Resigned and dispassionate sums up exactly how I am feeling about it. I think the producers pushed it a step too far and have upset the balance. Its a real shame as Strictly used to be a highlight of the run up to Xmas but this year is a shadow of its former self. The ratings will probably be OK on Saturday, not much else on and people will see it through to the end, but next year will see a drop in ratings if they carry on like this.

Pixie got low enough marks to end up in the dance off and get eliminated. Ali got caustic comments from CRH. The only good thing he said was she was brave to try to cha cha to I Gotta Feeling. As if it was her choice of music. Both were slated for poor knee locking.
Back in the early series, when Karen and Darren were dancers the attitude was if you can't cha cha you can't dance. It is a brilliant dance but I wonder how much it would be missed if it was no longer included.

I'm happy with the finalists.

I voted for Jake every week until last week when he went out. I don't think he deserves to be in the final because he didn't get to a good enough standard, although he was right up there performance wise. I voted for Simon instead because Kristina has taught him to dance.

If Pixie was in the final, I doubt if she'd have won because of her past experience and then when she didn't win, this board would have kicked off again. I don't think she'd be first out, but I don't think she'd have won.

Thom may have turned out to be another Ramps, but we'll never know now. Wish he hadn't gone out so early.

Despite moaning about the dancing all series and not having a favourite, I'm looking forward to the final more than I've done for a good few years. Every show was full of 'almost showdances' and that annoyed the heck out of me. Now they can do the same thing, but it's the proper time for it. I'm going to vote for the couple who is most true to what the show is about (so I might not vote!). Each couple appeal to me in different ways and it's just too close to call.

Agreed bring on the final

Disagree, the final will not be as entertaining.

This is a genuine question that I have asked often. What do viewers class as " exciting" and "entertaining" ?
Surely all these finalists have something great to offer?
Good dancing alone entertains me and these finalists will.
From a ballroom and latin point of view I genuinely felt that Pixie was not as good as most say. Yes she had a reasonable topline but there was nothing going on beneath when it came to her legs and feet. Same in latin, most see her high kicks, and shimying about, but all I could see was the incorrect leg action and poor footwork. For me she was in the same camp as Caroline, great at the "party" and club styles but not so good at ballroom/latin.So all in all, I am pleased with the finalists we do have. Good luck to them all.

The majority of viewers have no idea about correct leg action and footwork so these factors are not high on the list of exciting or entertaining. Most will have an emotional connection to the dance/dancer and are moved by qualities beyond technical appraisal, after all that is the fundamental meaning of dance, an expression of feeling through the body that may resonate with the viewer. Pixie had that quality in spades as did Jake at times.

I don't know - it's difficult to say and personal choice as much as anything, I guess

For me, I would have preferred either Pixie or Jake over one of the final 4 we have - which would have to be Mark. They, for me, were the ones who gave a bit of pizazz and even if they hadn't a hope of winning would have given the final that bit of extra oomph. i find myself wanting to know what they would have done as a Showdance more than I want to see at least one showdance we are scheduled for and by that criteria I rather either/or be there. But that's just me.

so how did they end up in DO however you work the maths the public wear not as impressed as in previous rounds

In fact the public may have clearer thoughts on entertainment than many posters let's be real dance ability is at least significant in the entertainment values

Finally why should these two be in the final when in an :heat: of the contest they performed so poorly and therefore why should two competitors who out danced/entertained them on the night lose out
Let's be real Jake was the least able dancer at that stage and Pixie produced a very ugly dance on the night

I agree with you about Pixie and Caroline, but re the question of what people find entertaining I think its when it all comes together as a 'performance' which is not necessarily technically perfect. I guess this is why so many people on here say Mark R's argentine tango is their favourite ever, when if you look at the actual steps and footwork it is way below many subsequent tangos, but the costumes, their chemistry, Mark's 'journey', the music all created an atmosphere that made it something 'more'. Unfortunately, I'm not sure any of the finalists have that extra 'something' to make a performance wow - although I'm sure they do for some people


As several people have pointed out, Jake could have been first or second in the public vote and still been in the dance off.

I'd already forgotten about Thom.
Maybe a bit pretty but never showed any personality in particular did he? Was but a beautiful shell.
Ah.

