I'm not really sold on this pair but I thought the marks for their Rumba were about right.

It all looked very clean and there was a touch more feeling in the performance, but not nearly enough to make me get lost in the dance.

They were not undermarked. I still don't understand why none of the judges have mentioned his hands. The look like spatulas! I thought 35 was, if anything, a bit on the generous side.

Far worse faults than imperfectly placed hands were ignored by the judges when they gave 9s to some of the other contestants.

I took notice of Matt's hands and could tell he was at times trying to give them better shape, but I don't think he could pay enough attention to it, given the effort he was having to put into other aspects of the dance.

parthena

Matt's hands concern me if I'm honest, he needs to sort them out big time. If he can rectify it, it will rescind the problem.

well, some purists might be worried about what shape his hands are

But the vast majority of people its just a case of whether the dance makes them get lost in the music or not

I dont necessarily think it was 40/40 intrinsically, I just think it was the best dance tonight.

Kara and Scott both are doing well, but imo Matt is more musical, and Aliona is a better pro, than the other couples.

He will get a ten or two when he stops asking for them!

When has he asked for them specifically?

I think they were marked about right.

For the nth time, when DOES HE ASK FOR THEM?

Tess and Claudia mention it every time they interview him, so he has to come out with the 'obvious' comment that it would be nice to get them.

I have never heard Matt come right out and ask for a 10, but if someone can put a link to a clip of him doing so, it would be appreciated!!

Thought 35 was a wee bit generous, but he was in the right place on the leaderboard. Definitely not undermarked!

Please give examples of when he has asked for them, I don't remember anyone but Tess or Claudia ever bringing the subject up!

He HASNT asked for 10's!!!!!!

I think the dance deserved 30 at most. Not great at all.

it was ok but not brilliant - 8 for me (kara 10 and scott 9)

I don't think he was undermarked, but definitely think certain others were overmarked in comparison - and not for the first time! How on earth was Scott better than Kara? Craig said about Kara "one word - amazing". He mentioned nothing wrong, so why not a 10?? That said, my personal favourite was the rhumba, but I'm definitely biased, the judges shouldn't be.

Agreed. Marks were probably about fair in the context of other competitors' marks anyway.

I am a fan of Matt and Aliona but I would agree that their marks were about right for their dance. The problem has arisen because of the total inconsistency in the judges marking, particularly Len. To give Scott 9 and then Matt 9 for two rhumbas which were poles apart is unfair. To give Gavin Henson 9 for a quickstep which was half a dance is making a mockery of the 9 given to Matt for his rhumba. Undermarked no, others overmarked, yes!
P.S. I agree that I have NEVER heard either Matt not Aliona "plead" or even ask for a 10. Only Claudia and Tess keep on about it. This accusation is therefore totally unfounded.

I suspect that now the judges have no say in who goes out, they are trying to control the results by creating the leaderboard they want to see, and that judgement of individual dances is secondary to this. Worse, my biggest fear is that they're being told by the producers who they should try to keep in, as they seem largely to have lost their integrity. They do keep going on about entertainment this year. Remember when they thought dancing ability was the most important thing? It wasn't all that long ago!

I think if there's someone to blame for the entertainment taking the front seat, it's the public. Last year on this forum I remember being shot down a million times by Cola fans saying that I was wrong to think Ricky or Ali should win because this show is about entertainment more than dancing, hence Chris should win. Well that was the message the public gave the producers when they voted for Chris to win and now we're all paying for it. I would be interested to see how many Cola fans are now annoyed by dancing taking a backseat this year and entertainment being pushed as the purpose of the show.

I do think there's a bit of a conspiracy theory about Matt though. He just hasn't found his dance yet, that's why he's not getting great scores. But he's not being pushed off because that rumba did not deserve 9s, he was way overscored. He's being helped by the judges because they see potential in him, not hindered.

Matt was overhyped in the beginning. I'm not sure if he'll ever find "his dance". His AT was a joke compared to the one we saw yesterday. The choreography wasn't good, but his footwork wasn't very precise at all. His Rumba was very overmarked too. I think he's been getting very high scores considering his dancing has been a bit mediocre.

Well what I saw last night was a decent attempt for the male celeb at a rumba. Streets ahead of Scott's non-dance last week, and if that was worth a 9 from Len, then Matt certainly earned a 10 from Len last night.

It was a decent attempt by a male celeb, but it was not a good attempt overall. Why should male celebs be given a 9 for a mediocre dance when female celebs are not given the same advantage? Very unfair. Pamela's Rumba was MUCH better than Matt's - both technically and in terms of emotion and performance, yet they received the same score.

You must have been watching a different Matt to me, and indeed the judges and Karen Hardy as all have praised his dancing ability. Your view of Matt seems a little harsh in my opinion.

I agree completely. He was extremely over-hyped in the beginning and because of that and the fact he obviously hasn't lived up to it (because he doesn't have it in him) people are getting restless. And yes, he has been overscored for every dance he's done, except maybe his VW. But I do think he'll have at least one dance this year that he'll go a good job of, he must because he's not totally without talent. He just doesn't have the stuff to challenge Scott, Kara or maybe even Pamela in my view. But I hope I'm wrong because I suspect he'll be there til the final. He's got the teenage girl, housewife and middle England vote because people find him hot and cute and so I hope he does improve because if I have to watch him all year, I want him to get a lot better.

Sorry but this is grossly unfair to Matt and rather insulting to Matt fans. I don't find him hot and cute but I and the judges believe he is a good dancer. If your opinion is different then fair enough but don't undermine the ability of others to judge for themselves. I find it very patronising of others to say that just because my opinion is not the same as theirs I am somewhat deluded in my judgement.

Agree, didn't really notice the dance as I was so distracted by Aliona's hair & Matts hands. The biggest shame is, he has lovely elegant arm movements but his hands just don't finish the lines off beautifully.