This week’s episode of Glee was one of my favorites yet. While some of the episodes have struggled to find the right balance of “funny” and “sweet,” this one was perfect. I laughed, I cried, I tapped my foot, and after the credits rolled I was singing the ballads that were so entertaining. My only complaint is that we didn’t get our weekly dose of Jane Lynch, aka Sue Sylvester. Maybe she needed a week off to get her edge back, after going soft in the last episode.

The best way to dissect this episode is to look at the ballads, since these songs reflected the characters’ struggles, triumphs, and awkward dilemmas:

Rachel and Mr. Schuester sing "Endless Love"

• “Endless Love” – Rachel and Mr. Schuester kicked off the glee club’s ballad assignment by singing Rachel’s favorite ballad – a song that turned out to be highly inappropriate for her to be singing with her teacher, and which set off a major crush that led to many funny moments in the episode. I knew this would be a special episode when all the voice-overs started during this song; while most of the students were thinking about trivial things, Rachel was admiring Will’s eyes, and his dental hygiene. I loved Will’s reaction to the crazed look in Rachel’s eyes: his eyes got wider and wider, and the look on his face became more and more uncomfortable. It was so at odds with the song lyrics, that it was highly entertaining. Meanwhile, their duet was fantastic. All in all, this segment worked well on many different levels.
• “I’ll Stand by You” – I like this song, and I liked Finn’s performance of it. It was silly, yet sweet, that he was singing to the ultrasound video of the baby, but for the audience it’s also a little sad, since that baby isn’t really his. The moment between him and his mom was touching – upon seeing the ultrasound video, she realized that Quinn was pregnant, and her reaction was to comfort her son, who had broken down in her arms. That was a much better parenting technique than the one we saw from Quinn’s mom and dad later in the episode.
• “Don’t Stand So Close to Me/Young Girl” mash-up – This may have been my favorite moment of the whole episode. After Emma suggests that Will let Rachel down gently through a song, he performs a mash-up of Sting’s “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” and Gary Puckett’s “Young Girl.” First of all, what a fantastic mash-up it was, and second of all, Matthew Morrison once again gave an amazing performance. I loved how he was pleading for Rachel to understand his very clear message, through his dancing, his tone of voice, his looks of desperation, and most significantly, the lyrics. Of course, Rachel and Emma were both so enamoured with his performance that they didn’t notice the meaning. Speaking of Emma’s infatuation with Will, I am glad that the show has toned it down a bit. It is mostly a one-sided deal now, whereas for awhile Will seemed to be showing an interest in her.
• “Crush” – What an awkward moment, when Rachel pushed “play” on the mix CD she made for her and Mr. Schuester, and started singing Jennifer Paige’s flirtatious “Crush.” The whole car ride was painfully awkward, but also amusing.
• “Having My Baby” – Speaking of awkward, what a way to break the news of their teenage daughter’s pregnancy to two prim and proper parents: serenading the whole family in the middle of dinner with a Paul Anka song that includes lyrics like “I can see it, your face is glowing” and “the seed inside you, can you feel it growing.” In the midst of the song it was funny, but as soon as Quinn’s parents turned a cold shoulder it became very sad. It really wasn’t Finn’s place to tell them the news, but I guess we’re supposed to think that Quinn needed his support and didn’t have the strength to do it alone. Once again, Finn’s mom came through and offered to let Quinn stay with them as long as she wants to, after Quinn’s parents kicked her out.
• “Lean on Me” – After an episode full of ups and downs, crushes and crushing moments, it was nice to end with such an uplifting, sweet moment. The whole glee club showed their support for Quinn and Finn by singing the ultimate friendship song. “Lean on me, when you’re not strong, and I’ll be your friend, I’ll help you carry on…” I loved the camaraderie that was represented through this song – despite all the people giving Quinn and Finn a hard time, they have their glee club buddies to depend on. Sniff, sniff. And they sang every last drop out of the music and lyrics. I was ready to stand up and sing along with them, but I didn’t, because then I wouldn’t have been able to appreciate their voices! After hearing Amber Riley (Mercedes) singing the national anthem at the World Series, I have an even greater respect for her voice and overall star power. Those American Idol contestants wouldn’t stand a chance competing against her! “Lean on Me” was a great ending to a great episode.

The main non-singing related aspect of the episode that I enjoyed was Sarah Drew’s guest starring role as Suzy Pepper. She was worlds away from her role as the soft-spoken and sweet, but level-headed Hannah on Everwood. I was amused that she is still playing high school student roles, even though she’s nearly 30 years old. She was great as the neurotic, hot pepper-eating, student who had never gotten over her out of control crush for Mr. Schuester. I’d love to see more of this character on future episodes.

What did you love about this episode? Am I the only one that thinks it was one of the best yet, or was it really that good?

Cat was pretty in pink for tonight’s results show. Not sure what to say about her poofy shoes, though. I thoroughly enjoyed the opening group dance to Imogen Heap’s “Aha.” I’m not sure what it was all supposed to mean: were they ghosts, or works of art come to life? Who knows, but the sheets draped over them at the beginning were mysterious and a little creepy. I’d expect nothing less from Wade and Amanda Robson. I never mentioned how much I liked last week’s African themed group number. It really gave Russell a chance to shine.

On to the results…

The Bottom Three Couples

• Karen and Kevin – I think we all expected them to be here.
• Channing and Victor – I expected this, but it was disappointing anyway.
• Mollee and Nathan – I was surprised that their faithful followers didn’t keep them safe, but I also think they should be in the bottom. They haven’t performed as well as many of the other couples so far this season, so maybe they needed this wakeup call to kick it up a few notches.

Who the Judges Sent Home

• Channing – This is the first elimination I’ve been sad about – the others I was pretty much indifferent to. However, I couldn’t argue with Nigel when he explained that Channing hasn’t been as much of a star as they had anticipated. There has definitely been some personality missing from her performances. She didn’t seem fully invested. Even so, I would much rather have seen Karen or Mollee sent home. I knew that Mollee would be safe, though, since there’s no way the judges will let go of this fan favorite before she makes it into the Top Ten (they have to think about the tour ticket sales, after all). However, I did disagree with Nigel when he said that Karen has been a star this season. She and Kevin’s performances weren’t all that memorable, at least not for the dancing.
• Kevin – I agree with the judges on this one. Victor’s solo was very good, so he totally deserved to stay in the competition instead of Kevin. Nathan’s solo was also good – he seemed to have fun with it, and it had a lot of quirky touches. He looked much more relaxed than he ever does dancing with Mollee. (Can you tell I’m not a Mollee fan?)

So this result means that we’ll have a new couple next week: Victor and Karen. They will potentially be an odd pair; then again, maybe they’ll surprise us. What are your thoughts on this week’s results?

Related Post

• SYTYCD Season 6: The Top 14 Perform
  

I enjoyed seeing childhood photos of the judges and contestants on this week’s episode, and there was enough variety in the dance styles to make most of the performances interesting and entertaining. I’m continuing a “quick thoughts” format due to my busy fall tv viewing schedule.