Obviously Strictly is more than the sum of its parts and no one celeb (or pro) is bigger than the show but I do think that losing Pixie and Jake in consecutive weeks was a blow that the final is feeling. It could have managed one or the other but both was just that bit too much. The top 6 on the first leaderboard were the top 6 in reality so it really was just a toss of the coin as to who went through - and it's why I'd ditch the dance off when it gets down to such a small number. You never know, we might still have the same final 4 but at least it would be transparent.

One of the highlights of tonight's show will be seeing the eliminated couples again.

I must be pitifully easy to please. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series as much, if not more, than any previous one. I am perfectly happy with the finalists, and whether the final would be better with different dancers is a matter of personal preference. There seems little point to me in speculation. Dancers I did not like so much have long since gone, and did not remain long enough to irritate me, as some have in the past (AW and LR for example). So I am looking forward to tonight, and hope that Frankie or Caroline win, but will not cry myself to sleep if they don't.

Pixie should have been in the final, in my opinion. Along with Caroline, Simon and probably Frankie. Jake was OK, but I don't think he had as much all round ability as the others and was lucky that Janette is such a fabulous choreographer. Mark has improved a lot, but I wouldn't put him in the top 4.

Pixie should have been in the final. I hope the show is entertaining - whatever that means to people - but with such potentially great dancers this year it's disheartening to see Strictly reduced to a popularity contest basically

Thom - no, he was forgettable when he was on the show and I don't think he'd have progressed to become a serious contender.

Jake - I'd have loved to see what Janette would have come up with for a showdance, and to see the Salsa again (though presumably that end lift will be in the group dance tonight anyway), but he was by some considerable margin worse in terms of technique than any of the finalists, so no, I don't think he deserved to be there either.

Pixie was very good but never memorable for me, and I'm not bothered at all that she's not in the final - I like all 4 finalists better than her.

I think Jake had peaked and even Pixie was plateauing albeit at a very high level. Thom I would have liked to go further but not at Simon's expense. Swap Thom for Mark and I would be happy.

Thom seems a strange choice to me - I know he got a lot of pre-show hype for his looks, but his dancing was quite a let down, and he went out so soon who can tell whether it would have got any better?

I think it's a shame Jake was doing it alongside EastEnders, so limited on time for rehearsal. I'd have liked to see what he was capable of with plenty of time, because he seemed to me a very good natural dancer, who didn't show us what he'd really have been capable of in ideal conditions. But I think I'd have liked to see him in the final because he was quite a loose canon - he might have been great or a disappointment - and that adds to the fun!

Pixie I'd have liked to see in the final. She was a lovely dancer so nice to watch herself, but I also think with her quality she would have really helped push the standard of everyone up, trying to compete with her.

I suppose it depends upon how much you enjoyed watching Pixie, Jake or Thom dance, and how much you've enjoyed watching each of the finalists.

Someone on here wrote that the semi-final had a giant Pixie-shaped hole in it, and the final will be like that also as far as I'm concerned. It detracts greatly from it as a spectacle that someone as good as Pixie is not there IMO and I would be much more looking forward to it if she was.

Not too fussed about Jake and I really didn't want him to win since I didn't think he was anywhere near good enough. However if he had made the final I'd probably be more curious as to what Janette and he might come up with than I am with regards to Mark and Caroline.

As it stands the only couple I feel excited about seeing in the final is Simon & Kristina. I really like Frankie and I'm glad she's there, but I think she's been let down all too often by disappointing choreography. Unlike a lot on here I don't dislike Mark, but he just does next to nothing for me on or off the dance floor. I'd have swapped Pixie for him in a shot. Also feel quite 'meh' about Caroline and think she's very overrated and overhyped.

I'm happy with the finalists we've got. It could have been Pixie instead of Mark but I'm not fussed. Thom went out too soon but he wasn't finalist material.

I'm very happy with the finalists we have tonight. If we had to have Pixie back I would possibly be ok with Mark not being there.

Thom? Nope, he was average.

Would have liked to c Jake and Pixie doing show dances. Both produced memorable dances during series

Based on tonight's performances so far I would have swapped Frankie for Pixie and Mark for Jake to produce the best final e v a h!

I would have preferred Pixie and Jake in the final instead of Mark and Simon.


I don't know about Thom as he went out so early, he didn't have the chance to improve as much as the others. At one point he was about the same level as Simon and Mark, before their 'journeys'.