STEPS: On the Road Again
hilduffluva
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Anyone else watching this?!?! I think it is just as good as the STEPS: The Reunion show!
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hilduffluva
Posts: 3,969 hilduffluva
Posts: 3,969 hilduffluva
Posts: 3,969
Comments
i imagine the whole group have already seen the series and are fully aware of the autobiography and everything else. i think the 'tension' worked pretty well in the first documentary series so they're clearly trying the same angle again.
I'm recording it on Sky+ anyway as hubby hates these reality show things & I have to watch them when he is out, now I'm forwarned if I watch the other five episodes I'll just fast forward those bits as well as the ads.
I found the editing a bit suspect as well, they are already setting up the bad guys (Claire & Lisa). Claire is being made out to be an absolute selfish, hard-faced biatch imho & of course her having put on even more wieight & not even bothering to prepare for the concerts is not doing her any favours either. Maybe she just does not care about her image at all? As long as she is "alright jack" i.e. making enough money? They even pan to Lee saying something like this time we'll see the truth & certain band members won't be able to hide if they do the dirty; in a way that makes you think "Yeah Claire :mad:". She is silly though because other work can come from reality stuff like this & if she is portrayed as "unlikeable" the TV work won't come flooding in.
I will watch another to see if it improves cos I'd like to see footage of one of their concerts tbh, as I was a fan back in the day
Absolutely - a total pain in the bum and annoying
They have a huge amount of work to do for a tour. Poor Claire, she must be about 4 stone heavier this time round so all those routines will take their toll. Surely the routines could be less complicated?
Faye Tozer just seems absolutely lovely, in looks and personality.
Actually Lee comes across well surprisingly, I always thought he was a bit smug & conceited back in the day but after watching the "back together" episodes, it seems I gave that description to the wrong one!
I don't really like the editing either.
I think it seems a bit fairer this time and more balanced between the 5.
It was weird the way they tried to make out that Lisa dumped them all to stay in Dubai when any mum would do the same, the other girls can travel to London for an hour long meeting and go back home to their families the same day, of course Lisa can't do the same, and I would do the same as her in the same situation.
The interviews and commentary made it seem that Lisa would have a huge problem not being involved but it was obviously her choice not to come back and sure enough when the manager called her she was happy as Larry and said she trusts the others to make the decisions, All that build up and tension for her to say she's happy with everything.
I wish they'd just let it happen naturally rather than try to force tension.
I went to see them a couple of weeks ago and yes the routines are much less strenuous and a lot of the dancing is done by the dancers leaving Steps to focus on the singing, although they do still do all the signature dance moves. X
See they come over a bit different to me.
I agree that Lee doesn't come over as smug and conceited (that seems to be H),but he does seem to be coming over a bit desperate. All the comments about coming alive on stage, how the past couple of years haven't been the best, and how he always seems to be getting the point about being back stabbed in, and he just always seems to be pushing for them to continue after the tour.
I agree Faye seemed like a really nice women, but even with her it came over a bit like she had decided that she wanted
Steps to continue after the tour, and if anyone said they only saw this as a bit of a nastalgic good bye, she seemed to try and guilt them (ie I just feel sorry for all the people that put all their time and effort in to us - yes, but that was for a tour, that is happening. Or I'm giving up a family for Steps - well do you really need to, just try after the tour). Also that comment about being a working mother, let's be honest they probably earned in the millions each in steps, so did she really have to be a working mum, or did she want to be one?, where Claire seems all about her family and being a housewife.
It was really nice to see the more human side to Lisa tonight.
As for Claire,I think she is just unsure, her comment about worrying that all the success was just nostalgia was quite interesting. She seems to be very family orientated and worried about the effect Steps would have on that, and I think that it quite sensible. Also as she said she left previously as she was unhappy so of course she is going to be apprehensive. I really don't see the problem of her seeing this as a bit of a better ending.
H - the least said the better.
I understand that Claire has suffered from eating issues most of her adult life - it seems triggered from pressures to lose weight in Steps first time around. she has family priorities now and I suspect he is all too aware how easily she could fall back into disordered eating - happiness does not come from body image
Loving Claire this time around though. The only one who is getting on my nerves (along with H, obviously) is Lisa, but even she came across pretty well yesterday. Last weeks issue about her not arriving for 2 weeks clearly led to nothing (which takes me back to the iffy editing. In the teaser it looked like Faye has a go at her, but she actually didn't...)
Im not sure whats real anymore but I will say Faye comes across as the most genuine, H is still completely in love with himself, Lisa is fame hungry but wants the family part too (cake as well), Claire I think is aware that with or without the band she has the autobiography coming out and has enough column space with her weight loss stories for at least the next 5 years and lee bless him he would do anything (nicely) to keep the band going!