• Ashleigh & Jakob (Hip-Hop w/ Napoleon & Tabitha D’umo) – “Whatcha Say,” Jason Derulo – I like this song, only because it gives me another chance to hear Imogen Heap’s “Hide and Seek,” which never received much radio play in my area. The song was certainly appropriate for a routine about a girl hashing things out with her cheating boyfriend. For me, this routine marked the return of Tabitha and Napoleon, whose routines for awhile have been lackluster. I loved the emotion and character that shone through the choreography, and as usual, Ashleigh and Jakob more than brought it all to life. I just love them, and to me, they are way better than all their competition, in terms of a knockout combo of technique and showmanship.
• Karen & Kevin (Broadway w/ Spencer Liff) – “If My Friends Could See Me Now,” Sweet Charity (2005 revival cast) – Um, no. Awkward, uncomfortable, and any other synonyms for those words. I guess these two need to get back to the sexy, slightly inappropriate routines. 
• Noelle & Russell (Foxtrot w/ Edward Simon) – “Baby (You’ve Got What It Takes),” Michael Buble and Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – They both seemed very stiff during this routine, which prevented it from being graceful and elegant. I’ve never been a fan of Noelle, and I’d be happy to see her go home this week so I could see Russell paired with a different partner. In my opinion, she’s always seemed artificial and tense on stage. Russell hasn’t lived up to my expectations, considering he was my favorite going into the season. It does seem like he’s been stuck with ballroom a lot, and it’s obviously not his strong suit.
• Channing & Victor (Jazz w/ Tyce Diorio) – “Blackbird,” Bobby McFerrin – This was an unusual routine, and seems like Tyce’s attempt to channel Sonya. He sure was acting weird when he explained the choreography! Is he auditioning for the role of Paula Abdul? As for the dancing, I thought Channing and Victor did well, and it was fun and quirky. I agree with Nigel that Channing looked like she was relaxing and having fun. Victor is still off my radar, but I was glad to see them do well this week. Not sure it will be memorable for viewers, though.
• Kathryn & Legacy (Paso Doble w/ Tony Meredith) – “Pursuit,” Ka (Cirque du Soleil soundtrack) – Legacy certainly made his presence known in all his shirtless glory! Despite this, I found myself focusing on Kathryn. I continue to be impressed by her performances, which surprises me since her initial off stage personality was that of a blubbering high-pitched cry baby. She completely transforms into the character of the moment each week, leaving no trace of her sensitive, sweet country girl personality. Don’t think that I don’t like Legacy, though. He did well in this performance. Too bad that they fumbled the ending – that kept it from being a knock-out routine. Kudos to Tony Meredith for coming up with a creative spin on the paso doble!
• Ellenore & Ryan (Contemporary w/ Travis Wall & Jaimie Goodwin) – “Your Ex-Lover Is Dead,” Stars – I wanted to love this routine, with it being a contemporary one choreographed by the lovable Travis Wall. Something was missing for me, though. That being said, I was impressed by Ellenore. She seemed to be more in character than Ryan, and her movement and confidence were striking. While last season, Evan often suffered from being short-statured (for example, it was a noticable hindrance on ballroom routines), I think that Ryan is suffering from the opposite – his bulkiness is sometimes distracting, and prevents him from carrying the smoothness that some routines demand. During this performance, he didn’t float around the stage and leap in the air as easily as someone like Jakob would have done. So, as much as I like Ryan, I don’t know that he will go much further in the competition.
• Mollee & Nathan (Pop-Jazz w/ LaurieAnn Gibson) – “Bad Romance,” Lady Gaga – They looked like two kids running around the playground, but at least it was a vast improvement on last week’s disastrous salsa. My enjoyment of the performance was also hindered by the lack of story. LaurieAnn was too busy screaming to inform the audience what this dancing and prancing was all about. I really enjoyed the “Battlefield” routine that she choregraphed for Brandon and Jeanine last season, but this one fell flat. And what is with the pink headphones that she’s always wearing?! For me, Nathan and Mollee lack the stage presence and personality that many of the other contestants have showcased, and that has made them less interesting to me.

The Top Performance

• Jakob and Ashleigh’s Hip Hop – Honestly, while I enjoyed a few of the other routines, none of them came close to my favorite duo’s performance.

Predicting the Bottom Three Couples

• Karen and Kevin – This was the most awkward and forgettable performance of the night, and so I will be shocked if these two aren’t dancing solos.
• Noelle and Russell – As Adam said, the Foxtrot is second only to the Quickstep in being the kiss of death. I hope that doesn’t mean we’ll say goodbye to Russell this week!
• Channing and Victor – This last spot was a toss up between these two, or Ryan and Ellenore. But in the end, I think that viewers prefer a Travis Wall contemporary over an eccentric Tyce Diorio jazz routine any day.

Who I Would Send Home – Neither of these dancers has made an impression on me, and while I think Victor has more all around talent than Russell or Kevin, they have much more personality when they dance.

• Noelle
• Victor

So, how are you feeling about the contestants at this point in the season?

Related Post:

• SYTYCD Season 6: The Top 16 Perform

Back in the 1980s, reptilian aliens arrived on earth dressed in fake human skin and red jumpsuits, and speaking in warbled voices about promoting peace and the betterment of the human race. Twenty-five years later, the aliens are better at disguising themselves (through some sort of human skin cloning procedure), and they sound and dress just like humans, but they are still using the same manipulative techniques of telling people what they want to hear.

The Cast of the New V

I am thoroughly mesmerized by both the 1980s miniseries and the new tv series that share the title of V. This single-letter creeped me out big time when I was younger (especially in its recognizable format of oozing red spray paint on a black background. I was five years old when the first miniseries aired in 1983, and six when the second one aired a year later. I am surprised that I watched them at such a young age, and it’s no wonder that I was disturbed: aliens eating gerbils and mice and taking out their fake human eyeballs to reveal yellow lizard eyes, people ripping the fake human skin off of alien visitors, and then there was the birth of the inter-species twins – one a seemingly “normal” baby with a forked tongue, and the other a full-fledged lizard child!

The creepy logo of the original V miniseries

But of course I watched V! Everyone did at the time. According to creator Kenneth Johnson’s website, the original miniseries drew an audience of 80 million viewers! I know that my family tuned in to every episode of both miniseries (from what I hear we should pretend like the short-lived tv show follow up never happened). The new ABC version has now aired two episodes, and while it hasn’t drawn anywhere close to 80 million viewers (more like 10 million), it has created a lot of buzz and has received a near unanimous two thumbs up from critics.

In preparation for the new show, I recently watched SyFy’s marathon of the original V miniseries. I am amazed but pleased that the show has stood the test of time! Sure, there are plenty of blatantly 80s music, cheap special effects, and melodramatic moments (a la all those ’80s primetime soaps), but the story and the characters are fascinating! As a child, I didn’t pick up on the Nazi allegory. But as an adult, the parallels are obvious: the V’s persecution of scientists (just as Nazis targeted Jews), the recruiting of Friends of the Visitors (similar to Hitler’s youth), the swastika-like emblem on the V’s uniforms and flags, etc.

The new version seems to have abandoned the parallels to the Nazi regime, and instead frames the arrival of the visitors in the more timely concerns of our post-9/11 world, namely the threat of terrorism and the difficulty of fighting it. I found it especially interesting that FBI agent Erica (Elizabeth Mitchell) was investigating a terrorist cell that actually consisted of alien visitors. This is a smart change from the original: rather than the spaceships’ appearances marking the first time the visitors came to earth, the new version reveals that many of the visitors have already been here for years, living secretly among us, while plotting a human takeover from within our ranks. That’s actually much more disturbing than in the original (which was pretty creepy, too, as I mentioned earlier). At least in the original version the resistance fighters could easily identify the visitors by their weird voices and distinctive uniforms. As for the new version, how unsettling to think that these aliens look exactly like us, and there’s no easy way to know that they aren’t human. Erica had worked with Dale for seven years, and while he seemed like a nice guy, he was all too eager to kill her when she got too close to the truth.

While the social/political allegories differ, the main theme remains the same: the struggle to preserve the human race and to convince the world that the visitors’ supposed agenda is not what it seems, and that they and their message are indeed too good to be true. Both shows also play out like a suspense thriller, mixed in with a bit of drama. The easiest way to compare/contrast the remaining characteristics of both versions is to take a look at the main characters:

• The Leader of the V’s
  

  Formidable foe Diana wasn't as friendly as the new version's Anna.

  • Then – Diana – Jane Badler was so distinctive in this role that she is easily recognizable, probably even now, as evil, conniving, ambitious Diana. She was a ruthless leader who had no qualms about destroying an entire race, using mind control to extract information from a prisoner, or even murdering an innocent priest. Still, though, if she had been dressed in an evening gown instead of her alien-issued red uniform, she could have easily blended in with the ladies on Dallas or Knots Landing.
  

  Anna is the "too good to be true" leader of the V's.

  • Now – Anna – I am amazed by Morena Baccarin’s transformation into short-haired, blinky-eyed alien leader Anna. I hardly recognize her as the actress who played Inara on Firefly. I have been impressed by her captivating and commanding portrayal of a charming and devious leader. Her interaction with reporter Chad Decker has been great, and her “behind closed doors” plotting against the humans has been disturbing but well played. She brings a strange allure, combined with a certain amount of creepiness, to the role that was mostly melodramatic campiness in the original.
• The Leaders of the Resistance
  

  Mike and Julie were the resistance leaders of the 1980s miniseries.

  • Then – Cameraman Mike Donovan and Scientist Juliet Parrish – Mike was played by the beastmaster himself, Marc Singer, while Juliet was played by Faye Grant, who is known more now for being married to 7th Heaven alum Stephen Collins than for any of her post-V roles. Mike was the more interesting character, since he was usually the one infiltrating the V’s ship and exposing their true faces, but Juliet had the responsibility of leading the resistance when she didn’t even know anything about being in charge. Regardless of which character was more interesting, they were a duo worth rooting for, and I’m sure the ’80s television audience was pleased when they became romantically involved.
  

  Erica and Jack are the modernized leaders of the resistance.

