LOVE
Rinder & Oksana - maybe not producing the best dancing (yet) but they are fun to watch and are having fun

Ore & Joanne - look good and have a really strong emotional connection

Danny & Oti - perfect match, look really comfortable together

Laura & Giovanni - likeable and good to watch (especially Laura), thought quickstep was great and very promising

LIKE
Lesley & Anton - hard to believe they'd only known each other for a couple of months, love their connection

Natalie & Greg - 2 nice people who try really hard and obviously like each other

Anastacia & Gorka - not an official couple but you wouldn't have guessed, they looked happy and comfortable

UNSURE
Daisy & Aljaz - they seem to fit together very well but not that exciting

Louise & Kevin - they seem like good mates but maybe they don't really inspire each other?

Will & Karen - easy to look back in a situation like this and think you saw 'signs' but Will seemed nervous and uncomfortable, Karen seemed nurturing, promising partnership, never delivered

Ed & Katya - admire Katya for her positivity and energy and Ed for trying hard but time to go tomorrow I think

HATE
Claudia & AJ - I find them annoying, don't like the songs or the routines but they are very good at all the cringey stuff so perfectly suited

Melvin & Janette - perfectly matched in enthusiasm

Naga & Pasha - seemed like 2 people still getting to know each other

Anastacia & Brendan - maybe I read too many papers (tho actually hardly read them) but I feel like there's an atmosphere and 1 of them (probs Anastacia) could explode at any minute

Tameka & Gorka - could be wrong but Tameka gave the impression of wanting to be the star, not part of a star partnership

Love

Ed and Katya
Greg and Natalie
Judge Rinder and Oksana
Tameka and Gorka

JR & Oksana's partnership started off a little awks for me, used to cringe slightly at the start as he clearly is an affectionate person (kisses at the end of ITT interviews etc) and I didn't feel she appreciated it, now it feels so much more natural and they seem to have got on very nicely. His comments throughout the weeks regarding her choreography and teaching are touching and very nice to hear. Oksana seems to be settling in well now too, hope she's not a One Series gal

Love Danny and Oti. They are great together on the dance floor. They also seem to have a nice friendship as well.

I also like Ore and Joanne.


I also liked Melvin/Janette and Tameka/Gorka. It's shame that they didn't last longer. Tameka had a lot more to give.

The other couples am not particularly bothered about.

Ore & Joanne
Daisy & Alijaz
Laura & Giovanni
Greg & Natalie

Ed & Katya - the videos of them on Ed's facebook page are particularly entertaining. I think Katya's now my favourite pro.

Daisy & Aljaz - I find her immensely likeable, and she's not bad looking either. Aljaz seems an absolute gent, and they seem to get on fantastically well.

They're my two favourite couples. After them:

Greg and Natalie - Greg and Daisy are the two most likeable celebs for me, and the two I find the most engaging on ITT. Unfortunately Greg's dancing is pretty lacklustre to say the least, otherwise this couple would be on a par with my above-mentioned favourites.

Danny & Oti - With them in the show you're guaranteed at least one very good dance each week. Some couples have more of an off the floor appeal for me (eg. Ed & Katya). However, theirs is most certainly an on the floor one (even though Danny seems a decent enough guy I hasten to add).

Claudia & AJ - I love the enthusiasm and energy they bring to the show. I loved their Charleston and think she has a lot of potential/natural ability.

Danny and Oti, my all time favourite couple after Jay and Aliona!

Judge Rinder and Oskana

Greg and Natalie.

Agree with the above.
Favourite partnerships for me this year are Danny and Oti and Claudia and AJ

I like Daisy and Aljaz and Louise and Kevin, but they haven't done enough (yet) to push me into having them as favourites.

The ones I see as great partnerships

Ed & Katya - Love 'em / hate 'em they're a strong partnership

Ore & Jo - I think their American Smooth bonded them and now I think of them as one (that's not to say both don't occasionally annoy me).

Greg & Nat - I see them and I think TEAM.

