They should stick to what the show is about instead of the X Factor-style gimmicks, especially in the way they reveal the results. All the pauses and overblown melodrama spoils it.

I also think that they've been editing the training footage differently, in order to stir up 'rivalries' and fabricate tension between the contestants.

The judges' scoring is very inconsistent. You can guarantee 95% of the time Len and Bruno will score at least 5 or more, even for a poor performance, whilst Arlene and Craig will often mark less than 5.

Have been away for a week so couldn't post until now.

The judges are out of control. It was more like the Muppets last Sat. The language was so over the top for a light entertainment show (haha) even without Bruno's outburst. They are also being inflated out of all proportion. As a balance it should be dancers/celebs 50%, judges 30% and band 20%. Did we get ANY mention of the band? I'm still waiting.

In fact Arlene confirmed for me on Breakfast last Wed when appearing with Mark and Karen what I was thinking about animosity between the judges, and it's ironic, but on the last show I felt quite sympathetic to her as Len, nice polite Len, told her brusquely to give over several times when she was simply trying to make a point.

She seemed rather mystified about it all. And about Craig's strange mood.

On the up side, towards the contestants they were 'comparatively' as sweet as sugar compared to the previous weeks.

Absolutely. The KEY, the absolute KEY to this show's success is that everyone from the judges through to the contestants take it seriously. Can you imagine how awful the show would be if everyone came on to have a bit of a bop with a smirk ? Look at us all here, analysing the dances, debating who should go and stay etc. we do that becuase we take it seriously, and we take it seriously beucase the show is taken seriously by everyone involved. Dumb down the comments, dumb down the passion of the judges and you have no reason why the celebrites would even bother learning to dance.

The OP makes some interesting points, and I certainly think Craig's patronising personal insults to Georgina ("I do think you're terribly brave" etc.) are going too far, but as long as the criticism is about the dancing the more stringent the better as far as I'm concered.

Now finally...I can have my say on last Saturday.

I think there are some people here who are missing the point of the thing.

To 'raise the bar' with every series makes no sense, and probably isn't going to happen. You don't have any audition process with this. You have the celebrities available who are willing and able to take part to the best of their ability. The end. You might get a final three of the same standard as Zoe, Colin and Darren....you might not. It's the luck of the draw. Is it really such a life and death issue. The celebrities are dancing what they are capable of. Most of them are the wrong side of 30 and even 40. That makes a BIG difference in dancing. Louisa has a big advantage being 17. There's a world of difference between her and Emma who is quite a bit older than has been claimed in the past. On SDF (and the judging by the way was a LOT better) the majority are 18 and can bop for 10 hours in a day.

Now to the judges.

They have to be pulled right back. It's not doing the show any good. I think watching the results show, the pros had this planned and Brendan was the mouthpiece as they didn't seem surprised backstage. If there is a difference of 3 points on a score, how is it consistent? Len said to Brendan, 'we are all from different backgrounds, we see different things'. That is absolutely true. So WHY are they having to argue so much between them? It's tiresome and adding nothing. Why are they taking over the show? Why still no mention of the poor bloody musicians without whom there would be no show at all? If this is a fully fledged serious dance competition, then have an audition process to find basic dance ability to start with and an age limit. As it's a or (used to be) a light entertainment show stop expecting miracles from middle aged people.
Last edited by nancy1975 : 30-10-2006 at 13:21

Totally agree with what you say about it being a dance competition! Yes it is but its also saturday night entertainment!

that's the perfect description

I couldn't believe how gggrrrrrrrrr it all got!! Constructive criticism is one thing and contestants have a right to put their own opinion in too....but what was really cringy was the inability of Bruce and Tess to deal with it!!

Just to make sure I wasn't remembering with rose coloured specs or needing my eyes lasered...I rewatched a sample of series 3.

Laurie Holloway and the stage all lit up.
Tess looking like a Hollywood star and not wearing a pair of curtains.
The Addams family for the most part agreeable, not arguing too much and not dominating the whole thing.
The celebs smiling and looking like they were having fun.
And another big difference. On the results show they were asked who stood out for them and who was the best as well as who should leave. No wonder this series feels so negative.

Yes I had noticed that they havent beem asking who stood out for them! I found that really quite odd!

Not nice and not good.

Celebs need carrots as well as sticks.

Honestly why do we have to have Bruce's joke routine, which is not funny. I think they waste a lot of TV time on Bruce, telling jokes, often with double meanings which is not appropriate at this time of night, doing little dance routines etc and I would rather see the dancers/celebs being interviewed, rehearsal video etc. This so called banter between Bruce and the judges just isn't funny and when he stands beside Tess he look old enough to be her grandfather!! The only thing I like is when Bruce tells the couples, you are my favourites!! Sorry I think something drastic should be done to the script for Bruce and for some reason the music that has been used in the show up to now has been pretty dreadful, in some cases it did not compliment the dancing in any way. Sometimes IMO the traditional music for the tango etc is much better than pop songs!!

I agree about the scripted conversations between Bruce and Tess, and the Judges! They're giving it too much time now and the programme doesn't need it, especially with Bruce tripping over his words. I can count on one hand the number of times he's actually said anything that is remotely funny.

OK...I can be positive as well.

Thanks to whoever was responsible for making last Saturday, back (pretty much) to what it was.

By and large the judges were fine, constructive, and entertaining without hogging it all.

And Bruce's whistle was inspired.

Tess's dress was better.

Well done.

If we had our old band back, and improved the music choices....spot on.

I liked that too

It may be a permanent feature from now on.

I like that clearly words had been said that there was not to be the pointless fighting of the previous week

I felt like it was going back to the basics of being a family entertainment show

Obviously a LOT of words had been said and overall it was a pleasure to watch and more like the old days.

Aside from Jan's charming remark, but we won't go there.

I agree, overall the show was much better than before. Although there was the odd moment or two you just wanted to put a cushion over your face and scream into it -The show was much more balanced. Lets hope this improvement continues.

Lets hope so.

I think they realised that they were standing on the brink of an abyss.

But Saturday was a show your gran could watch...and a 6 year old kid.
Last edited by nancy1975 : 07-11-2006 at 16:53