Surprises
There's a show as well as a forum Really weird that it just started like that after weeks of slow eek-it-out and prep. I almost wanted to stop the show because too much all at once

Lisa and Sid were much much better than I imagined (loved Robin's face afterwards)

Colin is also better than I had hoped, much. I'd still have fancied him if he'd been poo but it's great to honestly support him and Kristina along with. . .

. . . I can live with Pasha's hair! He's still hip-wriggledy, gap-toothedly, kind-twinkle-in-the-eyeishly 😍gorgeous. One more week of this and full-on Pash adoration will be resumed

Not so good surprises
This was the best line up ever. Everyone was supposed to be a 'ringer'. So how come on Friday only two of them had confidence?

Victoria in particular because not the golden girl. I felt very sorry for her. Liked the way Brendan saved her from facing Craig's comments

Lisa and Robin suprised me the most. They were so entertaining and their dance was delightful to watch.
I also really liked Darcey being on the panel, she had constructive critisism in equal amounts to her encouraging remarks.
The music and singing suprised me as well. It is so much better than it has been on the last few series.
I thought Victoria, being an athlete would find learning to ballroom dance easier than she has but at least she tried hard.

Good

No real stand-outs and no real duffers - the most open contest for years

Lisa - she was fabulous

Ricky - surprised at how elegant he looked


Disappointing

Victoria - but maybe that was just first night nerves

Jerry - she could be good if Anton could be bothered to teach her

Good Surprises

Lisa and Robin
Sid and Ola

Bad Surprises

Nicky & Victoria - they were terrible!!
Darcey - yeeeeeeeeah, driving me and OH nuts already

No Surprise - same old same old

Bruce and Tess, which is why I always have to sky plus Strictly.



And how I love that wonderful band and singers, they just make the show!!

Good stuff

Lisa - so funky, so fast

Sid - so elegant, and an Eastender who can act!

Brucie - did have some good jokes, all right he fell over some of the script, but there were some good ones in there

Michael&Natalie - probably my fave partnership at this stage, he had clearly worked really hard, and his butt was no where near as sticky-outy as the judges made out!

Denise - not so perfect, it will do her good not to start at the top from week 1. Musical dancing does not a ballroom dancer make!

Kimberley - lovely and natural, can sell it as well unlike some previous pop princesses. Looking forward to more of her!

Darcey - obviously been wising up on her ballroom (not that she has learnt to be lead herself yet!) and bless her for trying so hard on Saturday not to say Yah!

Bad stuff

Karen - 'artistic choices' lift controversy - does she not think that as an audience we haven't seen enough lifts on this show, and that we'll be absolutely blown away by that effort?? I'm pleased Craig came down on her like a ton of bricks. And the horrible face-in-tits drops Poor Nicky's got no chance

Louis&Flavia - what is going on with them? Maybe he smells

Poor old Pendleton - I saw that coming, not that I'm pleased! She started off promisingly enough, needs to learn not to go into meltdown when one step goes wrong. Hopefully the only way is up for her (aside from her heels, which should go down!)

Jonny - thought he had an unnecessarily brutal appraisal from the judges

it was in the unappreciation thread - it was flugella, page 44, post number #1085

im very sad, I did a search as I was curious

it was, I have just searched that thread (after you mentioned Flugella) and its page 44 post #1085

I am bored at work so I thought I would have a quick look

You win an award for tenacity. Are you a researcher in your work?

Good stuff

Lisa - fast and great inspiration. Also, happy for robin, I think this looks like it was the most inspired pairing of the series.

Sid - the biggest surprise. never particularly warmed to ricky, but I found him elegant and even handsome ().

Kimberley and Pasha, loved them. I always kind of liked her and he is my second favourite male pro, but I was not disappointed.

Bad stuff

Karen - not liking her at all. I had higher hopes being that she is latina, but really could not warm to her at all.

Louis & Flavia - no chemistry at all. And Flavia included gym elements, I thought only Aliona did that, we will see if they come as hard on that as with Aliona .

Victoria - love her, so really sad about her lack of ability.

Lack of Artem, I know he is on the show but I require more doses of him after so many months of nothing.

[quote=tangos_with_tim;61585795]Good stuff


Michael&Natalie - probably my fave partnership at this stage, he had clearly worked really hard, and his butt was no where near as sticky-outy as the judges made out!

Bad stuff

Louis&Flavia - what is going on with them? Maybe he smells

twt I LOVE YOU my thoughts exactly on Michael and Natalie

Louis and Flavia - Louis will soon get over looking at Flavia like shes an unexploded bomb Give the poor guy a chance Lots of celebs in series past have to get over the close physical proximity of their partner - for some reason- it seems to be more of a prob with the celeb guys? They are doing the VW this week, so lots of time in hold, that should help for a start IIRC it's usually solved itself by week 3!

Lol no, just a sad person with too much time on her hands

Bluddy hell, you waded through our shite. You deserve a medal just for that.

Hope you're not too psychologically scarred.

Steady on, I just gave her an Award, are you giving her a medal too? She'll look like Idi Amin.

BIB. Well spotted! I'm not holding my breath. Flavia has got a celebrity with potential this time, I'm expecting great things!

Bad
Katya not in it

Good
Ola in it

I wish they wouldn't write the jokes for Sir Brucie, he's much better when ad-libbing.

My understanding is that the producers wanted to freshen up the faces of the dancers...so they just replaced Katya but kept boring Anton, smug Brendan, and mutton dressed as lamb Kristina, how is that freshening up?

They said they wanted to freshen up the whole show, not just the dancers. That must be why they've kept on the waffling old fogy who still uses the same catchphrases he came out with when my grandad was still in short trousers.

Good:

Lisa and Sid were better than I expected.
Richard was good too.

Bad:

Louis and Victoria sucked. Shame, as both have potential, so I'm going to reserve final judgement until future shows!

I know what you mean, Len is a bit past his sell by date.

Oops! My mistake! I meant waffling old fogies.

I know, Len.

Len too.

Good

Lisa - brought a smile to my face - and yes, she is nimble on her feet

Colin - love him and think he will go far

Michael - no, his bum did not stick out much, but being tall I am expecting the judges to maul him in Latin.

Louis - great potential

Richard - surprised me

Johnny Ball - at the age of 74 I thought he was terrific - he did all the steps and did try to inject some oomph! Thought the judges were a bit harsh - would love to see Len work as hard.


Bad

Karin - no personality

Anton - didn't put enough choreography in and really isn't tall enough for Jerry - bring back Ian Waite!

Very surprised throughout. Sid, Colin, even Johnny performed better than I expected! and the other boys, though I thought Louis would have done better. Girls were all good. There was no comedy value in the series this time which I like. No one is particularly bad.

Just wanted to pop in and share my first look at what twitter had to say about the shows last week. http://anly.tk/2012/10/10/strictly-2...oundup-week-1/

I spend some time collecting traffic off of twitter and then counting up who said what about each dancer. This can give us some of idea of how people might vote - largely academic for last weeks show (and useless arriving on the Wednesday after the show of course!) but it show's a few things that might surprise you - Fern and Lisa getting a whole lotta love, Johnny and Colin less so.