The ones I want to see as great partnerships but don't (yet)

Daisy & Aljaz - both very likeable but I'm not sensing any kind of connection there (unlike with Abbey who got on meee nerves but undeniably had tons of chemistry with him). Just two nice individuals dancing together; bit like Helen and Aljaz tbh.

Anastacia & Brendan - Anastacia's a good laugh, out of this year's celebs she's probably the one I'd wanna hang out with most. She and Brendan seem to get on fine but he's not well and he'll probably be relieved when they're eventually voted off. The other reason I struggle with them as a 'couple' is the height difference (made all the more evident when Gorka stepped in).

Louise & Kevin - I want them to succeed more for her sake cos I like her but she's way too vanilla atm and the lack of any kind of chemistry between the two of them is part of the reason for that.

The ones I'm struggling to care about

Claudia & AJ - infantalising them hasn't helped

Danny & Oti - not sensing the chemistry others seem to, just seeing two accomplished dancers doing a great job week after week.

Rinder & Oksana - I feel like Oti (sassy and super strict) is everything Rinder wishes Oksana was and they'd have made an infinitely more entertaining pair. There's no way Oti would let him hog the limelight the way he does. I mean he refers to Oksana a lot without there ever being much actual interaction between them. She seems sweet but a bit dull. It's all about Rinder.

Laura & Giovanni - Fraid I don't like Gio. I get sleazy / weaselly vibes from him. As for Laura, she's not quite good enough to challenge the best but nor is she one of the underdogs so there's not much to latch onto. Hope they're gone tomorrow.

Greg & Natalie

Great thread edy! I like those threads because I suppose it's a good way to gauge who likes who in black and white.

Love:
Danny & Oti - he can be as dull as dishwater (but an entirely nice fella) but scary/bossy/shouty Oti is a much needed breath of life in a series that apart from the controversies has been a bit...well, dull. He's delivering consistently week after week and I loved his CCC in week 1, so far it's the only dance of this series that I find myself rewatching. She's injecting some life in him. Had he been partnered with any other pro it would have been Blandsville.


Like:
Lesley & Anton - funnily enough, it's the first time I could have a glimpse of the real Anton and not the panto Anton, in all those years. There was something in her that made him be a bit more real, I don't know what it was but it worked. Lesley was adorable, should have stayed much longer.

Daisy & Aljaz - Apart from being astonishingly beautiful, nice and likeable, I like her a lot, possibly because she reminds me of Holly Valance who I adored. She's there, enjoying it, not taking it as a life mission like the Snowdons and Lauras, and at the end she'll get her paycheck, say goodbye and say "she made friends for life" and never contact any of them again. Just like Holly did

Tameka and Gorka - This shouldn't have worked on paper but they did seem to get along and work well together. I know lots of people don't like her but I do, at least she had some personality.

Greg and Natalie - In terms of chemistry, they are the best couple! Really well matched, work perfectly together. I would love if he was better than he actually is though, Natalie would have a real chance to get to the final after all those years in the wilderness with the Wonacotts and Ainsleys. However, I can't see it happening, sadly.

Melvin and Janette - I always liked him, he's a thoroughly nice fella and seemed to work well and get along with Janette. But a horrible dancer, shame. Would have liked to see a bit more of him.

Ore & Joanne - the emotional trainwreck is very compelling to watch, don't judge me. Plus, he's really good, I enjoyed his dances so far (bar that geronimo awful tango crap).

Rinder & Oksana - that's an odd one. Sometimes I think they hate each other, sometimes I think they love each other. It's a weird mix of admiration and exasperation. But I like him and she seems to be a real sweetie.

Middle of the road ones (I don't either love or hate them):

Louise and Kevin - nice. I can't think of any other word to describe her. Just nice (and bland). Dances really well, they work well together but that's that. Needs more fire in her belly

Claudia & AJ - Nice and cute. Maybe it's not their fault, but the TPTB's shoehorning them into the "nice and cute" category. Needs more fire in her belly.

