So You Think You Can Gobble: 8.09, "Week Two: Results"
The warm fuzzy feeling of letting all Top 20 dancers survive past last week’s elimination episode inevitably had to give way to the crushing sadness of losing FOUR dancers this week. Everyone was all excited and giggly and dancing around with joy that no one had to leave the party so early. But you’re all singin’ a different tune now, aintcha?
*sigh*
Cue the dance nerd rage…
These results shows are my least favorite part of the series, and not only because we have to say goodbye to some amazingly talented kids. I’m not particularly fond of all the pomp and circumstance, the sponsor promos, the poorly lip-synched guest performances. So I’ll probably just ignore all of that and just get right to it.
The show opens with a group number featuring all the Top 20. Not entirely sure what the routine was supposed to represent… looked like some kind of “Matrix meets The Firm” kind of thing, with everyone in suits, and there were a couple of suitcases… I confess, I’m not sure what it was. But in terms of choreography, designed by Dave Scott and performed to “Sinnerman” by Nina Simone, it was pretty good.
Cat Deeley, looking ravishing as the Lady in Red, calls up the couples three or four at a time and reads the results of America’s votes.
Missy & Wadi – BOTTOM 3
Caitlynn & Mitchell – Safe
Sasha & Alexander – Safe
Miranda & Robert – Safe
Melanie & Marko – Safe
Jordan & Tadd – Safe
Iveta & Nick – BOTTOM 3
Ashley & Chris – Safe
Ryan & Ricky – BOTTOM 3
Clarice & Jess – Safe
Ignoring the sponsor segment (it was Gatorade if you were just dying to know), and the two really awkward guest performances, let’s move straight on to the solo performances, and my ratings for each.
Wadi
Missy
Nick
Iveta
Ricky
Ryan
The judges convene backstage to discuss who makes the final cut. When they return, after some encouraging words to each, the dancers going home are Missy, Wadi, Iveta, and Nick. Which means Ryan and Ricky make it through to next week. I’m particularly sad to see Wadi and Nick leave already. I think Wadi had a ton of potential, and I felt really bad about the way he took the critiques last night. I know, I know, that’s the nature of the game. As for Nick, if you’d told me at the start of the season that a tap dancer would make it through AGAIN, and that I’d actually end up rooting for him, I’d have laughed in your face. But his personality was just so great, and he seemed more flexible in his ability to incorporate other styles than I think any of the previous tappers have been. So, that one is a shame to lose too.
The girls? I never warmed to Iveta, I’m sorry to say. And I didn’t have anything against Missy, but I guess I hadn’t formed an attachment to her yet either, since I wasn’t really disappointed in her elimination. I think both girls could have gone on to do great things on the show, but with a group as talented as the Top 20 were this year there is just no way to make cuts each week without it being painful.
My REAL disappointment is in who the judges chose to keep. Not Ricky, because I really like him and I LOVED his solo performance. I think he earned his ticket to next week with that solo. No, I’m talking about Ryan. I’ve tried really hard to not jump on the hate bandwagon that has sprung up around this girl in the fandom. I don’t have anything PERSONAL against her. She’s talented, and passionate, and I remember feeling bad for her last season that she got so close but didn’t quite make it. But I just don’t feel that she’s done anything THIS season to justify being here. There were more talented dancers that fell away while she progressed through all the Vegas hazing. And I’ve had issues with both routines we’ve seen from her in the competition. So while I’m not going to go all hyperbolic and swear off the show for life or anything, I can say that this is not the most auspicious way to begin the official elimination process. Fingers crossed that the cream will continue to rise to the top.
And who knows, maybe Ryan will do something to completely blow my mind in the weeks to come.
At any rate, that’s all I got for now. What did you guys think? Did the right dancers stay? Which cut was the deepest for you this time? And will the dance nerd rage break the internet in half for realsies this time? Let us know your thoughts with a comment here on the site, or you can e-mail us at gobbledygeek@yahoo.com.