  • Now – FBI agent Erica Evans and priest Jack Landry – There’s not much chance of the new dynamic duo hooking up like Mike and Juliet did, since this time around one of them is a priest. I like the changes the writers made in the main characters. A scientist and a camera man wouldn’t have as much influence as an FBI agent and a priest, considering the scenario presented in the new version. As an agent, Erica has access to files concerning the visitors, and as a priest, Jack will be presented with many challenging scenarios. How can a priest, who vows to do what is right, be honest, and keep people’s deepest problems confidential, among other things, be involved in a movement that will no doubt involve deception and bloodshed? On the other hand, if he chose not to act, he would be turning his back on a huge threat to the safety of God’s children. I really like his character so far. I know Joel Gretsch best for his role as an FBI agent on The 4400, and while I was skeptical about seeing him as a priest, he has done a good job, and he has great chemistry with Elizabeth Mitchell. It’s strange for me to see Mitchell decked out in makeup, nice clothes, and with perfect hair, since for the past couple of years she’s been stuck on an island looking pretty rough, as Juliet on Lost. Since we last saw her in extreme peril on that show, it’s nice to see that she has landed a juicy role on V. I really like Erica, but I do wish she weren’t such a clueless mom! She should know that her son’s “promise” to not get involved with the visitors doesn’t mean much.
• Trouble-making Teens
  • Then – Daniel Bernstein and Robin Maxwell, visitor Brian – So far there is no human villain in the new version that matches teenaged Daniel’s despicable, self-serving ways. While he was busy working his way up the ranks of the V organization, his parents were tortured by Diana and his grandfather was packed up into a pod as future food for the aliens. Basically, he was willing to step on anyone and everyone for his own selfish gain. I hope that the new version will give us a human just as worthy of being despised as he was. As for the young love storyline, the ’80s version gave us sweet, love struck Robin, who fawned over visitor Brian like he was the latest teen heart throb. Unfortunately for her, Diana turned that budding relationship into a mating experiment, and Robin went through all the trauma of teen pregnancy, compounded by the many unusual side effects that went along with carrying and giving birth to alien offspring.
  

  I doubt that an alien-human hybrid born on the new "V" would look anything like this precious lizard baby from the original version.

  • Now – Tyler Evans and visitor Lisa – I am quite curious about how the new version will develop Tyler’s crush on visitor Lisa. So far, Lisa seems to be a relatively good-natured alien, but then again, looks can be deceiving. In the original, Brian seemed nice and genuinely interested in Robin, but it turns out he was just as power-hungry as Diana. The possibility and consequences of alien-human offspring don’t seem as monumental in the new version, since it seems like it would have already happened, what with so many visitors already being integrated into human society. I wonder how the writers will address this issue. But I’m gektting way ahead of the story here. Right now, Lisa is simply Tyler’s motivation to get involved with the Visitors.
• The Ambitious Reporter
  • Then – Kristine Walsh – Kristine’s professional ambition, and willingness to step on anyone for the sake of her career, made her an extremely irritating character. I felt no sympathy for her until her one redeeming moment, when she finally stood up for what was right.
  • Now – Chad Decker – Oh, Scott Wolf. I loved him as Bailey on Party of Five, but wasn’t sure what to make of his more grown up character on Everwood. So far I am intrigued by his portrayal of the ambitious but slightly good-intentioned reporter. I hope he doesn’t fall into the same sticky web of power and fame that Kristine did. I’d prefer that he join the resistance and work against the V’s from the inside. After all, they need someone with an inside connection.
• Human-friendly visitors
  • Then – Willie (and his waitress girlfriend Harmony), Martin – I really liked Martin in the original. He was the noblest of the visitors – willing to risk his life for the sake of doing what was right. So far there isn’t a character like him on the new version. Willie and Harmony were almost comic relief. I was amused to discover that Robert Englund, best known for playing horror icon Freddie Krueger, played such a dopey, gentle-hearted character. He and Harmony’s relationship was really sweet, especially after she still accepted him despite learning of his true appearance and eating habits.
  • Now – Ryan Nichols (and his human girlfriend Valerie Holt) – Ryan is definitely not comic relief. He is intense about everything from picking out an engagement ring to answering his cell phone to sneaking off to a mechanic’s shop to get his reptilian arm repaired. I like him, though. I’m not so crazy about Valerie, mainly because she’s not very interesting so far. I have a feeling she won’t be as accepting as Harmony if she finds out the truth about Ryan.
  

  Dale is Erica's not-so-human FBI partner

• Dale Maddox – There is no counterpart in the original to this visitor disguised as a human FBI agent. In a way, I suppose he is the new version’s Kristine Walsh, since Kristine and Mike were close until she basically went over to the “dark side” (Dale and Erica are close professionally speaking until he reveals his true nature and disappears). It makes sense for the writers to introduce an entirely new character to be the leader of sorts for the terrorist visitors who have infiltrated human society. I look forward to seeing more of Alan Tudyk in this role, especially since Dollhouse, on which he played the villainous and basically insane Alpha, has now been canceled. It is strange to always see him in these bad guy roles, since he was such a goofy, likable character on Firefly (may Wash rest in peace…)

Many questions remain unanswered for the moment on the new series:

• What is the Visitors’ true agenda?
• Do the Visitors plan to eat the humans, steal all the earth’s resources, destroy the earth, or all of the above?
• Is Tyler going to be a lizard-baby daddy?
• Will any more of the supposedly human characters be revealed as Visitors?
• Will reporter Chad Decker hold on to his journalistic integrity (is there such a thing?!), or will he become a media puppet through which Anna will spout propaganda to the public?
• Will the writers pay homage to any classic V moments, such as Diana swallowing a gerbil, or Mike ripping off the fake human face when he fought one of the aliens?

Hopefully, the new show will have a chance to find its footing and tell its story before it gets canceled. It is worrisome that there was a drastic ratings drop from episode one to two. I suppose it’s good news in a way that the show only has two more episodes to air before going on a planned hiatus until the spring. Perhaps by then viewers will be ready to tune in again after months of anticipation. If not, then at least we always have the truly classic original to return to for a complete and satisfying tale of manipulative, lying lizard visitors from outer space and the human resistance movement that brought them down with a lot of heart, hope, and helium. (In case you don’t recall, hot air balloons were an important factor in the humans’ final battle with the visitors…)

What do you think of the new V so far? I’ll leave you with a scene from the original miniseries that really disturbed me as a child, but which I now find quite amusing, particularly because of the dated special effects.

]]> http://eclairefare.wordpress.com/2009/11/12/v-then-and-now/feed/ 1 Emily Cast of V The V Logo Diana Anna Mike and Julie Erica and Jack Alien-Human Hybrid Baby Dale http://eclairefare.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/sytycd-season-6-the-top-16-perform/ http://eclairefare.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/sytycd-season-6-the-top-16-perform/#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:30:58 +0000 Emily http://eclairefare.wordpress.com/?p=1261 ]]>

Was Cat Deeley participating in the much-promoted Simpson’s Scavenger Hunt last night? That would be the only good excuse for her bizarre appearance, with her hair pulled back tightly along the sides and piled high above her forehead. Her 1980s style snake-skin dress weren’t any better. I don’t know what Simpson’s character she would have been impersonating, but maybe we were supposed to spot Lisa’s saxophone in her hair or something. Anyway, on with the show. This was a pretty mediocre night, which may be more to blame on the choreographers than the contestants. We were introduced to a handful of new choreographers, some of whom stood out more than others.

* I must confess that I was lazy and didn’t take the time to type up the list of contestants, styles, choreographers, and songs. I “borrowed” that info from TV Squad, where you can read another review of this week’s episode:

• TV Squad Review of the Top 16 Performance Episode

The Top 16 Performances

• Karen & Kevin - Hustle (Maria Torres) – “Come to me” France Joli – When was the last time we saw the Hustle on this show? Not long enough, in my opinion. The Hustle is right next to Disco at the bottom of my dance preference list. Kevin looked very uncomfortable in his glittery ’70s costume, but Karen looked like she was having fun. The choreography was pretty dull. This performance was instantly forgettable to me.

• Ashleigh & Jakob – Jazz (Mandy Moore) – “Relax” Frankie Goes to Hollywood – Hooray for my favorite couple! They have been excellent every week, and didn’t lose any ground with this performance. Adam pointed out the one cane mishap, which I also noticed, but who cares, when everything else was near perfect? Now that Mia Michaels is no longer on the show, Mandy Moore has a chance to gain more recognition, which she is much deserving of.

