Hold on people, just jold back a moment and consider what the main point of this show is, its for charity amd a very good one at that.

If the point every week was just to judge people on their dancing, not a lot of money would be raised because there is certainly a dearth of good and qualified judges on this forum. We vote for our favourites as asked for by Brucie. If we choose our favourites and they stay in the competition, so be it. There are celebrities in this competion, some we like, some we dont, so be it.

The outcome of this show should be how much money has been raised for CIN, not who wins.

The Lady Boz

fair enough but surely it's better to at least have someone with a bit of talent win than simply someone who is popular. it may be for charity but it's still about the dancing too

If the man wins by popular opinion, he wins. Nothing anyone can do about it, should James supporters stop voting because the concensus of opinion on this forum is that he shouldn't come first?

The Lady Boz
Who, by the way, has never criticised anyone!

Check me out!!!!!!!!!!

The problem I have is totally Bruno, I am still astounded that he could mark both Colin and Zoe a 9 on their first dances it just wasn't fair, and this is where the backlash against Zoe is gaining strength as there does not seem to be eqaulity in judging.

I think that this series is going to award the winner as the most improved dancer rather than the week in week out winner due to the favouritism and that may not be a bad thing as it is entertainment for charity and it may stop the judges going for a favourite in further series, so that we get better judging.

I bow to the gracious Lady Boz who, indeed, has always shown an admirable degree of decorum as one would expect from someone of her rank.

Boz, I really do think you are a trooper and have always been very measured in your comments on other people's favourites. And I really liked the way you came to Aida's defense when she posted a blinder because while you did not agree with her, you defended her right to express her opinion (and you recognised what an asset her wit and sass were to the forum).

You are an example to us all.

As I have no favourites now ( ) I just want to see the most competitive, entertaining final with the most amazing dances. Based on previous form I don't think James could supply that. If he wows in the semis, fair enough, but he is going to have to raise his game enormously to out dance the other three.

Absolutely right. Let's all hope for the best final possible, and let's all stop the backbiting!

yeah i'd much rather see 3 good dances in the final. what's the point of watching otherwise. james may be popular but he's still not so good to watch so why keep him in.

James stays in because he has the popular vote! People vote for whoever they like. Your opinion is valid and so is everyone else's who picks up the phone and bothers to vote for James, Colin or Daren or Zoe. If you feel strongly enough that James shouldn't be in the competition go rally the troops!!

The Lady Boz

Like Claire & Nancy (and as I've stated elsewhere) I think people who have lost their favourites will vote for whoever gives the best performance. On the strength of last night that was Colin & Erin for me. The previous week I did vote for Bill & Karen - but that was with the heart rather than the head, plus Zoe & Ian for their tango.

People who like James will still vote for him - it happened in both previous series with Chris Parker and Julian Clary. It still came down to the best dancers winning each series... in series two the best dancers were placed first and second. I don't think there's a need for dance fans to panic that the competition will be devalued by becoming a popularity contest...though of course you do need to vote for the person you want to win.

Fair play to m'lady Boz for being a voice of reason on here.

Granny W
xx

As ever, you are the voice of common sense, Lady Boz.

Thank you! Granny and Nancy!

And if people are entertaining you on the screen... and making you smile.. hell yeah vote for them! If the best technical dancers aren't making you smile they're not entertaining you as much... vote for the entertainer - the one you want to watch the most whether they're the best technical dancer or not.. dancing isn't just about the steps.. it's about the heart.

If anyone has seen the film 'Center Stage' - the subject matter is pretty much this situation. We have a dancer who has trained for years and year put into classes by her mother and is the most technically advanced in the school... then you have a dancer who has poor feet but has the heart for it... they graduate and apply for jobs in dance companies... the one with the heart ends up being the principal of an alternative ballet company.. the girl with the perfect technique gives up dance and enrols at a normal college.

Personally, I've always thought that the entertainment from dancing was obtained by combining good (not necessarily perfect) technique with great choreography & a sense of joy; that can be passed on to the audience, into a performance.

I won't even attempt to sway anyone to vote for one couple or another; we all have different criteria for what makes the for the most entertaining partnership &, as has been said by OP's, if you feel the desire to vote for a couple because you enjoy watching them, then do so.

