dance was choreographed by Wade Robson and was conceived by him and his wife, Amanda. I always loved the chosen song, especially after it was used in Pulp Fiction. The costumes were amazing, and the choreography really showed off the dancers with them being split into relatively small groups for the majority of the number. No one was really out there or stood out like a sore thumb. It was a great way to start the show.
The dancers were split into small groups based on their individual styles. First up were the hip hop dancers, where we had a krumper, a pop and locker, and a B-boy, three totally different styles that don't rely on choreography. The routine was choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon, who had a lot of fun at the beginning of rehersals dancing with people who were well-versed in their own style. The individual styles were fantastically highlighted, and the dancers really shown. Legacy was more amazing than I thought he would be after watching him through the auditions, and Russell was wonderful as usual. Kevin was very good, but to me he just doesn't stand out as much as the other two yet.
The first of two contemporary numbers was choreographed by Tyce DiOrio and included Channing, Nathan, Jakob, and Ariana. It was a very lovely routine, and reminded me of a Mia Michaels number. Again, it showcased the dancers technical skills as well as their grace, everything that contemporary dancers are known for.
Next to dance were the tappers, Bianca, Phillip, and Peter. Derick K. Grant, a new choreographer, was brought in to create this style that has not been seen on this show before. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love tap. These guys were amazingly in sync, and were showcased in really fun solos. I'm surprised at how well Peter did, as we really didn't see much of him during the auditions. It was a very nice routine by a new choreographer. Nigel made a good point that, because tap cannot be taught in such a short amount of time, the tappers will need to perform everyone else's styles of dance, but no one would be performing theirs.
Jazz was next, with Mollee, Pauline, and Ellenore performing a Sonya number. This was designed to be a sexy number, mostly expressed through confidence, and these ladies definitely were that. Of all of them, I thought Pauline really brought it, but the other girls did admirably as well. This was one of the most “normal” routines ever designed by Sonya, and it was a nice change.
Victor, Billy, Noelle, and Kathryn were our second set of contemporary dancers, choreographed by Mandy Moore. A truly beautiful piece with some nice partnering. Being that I watched this after it aired, I know that Billy had to drop out of the competition, and Noelle injured herself and may not be able to continue to compete. The show will be seriously be hurt by losing those two dancers, Billy in particular.
Finally, the show ended with the the Latin ballroom dancers, including Ryan, Ashleigh, and Karin. The routine was choreographed by Jason Gilkison, who at first didn't realize he was working with the show's first married couple. Ryan is one hot beast, and Ashleigh has improved over Vegas week. But by far, the better girl is Karin.
10 words or less: Looks like it will be a great season.
View Date: 10/31/09
This was a special episode that showcased the top 20 dancers as a means of America meeting them before having to vote on them. We got to see the dancers perform in their own style in a non-elimination round. The set is new for the regular season but was used for the finale of last season. There have been mixed fan reviews about the new set, especially because it looks very large and does not have stairs or anything the dancers could use.
The first dance was choreographed by Wade Robson and was conceived by him and his wife, Amanda. I always loved the chosen song, especially after it was used in Pulp Fiction. The costumes were amazing, and the choreography really showed off the dancers with them being split into relatively small groups for the majority of the number. No one was really out there or stood out like a sore thumb. It was a great way to start the show.
The dancers were split into small groups based on their individual styles. First up were the hip hop dancers, where we had a krumper, a pop and locker, and a B-boy, three totally different styles that don't rely on choreography. The routine was choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon, who had a lot of fun at the beginning of rehersals dancing with people who were well-versed in their own style. The individual styles were fantastically highlighted, and the dancers really shown. Legacy was more amazing than I thought he would be after watching him through the auditions, and Russell was wonderful as usual. Kevin was very good, but to me he just doesn't stand out as much as the other two yet.
The first of two contemporary numbers was choreographed by Tyce DiOrio and included Channing, Nathan, Jakob, and Ariana. It was a very lovely routine, and reminded me of a Mia Michaels number. Again, it showcased the dancers technical skills as well as their grace, everything that contemporary dancers are known for.
Next to dance were the tappers, Bianca, Phillip, and Peter. Derick K. Grant, a new choreographer, was brought in to create this style that has not been seen on this show before. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love tap. These guys were amazingly in sync, and were showcased in really fun solos. I'm surprised at how well Peter did, as we really didn't see much of him during the auditions. It was a very nice routine by a new choreographer. Nigel made a good point that, because tap cannot be taught in such a short amount of time, the tappers will need to perform everyone else's styles of dance, but no one would be performing theirs.
Jazz was next, with Mollee, Pauline, and Ellenore performing a Sonya number. This was designed to be a sexy number, mostly expressed through confidence, and these ladies definitely were that. Of all of them, I thought Pauline really brought it, but the other girls did admirably as well. This was one of the most “normal” routines ever designed by Sonya, and it was a nice change.
Victor, Billy, Noelle, and Kathryn were our second set of contemporary dancers, choreographed by Mandy Moore. A truly beautiful piece with some nice partnering. Being that I watched this after it aired, I know that Billy had to drop out of the competition, and Noelle injured herself and may not be able to continue to compete. The show will be seriously be hurt by losing those two dancers, Billy in particular.