• Pauline & Peter – Quickstep – (JT & Tomas) – “Hey Baby! (Shake Those Hula Hips)” Big Kahuna & The Copa Cat Pack – Um, I wasn’t feeling this one. Peter was completely concentrating on the quick stepping, leaving no room for him to stay in character, and Pauline looked frightened that she was going to get left behind, as she held on for dear life as Peter swooped her across the stage and she tried to make her feet move at lightning speed. I think these two will be in the bottom three this week.

• Kathryn & Legacy- Broadway (Andy Blankenbuehler) – “I Wanna Be Like You” Swingin’ Fireballs – I was bored and confused during this routine – something about a woman wanting to steal the remote from her man because she felt neglected? Also, Kathryn’s shorts were too short and not very flattering, and this wardrobe problem distracted me throughout the performance. I was so impressed with Legacy and Kathryn the past two weeks that I am willing to overlook this week’s unfortunate mediocre work.

• Channing & Victor – Contemporary (Stacy Tookey) – “Be Be Your Love” KCRW version – Rachael Yamagata – This newly paired couple had their work cut out for them, and they did pretty well. They were in their own style, which helped. The routine had some really nice moments but lacked the chemistry that would make a “toxic relationship” story come more to life. But still, I’m much happier seeing Channing with Victor, than Channing with Phillip. I’m still not finding Victor very memorable, but having Channing as a partner instead of Bianca should help – that is, if they stick around long enough to prove themselves.

• Ellenore & Ryan – Hip-Hop (Lil’ C) – “Lost BoiZ Anthem” Tha J-Squad- Come on, Lil’ C, you can do better than this. I was quite bored with this routine. It seems like half of the time Ellenore and Ryan were just carrying around their loot bags or throwing money in the air. The actual dancing only took up a fraction of the routine. I agreed with Adam that Ryan did really well considering he was a ballroom dancer doing hip hop. And Ellenore looked pretty comfortable in the style, standing out more than Ryan. I still like this couple, but they drew a bad choice this week, in terms of the style and Lil C’s nondescript choreography.

• Mollee & Nathan – Salsa (Gustavo Vargas) – “Quimbara” Celia Cruz and Johnny Pacheco – And the award for “most painfully awkward” goes to… Yikes! I could barely sit through this literally awful performance. First of all, Nathan looked horrible with greasy hair and a sloppy shirt, and Mollee looked like she was playing dress up in the high heels and yellow dress. There wasn’t an ounce of “genuine” in their performance. Nathan, who is normally so charming and pleasant to watch, was cheesing it up big time, with a huge fake smile and squinty eyes, and he was stressing me out with the way his shoulders were hunched over. Mollee had more poise than Nathan, but didn’t look like she was having any fun at all. Many times you could see a look in her eyes that said, “Is it over yet? Are we done?” But like Adam said, their avid fan base will most likely keep them safe this week.

• Noelle & Russell – Afro Jazz (Sean Cheesman) – “Frog Dance” Mickey Hart and Planet Drum – Russell was definitely the star of this routine. As Nigel pointed out, it gave him the chance to move like a krumper, which is good since that’s his style. Kudos to Sean Cheesman for introducing himself to the show in such an impressive fashion. I look forward to seeing more of this style on the show. Noelle hung in there pretty well, but I’m still just not seeing much personality in her performances. I was impressed, however, with that one trick were they flipped over each other like three times in a row. Something about this routine reminded me of Hok and Jamie’s “Hummingbird” routine from season three. A bird and a flower, a frog and an African princess… Tonight’s routine isn’t an instant classic like the Hummingbird one, but it definitely falls in the category of interesting and creative.

Predicting the Bottom Three Couples

• Karen and Kevin – I’m not convinced that America is as in love with these two as the judges are, and so I expect to see them dance solos tonight
• Pauline and Peter – It’s always hard to be popular on the show when you are constantly getting paired with new partners. Pauline has already danced with Billy, Brandon, and now Peter. On top of that, neither of these two had much screen time before the top 20 was announced. I do like Peter, and he’s shown an impressive amount of versatility so far, and Pauline is adorable, but I’m not sure that’s enough to make people vote for them.
• Channing and Victor – In another case of revolving door partners, these two have had a difficult time of it. And while they had a decent performance this week, other couples have more devoted fans. If they are in the bottom three, I am hoping that at least Channing will escape elimination, because she is still one of my favorite girls.

Predictions on who will be sent home:

• Victor
• Pauline
  

From hip hoppin’ tennis players to Van Gogh “Starry Night” rejects, this week’s episode had a little bit of everything. Read on for my quick thoughts about how the contestants did.

• Russell and Noelle – Hip Hop (Jamal Sims) – This routine was unfortunate – in my opinion not a good introduction to this new choreographer. I just don’t think that preppy tennis players and hip hop mix well. The choreography, as well as the performance, was very cheesy and underwhelming. I don’t think Noelle will be around much longer if she doesn’t step up her game.
• Jakob and Ashleigh – Viennese Waltz (Tony and Melanie) – This piece was described as a couple sharing their first dance on their wedding day. It was one of my favorites. I’m usually bored during waltzes, so it’s a credit to their showmanship that I was entranced. They were believable as a couple in love, and could have been Cinderella and Prince Charming come to life, with as smoothly and effortlessly as they were gliding across the stage together.
• Victor and Bianca – Broadway (Tyce Diorio) – I wasn’t moved by the spirit of this performance. In fact, I got up and started waving my arms around and jumping around like them, to make the point that it wasn’t a particularly difficult or interesting routine. I don’t have anything against a gospel church revival meeting dance – it was just too loud and busy, without enough actual substance.
• Mollee and Nathan – Bollywood (Nakul Dev Mahajan) – This piece was about a prince about to go to war, and his princess is unhappy about it. Mollee and Nathan looked great in their colorful costumes, and they seemed to have good technique as well. This one fell somewhere between great and awful, but closer to the good side of the night.
• Phillip and Channing – Samba (Tony and Melanie) – Put this one in the books as the most awkward performance of the season, and perhaps of the entire series! It was painful to watch as they struggled from one lift to the next, and I’m pretty sure they completely botched up the ending, resulting in Channing falling on her head. I think the problem was that Phillip isn’t a very good partner, combined with the fact that Channing is very tall and pretty solid for someone like Phillip to be lifting over his head. I hope that she and Victor will be better partners – we’ll find out next week.
• Kevin and Karen – Hip Hop (Tabitha and Napoleon) – This saucy routine was about a mechanic and a hot girl checking each other out in an auto shop. This is two weeks in a row that this couple has performed the raciest routine, so now I find myself labeling them the PG-13 dancers. Cover the kids’ eyes when these two are on stage! I’d like to see them do a more toned down routine, because the “Push It” one and this mechanic one were too over the top for me to take seriously.
• Kathryn and Legacy – Contemporary (Stacey Tookey) – They did a great job with this routine about a woman struggling with fear. It was one of my favorites of the night, and I agree with the judges that Legacy is doing a fantastic job outside of his style! Who knew that this would be one of the power couples? I am surprised that Kathryn is one of my favorite girls, but she’s certainly earned it.
• Peter and Pauline – Wade Robson (what style is this? jazz?) – This bizarre routine about two rejected people from Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” coming back to torment him didn’t really work for me. I expect more from a Wade Robson routine, and Peter and Pauline didn’t deliver. The busy background was partly to blame (I could hardly even see the two of them with everything else going on on stage), but mostly I felt like they were focusing more on the choreography than on being fully invested performers.
• Ellenore and Ryan – Argentine Tango (Miriam and Leonardo) – I really enjoyed this one, and gained new respect for Ellenore, when she remained so composed while her dress was caught in her heel. Of course Ryan was terrific since this was a ballroom style, and Ellenore looked very professional, too. They both carried themselves so well, were totally in tune with one another, and managed to also captivate the audience. They are another power couple this season!

The Bottom Four (Once again, due to World Series coverage, the judges chose the bottom four instead of letting America vote)

• Noelle
• Phillip – eliminated
• Victor
• Bianca – eliminated

This bototm four seemed right to me. There are several outstanding contestants, but these four aren’t living up to the high standard being set by dancers like Jakob, Ashleigh, Ryan, Ellenore, Legacy, Kathryn, etc. And I wasn’t surprised that the judges sent home two tappers, Bianca and Phillip. Tapping isn’t as dynamic a solo as some of the other styles, and those two didn’t shine in other styles. I wish them both well, particularly Phillip, with all the craziness he’s been dealing with lately. When I heard that his father had died and he’d just attended the funeral, I thought it was unfortunate that he had been eliminated this week. Then again, this is a competition, not a sympathy vote show. It may be best for him to have time to deal with his father’s death and to spend time with his family.

