Absolutely agree. IMO Craig's the most reliable judge for sensible marking. Darcy's advice though is usually on the ball and even Bruno has improved with his advice(though his campness gets on my nerves)
Len is the one who needs to go. He's become very full of his own importance. His expression every time they mention his casting vote makes me want to smash the tv screen!

I seriously doubt Len was using reverse psychology to get support for Natalie. It's not all one big plot to get Natalie in the final. Len is just genuinely angry with Artem going all swishy with his choreographies week after week after week, serving him travesties of the dance. Thus the way and the intensity of his reaction. If that's enough for the public to turn 180 degrees and do what they would not do otherwise just to spite Len, then they deserve what they get.

don't agree with Len or the way he spoke but genuinely feel he was annoyed at a routine that did no service to Natalie's capabilities - I feel Artem let her down with that routine - he said all week they were out to impress Len and then he did a routine that continued the out of hold theme and lackling paso moves that Natalie would have been more than able to do

Well obviously I have to bow, then, to your superior knowledge in these matters. I can only tell you how I felt about it. Perhaps it was the sheer relief in having some decent music. let's face it most of SCD in this recent iteration has very little to do with dancing at least how I remember it from my dancing days.

Not a plot per se, but the judges are perfectly aware of how potential voters react to comments and scores. They haven't been living in a cave between shows for 10 years.

EDIT: But I do agree his annoyance is genuine and deserved.

@HHTTGG. Apologies if I appeared to dismiss your opinion. I agree it was great to hear trad. music, I just felt the routine was an anti-climax having banked on Nartem to give us a real show-stopper this week.

Agree with this and also the very eloquent Spin Turn. Defifnitely was not a Paso.Natalie has so very much more potential and I still feel that Artem is not fulfilling that and is letting her down. I started a thread a few days ago,"Does Natalie feel cheated", I admit I should have worded it better, but I meant "Is Natalie being let down". I was almost hung drawn and quarted at the time for suggesting Artems choreo is lacking, but I'm glad to see quite a few do think along the same lines. Before its too late Artem, toe the line and give the girl a chance,

It would be manipulative if he was thinking about what and how to say to achieve something. As it is he says what he thinks and people can react to it or ignore it as they like.

I totally agree with you -and was about to say almost exactly the same.
I think Len was frustrated that yet again Artem had choreographed an almost entirely out of hold dance -regardless of what Len has said previously. It's almost like a teenager doing a 'whatever shrug' he'll do his own thing regardless . The danger with that is if they ever ended up in a dance off if Len was royally cheesed off he might not put them through - as we had always taken it for granted he would.
I thought they both danced brilliantly - their execution of the moves was perfect - but to me they could have performed their parts in different studios without changing anything but that very brief moment in hold!