I suppose now we ve got to put up with whiny little school girls when they break up for the second time like they did the first time round.
Also the scenes in the restaurants with their partners were so fake it was hilarious! But despite that, it was interesting to watch, having been a fan the first time around, and I agree that Faye seems lovely
I don't think Faye is coming over well at all. To me she seems very bitter and agree with another poster about her attempts to make the others feel guilty. Wasn't sure why it was necessary for her to make the nasty comment to Claire about being a "working mother". Surely all three girls are working mothers.
Thought that Lisa would annoy me as she has done previously, but actually find her quite bearable. She seems to enjoy her life in Dubai, and I it's quite refreshing to see that she's not desperately chasing the fame in the way she used to. Think that she seems to have her priorities sorted in her heart - she just needs to recognise it herself.
Also - think H is okay. Fair enough, he's an arrogant little so and so - but he seems harmless. Also, he's got such a lovely life, I think he really wonders what on earth he's doing back with Steps and putting up with the angst and drama again.
I find Lee a bit of a twit to be honest. He was a real berk on 'Totally Boyband' , and I think he's totally deluded as to how talented he is.
Claire obviously has 'issues' - and I wonder how much pressure has been put on her to do this as her heart does not seem to be in it. Yes, she does seem to love the feeling she gets on stage, but that's such a tiny part of the whole process - and she appears to actively detest the rest of it.
What's come over loud and clear for me is how quite selfish and inward looking ALL of them are. None of them seem willingly prepared to compromise to make other members of the group happy, and would suggest that's the crux of why the band split up in the first place. They're all so busy making sure their own big egos are satisifed, they are unaware of other's feelings and needs.
They want the limelight and the money again but not if it causes them any inconvenience or time away from their families.
Well, that isn't going to happen, is it.
So far, it seems that only Faye and Lee want to take it further after the tour. But I am assuming now that the tour is going really well, perhaps the others are on board now. I am not sure if it will work, I think they should just stick with the nostalgic tour, take the money and run.
I get why Lisa cant be there, but seriously you need to be their to make decisions esp in this band seeing as things were not rosy before
After the first I felt Lisa and Faye and H came across badly, but I really did think it was down to the editing.
I actually think from what was said in the first series that Lisa and Faye tried really hard with Clare, but by her own admission she didn't want to go out etc so they gave up and she felt isolated. I really don't think it's their fault but likewise I understand Claire's reasons for leaving.
I think she's a homebody at heart and if she could get up on stage and sing when she felt like it, she'd love it, but she struggles with leaving her children and her home and no doubt would hate doing the publicity and touring away from home.
Faye works in musicals iirc so she is used to what they are doing now.
Lisa has probably had the biggest change in that she has become more like Claire and is realising that she's happy with her life and her family.
I kind of feel like the media has it in for her, (like the posh spice of Steps) we've always been told she's desperate and the snotty one and now the docu is making it look like she Cba to turn up to stuff. If you think about it, all the others live in England, so to spend a day choosing dancers is nothing for them. They get to go home at the end. Lisa can neither get countless flights back and forth for every little meeting and neither should be expected to leave her family 2 months early because there are meetings to attend. She was leaving her family behind from the day they started regearsals the others were able to go home to theirs (glad to hear they are over now to visit).
I met her at a solo PA once, she signed a lovely birthday card for me and gave it to me when I met her and she spent hours after her show meeting and chatting with her fans. She couldn't have been more genuine and accommodating and lovely. How she treats her fans is what's important for me not how she comes accross on a highly edited TVshow and I think she's lovely!
With regards to them carrying on after the tour, I would love it and would watch them again and most likely buy their music, but I don't think the media would be behind them and it would be difficult for them to manage.
I hope they are enjoying it this time round and it ends nicely if it does end. They put on a great show and they should be remembered for this not infighting.
Guess that's what can easily happen with a manufactured band, they simply have nothing in common with the others apart from the fact they sing the same songs and dance around on the same stage. They're all so busy jostling for position to be the top dog and none of them seem appreciative of the fact that other members may be better than them at some things.
I'm glad for them that the tour is a success, but would suggest they would be better leaving it at that rather than pressing on regardless of the personal animosity and ultimately creating more bad feeling.
Agree with the other poster who said that Faye seems bitter. I'm not sure why she feels that fate has dealt her such a bad hand. She seems to be happily married with a lovely little boy and is planning another. Maybe she should just accept that Steps is no more and get on with her life.
Where does Lisa live now?
Has Claire put on weight since Steps were last together?
Is H gay?
Did they used to mime in the old days?
Are the girls of the group working Mums?
Thanks in advance.