My Favorite Routines

• Legacy and Kathryn’s “Fear” contemporary
  
• Jakob and Ashley’s Viennese waltz
• Ryan and Ellenore’s Argentine tango

Who were your favorites this week?

No, Twilight is not being made into a Broadway extravaganza – at least not yet. But, if you will humor me for a few minutes, I’d like to propose the all-star So You Think You Can Dance lineup that would fill out the cast of a dance-infused musical version of the Twilight series. The reason I started thinking about this topic is that, as I mentioned in a previous post, season six contestant Nathan Trasoras rivals Edward Cullen’s striking good looks (translation: he’s a pretty boy). However, Nathan is actually a better fit for the role of Jacob. Let’s take a closer look at which Dance contestants would bring the Twilight characters to twirling, leaping, poppin’ and lockin’ life:

Danny, beautiful person and dancer that he is, would play the important role of Edward Cullen.

• Edward Cullen – Danny Tidwell (season three runner-up) – As one might expect, Edward was the most difficult character for me to cast, since strangely enough, there haven’t been very many staggeringly beautiful guys on SYTYCD. In fact, I ended up going against type and casting non-white dancer Danny. He may not be pale, but he certainly qualifies as beautiful! His quiet, mysterious demeanor and rare smile make him a natural to play introspective, withdrawn Edward. Edward’s habit of running at top speed through the woods and glittering in the sun will translate well into Danny pirouetting around the stage and shining in the spotlight. Glitter away, Danny, glitter away!

Jeanine would be my pick for a dancing Bella.

• Bella Swan – Jeanine Mason (season five winner) – The first time I saw Jeanine, I saw a resemblance to Kristen Stewart, so it seems perfectly fitting that the season five champion would portray dark-haired, fair-skinned Bella in the Twilight Dance Spectacular. She and Danny would make a fine pair as epic couple Bella and Edward.

Nathan Trasoras would make a terrific Jacob Black.

• Jacob Black – Nathan Trasoras (season six) – Nathan has the darker complexion, intense stare, and youthful charm to portray Jacob Black. He would just need to bulk up some to play werewolf Jacob. I can just see the special costume now, with the wolf represented by a furry jumpsuit and elaborate head dress. Of course, when dancing as Jacob all he would wear is a pair of khaki shorts, since he would want to stay true to the book, in which Jacob wore as little clothing as possible since changing into his wolf form always resulted in the destruction of his clothes and shoes.

Small-statured Sabra would make a great Alice Cullen.

• Alice Cullen – Sabra Johnson (season three winner) In the books, Alice is described as “pixie like, with short spiky black hair.” Sabra is definitely petite and adorable, and has a positive, contagiously upbeat personality. Since she and Danny worked together during season three, they would have good chemistry as close foster siblings Alice and Edward.

Our favorite ballroom partners, Pasha and Anya, would be perfect in the roles of Carlisle and Esme.

• Carlisle Cullen – Pasha Kovalev (season three) – I was quite displeased with Carlisle’s clownish appearance in the Twilight movie, so I am thrilled to have this hypothetical chance to redeem that casting (or at least makeup department) error. Pasha is perhaps my favorite SYTYCD contestant ever, and so I had to find a place for him somewhere! Since he is now teaching other contestants choreography, thus in a sense acting as a mentor, what better role for him than that of foster father Carlilse? He brings a kind spirit and maturity to the role.
• Esme Cullen – Anya Garnis (season three) – Esme is described in the book as having “caramel-colored hair; she also has a heart-shaped face with dimples, and her figure is slender, but rounded and soft.” I think Anya resembles that description enough, plus what better person to play Carlilse’s wife than Pasha’s ballroom dance partner? We know they already have great chemistry, so they are the perfect couple for this role.

Kayla would be convincing as undead beauty Rosalie.

• Rosalie Hale – Kayla Radomski (season five) – This was another difficult spot to fill, since Rosalie is described as “being the most beautiful person in the world; she is tall, statuesque, and has long, wavy blonde hair.” I decided Kayla was best for the role – she is beautiful, and a bit haughty (just as Rosalie often comes across), and she also has the pale skin that makes it easy to believe her as a vampire.

I'd split up this ballroom couple, making Ryan good-guy Emmett, and Ashleigh vampire villainess Victoria.

• Emmett Cullen – Ryan Di Lello (season six) – Emmett is described as “being tall, burly, extremely muscular, and, to most humans, the most intimidating of his adoptive siblings. He has slightly curly dark hair and dimpled cheeks.” I couldn’t think of a more fitting contestant for this role than the strongest man to ever join the SYTYCD competition, Ryan. He actually seems more like a lumberjack than a dancer, and so he would bring the necessary strength and stage presence to the role of Emmett.

Travis would win people over as Jasper.

• Jasper Hale – Travis Wall (season two) - Jasper is described as “tall with honey blond hair, and is muscular but lean” and has the ability to manipulate others’ emotions. Travis sort of fits the physical description, and as a choreographer, he certainly seems to have put the judges and viewers under his spell. His contemporary piece that Jeanine and Jason performed last season even inspired them to kiss at the end! He was a participant in one of the most famous dances in SYTYCD history: Mia Michaels’ bench piece, which was very sweet and heartfelt. Based on his experience on the show, and now as an impressive, emotionally affecting choreographer, he would create a new group of Twilight fans: Team Jasper.

If Mollee danced as Renesmee, she'd have to dye her hair black, but otherwise she'd be set.

• Renesmee Cullen – Mollee Gray (season six) - Okay, so Mollee doesn’t have “brown curly hair,” like the Renesmee in the book. However, you can’t get much closer to childlike than Mollee when picking from SYTYCD contestants. The judges have repeatedly called Mollee out for dancing like a child. It would definitely be interesting to see her dancing on stage with Jeanine and Danny playing her parents. Strange, indeed.

Kupono dances "evil" very well, and so he would be very suitable for the role of James.

• James – Kupono Aweau (season five) - James, the merciless tracker who stalked and nearly killed Bella in Twilight, was too campy for my taste in the movie. Kupono can be overdramatic and theatrical, but I think he has the intensity and dedication to make this a memorable role. I immediately thought of him for this part when I remembered his deeply affecting contemporary performance with Kayla from last season, in which he personified addiction, and in the process ruthlessly held her down, preventing her from escaping his grip. That was the most powerful performance of the entire season, and so I know he can be a great villain.
• Victoria – Ashleigh Di Lello (season six) – Victoria is the “red-haired, cat like” vampire who plots to kill Bella in revenge for Edward killing her lover, James. Ashleigh may not have red hair, but that can easily be solved with a little hair color. She already has the sultry disposition, and quite a bit of attitude (in her performances). The wardrobe department could have fun with her elaborate clothing.

Russell is my pick for vampire Laurent

• Laurent – Russell Ferguson (season six) – The only good-intentioned member of James’ coven, Laurent is friendly with the Cullens but still has the occasional lapse into drinking human blood.  Russell would bring a serious tone and quiet power to Laurent’s character.

Picture this: Adam in a police uniform, Mary as a minor league baseball player's wife, and Nigel as a tribal elder? Say what?

• Charlie Swan – Adam Shankman – Ok, I realize that I’m reaching with this one. I’m envisioning the role of Charlie as one of comic relief, and what would be funnier than Adam Shankman dressed in law enforcement duds, playing a clueless, “trying to be cool” dad?
• Renee Dwyer – Mary Murphy – Again, there was a shortage of bubbly, talkative, middle-aged women to choose from, and so Mary would end up playing Charlie’s ex wife, Bella’s mom.
• Billy Black – Nigel Lythgoe – In the biggest stretch of all, I chose Nigel to portray Jacob’s Quileute father. It’s almost as bad as John Travolta playing an overweight woman in Hairspray, but if it worked in that movie, then surely Nigel can dye his hair black, wear a fat suit, and mask his British accent.

Say hello to a dancing Mike Newton

• Mike Newton – Neil Haskell (season three) – As those of you who read my blog during season three already know, I was never a Neil fan, so I am relegating him to this rather thankless role of the “cute, baby-faced boy with carefully spiked pale blond hair.” He can pine away for Jeanine while Mark and Nathan fight over her.

Perhaps Katee and Courtney could recycle these season three costumes while playing Twilight's Angela and Jessica.

• Jessica Stanley – Courtney Galiano (season four) – I have nothing against Courtney, but her exuberant personality and appearance make her a good fit for the role of a “chatterbox with curly dark hair.”
• Angela Weber – Katee Shean (season four) – Katee was likely one of the nicest contestants to ever be on the show, or at least she seemed that way, so she is a good fit to play the “tall, shy, quiet, and very kind girl” that Angela is.

