I reckon there might be a market for this to return now - not instead of, but as well as, SCD.

It's quite possible that there's now enough interest in partner dancing to revive this - or at least, possibly to televise some of the big competitions. God knows, the Beeb shows enough snooker, a couple of hours dancing wouldn't kill them.

Absolutely as well as not instead of.

Not sure about that....I don't think so on primetime BBC1 certainly.

Very interesting posts, everyone - thank you.

I would agree with many that it's been a very involving and entertaining year - and I think the fact that many of us are so emotional indicates that in TV terms the series has been a great success.

I would agree with 2 points raised:
1) the judges have been the worst they've ever been this year and it's been the one element I've really disliked. To be fair, I think Craig has often attempted to be more constructive than previous years but the others have been ridiculous and Len, who I used to be very fond of, has just got totally carried away with himself. Maybe jet lag is the point, but I think Len likes to be popular and I really think someone on the programme should have sat down with him before now and told him some home truths, especially about shouting over other judges.
2) the scoring - just got completely silly and embarrassing. It really needs to be brought back down to earth next year. It would be quite easy to do.

Personally, I'd stop the dance-off for the last 6. I think after that it should be the public vote. But whatever system you have, you're not going to agree with every result, so it's all fairly even.

On the plus side, the contestants have been lovely this year - possibly my favourite year for the group as a whole - they have made this series for me.

Dunno - they used internet voting recently for the £50 million lottery award thing:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7140621.stm

So, presumably, some level of security for internet voting is technically achievable.

No, but maybe on a digital channel - BBC4 or something?

Oh yeah, on BBC4, or even say BBC2 on a Sunday. The only tricky issue for the BBC would be the overall level of cost for it (which i expect would be quite high), so might rule it out.

Thank you for posting this; thought provoking indeed, and something that I will respond to more fully later.

But, as an aside to the Len/Bruno carbon footprint issue this may perhaps provide a solution if they can work on the real time technology.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1770

No jet lag, reduction in carbon footprint, a more objective viewpoint for us, realistic scores....

But as you'll see in the article, that was 286,000 people only, voting on a one-off. This is millions every week.

And without knowing for certain, I'd hazard a guess that it would have been an "open" (ie non-secure) vote with a cookie being placed to record the fact. This is entirely different with cash being raised for a worthwhile cause.

Yes, that level of security is available - but the cost would be horrendous - who'd pick that up?

Really? I thought sporting events were quite cheap? No script, no actors, no scene building - just turn up, hire a commentator and point the cameras.

(Yes, OK, I know it's not that simple, but the point is, sport is cheaper to televise than drama)

As far as I can remember it wasn't on prime time before and we now have additional digital channels available that didn't exist first time round. Plus people now have much greater access to time shift facilities (video, DVD and HD recorders etc) so timing is less crucial to gain a good audience.

A lot of content on BBC4 is repeated from earlier in the evening on the same channel or it is repeated days later on BBC2 (eg QI) so there is programming space available and it might also help to promote the under utilized digital channels the Beeb has.

CD was all amateur previously so the cost of "employing" amateurs wouldn't be much. The dancers' expenses, the studio (with all the necessary technical bits like cameras etc) and production wouldn't run to as much as covering some of the events the Beeb offer us so. Then there is the possibility of sponsorship for the competition as well.

SCD would have to move set if BBC Centre is sold.

I just feel that a lot of the attraction of Strictly is something which wouldn't be recreated in a more traditional dance competition. You'd still have the dancing, but would lose a lot of the other elements, being

The celebs
The Judging/judges (and the contraversy /personality of them)
The personality of the professionals
The overall 'entertainment' aim, rather than just dancing aim.

For example a lot of the guest dancers/dancing, I'm not that interested in. Like those Germans the other week, you dont get the personality coming across in a 'pure' dance competition like you do with strictly.

At least its not called "dancing with the stars" as that makes it sound more of a popularity show

This is why there is an opportunity for both shows. I'm sure that many of the amateur dancers have personalities (after all Anton was on the original Come Dancing and he has a wonderful personality) and the judges can also have personalities (but without huge inflated egos)

I think this is unlikely. Gethin was very popular and I think Matt only got a big vote the week before out of sympathy. The problem is the balance between the public vote and the judges' votes. The power was taken away from the public in the semi because they could only put one of the finalists through. If the public vote had been allowed to regulate itself, justice would have been done. As it is, we are left with the suspicion that the most popular person went out. It is partly a popularity contest and I want a winner that as well as being a good dancer, has a pleasing personality. All the hype about good looking boys was rubbish. Good looks are nothing without personality and personality is expressed on the dance floor. Unless the show reverts to its original format, the next series is likely to be as contentious as this one.

