Dear Emily,
I have a new theory about this whole back to back seasons five and six schedule. Based on what I saw last night, I think season five may have been a throw away for FOX. They knew the ratings would matter more in the fall so they held back the better dancers (excluding Brandon, Janette, etc.) in order to wow new viewers. In short, the dancers in last night's top 77 looked incredibly skilled.
We started the show with two married couples still in the competition. They broke one of them up early and all I could do was give a hearty Nelson Muntz Ha Ha. It seemed like a cheap way to entice us and I didn't want to see it come down to the two of them for the last spot. But wait, by the end of the show we still have the stronger married couple of Ashleigh and Ryan intact. You can bet that they will be this season's Kaytee and Natalie.
The rest of the night was highlighted by ankle injuries and most of my top 20 sailing through. Both Mollee Gray and Pauline Mata (season five) twisted their ankles, with Pauline's looking like someone fit an apple under her skin. Mollee danced the rest of the night, but Pauline is out for the duration, though the judges haven't told her to go home yet. I'm guessing she's in. Sadly, I lost Iveta last night. There must be another ballroom dancer waiting in the wings. Damn.
I noticed something last night that sets this season apart. We are getting a streamlined version of the audition process and it makes everything a bit tighter. There were no two hour city shows and the whole of Vegas will only encompass three hours, including next week's selection of the Top 20. They are forced to give us the best dancers and none of the silliness. Oh wait, there was a gratuitous pool scene last night with some of the female contestants. But, you know, other than that.
So my top 12 now looks like this: Mollee Gray, Bianca Tapdancer, Jonathan Litzler, Paula Van Oppen, Sasha Mallory, Russell Ferguson, Billy Bell (Adam cried [a lot] during his admittedly fabulous solo last night), Jamal Jackson, Victor Smalley, Diana Drexler (though I think she's out and I didn't know) Nathan, Iveta Lukosiute.
I would also like to add a note that Jacob Karr is an absolute shoo in for the final 20. He looked superb last night and somehow managed a Broadway routine in skinny jeans.
Looking forward to re-watching it all on DVR,
Joe
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