So there you have it. I didn’t do a comprehensive list of characters, so feel free to make suggestions about other SYTYCD contestants who would make a good member of the Volturi, one of Jacob’s Quileute friends, etc. Also feel free to challenge my casting decisions. There are so many factors at play, that there is surely more than one dancer who would work well for most of these characters.

As for what the Twilight dance extravaganza would look like, I’m sure there would be a lot of costume changes, elaborate lighting, and variety of dance styles. The early scenes when Edward and Bella are falling for each other would have to rely on contemporary, and the showdown between James and Bella might work well as a paso doble, whereas the baseball scene might translate into a goofy broadway bit. It’s fun to imagine Twilight as a musical, and I am sure that will become a reality one day. Until then, I will have fun imagining my favorite SYTYCD contestants turning this epic vampire tale into a dance sensation…

Why did it take me ten years to watch this gem of a show from 1999? Freaks and Geeks is a show about misfits at a suburban Detroit high school circa 1980. It is the antithesis of shows like Dawson’s Creek or the more recent Gossip Girl (worlds inhabited by beautiful teens with abnormally self aware conversational skills). If for no other reason, children of the ’80s should watch the show to revel in all of that decade’s music, cars, clothing, even wallpaper (or wood paneling) – I know I had many moments of nostalgia. Thankfully, there are many other reasons to watch the show besides its spot-on ’80s setting and atmosphere. Read on for several more reasons to tune in.

The cast of Freaks and Geeks

The Characters

• The Freaks
  • Nick Andopolis (Jason Segel) – I was surprised and pleased when I discovered that Marshall from HIMYM was on this show. His character had arguably the most development of the trio of freak guys. Beneath his near-constant drug-induced stupor, and his dream of being a great drummer, he had a flair for the dramatic (see his song for Lindsay and his disco dancing) and uncertainty about the future, since his dad had basically ordered him to join the army. I didn’t really like where they left Nick – standing in a discotheque with a girlfriend he didn’t really like, while Lindsay walked out and moved on with her life. Nevertheless, he was a character I grew to love and root for.
  • Daniel Desario (James Franco) – I was impressed with James Franco in this role. He’s had quite a successful career since playing Daniel, the cool, laid back leader of the freaks. His on-again, off-again relationship with Kim was entertaining, but we also saw some of the pressure he felt at home, and his fear that he would never be good at anything. I love how we last saw him – playing Dungeons and Dragons with the geeks, and discovering that this game was something that was fun that he was pretty good at – even if his character was a dwarf.
  • Ken Miller (Seth Rogen) – Seth Rogen was little more than comic relief until late in the series, when his character developed an interest in a tuba player in the band. One of my favorite episodes is the one where she shares an important secret him, and although he struggles with processing it, he turns out to be cool with it. That episode also showed that Daniel, Nick, and Ken were loyal friends to each other. Loved it.
  • Kim Kelly (Busy Phillips) – Other than central character Lindsay, Kim was one of the few girls on the show. She was probably the least developed character of the main cast – she was mostly stuck making annoyed faces and insulting people. That’s not to say she wasn’t entertaining. Kim Kelly was a perfect character for Busy Phillips to play, and I much prefer her here than in Dawson’s Creek.
  • Lindsay Weir (Linda Cardellini) – Oh, poor confused Lindsay. First she’s a Math-lete, then she’s dating Nick, then she’s a Math-lete again, for one second, then she’s hanging out with Dead Heads. Wait, I guess she was just acting like the majority of American teenagers, trying to find their place in the world. While I was disappointed with where the show took her character in the end (it left a lot of unresolved issues that we’ll never see), I suppose it’s more realistic than the alternative. (I won’t give specifics, so you can see for yourself.) Despite the realistic aspects to her character, I often found myself annoyed by her aimless wandering from group to group. She wasn’t one of my favorite characters. I guess she represented the uncomfortable world in between freaks and geeks.
• The Geeks
  • Sam Weir (John Francis Daley) – John Francis Daley was the best thing about this show. He is adorable as awkward, geeky teen Sam Weir. Fans of Bones know him as psychologist Lance Sweets. He’s all grown up now, so it’s crazy that ten years ago he was just a sweet little 14 year old boy on Freaks and Geeks. While his friends Bill and Neal were sometimes unbearably dorky, Sam managed to be more charming with his adolescent confusion. For example, his crush on Cindy Sanders led to him getting all flustered around her, but when his dream of dating her actually came true, he realized they had nothing in common and was very bored and irritated with her. I liked most of his character’s developments, and the Cindy Sanders story was especially fun.
  • Bill Haverchuck (Martin Starr) – Oh, sweet dorky Bill. As I mentioned earlier, I was sometimes irritated by how he left his mouth hanging open all the time, but he was a terrific source of entertainment for his friends and the television audience. He asked the tough questions, like when he couldn’t figure out what was so great about french kissing, and started coming up with horrific hypothetical scenarios about what could go wrong. His home life was a little sad (he spent his afternoons home alone and his evening watching Dallas), and the episode about his allergic reaction to peanuts was a downer, but usually Bill made me smile.
  • Neal Schweiber (Samm Levine) – Neal represents the stereotypically irritating dorky guy who is a little too confident in his witty one-liners and ability to charm the ladies. Despite this, he was a good friend to Sam and Bill. The situation with his dad was sad, but it was nice to see Sam and Bill help out their friend as he worked through his feelings of anger and disappointment. And no doubt, if the show had told us where these guys ended up, Neal would be a highly successful businessman married to a beautiful woman.
  • Millie Kentner (Sarah Hagan) – Millie was an odd character – so straight-laced, and representative of Lindsay’s pre-freak social scene. But beneath her awkward, serious exterior was a really sweet friend. It was horrible when Kim ran over her dog!
• The Grown-Ups
  • Harold Weir (Joe Flaherty) – In the beginning, Lindsay and Sam’s father seemed like a stereotypical tv dad, muttering stories about “when I was your age” at the dinner table, but as the series progressed we saw another side behind his cranky exterior. Deep down, he cared deeply for his wife and kids, and was only trying to do what was best for them. One of my favorite moments from Mr. Weir was when he took Nick under his wing, when Nick’s own father wasn’t giving him any guidance or support.
  • Jean Weir (Becky Ann Baker) – Lindsay and Sam’s stay-at-home mom was always full of smiles and encouraging words, but she was mostly clueless about what her kids were going through at school. She and Mr. Weir were hilarious when they had scenes together, especially in the episode where they rekindled the romance in their relationship (resulting in a very awkward situation for the kids when they got home from school…). I felt so bad for her when she would go out of her way to make a special meal, or to bake cookies for Halloween, and no one would appreciate her effort.
  • Coach Ben Fredericks (Thomas F. Wilson) – Best known as Biff in Back to the Future, he was the rough around the edges, but generally well meaning P.E. coach. I loved how he sat Sam down for a heart to heart about real sex ed after Sam was freaked out by the porn that Daniel loaned him. And I also liked the episode where Coach Fredericks was dating Bill’s mom, and tried his hardest to find a point of connection with his potential step son. He was as surprised as anyone when that connection point turned out to be Dallas.
  • Jeff Rosso (Dave Allen) – The school guidance counselor, this former hippie was full of sage advice and cool vibes, which always freaked out the freaks. I loved the episode where Lindsay and her friends went to great lengths to secure fake IDs to go see a hot new band, and when they succeeded, they were disappointed to discover that the lead singer was none other than their dorky guidance counselor (who proceeded to direct the bartender to serve his students soda instead of alcohol).
  