Anastacia & Brendan - I liked her before Strictly and I definitely like that we have a an American Crazy Woman this year (Hi, Michelle Williams!), but I don't know. Sometimes it's uncomfortable to watch them together, they seem like two magnets on the wrong side, instead of attracting they repel each other. Prove of this is that she worked a lot better with Gorka (well, who wouldn't?).

Dislike completely, totally and entirely:
Ed & Katya: It's not their fault actually but mine. Every year I'm like that with the comedy contestants: I start liking them, then a couple of weeks later I just can't stand them. Usually around the time they start believing their own hype and deluding themselves they're "trying, learning, and improving". Yeah, right.

Laura and Giovanni: Snowdon Reloaded 2: The Revenge. The tears, the over investment, the emotional instability...Sorry, it's just too much for me. Plus, she's a crap dancer. Time go, dear.

Naga and Pasha: She broke him, that's all. The inside of Pasha's head must be all rainbows, flowers, smiles, skipitty walks in the park. After Naga finished with him, he must be curled up in some dark corner in a psychiatric ward claiming he wants to go back to Siberia because people are happier over there. Poor Pash

1. Greg and Natalie
2. Lesley and Anton
3. Daisy and Aljaz
4. Anastacia and Gorka

I adore Oti, but Danny has the personality of a brick. Not shocked he is the Jay fans favourite this year.

Rinder and Oksana

He's my favourite kind of contestant: a non-ringer who loves to dance and embraces the silliness of Strictly. Oksana already has a bit of that Gleb/Iveta kooky glamour and hopefully she'll start loosening up and showing a bit more of her personality. (I think she's still overwhelmed by the whole Strictly experience and Rinder's camp persona.)

Danny & Oti
Judge Rinder & Oksana

Love all the in-depth responses . It's interesting to see what some of you all like or dislike about certain partnerships this year.

Thanks

Omg what you said about pasha and Naga 😂😂😂. I'm sorry I laughed.
I totally agree with you regarding Danny and Oti as well; I especially like the line " she's injecting some life into him. They're well matched personality wise, had he been with another pro, it would've been DULLSVILLE like you said. He could have potentially worked well with Karen as well but I've a feeling that they would have been so divisive ; Karen is at least.

The only partnerships I really could not warm to this year are Naga & Pasha and Claudia & AJ.

My favourites:

Lesley & Anton: this is all Lesley, really! Truly believed what Anton said about her pushing him to be more creative. Lesley is just an incredible woman in my eyes and I wish she was still on the show!

Greg & Natalie: I think they are both charming, natural people with excellent work ethics. A good match in my opinion. They clearly get along well. No doubt their time on the show is limited, but they've made the most of it.

Judge Rinder & Oksana: I think they've settled in and they 'get' each other now. I love how much Rob adores Oksana and thanks her for her work. They are a lot of fun and Oksana is so adorable I want to put her in my pocket

Danny & Oti: I think Oti has proven herself as an extremely valuable addition to the pro lineup, particularly after she barely had the chance last year. I agree with those who have said they are the best dancer/choreo partnership. They look phenomenal together and are a joy to watch.

Really interesting, reading people's different feelings. I don't think anyone is yet a completely convincing partnership but there is a long way to go.

Greg and Natalie: I think they started with a great partnership. I think now Natalie's getting a slight feel of desperation, because she can't make him better than he is, but as people they make a good team. I think he could have seemed too competitive with a few of the other pro dancers.

Danny and Oti: I agree that she makes him more interesting and it's great to see her have a good dancer to dance with. I don't really like the 'she's so scary' storyline though, they could drop that for me.

Ore and Joanne: they work very well as a dance partnership and again she's got someone she can shine with. Dancing they are great. But I don't buy the friends for life thing with these 2 - I can't justify that at all, I feel bad for saying it, but I don't so far. I might do if he relaxes as he gets less nervous - I feel that with several people.

Claudia and AJ - she'd have been great with Vincent or Pasha. I can't think they are a great partnership if I think she'd have been better with a different dancer. But they're fine. Height difference is very hard on them.