As far as the judges are concerned, I think that Len and Bruno definitely need to go.

... if you sign my online petition to revamp the judging panel and get rid of Len as the head judge:

http://www.petitiononline.com/SCD123/petition.html

Please sign if you agree and forward to others...

Thanks!

Well, yeah - but judging from some of the more vocal people on this forum, you've just identified everything "wrong" with SCD.

So it'd be interesting to see if a televised "proper" dance comp would be successful.

Whether one likes the way Strictly is proceeding or not, I cannot honestly see how anyone can say it is in decline; ratings have been higher than ever; voting has again out numbered that of X-Factor and more and more papers & mags are featuring Strictly related photos, pics and articles.

When the prog first started it was quite difficult to find anyone who actually watched the show - now it is difficult to find anyone who doesn't!

I doubt it.....SCD was sold to the GBP as a dance competition for celebrity novices.We can debate the term novice all day.....but in essence the show/competition is about the novice learning to dance and hopefully improving along the way.....and thats it`s single biggest appeal to the masses.We may hate to use the "J" word but it is a fundamental part of the show.A strictly amateur dance competition were all the competitors are competent would IMO have a limited appeal.However a decent documentary or series about the influence scd has had on the amateur/professional dance scene in the UK could be a more realistic propersition (sp ) for the BBC.

Oh you lot stop moaning. It hasn't got worse - it's simply that after watching 5 series you're getting blasé. There are many on here who have a tendency to try to live through TV shows - it's the same with BB. No TV show won't disappoint if you're so obsessive about it.

One major thing that marrs SCD for me - is losing the good dancers & keeping the dud ones. I wish the public could be trusted to vote sensibly.

As we know the Dance off was meant to put an end to that....and maybe it has... as there have only been two contraversial exits this series(Gabby and Gethin).
Personally I`v enjoyed this series;but I do agree with many of the comments made about the judges.My only disappointment was the loss of Kelly(loved the drama and edginess of her performances) and the early exit of Gabby.Oh..I almost forgot....The BBC forcing another two couple final upon us.

Thank you Janjohn

An excellant summary, which summed up my feelings.

Trouble is although I love the programme I feel very cynical
about the BeeB's ability to be self critical, and as a result I'm
not expecting any radical changes for the next series.
It's all about money, and if the "takings" are up why should they listen to us. As far as they are concerned if it ain't broke why fix it

Still, one can always hope.

Kelly was a great loss to the series. She & Alesha are equally beautiful & talented & different ways.

To have both in the final would have made for some great dancing.

I think Penny went too early too. We had to watch Dom, John, Kenny & Kate limp through lame dances for far too long.

Having returned from walking the dogs and read everyone's posts (I started this thread, for my sins) I feel really buoyed up by all the good sense and enthusiasm for SCD which is out there. How intelligent you all are!

There seems to be a bit of misunderstanding about my use of the word 'decline'. I admit the thread title was devised partly to encourage people to read it but I do stick to my use of the word as relating to quality rather than popularity.You might say that the Sun is a more popular paper than the Guardian but that does not make it a better one. I enumerated in my original post the ways in which I feel the quality of Strictly has declined; some of you agree with me on some of these points and it appears most of you agree with me on at least one (e.g. the judges).

One poster accused me/other posters of 'moaning'; I do not feel that anyone on this thread has been doing that. If you see the quality of something you value being diluted, be it a landscape, a townscape, a programme, a brand of muesli - anything you like - you have choices. You can accept it and walk away. You can discuss the situation with other people. You can complain, alone or in concert. You can campaign. You are most certainly entitled to express your opinion without being slated for being a moaner.

Whether it's worth doing any of these things is another question, especially where the BBC is concerned; they seem to have lost any ability to listen and have certainly lost sight of some of their founding principles.

Anyway, being Welsh I am all for discussion and self-expression, so thank you all for your contributions (oh dear! I sound like the fat lady at the end of the Morecambe & Wise show!!)