  Hippie guidance counselor Mr. Rosso

My Favorite Episodes

• Tricks and Treats – The main thing I remember about this episode was Bill dressing up as the Bionic Woman (so funny!) and Lindsay realizing what a jerk she was becoming when she egged her own brother during her friends’ Halloween joyride around town. It was also interesting to hear the characters talk about fears of tainted candy (the main reason that kids were throwing Mrs. Weir’s homemade cookies into her front yard). I always love Halloween episodes of tv shows, and this one didn’t disappoint. But the look on Sam’s face after Lindsay egged him was so sad! So was the look on her face…

Bill as the Bionic Woman

• Tests and Breasts – This was the episode that found Sam, Neal, and Bill pondering the mysteries of sex, a topic of discussion brought up when they don’t understand a dirty joke, and when they start covering sex ed in P.E. Much awkwardness followed, including them watching the porn flick Daniel loaned them, and Coach Frederick’s honest Q&A with Sam.
• Carded and Discarded – The title of this episode refers mostly to Lindsay and her friends’ quest to get fake IDs, but I was more interested in the geeks’ sub plot of them befriending a pretty new girl at school. This story gave them a chance to point out the normally harsh realities of kids choosing a group and sticking to it once the dust of newness settles. But the time they spent with the new girl was fun, especially when she enthusiastically joined them in launching rockets.
• Smooching and Mooching – This episode took a game of spin the bottle to new levels of hilarity, from Neal’s pre-party practice on his ventriloquist dummy, to Bill’s unexpected heart to heart talk and makeout session with a cheerleader.
• The Little Things – This is the episode that saw Sam’s crush on Cindy turn into the harsh reality of a relationship built on infatuation, with no common interests to hold it together. She was shocked that he didn’t want to hang out with all her friends, and he couldn’t believe she thought The Jerk was stupid! The more serious plot of this episode involved Ken’s girlfriend telling him her deepest, darkest secret. The way that Ken and she worked through it all was very realistic and well done, and gave me a greater appreciation for his character.
• Discos and Dragons – This episode actually worked really well as a series finale. My favorite aspect of it was how Daniel started hanging out with the geeks – and having just as much fun with them, if not more, as with his regular friends. He finally found something he was good at in Dungeons and Dragons, and his participation in the game made the other guys feel cooler. I wasn’t as thrilled with the direction the show took Lindsay’s character, which I mentioned earlier. Oh, well. Overall, it was a great episode.

The "geeks" wait for Daniel to make his move in their game of Dungeons and Dragons

Standout Moments

• Sam streaking through the halls at school (Episode 6, “I’m with the Band”) – Sam lived out all of our worst nightmares of being naked at school! It was quite a memorable scene, with him running for cover, and not finding it anywhere.
• Lindsay’s parents read her diary (Episode 10, “The Diary”) – I loved Mr. and Mrs. Weir, and this scene found them torn between giving their daughter privacy vs. making sure she wasn’t getting involved in anything bad. What they read ended up changing how they treated her and each other, which was bittersweet to watch.
• Sam’s feathered hair and baby blue jumpsuit (Episode 11, “Looks and Books”) – Oh, my, this may have been the moment that made me laugh more than anything else on the series. He looked so ridiculous, but then most teenagers go to crazy lengths to achieve coolness, and we usually all fail miserably. He certainly did!

Sam's unfortunate choice of wardrobe and hair style

• Bill watching tv and eating an after school snack (various episodes) – Eating snacks and watching tv are part of most people’s childhood, and yet you don’t see it very often on a tv show. I appreciated this glimpse of Bill’s life. Living with a single, working mom, he came home to an empty house, and Garry Shandling kept him company.
• Coach Fredricks invades Bill’s happy home life (Episode 14, “Dead Dogs and Gym Teachers”) – From Bill’s incredulous scowl, to the awkwardness of Coach Fredricks drinking out of a mug that had Bill’s name on it, this plot seemed very realistic.
• Daniel’s stint as a punk rocker (Episode 15, “Noshing and Moshing”) – It was so funny watching Daniel make himself into a punk rocker. He looked ridiculous (much like Sam in his jumpsuit), but at least he figured out pretty quickly that the look and lifestyle weren’t working for him.

Daniel looks in the mirror and realizes how ridiculous he looks

• Future stars’ cameos – I couldn’t possibly list all the notable names here, but there were several cameos by actors who, at the time, weren’t household names, but who are now widely recognized. For example, any fan of The Office will get a kick out of seeing Rashida Jones (Jim’s ex, Karen) as a school bully who tormented Sam and his friends. Ben Stiller had a one episode stint as a secret service agent to Vice President George H.W. Bush, who was speaking at the high school. Lizzy Caplan (currently best known for her role as Amy in season one of True Blood) also showed up, as a love interest for Nick. Kevin Tighe, Locke’s con artist father on Lost, played Nick’s similarly heartless and cruel dad (he sold Nick’s drum set without asking – that’s almost as bad as stealing a kidney, right?) Aside from the core cast, who have almost all gone on to bigger and better things, the most notable familiar name is producer Judd Apatow. Before he was writing and producing movies like Knocked Up and The 40 Year Old Virgin, he was making tv shows about awkward teenagers (he later worked on Undeclared, which is about college kids). It’s nice to know that even though Freaks and Geeks didn’t live to see another season, many people who were involved in the show were able to use it as a launching pad for their careers.

Did you ever watch this show? If so, what were your favorite things about it? If not, add it to your rental queue right now. You won’t regret it!

So You Think You Can Dance’s initial performance episode of the season left me feeling unsettled. The circumstances that have developed since the top 20 were announced last week seem unfair to so many people, that the way things went tonight just seemed wrong. Of course, you can’t prevent injuries and illnesses from happening to contestants, or networks from showing the World Series instead of a dance competition results show. But on top of all that, I am disappointed with many of the pairings. Do the judges hand pick the couples, or are they drawn randomly out of a hat, just like their dance styles? I just had a grimace on my face watching some of these couples dance. Maybe they just need more time to develop chemistry, or maybe we’re in for a long season. Enough of my complaining. Here’s a quick review of the performances:

• Channing and Phillip – Quickstep – Channing looked very glamorous, and I thought she did a good job with the choreography. I’m just not a fan of Phillip, and his wardrobe and dancing didn’t do anything to change that. This is one of the couples that I’m not happy about.
• Ashleigh and Jakob – Broadway (Tyce Diorio) – Tyce called this sultry Broadway, and that it was. I was amazed with all the praise that the judges lavished on Jakob, but I’m happy to hear it, since I am a fan of his after Monday night’s “meet the top 20″ episode. I didn’t really get his clothing, but he sure does command attention on stage! Ashleigh really will have trouble getting noticed with him for a partner. I still can’t figure out who he looks like. It’s driving me crazy!
• Ariana and Peter – Hip Hop (Tabitha and Napoleon) – This routine was a “miss” for me. It reminds me of that weird routine that Ashley (?) and Kupono did early last season, where they were supposed to be crash test dummies or something. Let’s just say I find gold and silver spandex very distracting. Plus, there really was no chemistry between these two. I thought Peter did pretty well – he looked comfortable doing hip hop.
• Russell (and Melanie as a substitute for the injured Noelle) – Foxtrot – At the beginning it looked like this was going to be really bad, when Russell was way too deliberate about placing his hand behind his back. But then he loosened up some, and had fun with it. I wasn’t as disturbed watching him dance with Melanie as I was when Pasha danced with her a few seasons ago when his partner was out with an injury.
• Bianca and Victor – Contemporary (Travis Wall) – I don’t like them as a couple. Again, no chemistry, in my opinion. Victor is a great dancer, but Bianca’s shoulder’s really distract me (I have always noticed that, so I was glad Adam mentioned it). There were some excellent moves in this routine, so kudos to Travis Wall for that. Even though I don’t like Bianca and Victor together, I did like the routine.
• Karen and Kevin – Cha Cha (Tony and Meredith) – This was awkward for me to watch, but at least we heard a song from Glee (“Push It”). These two are just weird together, and Kevin didn’t seem too comfortable with all the gyrating. He seemed like he was just going through the motions. (Maybe he should have been in the bottom two guys instead of Russell…) Karen’s costume looked straight out of an 80s dance aerobics video.
• Ellenore and Ryan – Contemporary Jazz (Sonya Tayeh) – It wasn’t a smart move for Ellenore to talk up this performance as one of the best the show has ever seen, and that she’s ever performed. I guess she was trying to compliment Sonya, but it came across as arrogant. I did enjoy the strangeness of the routine, but it was far from the best I’ve ever seen on the show. Ryan certainly is a manly man, though, and he had a chance to show off his strength during this performance. These two have the potential to be a strong couple, and they are probably one of the most satisfying pairings so far. But did anyone else notice how Ellenore had her hand resting on Ryan’s lower abs and the front of his pants during the judges’ comments? I expected Ashleigh to walk on stage and swat her hand away. Seemed a little too personal. Awkward…
• Pauline and Brandon – Smooth Waltz – Too bad that Brandon has already been sent packing, because these two were a rather adorable couple. The dancing was far from perfect, but it was sweet.
• Kathryn and Legacy – Hip Hop (Dave Scott) – This goofy routine was about cavemen experiencing hip hop for the first time, and they didn’t really know what was happening. This was probably my favorite performance of the night. The choreography was clever, and Kathryn and Legacy did a great job bringing it to life. I actually laughed and smiled, while also being impressed by their style. These two are one of the better pairings, as far as chemistry goes.
• Mollee and Nathan – Disco (Doriana Sanchez) – “Inspired by Mexican wrestling…” I’m not a fan of disco, but this was a rather impressive routine. But, man, I’m disappointed that Nathan is paired with Mollee. Sure, they both have a teen fanbase, but I’d rather see Nathan with someone less goofy and hyper. Oh well, I suppose I should be happy that Nathan is in one of this season’s apparent power couples, since he’s one of my favorites.

