...Craig says after James complaining about the 6 Craig gave to Alex. James has got a wife, Ola, so now how should he get a life ?

Pardon?
Can you run that by me again, please?

On ITT when Zoe said James complained about Craig's mark of 6 for Alex's Charleston, Craig said (direct quote) "get a life".

It was rather a crap put down by Craig, though i don't really see what Ola's got to do with it.

Right.
So what's that got to do with Ola?

James ridiculously overreacted too that mark, it wasn't a great dance and the two 8s balanced it out

james might want to watch it back again

To my understanding, I think petertard is trying to say how can Craig tell James to "get a life" when he already has a wonderful life with someone like Ola to come home to.

Hmm..

Obviously Craig didn't have time to script a reply with a few witticisms, so we saw the "real" Craig.
Boring...

James is "being" the person the BBC wants him to be. You see the "real James" occasionally in a few unguarded moments, he's probably really a nice person.

Just to explain to the OP: "a life" is NOT a boyfriend!

That's all.

I interpretted it that petertard was being hilarious and saying that your life is over once you marry a woman!

James has both a wife and a life. What he doesn't have is a properly functioning brain to mouth link.

Open to interpretation, that one!
So, maybe James SHOULD get a boyfriend, and therefore a life? Oh dear, internet makes my life sooo complicated!

James has a life, which is pretty good by anybody's standards.

I do love Craig but he was out of order making such a meal of saying that Alex was me-d-i-ocre. He could have put it in a more subtle way. This is getting boring now. They had an entertaining routine and it just brings the mood down for no real purpose. It's an entertainment show as much as anything, and they were entertaining. Alex never said she was world champion material, so as far as she's concerned it is stating the bleeping obvious, but and it's a big but if you'll pardon the expression, in a humiliating and unconstructive, or worse, destructive way.

Craig thinks this (un)kind of critique is a kick up the bum but it can seem like a kick in the teeth.

I dunno, I think it's important that couples - both the celeb and pro - realise what they're doing isn't good enough to gain decent marks from the one judge who marks it like it is.

The celeb needs to know so they can identify how to improve, for their own self-esteem if nothing else; the pro needs to know so they can either help the celeb improve, or if they think they've gone as far as they can, to give them realistic expectations of the marks.

If it hadn't been scrappy that would be one thing, and if it had been the first time Craig had brought it up that would be another, but neither applies. Alex has finished her moves poorly all series and James hasn't helped her improve it.

Alex has two choices - she can either go away and work on the areas identified to help her marks, or she can carry on doing exactly what she's doing and face the consequences with some dignity. And that goes for James too.

Triers are fine. Duffers are fine. Whingers are not not not.

Yes, I understand what you're saying, but what I find annoying is that someone like Alex has actually improved a great deal and has achieved quite a lot. Along with that I watch it for the whole Saturday night entertainment factor. I found Craig's attitude ruined the atmosphere for me personally after what had been, for me, a lot of fun.

Maybe the whinging is set up to some extent. We can't be sure what goes on behind the production scene.

ETA On the other hand, Craig has been adopting a different persona elsewhere, so maybe even he thinks it's time for a change in critique.

I agree that Craig can sometimes be unkind but I am absolutely sure it is an act and probably scripted and encouraged by the Director at whose feet all this should be blamed. Len has become extremely grumpy and has been very, very rude to Craig (again I am sure he has been told to do this). James, on the other hand has displayed behaviour which I don't think has been his brief. I think Alex is lovely, works hard and is what Strictly is all about - i.e. "the journey". James is a Diva, engages mouth before brain and is probably not the sharpest knife in the drawer but he can dance - probably better than Craig and could teach him a few things. Unfortunately, James has not been taught how to take criticism and both he and his wife throw their toys out of the pram if they are sent off in The Swingathon or if they feel they are undermarked.

It used to be Len V Brendan.

Now it's Craig V James.

All genuine disagreements over serious points I am sure, but hammed up on all sides for effect, I suspect.

I interpreted it as something on the lines of "grow up" which seems very apt with James.

hmmmmmmm where I come from "get a life" is a short put down in common usage - it would appear that its not universally known tho. It simply means "go and find something important to worry about and stop wasting my time."

That's how I understand it, too.

No offence (but ) the OP needs to get a life on this occasion.

Well surely that depends on how he saw it - personally I thought it was a terrible dance and mediocre summed it up perfectly given that it was not entertaining at all. My mood was only brought down by listening to Alesha & Bruno's positive comments about such a poor dance.

I don't think Alex has improved anything like enough to be a really entertaining watch, but it's true that that was the first dance of hers that I'd enjoyed since the foxtrot.

Still, I'd maintain that Craig's critique was based entirely on fair factors, not a whinge about the style/music/costume/content a la Len - so I reckon it's Alex you should be blaming for your buzz kill, not Craig.

I find Craig manages to compartmentalise his SCD persona quite well. I've seen him on a few other telly things recently and he's come across as rather charming - it must just be the passion for dance that makes him so snarky as a judge.

I was thinking more of James being the whinger...

Used to be Brendan Vs Craig and Len.

I still remember the year when Brendan was defending Jo wood after the apparent rude comment that Craig made to her and then back in Tess's room Brendan went (something along the lines of)... "why do you talk like that when you're from Ballarat, Craig." lol.

As for James, he seems to be trying to find a prominent role/character for himself on Strictly and to be honest it's not really working and is quite boresome at times.

I think Craig could have given Alex a 7 - that's what he gave Anita, and he didn't label her med-i-ochre, either!

Alex's routine was way harder than Anita's (another lockstep anyone), and she danced it better.

Remember back to Alex's first dance, the cha cha, she could barely put one foot in front of the other! All right she is never going to polish her technique, but she is so much improved from where she started. I know Craig always says the celebs shouldn't take his comments personally, but I can see how that comment would have been a slap in the face! I do think that level of improvement should be commented on.

Thought James was over-reacting though, Alex obviously doesn't feel supported by his outbursts, and the score was levelled up by the 8s.