[surfie]

Given the threads about such and such not deserving to go through each week when obviously bad, I have a suggestion that may liven up the next series.

Rather than the public vote to the two couples who compete in the skate off why not let the couple who have been voted the worst by the Ice Panel be one of the couples in the skate of and the other be voted for by the public.

This will mean the worst ones are liable to get voted out very early, and the contestants as a whole having to up their game to avoid being voted bottom by the judges and into a skate off. each week

It will also mean the worst ones do not get saved by the public vote from the skate off.

[Psychosis]

I see your intention but I don't think that would work.

With very few exceptions, the person who comes bottom of the leaderboard (and therefore is automatically in the skate-off) would be the one evicted by the ice panel after the skate-off. Therefore in most cases it would be a total waste of money to be asked to vote for the second person, because they will always be the one saved UNLESS the bottom placed person had made mistakes that they correct, or the difference was negligible. For example, if Coleen was at the bottom of the leaderboard, is there REALLY any point voting for anyone else? Nobody will, under any skate-off circumstances, be ejected instead of her.

I would prefer a weighting system - so it's harder to climb/fall but not impossible.

[surfie]

In one sense it would give the Ice Panel the chance to vote of the one they voted bottom off, but it may stop the complaints about those who are obviously bad being saved on a public vote.

I think it will force those competing anyhow to all up their game as they know if they are the worst they are going to be in the skate off and not be saved on a popularity vote.

In time it may also force the producers to actually get contestants who are not no hopers like Todd and Aggie as well and raise the standards.

From the look of those on this years tour, I can see an obvoius skills gap , especially between Suzanne and the other female contestants as she hasn't a Clare or Bonnie to really challenge her. While out of the males can you see Todd really challenging Ray, Kyran and Chris.

[The Swampster]

I'd prefer a three-way skate off decided by the judges immediately after the skaters perform. The public then watches the skate off later and decides who - of the bottom three - goes.

[priggy]

surfie, did you not see the SCD semi-final?

The reason they called off the dance-off was because they realised the public could not save Tom even if he topped the public vote which he did and that is the whole point of the public vote is so that viewers can save their favourite even if they are rubbish.

The only way you could do it is if after the main skate - the public votes who to save out of the bottom 3 etc.

[Psychosis]

Originally Posted by The Swampster

I'd prefer a three-way skate off decided by the judges immediately after the skaters perform. The public then watches the skate off later and decides who - of the bottom three - goes.

No, that's worse

At least with this system depending on how the others are arranged in the public vote Coleen could potentially end up bottom 2 and thus get booted out.

If they put (say) Coleen, Roxy and Donal in the bottom 3 for the vote, it's even easier to save Coleen than it was before. Now she only has to out-poll two others rather than five.

[priggy]

Originally Posted by Psychosis

No, that's worse

At least with this system depending on how the others are arranged in the public vote Coleen could potentially end up bottom 2 and thus get booted out.

If they put (say) Coleen, Roxy and Donal in the bottom 3 for the vote, it's even easier to save Coleen than it was before. Now she only has to out-poll two others rather than five.

It would be easier to save your favourite but then people who aren't liked the public can go even if they are better than the likes of Todd and Coleen.

[Love Bear]

Doh!......

[The Swampster]

Originally Posted by Psychosis

No, that's worse

At least with this system depending on how the others are arranged in the public vote Coleen could potentially end up bottom 2 and thus get booted out.

If they put (say) Coleen, Roxy and Donal in the bottom 3 for the vote, it's even easier to save Coleen than it was before. Now she only has to out-poll two others rather than five.

Perhaps you are right, but with a smaller "field", it might also mean that the votes of those who can't stand the, er, duffer might be concentrated elsewhere instead of spread between a wider field of more talented contestants. Or maybe it makes no odds? Perhaps someone cleverer than me at maths could work it out...

[Psychosis]

Originally Posted by The Swampster

Perhaps you are right, but with a smaller "field", it might also mean that the votes of those who can't stand the, er, duffer might be concentrated elsewhere instead of spread between a wider field of more talented contestants. Or maybe it makes no odds? Perhaps someone cleverer than me at maths could work it out...

It will always be between three people though. Having Coleen vs two others in the dance-off means we have to hope that there are three times as many people who hate her as there are who vote for her. For example:

Coleen vs Roxy vs Donal
Coleen fans - 10 thousand (random)
Coleen haters - 19 thousand

Coleen - 10 thousand
Roxy - 9 501
Donal - 9 499 (OUT)

Or even this, if people decided to concentrate on Donal:
Coleen - 10 thousand
Donal - 18 thousand
Roxy - 1 thousand (OUT)

[The Swampster]

As you say, it depends on the figures and the motivation of those involved. I'm quite a boring viewer and generally just want to watch the best skaters. Currently I like Ray and Jess best but haven't voted because I can't see the point (wrong about Jess, clearly). However, had I been presented with a smaller field that included Coleen, I might have been tempted to pick up the phone...
I suppose it's only by trying it that you'd see if it made a difference. I think a two-person skate off would nearly always get rid of the ones past their sell-by date

[surfie]

Originally Posted by priggy

surfie, did you not see the SCD semi-final?

The reason they called off the dance-off was because they realised the public could not save Tom even if he topped the public vote which he did and that is the whole point of the public vote is so that viewers can save their favourite even if they are rubbish.

The only way you could do it is if after the main skate - the public votes who to save out of the bottom 3 etc.

The semi final of DOI is different though as there are 4 and not 3 contestants as in SCD.

You would still have one voted into the skate off by the Ice Panel and one by the public. It would be very unlikely that 4 contestant in DOI would get all the same score anyhow because of the voting system is in .5 and not a whole number like SCD.

I still think it would work since from the start all the contestants know if they are the worst each week they will not be able to play for the sympathy vote to save them. Therefore they will have to up their game knowing full well they are going to have to avoid the skate off by not finishing last on the judges vote. It may result in better performances as well because there is that pressure.

Yes it will give the Ice Panel a chance to get rid of the duffers sooner rather than later but is that a bad idea, compared to someone who might improve getting knocked out early on because they do not have viewer popularity.

[SCDancing34]

It could work although the problem is if the couple that came bottom with the judges is always in the skate-off and is very likely to be chosen by the judges to go meaning that they can never be saved. If they were having an off week it wouldn't be fair; that's why the public are there so that they can get through for another week...

[memmh]

What might work instead is if the public vote is between only the four couples who got the lowest judges' scores.

[surfie]

Originally Posted by SCDancing34

It could work although the problem is if the couple that came bottom with the judges is always in the skate-off and is very likely to be chosen by the judges to go meaning that they can never be saved. If they were having an off week it wouldn't be fair; that's why the public are there so that they can get through for another week...

If the couple voted bottom by the judges is forced into the skate off they will still have a second chance as would the couple voted for by the viewers. After all it should be about which couple has improved the most from their first performance.

One of the points I think is crucial is that if the contestants know beforehand the cuople ranked bottom by the Ice Panel is automatically in the skate off it will force the contestants to raise their performances to avoid that automatic skate off position.

As much as the likes of Todd, Coleen, Aggie and co provide laughs, I'd rather see contestants each week putting in good performaces, than those who are obviously useless and putting the favourites under pressure as well.

Judging by the line up this year for the tour I think there is going to be some pretty bad performances when there should be really the best from this series and the previous two.

Without Bonie and Clare this year can anyone see some of this years female contestants take on Suzanne on tour. At least Ray will have competion from Kyran and Chris.