How come T and D are performing before Sam? This highlights his performance more. Is this turning into the Sam show?

This is what I was thinking.

really odd programming to put T&D before his routine

This coupled with a solo skate. For weeks the judges have stated the only problem with Sam is the fact that he would skate better alone. How can he lose with everything stckef so much in his favor?

If he's not up to it - it won't make any difference.

One minute everyone is saying the judges and producers have it in for him; next T&D and dancing before him to showcase his performance.

Can't have it both ways folks.

I've never said the judges have it in for him. Have always thought they favoured him. Let's face it the only reason Laura didn't get a 10 tonight is that they wanted Sam to have one first.

I wasn't referring to you - others have suggested anti Sam bias.

I thought they'd thrown Sam under the train last week and my comment in this thread is about it being odd to split the competitors performances at that point wtith a T&D routine, I never mentioned it was to favour Sam .. just strange programming

Fair enough

I do think the producers are trying to stack the odds in his favour tho

I couldnt agree more,

Why couldnt they let Sam go on just after Larua and then T&D and then do the solo. NO i think the show wants us to remeber Sam more than the other thats why he was on after T&D. Its getting like X factor this year with the let manipulate the GBP

It was just to split up the two headbangers, surely?

They could have done that by putting Laura first and Sam last.

No tonight it was to make sure we had Sam in our minds more imo, As poeple had to waiting longer to see Sams routine. Unlike all the other who was just the same as normal.

For me, it could've screwed Sam over - it's not nice trying to perform after Torvil and Dean. They're so good it tends to shadow whatever follows.

Slightly off topic because it isn't about Sam's position in the running order, but about the leaderboard as a whole (but I'm referring to posts that say they think Sam's being favourited).

The way I see it is that they want Johnson gone tonight and the only way that will happen is having Sam top.

Chloe is obviously the most popular since she hasn't hit the bottom two, yet, so I'm pretty confident she will pull through being third on the leaderboard.

I'd also guess Laura's the least favourite of the three better skaters, too, and remember the producers have access to the voting figures, so by putting Sam first and Laura second, it gives Sam a better chance of getting through with Chloe which means they have the three best skaters in the final because they avoid two of the best facing each other.

If they had Laura top and Sam second, we may well have seen a Laura vs. Sam skate off but with the leaderboard how it is, I think it's more than likely it will now be Laura vs. Johnson.

I'm not sure whether or not they want Sam to win but I am sure that they will want him to be in the final. I too think they want Johnson out tonight. I had thought they might be angling for a Chloe v Johnson skate-off, in which case they would save Chloe.

Well that worked out as planned

Favouritism for Sam from the show - that's a first.

The judges and the producers have had a real downer on him for the last two weeks.

PS I am sick of hearing about that hat!

I'd say Torvill & Dean are a harder act to follow than Laura & Colin.

So no, I don't think it was to Sam's advantage at all.