Watching last night's show made me realise how much this series has disappointed me.

I loved the Charlston dances by Ali/Brian and by Chris/Ola and it's the only time this series where I have been excited and felt I was seeing something special.

I think it's been a letdown this series and I have begun to dread Aleesha's comments, even though I used to really like her. I miss Arlene and never thought I would say that!

Strictly has lost it's sparkle to me. Does anyone else feel the same?

Yes. Sums up my feelings as well...

It has seemed curiously low-key! While the dancers have been pretty well up to standard, as dancers, compared with earlier series, their "sleb" status was - perhaps - less than previous series.

Answers on a postcard, please!

JJ

This has been said many times the panel has missed Arlene's expertise/advice. Ok, people might not like her but, her dancing comments have been missed. I'm sorry to say that Alesha hasn't worked. Yes, she's younger and prettier than Arlene but, her comments don't carry the same weight with the audience or the pros as Arlene's did. As had been posted several times, it would have been better if Arlene's replacement was someone like Karen who could give the audience and celeb pointers as to why performances were good or bad.

I'm looking forward to DB as judging by her comments on ITT she will give us back some of the things that were lost when Arlene went. Then Alesha can do what she was originally paid to do and that's empathise with the contestants.

No va va voom, no fighting spirit.
Too many people that are just glad to collect their pay check and go.
I can't see any improvement in the final 4 couples.

Iagree, just no sparkle, for me nothing to do with the absence or presence of any particular judge; it's all just a bit flat.

I was watching some previous series on youtube - started looking for Denise Lewis in a white dress, a dance that I still remember as fantastic, even though I couldn't remember which it was. I looked at many other performances and they all had a sparkle this series as lacked, even the sets looked brighter somehow.

Yes, this season there were the fewest ever slebs known to me, 3 I think, don't if that's the reason?

I agree this series is lacking the sparkle and excitment seen in previous series.I would clear my house, lock the door and refuse to speak to anyone whilst Strictly was on previous years.This series is dire,and I have even found myself switching over channels during the show how did they manage to ruin the best show on TV.

This seems like a good point to me. With the couples left we are kind of where we were at the start.

Phil Tufnell showed genuine improvement to me and of course we'll never know what Martina Hingis could've done.

I agree the professionals have been up to standard. Love the pairing of Matthew and Aliona, though very jealous of her!

I think I was spoiled with the Karen and Mark Ramprakash argentine tango. Nobody in this series has really even come close to them for me and I don't think I can look forward to any of the remaining contestants getting to their standard.

I sometimes feel like someone is giving Alesha pointers on what to look out for with a certain couple then she uses it on the show. May be wrong but all her comments seem a bit unnatural.

So according to you Arlene made the show and Alesha has destroyed it, right? PMSL

This series is seriously lacking the presence of the most capable judge Arlene Philips. Aleesha is carp.

Yep that's a good point, probably a big part of the reason I find it a bit boring. It's going nowhere. Someone will win but I don't really care anymore as long as it's not Ricky Whittle and his dead behind the eyes partner.

Sorry, I don't quite understand what you mean

I used to like Alesha when she was a contestant. I find her annoying as a judge.

I used to sometimes find Arlene a bit OTT sometimes but she did know what she was talking about and did add a certain something.

I haven't said that Alesha is the only reason why I posted my feelings on the series lacking something. Nor would I say that bringing Arlene back solve the problem!

And herein lies the problem as to why SCD may have lost it's sparkle for you! Instead of seeing it as a celebration of an excellent dancer/personality picking up the Glitterball, you prefer to concentrate on who you don't want to win and making personal remarks about his partner.

It's VERY easy to be negative about ANY of the dancers on the show and I could quite easily slate any of the couples but, for the most part choose not to. However, this series the forum seems to feel the need to qualify any negative feelings they have for dancers, judges by bringing Ricky and Natalie into it, and everyone else jumps on the bandwagon feeling very pleased that they've slated off someone "just because"!

Wrong and biased maybe?

Is it not a competition where people are judged? I judged them.

I find her dead behind the eyes when she is dancing, I feel no emotion from her.

It is not a personal insult as such but merely a judgement on her dancing performance. For example when I watch Ola dance there is a connection with the audience. Which in turn makes for a better dance in my opinion.

You chose to ignore my positive comments on Mark and Karen, Ola and Chris, Matt and Aliona and Brian and Ali and concentrated on the one 'bad' comment.

Now who is negative!!

Very possibly, but it is how she comes across to me and many others.

Agree. Was never impressed by the line up of celeb's in the first place, although really was looking forward to seeing Jade, as for the rest blah. Really dislike Alesha now. Now the few left are D.U.L.L.

Hope next year they ditch Alesha and are more selective in the choice of celeb's, if they have to have the 'oldies' at least have those that would have some form of potential, look at what Donny Osmond proved on DWTS.

All in all, this year has been pants. Not bothered who wins.

But your ONE negative comment was used to qualify your whole argument. I actually don't think Natalie is "dead behind the eyes" and your "judgement" was quite a personal one. But if personal attributes are also included into the factor of whether or not someone then I really don't want to play that game at all!

Last series was a real low in SDC history for me and I'm loving this series and ITT too.

I have liked every single celeb (some more than others) and had supported several couples rather than just the one (it was none last series).

The series has been dogged by injury and illness, but the only real bad thing about this series for me is losing Jade and in such a horrible way, as she out of all the celebs was on the true Strictly journey and I loved watching her train and dance.

Do I think the show has lost its sparkle? No.

Whatever Alesha's merits or failings she is not responsible for the poor music, dodgy dresses, less than interesting celebs, wobbly set, bad camera work, Brucie's rubbish jokes, Tess' inane patter, Bruno's mania or even the lousy weather we're getting at the moment

If I have to blame any individual for this year's show being so forgettable I'm going to blame Camilla. Had she been there I would have managed to get through the above complaints with gritted teeth as I have for every other year

Let me state again:

I have not said Alesha is responsible for the reason I think SCD has gone a bit downhill this series.

I have said that Alesha is part of the reason.

I don't have a personal reason for not liking Ricky Whittle and his partner but it feels like dancing by numbers to me. Cold, cold, cold.

I too miss Camilla. She was a reall gem!

I think the problem is that it's pretty obvious who's going to be in the final - Ali and Ricky. I know everyone loves Cola and, believe me, I do too, but strictly loses its drama when it's a foregone conclusion.

In previous years there has been real drama as to who's going to be in the final eg with Rachel S, Tom C, Lisa S...etc when no one knew who was going to make it. This year, it's pretty cut and dry...

I see no journey of learning from Ricky he is how he was, same with Ali..very little improvement.
I think the celebs are very much e- list and this has not been a good series.....
Plus the new pro's have done nothing for me.

Matthew Cutler going out first week - killed it for me..........lol lol lol

For me the problem is that there were too many mediocre to bad celeb dancers who relied too much on the public vote and overstayed their welcome.
Helped by the new voting system and some dodgy decisions by Len, promising celebs were eliminated too early - Phil, Zoe and Martina spring to mind. On top of that Jade had to resign. The result of this is that we are left with only two real contenders too early in the procedings.
There's no excitement, no real competition left.

The BBC should look at how it's done at DWTS US. Though not perfect - all that endless repition of clips - that show is far more entertaining.