The Bottom Four (as selected by the judges)

• Russell – What was he doing in the bottom four? Sure, his foxtrot wasn’t superb, but the judges seemed rather impressed by him at the time, and have loved him since the moment they first saw him in Boston. Why single him out for the bottom guys tonight when he was at a disadvantage without his partner? Maybe they just wanted an excuse to see his solo, but I would have been irate if they had sent him home so early! He didn’t seem too happy about being in the bottom four either, as his solo was especially intense.
• Brandon – Poor Brandon, we hardly knew him. He’s had quite a week: the jubilation of being called in to join the top 20, and the unfortunate circumstance of being sent home two days later, with words from the judges that he basically wasn’t quite good enough to be in the top 20. (It was nice of Nigel to say he wants to bend the rules to allow him to come back next season, but Brandon will have to do some more training and strengthening to actually make it further if that happens.)
• Ariana – I’m not surprised that she was sent home. We barely got to know her, and I agree with the judges that she lacked a certain fire in her eyes.
• Pauline – She’s very cute, but doesn’t seem to have much of a following. I guess she’ll be paired with Peter next week now that Ariana is gone.

Sent Home: Ariana and Brandon

So to return to my initial references to this episode making me feel unsettled: it is disappointing that Billy Bell had to drop out. It is also disappointing that Noelle will likely have top drop out next week (dancers don’t usually heal in one week from injuries that require a huge leg brace), which will leave Russell with a brand new partner. But even if Noelle can return to the competition, she and Russell will be a week behind the other couples. Pauline is also now at a disadvantage, because she has already lost two partners! So we started tonight’s episode with four dancers at a disadvantage: Russell, Pauline, Brandon, and Noelle. It’s unfortunate that the three of them who actually performed tonight ended up in the bottom four. If it were really true that the judges were making their decisions based on everything they know about the contestants, I think the bottom four would have consisted of a different group. Ultimately, though, it makes sense that they sent home Ariana and Brandon, but I’d imagine there are many fans who are disappointed that Ariana is already gone.

Hopefully next week’s show will have a more positive vibe!

• My favorite routines of the night: Kathryn and Legacy’s cavemen hip hop, Ellenore and Ryan’s contemporary jazz, Jakob and Ashleigh’s Broadway.

Related Post

• SYTYCD Season 6: Meet the Top 20
  

I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed last night’s special episode of SYTYCD, in which the viewing audience was treated to performances by the top 20 in their respective styles. Why have the show runners never done this before? Probably because it was hard enough to cram a full season into the short summer season. So now we have an added benefit of a fall season: time to do more showcasing of the contestants’ individual talent. Read on to see who danced what, who choreographed them, and how they did. I’ve listed the performances from my most to least favorite.

• Nathan, Ariana, Jakob, and Channing – Contemporary – Choreographed by Tyce Diorio – “Crying” by K.D. Lang – I absolutely loved this routine! It helps that two of my early favorites were in it (Nathan and Channing), and they didn’t disappoint. I loved the costumes, the choreography (I so prefer Tyce’s contemporary stuff to his Broadway), and the dancers’ complete investment in their charge to “convey sadness.” All these guys are so light on their feet, have impressive leaping abilities, and were basically a joy to watch. They reminded me why I love this show so much.   Ariana mostly caught my eye when she was leaping into someone’s arms, and I was impressed by Jakob’s strong movement. Channing manages to dance gracefully while also taking advantage of her strength, and I still maintain that she’s very elegant despite her tomboyishness off stage. And I continue to love everything that Nathan does.
• Top 20 Group Routine – “Comanche” by The Revels – Choreographed by Wade Robson – The setting of this routine is a smoky 1930s bar, and “the four slickest gangs in the city have showed up, and a turf war ensues.” This was a great way to kick off the night, and it’s my second favorite performance of the night. All 20 dancers were stylin’ in their 1930s-era clothing – I loved the guys in their suits, and the girls in their luxurious, shimmery, colorful dresses (especially the red and green). Everyone exuded personality and seemed spot on with the choregraphy. It was super cool and fun. It seems like this is a top 20 to be reckoned with!
• Legacy, Kevin, and Russell - Hip Hop – Choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon – “Beggin’ (District 78 Remix)” by Madcon – No doubt about it, these guys are a talented trio. I’ve discovered that although Russell is one of my favorites, I prefer serious Russell over smiley Russell. He has more intensity when he’s not grinning. I’m curious to see him in a contemporary or ballroom routine, but not so much Broadway. Knowing Kevin’s backstory, of how he’s worked hard for three years to be on the show, makes me like him more. Otherwise, I wouldn’t pay much attention to him – not with Russell and Legacy in the room. That Legacy sure is a scene stealer! He had the most impressive moves during this performance. Overall, though, all of them did a great job.
• Karen, Ryan, and Ashley – Latin Ballroom (Samba) Choregraphed by Jason Gilkison – “Everything I Can’t Have” by Robin Thicke – This was a fun, spicy routine, although not as effective as a traditional one on one partnered samba. Ryan was certainly working his suit, and Karen stood out to me more than Ashley. Mary called Karen “animalistic” – she definitely had a grittier stage presence than the more pageanty Ashley. These guys may be pretty good ballroom dancers, but they have nothing on Pasha and Anya, my all-time favorite ballroom couple on the show. Oh, how I miss them. I really hope they will choreograph some routines this season!
• Billy, Victor, Kathryn, and Noelle – Contemporary – Choreographed by Mandy Moore – “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay – Oh, I love this song! And I also found the beautiful autumn backdrop inspiring. Unfortunately, those were my favorite things about this routine. The dancing itself was so-so, which is more to blame on the choreography than the dancers – I think Mandy Moore is saving her best stuff for the actual competition. I didn’t particularly care for Noelle’s “Dorothy” skirt, but everyone else’s clothing seemed appropriate. Honestly, when I try to remember the difference between Kathryn and Noelle, they kind of morph into one person in my mind. Neither of them is high on my list of female contestants. Billy and Victor both did a good job, but didn’t wow me. During the partnering, the two couples were out of synch at times – it could have been much tighter and sharper. Overall, I was underwhelmed by this performance, especially compared to the outstanding Tyce Diorio routine from earlier in the show.
• Mollee, Pauline, and Ellenore – Jazz – Choreographed by Sonya Tayeh – “On a Cloud” by PPP – Adam said it best when he called this routine “cute as a button.” This was supposed to be a sexy, flirtatious dance, but the tu-tus made it seem more juvenline than the “grown up” women Sonya kept talking up. Ellenore is my favorite of these three girls, but she didn’t seem fully invested. While the other two girls were bouncing around and all smiles, Ellenore seemed unsure of her steps and afraid that her top was going to fall down. It’s true that the costume did not suit her at all. She seems more mature and refined than someone who would be jumping and bouncing around in a tu-tu. So, yes, this dance was more suited for the younger-seeming (they are actually all about the same age) and more playful Mollee and Pauline, who were actually quite good here. But as we know, the contestants who fail to show America their personality and ability to adapt to even the most awkward dance styles (remember how fantastic Joshua was doing the Bollywood dance in season four?). I fear that unless Ellenore does a great job in the first performance show, she is in danger of being the first girl sent home.
• Peter, Phillip, and Bianca – Tap – Choreographed by Derick K. Grant – “Take the ‘A’ Train” by Ella Fitzgerald – This routine was charming and pleasant, but didn’t blow me away. I’ve said before that I’m just not a huge fan of tap. It lacks the excitement of other forms of dance. However, I’m glad these guys had a chance to show off their talent in their style, since – as Nigel said – they won’t be including tap in the rotation of dance styles this season, because it would take too long to teach it to the other contestants. (I’m not sure I buy that. If they make people figure out various ball room styles, surely they could manage with tap, too.) In this performance, I was most drawn to Phillip, who had the most understated stage presence. I was able to appreciate his tapping without being distracted by over the top grinning.

So did this special episode change my opinion of any of the dancers? Well, I still love Nathan and Channing, think Russell is pretty cool, and think Ellenore may be in trouble. The dancer who I didn’t know much about beforehand that stood out to me was Jakob. He is pretty fantastic and fun to watch, and I can’t quite place it, but he reminds me of some actor. Who does he look like to you?

Who impressed you the most in this episode?