Please don't let SCD have jumped the shark. I don't think it has but it is suffering from too much tinkering with the format. I know it's a cliche but if it ain't broke, don't try and fix it. I've looked up the stats. on Wiki and suggest the following to get the show back on track.

!) Fewer contestants. The first series had only 8 contestants and lasted 8 weeks. We are now up to 16 contestants and 15 weeks. The whole thing has become unwieldy and overlong; dare I say slightly tedious! Perhaps 12 contestants over 10 weeks as in series 3? This might lead to:

2) Higher profile contestants. A shorter run and fewer dances to learn might attract people who can't or don't want to commit to the current slog. (Eastenders have banned current cast from appearing, due to the length of the run)

3) A change of season. The first SCD took place over May-July 2004 followed by Series 2 in Oct-Dec the same year and has since been part of the run up to Christmas. Why not put it on in the Spring, where it wouldn't clash with X-Factor?

4) The voting system needs an overhaul. I don't know how, but it seems wrong that a dance contest can be hijacked by the crowd-pleasing triers who the public vote for simply because they're likeable or annoy the judges. I don't mean the Darrens and Gethins, who start out as wooden clodhoppers and blossom into genuine dancers, but the Clarys, Sargeants and Hollins, who prosper at the expense of far more worthy contestants.

5) (a personal grumble) Having music and outfits appropriate to the dances.

I wasn't as outraged as some by the substituting of Aleesha for Arlene but Karen Hardy would be have been so much better, and she fulfills the requirements of being both knowledgeable and (fairly) young. If I had to get rid on anybody this season it would be Bruno. He's turned into an irritating parody of himself and rarely says anything constructive. And let's ditch Darcy!

Here we go again,......:yawn:

Agree 100%. More is not always better.


Agree 100%.


Hadn't thought about it but disposed to agree.


Agree 99%. 100% with the principle, 100% with the 'don't know how' - but, although I'm no particular supporter of Chris as a Dancer (nice chap though he seems to be), I don't think it's fair to lump him with Mr. Sargeant.

[quote] If I had to get rid on anybody this season it would be Bruno. He's turned into an irritating parody of himself and rarely says anything constructive. [quote]

Agree 100%. Ditch Len too: he used to be the benevolent uncle, who occasionally got riled at the other judges; he too has become a parody.

Those who can remember "Come Dancing" will no doubt be aware that the format didn't change for years, it was a bit "middle class" wasn't it? "Come on Home Counties East!"

The viewing figures steadily declined, no doubt accelerated by the "in your face" camera-hogging antics of Donnie Burns and Gaynor Fairweather.
Then to kill it off, the BBC kept moving it around the schedules.

The BBC obviously didn't want SCD to go the same way, so they've messed with it from about series three in a constant ratings chase.

Giving the public the opportunity to effect the result, would I think have been enough to sustain it without all the addition alterations.
Why can't the BBC be satisfied with viewing numbers which are far in excess of any other BBC entertainment programme? Why do they have to ruin it in a constant effort to chase X-Factor's popularity? That load of doo doo appeals mostly, to a different kind of audience.

Oh god please no to Karen Hardy. I know she knows her stuff but there is not a more irritating, gobby woman on the face of the earth. These last three years without her have been a blessing. I couldn't take her being back. My boyfriend and I jumped for joy when we found out she was gone. There are other dance experts that wouldn't make you want to rip out your eyeballs and shove them in your ears that they could employ.

As to everything else, there's no point. The Beeb will do what they do and the public will like who they like. It's annoying to the people interested in the dancing but that's the way it is unfortunately.

EDIT: Say what you want about Donnie Burns but he was a beautiful dancer. Absolutely fabulous. And he dressed up as Santa for our dance class when I was little, I loved him

If SCD is losing viewers, I suspect it is because, despite the public vote, the judges have ultimate say on who stays and who goes for the majority of the series. Often this is contrary to what the public want and it cannot have anything other than a negative effect on viewing pleasure.

So while I agree the voting system needs an overhaul, I would suggest discounting judges marks completely (they would be a guide only, for those who wish to vote solely on dancing) and doing away with the incredibly cringe-worthy dance-offs.

Each to their own..

We used to fall off the sofa laughing when he used to wear those ridiculous "goucho" trousers for the latin.
Reminded me of Dick Van Dyke, in Mary Poppins, dancing with the penguins.