What I would ask that we, please, put an end to the almost constant sniping that has been taking place recently on here. It's reached the point where an FP known to support one couple only needs to post an opinion or express a view on a performance & it becomes a declaration of war for the supporters of another couple.

The whole point of a forum such as this is that people with a shared interest can come together & exchange information, views & opinions. It's actually got to the stage where long-term members have resigned, on the basis that nobody can say anything these days.

We all love to watch SCD/ITT. We all used to get along fine & respect each other. What exactly is it that has happened to change all that?

This is supposed to be a FUN show for a good cause as well as being a dance comp, but with Arlene insisting on treating it like the World Masters Championships I'm not surprised at some of the celebs throwing a wobbly, there's a lot of pressure.

This is a VERY hard show to do. I've had my say on Patsy on another thread, but the admiration I have for her and her guts to do it at all as indeed for all the celebs is total.

Just vote for who is the best dancer in your opinion and who touches you most in performance, and leave it at that.

Good post, Glen. I honestly don't think it's been all that bad though. We know after every Saturday emotions are going to run high but apart from a few exceptions most people have stuck to giving their opinion in a reasonable manner. I've been quite surprised actually. This is very different from most internet forums.

Those people who have left seem to have done so because the place was too nice! I found it very bizarre that we were essentially being told that the fun we were having was out of place and there should be more arguments. That probably wasn't entirely what they meant but that is certainly how it came across!

As far as I can see, most of the Anton and Patsy fans have taken their exit with the same good grace that they themselves showed. Many people are left not wanting James to win after last night but most of the comments have been about his dancing ability, nothing else. The ones which are simple abuse should be roundly and deservedly ignored.

I don't think it is that bad either, and I think the people that are outraged about the popularity aspect of SCD are in the minority (I don't like it, but I think it is an essential part of SCD). Thankfully, the people that think posting "I hate Colin" and "Zoe is a whinging hypochondriac drama queen" threads are in the minority too.

I'm not going to throw a hissy fit if James gets into the final; it just isn't worth it...

I couldn't agree more, Captain Sensible.

Had a word with myself earlier on and reminded myself again it's just a TV show and mere hours (if that) after it's ended I'll have forgotten about it.

In fact, I'm sure that the viewers get far more wound up about the whole thing than any of the particpants.

I tell you if DS don't take that MyFone advert down soon I'm going to go mad.

Next year though (please god we have SCD next year!) can we have a thread that runs continuously throughout the series where those of us who do not have favourites based on personality can chat each day/week/ok then houly <laughs inwardly>.

I just want somewhere where the celebs/dancers are neither canonised nor demonised, where we can talk about who danced well on the night and say who performed under par (or even say a dance was rubbish in the early episodes) and it is not considered eulogising or bashing just good old personal opinion.

Yes we all warm more to some individuals than others I guess but looking back some people had decided who they wanted to win when they published this year's contestants before they had even danced a step - there should be somewhere for us neutrals to go and feel safe to say what we saw/heard/felt ..................

.......... just wish I had thought of it a few weeks ago!! DOH!

Maddi

Yes, in the end that's true. How is the money that goes to the charity worked out though? If I recall correctly 12p out of a 25p charge goes to the charity. What/who does the rest go to? Why not 100% - as it's for charity?

The BBC s to pay BT (or whoever supplies them) for the lines. The amount charged varies throughout the day, therefore they only quote the minimum figure that will go to SCD for each call.

Whichever way you look at it the chaity ges a much better deal with SCD than I'm a Celeb; close to a 2:1 ratio of costs/profit to charity contribution

I thought as you did it was such a travesty!!

And for Camilla and James to push zoe and ian into the bottom! is not on!!!

Maybe it should be like the x factor, and the viewers vote on bottom two, then the judges kick the worst dancers off!!!???

Oh Lordy ...nnnnnnoooooo!!!!
Haven't you seen the threads on the x-factor board about that very subject/

**goes for a whimper in the corner - judges deciding ... bad, bad, bad!*

I think it wasnt zoes best proformace and she could have gone It is not james and camilla falut that they were in the bottom two

I have to agree with the above comments as I am not sure one can accept some of the comments and marks awarded by the judges in the last three shows. Even the pro. dancers have looked puzzled at the marks in the light of the comments. May I also refer back to the faults which were missed by the judges or in some cases commented on but then not reflected in the marks.