Daisy and Alijaz - they are two lovely people and I like them. But I think she's too similar to other people Alijaz has danced with for it really to catch fire as a partnership. But it could - I think if Daisy relaxed a little I bet she's a more interesting less 'smiley' person than she's seemed so far.

Laura and Giovanni - I think all the baggage from last year and injuries has scuppered them but I also don't think they've got great chemistry and she'd have worked better with someone else. Both perfectly nice in themselves and good dancers.

Anastasia and Brendan - I like them. Not sure if they don't like each other that much or it's just that he's so ill.

Ed and Katya - I like them both but I suspect she is baffled by him as often as she is happy. She's doing a great job though. I like Ed but I don't always feel I 'get' him.

The Judge and Oksana - they work really well dancing. Again I feel his attitude to her and the things he says about her all feel very prepared in advance. I like him and i want him to relax and not plan what he's going to say so much. (I might be very unfair there, I know.)

Louise and Kevin - I think he's better with someone with a bit more oomph to them, like Susanna. Louise is excellent and I'm sure we are going to see some great dancing from them (including tonight) but I don't think her 'I'm just a mum having a lovely time' persona gives him a role in her story.

Most chemistry this year by a mile: Gethin and Gorka.

For me Laura and Giovanni have the best chemistry this year. Laura is not only technically good but can get into the emotion of the dance as she did in the walz. She can sell Latin dances too. If she survives, the dances she still have to do AT / rumba. I think will play to her strengths. Her walz was so elegant/romantic so I can''t wait to see her foxtrot, AS and her VW. Don't write off Laura yet. She could be this year's dark horse if she is given a chance.

Honestly this is a year where I really do like most of the partnerships in varying forms but I will mention my favourites:

Ore and Joanne - I think they're a great partnership, where Joanne takes a backseat to Ore's personality. I think he's a genuinely lovely chap that seems to overcompensate when he's nervous. I think Joanne has made some great routines and they seem to 'get' each other now. They remind me of Patrick and Anya.

Claudia and AJ - I think she's adorable and I enjoy they way AJ has connected with her. I think this is another partnership where they 'get' each other now. Claudia seems the type that needs and wants to be pushed which I think AJ is doing, not without giving her lots of support. It's not without out its 'issues' but on the whole I really like them. Wish they had better song choices though because Jesus H Christ.

Lesley and Anton - I wish she stayed longer. They gelled so well together, Anton seemed to absolutely adore her. This was the partnership that made me 'get' Anton after so long. While they haven't lasted long, I think this is one of my favourite partnerships in a while.

Greg and Natalie - a real team. Natalie is always lovely to her partners, I love her style.

The only two I'm a bit unsure about are Anastacia and Brendan, and Rinder and Oksana. The latter, I feel a bit sorry for Oksana, she sometimes seems a bit miffed, but other times they seem really connected.

Like
Danny & Oti - Mostly for Oti
Greg & Natalie
Anastacia & Gorka and Brendan

Warming to
Claudia & AJ - Just needs to work on making the height difference less jarring.

Neutral
Daisy & Aljaz 😑
Laura & Geo 😩
Louise & Kevin 😴

Going off
Ed & Katya - Bored with the comedy now.
Rob & Oksana - Started off well but gone off the boil as his technique is not addressed.
Ore & Joanne - Oddly I had high hopes for this pair but the judges are putting me off.

First time I really warmed to Anton was his partnership with Lesley

Danny & Oti, Greg & Natalie.

Like Claudia a lot, but not particularly interested in her partnership with AJ just yet.

Missing Will and Karen! They did show promise, and yes, Will did seem ill at ease .....was not meant to be.

I like Daisy and Alijaz very much....I like everyone really although I find Danny a little annoying, I just don't take to him. I will miss Lesley. Ed is giving it his all and I like that. And Judge Rinder, just a bit OTT for me.

Adding Claudia and AJ to my list, tonight's dance made me like their partnership more.

1) Daisy & Aljaz
2) Judge Rinder & Oksana
3) Claudia & AJ