There are quite a few threads criticising this year's show which do annoy me a little. People seem to think that last year was the best. Granted, Alesha is my all-time favourite yet for me it was a series defined by unfair dance-offs, some celebs I couldn't warm to (Dom, Matt, Kenny) and incredibly unfair marking: Alesha never got a 40, while Matt did merely because he had a paddy the week before. Enough about that though!

Here is why I really like this series:

- It's unpredictable. Last year and the year before were inevitable, in my opinion. This time it's anybody's game and while Austin is ahead, his trophy isn't ready just yet.

- They are a really nice group. They all seem really nice people and increidbly supportive of one another.

- The new pros have been a brilliant sucess. Kristina is now my favourite dancer and I adore Brian.

- The dancing is all-round of a high quality. Aside from John and to a lesser extent Heather, all couples are doing very well indeed.

-It's fantastic to see the likes of Jodie improve and flourish while many of the partnerships are so great: Cherie and James, Austin and Erin etc.

If there was one fault it was the one I said before the show started. And I stand by it. The men were far too old this year, average age being 47. And as such it has made it uneven. Bu there you go, so is life.

Well, I think exactly the same but I'm banging my head against a wall on here.

Some of last year's people made me feel physically violent, that certainly isn't the case this year. It's more low key yes, but I'm enjoying it far more.

Good post, Vivadiva!

I'm enjoying this years series far more than last years'. This year we have people who can actually dance well - Austin, Lisa, Tom, Cherie (with some dances), Rachel, and Jodie who seems to improve each week, which I find makes the show more exciting and worthwhile.

Last year the whole thing sort of became the Alesha Show. I actually found her incredibly irritating - all that floppy hair all over her face all the time! She could perform well, but her dancing wasn't that wonderful. Also last year we had poor Kate and the atrocious (dancewise) Kenny being saved week after week, and potentially good dancers (Sarah & Gabby) being voted out. I know sort of thing happens, but last year it took away all the show's credibility.

So far, this year, none of the better dancers have been sacrificed in favour of the weaker ones - I just hope this trend continues and that John and Heather will be next to leave ("In no particular order!!")

Not sure that the average of the men is a concern, after all none of the girls are teenagers and Cherie of course is only 4 years away from being able to draw her pension!!!!! However, I have to say that I don't think any of them have much personality, maybe they're all taking it too seriously, so some of the fun element has gone? Whatever, I still think it is a darn good program, and long may it reign!!!!

I am loving this series so far!! The only thing I would say is that I didn't like the four weeks wait before we got to see all of the dancers dance on one show.

Other than that, its been fabulous! We've seen individuals like Jodie, for example, progress and develop in such a short space of time. And I love all of the chemistry between many of the couples, there seems to be a real commeradary on this years show.

Great post Vivadiva.

I am really enjoying this series. I love Brian and Kristina, they've really settled into Strictly and are amazing dancers.

I'm pretty much enjoying the celebs this year, their personalities aren't as big probably as last years bunch, but they are all lovely and they seem to get on so well. I usually have one overall favourite couple, but this series I love most of the couples.

I also agree with Kaycee last year to an extent the show became the Alesha show, she was a great dancer, but dances touch people emotionally in a different way and I never really liked Aleshas. This year theres so many great dancers I don't think we know who at the top will win it yet, specially with Jodies improvement.

The womens week men week for 4 weeks is the only thing I didn't like because it spoilt the atmosphere a little for me.

Well I think both her dancing and performance were totally wonderful. She was always a class apart and would have easily won this series too.

I agree actually except the bit about Matt, he got a 40 because his footwork was impeccable, it looked damn good to me and Craig even said so.

I don't know what they were thinking having that many older men in the show this year. After John goes I'm assuming it'll be a girl out every week.

It's all in the eye of the beholder, as "they" say! Boring if we all agreed.

Absolutely kaycee. And in my defence, I was watching from a male perspective.

Different people suit different tastes. I never got Alesha and her dancing and the hair flicking especially really grated me. I ADORED Jill. Worked like a man, no inane giggling, no forgotten steps, and every dance spot on in character. Very telling for me that she got the standing ovation this year.

As for Dominic...OMG!!! And Kenny was very dull. Really like this year's lot all round, backstage there's a lot of humour.

Dominic was kinda frightening, reminded me of the film 'Leprachaun' for some reason...can't think why

PMSL Matt got a 40 for doing a brilliant waltz! And no amount of bitter postings on DS is going to change that

As for this series, it's enjoyable in it's own way, but for me it feels different because it's the first time I've got halfway through a series without having a favourite. I don't care who wins. At least I'm saving a fortune on my phone bill compared to last year so I can't complain.

I'm definitely enjoying this series, although series 5 will always remain very special for me, and to a lesser extent, series 4. Without those 2 series I'm almost certain I won't be watching this year's show.

I never got Jill Halfpenny and still think she's ridiculously overrated - she had waaaaay too much pre-series latin dance training anyway so shouldn't even have been on the show - so series 2 was my worst ever series and I very nearly switched back to the other side. I enjoyed series 3 even though the end result was disappointing with the worst dancer of the finalists winning. I loved series 4 as my favourite won, and absolutely loved series 5 for the same reason. Alesha had that rare combination of talent, beauty, fun, dedication and likeability which makes her my favourite celeb ever, but I agree with Vivadiva that certain things spoilt the series last year so it wasn't perfect.

This year I do have a favourite - Austin - but I'm a lot more detached from it all and I think this may be a good thing, although I miss the heavily involved and invested feeling I had last year. But it's great for my phone bill!

Its quite nice isn't it? Its nice not worrying about the spoiler either on a Saturday night lmao, if I get it I get it if not I'll watch the Sunday show.

A lot of people seem to judge a series on if they have a favourite or not...

Personally series 4 didn't really do it for me. I didn't like Mark's dancing all that much at all, and Matt had brilliant ballroom but his Latin wasn't up to scratch.

This year I don't have a favourite but I'm impressed by a lot of the dancers and I'm really enjoying what they do each week and so imo this is a better series than 4.

The only thing I'd change about this year was the 4 weeks single sex. That works okay for two weeks because it acts as a nice intro to the couples but four weeks is too long.

It's fine in its own way.

The standard at the top is not as high as last year...but Kelly and Alesha were exceptional. To set against that, last year fizzled out badly in the last month and the judges et al were reduced to desperately hyping it. Sure we could do with an interesting female personality or two but that's not a huge problem.

This year 'fizzled in'...but it's sustaining my interest.

It hasn't grabbed me. I put this down to being so upset that Gethin went out in the semi last year - I still believe unfairly - that I am purposely not getting attached to any couples for fear of it happening again! I used to watch ITT every night last year but if I watch 1 a week it's a surprise. I just don't care enough about the results at the moment. I hope this changes.