Agree pretty much with all of that. Particularly having fewer couples. I think 12 couples and a 10 week run would be fine. I always think that just when it should be building momentum to the final it starts to flag and become boring nowadays. I mean they are running out of dances to fill the weeks now and having to throw in random dances, plus repeats ones they've already done.

Would quite like to see it on in the sping/summer again. Then they could do a proper Christmas special that is actually live- like the first one. The Christmas specials these days are always huge letdowns.

The length of the series in recent years , a blatant ratings chase, has always been a bone of contention.

Who "of note" has "nothing better to do" for sixteen weeks before Christmas, for what the BBC will want to pay them?
I mean, it drags into "panto rehearsal time" doesn't it?

I'd rather see it cut down to ten or fewer weeks, finishing earlier. This might encourage people "more well known than the professionals."

They would never move Strictly to the summer as that's no man's land ratings wise. The only possible place they could move it to would be after Christmas and then it would clash with DOI.

No need for it to be in the summer. It could start as part of the Autumn schedule and have it finished by the end of November. Time for the BBC to stop worrying about the X-Factor ratings, as if we cared.

That would be scheduling nightmare for them. Strictly already starts in September which is plenty early enough. They'd have to find something else to put on for the four weeks after it had finished and it would be madness to do that.

Madness?

How about a different kind of entertainment show, for those licence payers not interested in Strictly?

There must be life beyond it.

The show started it's down turn when the judges started pouting over who they thought should still be there weren't. And then they were given a double-dip with the DO. This is not how the show was originally set up and it p*ssed people off enough so that they did start to support people just to annoy the judges. Tough, they moved the goalposts first.

The only things they need to change is scrap the DO and to have people with no dance experience or training involved. Having people with ballet, tap, stage school training is against the spirit of the whole take newbies and teach them something new idea.

Whilst I both agree and disagree with you in parts, my particular gripe is that it is trying to hard to be like Xfactor. The two are vastly different beasts, and I think trying to hard to copy the Xfactor format, coupled with some of the things you mention is what is hurt their ratings this year. It's also becoming a little to self aware – remember the first few years when it was a comparatively naive dance show? It's lost a certain 'innocence' (for want of a better term), and sliding into a somewhat more gratuitous format better fitting to shows like Xfactor or Big Brother.

This is a program, that with out even trying, took what was considered uncool ballroom dancing, and turned it into something popular by nothing more than simply the actual dance and adding a bit of contemporary glamour. In trying to hard to chase the ratings and be something it's not, it's loosing its focus.

I remember at the end of last years series, I mentioned in a forum somewhere about how were they going to top that series, and where it goes from there. I wondered, as all programs do, if they had reached their plateau. I hope this year wasn't a sign of the slide downwards. Not that I didn't like this years show, but it has lost something compared to other years, for me.

how about if its that bad switch off.

How about after three thousand plus posts, not saying things like that?
It adds nothing to a discussion, that some people have made an effort to contribute their worth-while thoughts.

6) Have a plan B/C/D to ensure a three-couple final always.

7) Cut all the video bollocks during the show - no-one's interested in other people's nans.

8) Sack Bruce, Tess, Len.

And let's keep Darcey but make her do a demo dance every week. That would keep my interest up. I'd keep the DO as it stops dance-free zones from winning.

Or it could start in October, like it used to, and finish before Christmas. Why does it have to start in September?

And I'm pretty sure it was getting the same amount of viewers for series 1 in the summer, as its getting now. Around 8 million. Although people will have you believe nobody watched the first series it's just not true. So imagine what they could get now if they broadcast in the summer. It's never going to compete with the X Factor so why bother.

Absolutely, the 3 couple semi/2 couple final really doesn't work....it's not as if injuries and withdrawals should come as any great surprise. If necessary have a "special" ready for the last week and finish the competition a week early if someone has to drop out.

As for all the video stuff...totally agree, it adds nothing.
I'd also reduce ITT to 2 shows a week, one on Monday to discuss the previous weekend and one on friday to look forward to the next weekend.
That way we get to hear people's views and to see how training has gone without the need to pad it out with uninteresting "celebrity fans of the show" and repetitive interviews with the couples about how the week is going.

Its not OUR show, it's the BBC's show.

I agree with everything you say. I started a thread a short time ago about the BBC learning from their mistakes. I was badly mauled by a couple of posters on that thread. I should have simply replied to this in the first place.

I hope the BBC are reading this thread.