Finally, the show ended with the the Latin ballroom dancers, including Ryan, Ashleigh, and Karin. The routine was choreographed by Jason Gilkison, who at first didn't realize he was working with the show's first married couple. Ryan is one hot beast, and Ashleigh has improved over Vegas week. But by far, the better girl is Karin.
10 words or less: Looks like it will be a great season.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Project Runway
View Date: 10/22/09
This week, the designers had one day to complete a Michael Kors challenge. Kors provided the contestants with pictures and descriptions of some of the locations that have inspired his designes in the past. The designers had to create works inspired by the locations provided. Irina chose Aspen, Gordana had Park Avenue in New York, while Althea picked St. Tropez. Carol-Hannah was able to grab Palm Beach, while Christopher chose Santa Fe, Nicolas picked Greece, and Logan got stuck with Hollywood.
On the runway, Irina, Gordana, and Carol-Hannah were the judges' favorites. They praised Gordana's high end style, particularly the intricate beaded necklace that was removable to wear with other outfits. Carol-Hannah really captured the essence of Palm Beach, with her patterned flowing dress and the twist and braid details that really added some pop. Irina created a three piece ensemble that had fitted pants inspired by ski pants, a belted sweater with a large cowl neck, and a faux fur vest that totally captured the style of an Aspen ski lodge. The least favorites of the night included Christopher's Santa Fe-inspired outfits, as the colors were deemed to be not vivid enough and the pieces were out of proportion. Logan's was acceptable, but was said to be rather boring. He chose to make a casual T-shirt and skinny jeans for a young, hot actress. The judges thought it was OK, but thought he could have been much more creative. Nicolas's design appeared to have absolutely nothing to do with Greece.
Irina won the challenge yet again, but her design was truly inspired and really captured the essence of her location. Logan was safe, so Christopher and Nicolas were in the bottom two. Nicolas was sent home, with Christopher surviving the bottom two for yet another week.
While I do think Christopher should have been sent home weeks ago, Nicolas has annoyed me from the very beginning. Christopher certainly deserved to be sent home, but I am definitely not upset that Nicolas was sent home.
10 words or less: Good riddance, Nicolas.
This week, the designers had one day to complete a Michael Kors challenge. Kors provided the contestants with pictures and descriptions of some of the locations that have inspired his designes in the past. The designers had to create works inspired by the locations provided. Irina chose Aspen, Gordana had Park Avenue in New York, while Althea picked St. Tropez. Carol-Hannah was able to grab Palm Beach, while Christopher chose Santa Fe, Nicolas picked Greece, and Logan got stuck with Hollywood.
On the runway, Irina, Gordana, and Carol-Hannah were the judges' favorites. They praised Gordana's high end style, particularly the intricate beaded necklace that was removable to wear with other outfits. Carol-Hannah really captured the essence of Palm Beach, with her patterned flowing dress and the twist and braid details that really added some pop. Irina created a three piece ensemble that had fitted pants inspired by ski pants, a belted sweater with a large cowl neck, and a faux fur vest that totally captured the style of an Aspen ski lodge. The least favorites of the night included Christopher's Santa Fe-inspired outfits, as the colors were deemed to be not vivid enough and the pieces were out of proportion. Logan's was acceptable, but was said to be rather boring. He chose to make a casual T-shirt and skinny jeans for a young, hot actress. The judges thought it was OK, but thought he could have been much more creative. Nicolas's design appeared to have absolutely nothing to do with Greece.
Irina won the challenge yet again, but her design was truly inspired and really captured the essence of her location. Logan was safe, so Christopher and Nicolas were in the bottom two. Nicolas was sent home, with Christopher surviving the bottom two for yet another week.
While I do think Christopher should have been sent home weeks ago, Nicolas has annoyed me from the very beginning. Christopher certainly deserved to be sent home, but I am definitely not upset that Nicolas was sent home.
10 words or less: Good riddance, Nicolas.
Survivor
Air Date: 10/22/09
View Date: 10/25/09
The episode started off with a look into the tribes. Both tribes have been hit with miserable downpours for the past 5 days. Everyone is soaked, waterlogged, cold, and miserable. Well, everyone is miserable except for Foa Foa's Russell, who seems to be enjoying himself immensely. Is this just another one of his mind games? Only time will tell. The Galu tribe was not happy that Russell, the tribe leader, did not grab the tarp when he could, but they did respect that he continued working very hard around camp while everyone else holed up trying to stay warm. Others did worry that he was working too hard, especially when he stumbled trying to enter the shelter. They were more worried that he would fail in the challenges or seriously put the tribe at risk.
The reward challenge was for a prize of hot pizza. There was a twist, with both teams needing to go to tribal council. The teams had to push one team member in a large ball while blindfolded. The person in the ball was the only member that could see and was in charge of navigating. The balls were to be pushed to a table-top ball maze, also blindfolded, that would need to be conquered to win the reward.
