If you're not allowed to give a 9 to the dancers who go first, that's extremely unfair, given that being the first couple to dance is probably the hardest place to start anyway.

Another thing I wonder about is why the marks aren't given out straight away, before Tess does the interview? A few minutes' chat, then Tess says "the marks are in" as if they've taken ages to compile. Why not give the marks immediately after the judging and then interview the dancers with that information?

The present arrangement is a bit silly, if you think about it. Tess asks the couple how they feel, did it go well, etc. and if the judges' comments have been kind, they are ecstatic. But so often the marks given bear little relation to the comments so it would make more sense to see the marks first.

I say this every year but I really think that no marks should be given until every couple has danced and then they can tailor the marks according to who they think has done the best on the night. If the third couple get 10s and the sixth couple dance even better, where else can they go? Unless they bring in a "wild paddle" to award an extra star or something.

I think this is another feasible alternative. Or let them key in the score and allow decimal point

I think you really can't give a 9 to the first dancer but have to allow some room to manouver above and below. As long as the marks for all following dancers are fairly allocated, i.e. stronger performances getting more points and weaker ones getting less, it really doesn't matter as it is the ranking that counts - it just has to be fair

Bruno just confirms what Brendan said all along! Stupid!

Emma usually dances 8 or 9 standard, but she didn't on Saturday. It's that simple! Carol is always marked "accordingly" so why can't Emma be?

Of course you are correct if Bruno thought the dance deserved a 9. But my understanding of what Bruno said was that his 9 was influenced by the scores/comments of the other judges. From that I'm left actually not knowing what Bruno thought the dance deserved.

IF he thought the dance deserved less, it didn't give him much room to reward better dancers on the night.

I agree - it's the position on the leader board which is important, not the total score.
Why would it be so awful if one week all the dancers scored in the 20's as long as the postions were correct?

The marking grumbles started in earnest last year - but nothing as bad as this year.
I really do think that something has to be changed for next year - let's face it there are a number of options - from decimal points on the scores; dropping the highest and lowest mark; adding the points together and taking the average; not marking at the time but after everyone has danced and then just ranking them rather than giving points at all.

My way of looking at the fairness of him giving them a 9 is- was it as good as Matt and Lilia's? The answer is an obvious no- and Bruno has made himself look like an idiot in more ways than one with his Emma mark.

He did. And the way he 'justified' it on ITT last night was even worse!

Although they need the interview time so the man who types the number ont he computer hs time to key it in! The judges hit the keypad before they give their comments. At least that's what I *thought* I don't know now after what Bruno said. It should be that way though....

I missed ITT last night- maybe a good thing as much shouting may have ensued! I agree- they do the scoring before the comments so he is trying to make excuses- and seemingly fooling no-one!

Yes, that's a good idea. So they wouldn't be influenced by other judges' comments. Besides, in proper competition judges don't talk to each other when scoring.

i think thats really unfair on emma and now people may not vote for her as much due to Bruno being an idiot i dont know why there isn't more support for Emma and Darren

I think it's because people think they've got too much support from the judges. One can only blame the judges.

i know but i still think much of the support is genuine she is a good dancer, its not her fault they're overmarking her, i believe that Bruno overmarks Louisa a lot of the time and that Arlene overmarks Mark some of the time but the public are still backing them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think it is perfectly Ok to give the first dancers a 9 (or a 10) IF the dance is worth that mark. Emma's cha cha was nowhere near a 9.

Of the dancing bods on here who know more about this stuff than me, what mark would you have expected that cha cha to get in competition? Just curious...
Last edited by dancingbearbear : 21-11-2006 at 16:05

I've always regarded Bruno as slightly bonkers but he well and truly flipped his lid giving a 9 for what was basically a disco dance.

With elements of a pole dance to me actually.

Surprised Craig didn't say so.

The public DO vote on the dancing as well as everything else...yes they do and they could see that Claire was undermarked and Emma was overmarked.

And I wouldn't be surprised if Emma was on the way out next Saturday.

Seeing the marks that was given to Jill and Darren's jive on week 3 Series 2 was illuminating. Now, they seem to be handing out top marks like smarties.

I agree, I had never seen the jive before but watching the repeat on ITT made me think.

A lot of the 9's have been deserved but some of the scores this year are embarrassing.

I remember it...but didn't think to tape Series2.

It's fair enough when you have a an exceptional dance..and there has been quite a few this series so that's not a problem.

What annoys me is when they give out high scores almost randomly seemingly because they like the celeb..which demeans the thing.

Jill and Darren's jive was exceptional and I don't think any other couple were getting those marks so early in the competition.

Definately! Louisa's jive may have been the best jive of that night, but there's no way it was a 10! Jill and Darren got 8's &/or 9's for theirs, i believe, and it was far superior dance.

I think the voting started going crazy last series when Zoe got 9's in the first week, and then a 10 for a quickstep with a clear error in it. And having raised the bar on the marks so far last series they're all over the place this series!

Yes, the rot set in then.

I think the 9s and especially 10s should be special...and reserved for dances that are really as technically and performance wise as WOW as can be expected.

There has been a few of those dances this series, but it's meaning there's less to get excited about for the semi and the final. I still remember that row of 10s coming up for the first time for Jill and Darren in the final...magic.

No it's not Emma's fault - nor was it Zoe's last year. You'd think the judges would learn. They think they are doing them a favour - and whilst they may ensure they stay in the competion to the end - it almost certainly severly damages their chances of actually winning.

Believe me if it was Clare or Carol I'm sure he would

Whilst I'll agree Bruno has overmarked Louisa, Arlene, for all her drooling has never marked Mark out of line with the other judges, and on at least two occassions has scored him lower then other judges. The only time Mark has been clearly over marked (going by the marking levels in this series of SCD) was his 9 for the tango - which was given by Bruno. Arlene over marking Mark ( ) argument just doesn't hold water. (Typing about Mark and marking is getting more and more like a tongue twister every day )

Completely agree it's not her fault, my favourite from last year, Zoe, suffered in part for exactly the same thing

The argument does hold some water.

Arlene has marked Mark higher than the judges average.
I know its not part of this post but Arlene has also favoured Louisa but marked Carol and Claire below the judges average.

By "they" I hope you mean Len and Bruno. As Craig is notorious for being really stingy with the 10 marks. Likewise Arlene doesn't hand them out that often. It is Len and even moreso Bruno who hand out 10 scores like smarties

Bruno has lost all respect from the British public by admitting he's bias. Then again, I think he's at least more honest than Craig, who's clearly doing the same to Emma and Arlene, to a lesser degree, to Mark. No offence to Mark's and Emma's fans (not the celebrities' fault)...