So many stupid dramas invloving judges, pros, celeb contestants, etc etc....absolute rubbish!

And you have the judges at the centre of it all!

Yet you never have this kind of scenario in DWTS & why are Len & Bruno much behaved over there????

If only those 2 behave the same the way where they respect those American celebs & apply that attitude and behaviour over here I doubt there will be this kind of palaver over John.

The thing about America is that there's way more competition for viewers than over here isn't there? Do enough people watch DWTS for it to be classed as a 'big' show?

Given the calibre of people that do it (minor sports stars, actors who are over the hill and Mel B) - kind of our equivalent of the Celeb Air crowd - I can't imagine it's THAT big a draw.

SCD is a much bigger fish in a much smaller pond, so it's far more likely to be a target than some show with a bunch of people that 200 million Americans don't care about

I think the panel is much more even handed on Dancing with the Stars than it is on SCD. Kerri-Ann, the third judge, is much kinder and sympathetic than Arlene or Craig, and therefore Len and Bruno don't feel like retaliating so much to protect the celebrity. Also, I think the marking is more balanced on DWTS - probably because Len and Bruno don't see the need to overmark to compensate.

It may also be down to audience. Considering the American Idol panel is also much calmer than The X Factor's it's worth considering that maybe British audience prefers the drama and the American audience prefers the talent.

DWTS has always been top on ABC audience ratings.

As far as I know DWTS is one of the biggest show on amrican TV, it is up there with American Idol in terms of popularity. It is a very big fish in a very big pond.

For the past few years, It has been the second most watched show after american idol.

Seriously? Before this season, an 8 was a terrible score on DWTS.

I think the main difference is that in the US, competition and competitiveness is something that's admired, even hero-worshipped.

Over here, we have far more of a sense of sympathy for an underdog and being too competitive or too good or trying too hard is frowned upon.

There are good things and bad things to both points of view, we don't really have the naked ambition of the Americans, and we also don't need to win at all costs. We have more admiration for those that take part.

But also, conversely it means that those with actual talent and a sense of hard work are derided for trying to hard or being too pleased with themselves, like being good is actually a handicap.

I only started to watch this series. I definitely think in general the scoring is more balanced. I mean, you don't get one dance spanning from '4' to '7' on DWTS as you do SCD.

I much prefer the American perspective.

But also, the standards of what's acceptable or permissible on prime time there is a lot more stringent. Remember the almighty fuss about Janet Jackson's nipple. Len couldn't possibly get away with there what he says on the show here with impunity.

Fair enough then - but the fact remains that America's a much bigger place and so things don't get as 'hothouse' as they do here.

Completely agree - I was saying the same thing to someone the other day. I think the fact that the contestants say they want to win is seen as a good thing. I can't imagine Brooke Burke getting through to the final on SCD. She'd be branded a ringer and be voted off at the first opportunity! Americans admire a competitive edge much more than the British.

In SCD it can actually be a bad thing to achieve a high week one score! Whereas in DWTS it is applauded -as it should be... Emma Bunton, Zoe Ball, Penny Lancastter -any of these ladies winners? Nope! Yet look at the marvellous Kristi Yamaguchi who won last season -she had an amazing week 1 dance and more or less dominated the leaderboard for the entire series and eventually won.

Len and Bruno are much more good humoured and the show actually ticks along smoothly thanks to the excellent host, Tom Bergeron. This season, I have actually preferred it to SCD!

Len is the 'meanest' judge over there bit he seems to give fair criticisms -SCD is getting more panto like than DWTS and in a way I can see why Len seems to be getting more fed up of it.

Can you imagine Kristine on our SDC?

Olympic gold medal winning figure skater.
Used to moving to music.
Used to learing routines.
Used to finishing off her moves.
Used to selling a routine.

They even had to make up some sort of embarrased to be performing with a partner nonsence for DWTS to give her some sort of 'j-word'.

On the other hand, this year one of the finalists is 'the entertainer who is a bit rubbish at dancing' and Len and Bruno seem positively thrilled about the fact. Entertainment is all, apparently

I watched DWTS for the first time last week, and was shocked to see how they treat Len as a GOD No wonder he prefers it over there.

And, he does master classes with all the contestants, and they all bow to "the master". I found it quite weird.

DWTS has it moments, like Clrois this season, but on the whole their viewers/voters are much more educated. Shocks rarely happen, only on rare occasions. Kristi-Yamaguchi, who won last year, would have struggled on SCD due to her personality, or lack of(she makes Rachel Stevens look like Alesha in the personality stakes)...not to mention she was already an olympic ice-skating dance champion - talk about an advantage! The GBP would have never had her as a winner.

The GBP like an underdog, mediocrity is applauded and accepted. That's why we are sh!t at sport.

The Americans, and most other countries, applaud determination and winning mentality, they do not accept mediocrity.

Same goes for American Idol, David Cooke (indie boy) winning over (pretty boy) David Archuleta. Over here archuleta would have walked it, the American public will not accept sub-standard contestants.

And yes, Len is worshipped. He took a week off and was replaced by Michael Flatley. The show was a disaster, there was outrage on the message boards Flatley (or Flatliner his adopted name) took endless abuse - they couldn't wait to get Len back!

There was a lot of bashing on the ABC boards when Marie Osmond was on DWTS, and it got VERY nasty at one point.

There are always dramas of some kind, and I imagine the shows love it because its all publicity.

The British are not even remotely rubbish at sport....that's just fantasy....and I don't think you've packed enough absurd generalisations into your post.

I wish he'd do the masterclasses with the contestants over here TBH. He really helped them, and at least it showed his experience in the dancing field, instead of having them throw their knickers in the air from behind a desk.

He does, doesn't he?
Or did I dream that

a) The judges don't give out nearly as much criticism.
b) There is more emphasis on entertainment over there and less on dancing. The technique isn't poured over as much, there isn't an ITT equivalent analysing steps and rehearsals and the couples don't seem qute so competitive. Therefore perhaps people watching don't take it quite so seriously.
c) The media is completely different and isn't as interested in whipping up controversy about a celebrity reality show.
d) Perhaps Americans don't have the same 'underdog' culture as we do over here? Not sure about that though...

Having said all of that, they have had one or two controversies and a few instances of good dancers being knocked out by bad ones. Everyone seemed to go mad when Sabrina Bryan (show favourite) was voted out early.

It was only for that week. The masterclasses aren't a regular thing.

You obviously don't follow football, tennis or golf then? Cricket? What sports are we good at?

He does a masterclass with Claudia on ITT, but don't think he goes into the training rooms over here. May be wrong though.

Sure Len does the same in the semi's over here?!

That's an odd choice of sports given that England aren't too shabby football wise at the moment, Andy Murray hasn't lost for a bit in tennis, and we've always had decent golfers.

After this weekend, I would have thought cricket & rugby would have been the only sports needed to be mention.

However, I disagree that the British are always rubbish at sports