Galu's Russell was getting more exhausted as the challenge progressed, and needed to be helped to his position at the table maze. Russell completely collapsed, passed out right on top of the maze, and the medics were called right in. He kept insisting that he was OK, but the challenge was stopped and Jeff let everyone take off their blindfolds. Jeff completely stopped the challenge, and announced that both tribes were to vote someone out that night. Russell was to be monitored and would return if he was deemed medically stable.
All the talk that afternoon on both tribes was Russell's status and if he would be OK. Galu seemed to be completely lost without without their leader. During Russell's monitoring, his heart rate plummeted upon sitting, and was having huge blood pressure fluctuations. Russell was incredibly upset about the medics' decision to pull him from the game, but even Jeff wouldn't let him return after seeing him pass out twice in a short amount of time. Most likely, Russell's problems were due to dehydration.
Of course, lots of talk was about the votes at tribal that night. Jaison commented that every time Foa Foa gets close to succeeding at something, it seems to be ripped out from under them. They were very close to winning the challenge, and because of the medical situation they couldn't get their revenge as they saw it for losing so many times. On Foa Foa, talk was about sending one of the girls home. On Galu, the girls wanted to send Shambo home without question. The guys, on the other hand, were discussing sending one of the other girls home, with the main focus on Monica. The guys didn't see Shambo as a threat, and also recognized her efforts and success in the challenges. The guys did give Shambo hints that she should vote for Monica, and the guys brought her into their confidence.
At tribal, Jeff informed everyone that Russell was pulled from the game, and also told them some of the details of his condition. Foa Foa, while on one hand glad that the strongest Galu member was out of the game, Russell said it very eloquently that he would rather beat someone on the field of battle than have someone taken out this way. Then, when they were all sitting at tribal, it started pouring again, and everyone looked absolutely miserable. Due to the fact that they did not complete a challenge for the first time in Survivor history, there would be no vote. Yet there was still trash talk between the two teams. The last order of business was that, now that Galu's leader was out of the game, they had to take the leader necklace back to camp and assigned a new one.
10 words or less: Seeing Russell taken out by medical was heartbreaking.
View Date: 10/25/09
The episode started off with a look into the tribes. Both tribes have been hit with miserable downpours for the past 5 days. Everyone is soaked, waterlogged, cold, and miserable. Well, everyone is miserable except for Foa Foa's Russell, who seems to be enjoying himself immensely. Is this just another one of his mind games? Only time will tell. The Galu tribe was not happy that Russell, the tribe leader, did not grab the tarp when he could, but they did respect that he continued working very hard around camp while everyone else holed up trying to stay warm. Others did worry that he was working too hard, especially when he stumbled trying to enter the shelter. They were more worried that he would fail in the challenges or seriously put the tribe at risk.
The reward challenge was for a prize of hot pizza. There was a twist, with both teams needing to go to tribal council. The teams had to push one team member in a large ball while blindfolded. The person in the ball was the only member that could see and was in charge of navigating. The balls were to be pushed to a table-top ball maze, also blindfolded, that would need to be conquered to win the reward.
Galu's Russell was getting more exhausted as the challenge progressed, and needed to be helped to his position at the table maze. Russell completely collapsed, passed out right on top of the maze, and the medics were called right in. He kept insisting that he was OK, but the challenge was stopped and Jeff let everyone take off their blindfolds. Jeff completely stopped the challenge, and announced that both tribes were to vote someone out that night. Russell was to be monitored and would return if he was deemed medically stable.
All the talk that afternoon on both tribes was Russell's status and if he would be OK. Galu seemed to be completely lost without without their leader. During Russell's monitoring, his heart rate plummeted upon sitting, and was having huge blood pressure fluctuations. Russell was incredibly upset about the medics' decision to pull him from the game, but even Jeff wouldn't let him return after seeing him pass out twice in a short amount of time. Most likely, Russell's problems were due to dehydration.
Of course, lots of talk was about the votes at tribal that night. Jaison commented that every time Foa Foa gets close to succeeding at something, it seems to be ripped out from under them. They were very close to winning the challenge, and because of the medical situation they couldn't get their revenge as they saw it for losing so many times. On Foa Foa, talk was about sending one of the girls home. On Galu, the girls wanted to send Shambo home without question. The guys, on the other hand, were discussing sending one of the other girls home, with the main focus on Monica. The guys didn't see Shambo as a threat, and also recognized her efforts and success in the challenges. The guys did give Shambo hints that she should vote for Monica, and the guys brought her into their confidence.
At tribal, Jeff informed everyone that Russell was pulled from the game, and also told them some of the details of his condition. Foa Foa, while on one hand glad that the strongest Galu member was out of the game, Russell said it very eloquently that he would rather beat someone on the field of battle than have someone taken out this way. Then, when they were all sitting at tribal, it started pouring again, and everyone looked absolutely miserable. Due to the fact that they did not complete a challenge for the first time in Survivor history, there would be no vote. Yet there was still trash talk between the two teams. The last order of business was that, now that Galu's leader was out of the game, they had to take the leader necklace back to camp and assigned a new one.
10 words or less: Seeing Russell taken out by medical was heartbreaking.
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