Karla and Jonathan: Hip-Hop - Dave Scott returns! Unfortunately Jonathan made this routine a little hard to watch. Much like the first week he just looked very amateur. Karla was decent but nothing to write home about. I thought last week was a turning point for these two but it looks like they are back to square one.

Asuka and Vitolio: Jazz - There are only 2 words that come to mind for this routine....dance recital. Partially the fault of the choreographer but also due to the cheesy delivery of the dancers. I was not a fan.

Melissa and Ade: Rumba - Overall I liked it. Ade once again showed himself to be a very versatile dancer, bringing strength to yet a new style. Melissa could have been a little softer on some of the moves but they were successful once again.

Janette and Brandon: Hip-Hop - I must admit I was surprised by both of these dancers tonight. Jeanette definitely brought the sass to her character and I didn't expect Brandon's popping to be SO good. They've shown once again they are a couple to beat.

Kayla and Kupono: Viennese Waltz - I think I'm going to like these two together. Both are very pretty dancers (arms, legs, feet) so it was very nice of the producers to give them this fluid of a dance (also nice of them to give the specialty cityscape lighting). I do think that they will get votes and be safe this week.

Randi and Evan: Contemporary - Did anyone else notice Randi's Unitard Girl T-shirt? It was awesome. What stands out about these two is their ability to take on the characters of the dance. Thinking back they have done it every week thus far. Can't wait to see a hip-hop routine on these two.

Kaitlin and Jason: Paso Doble - Compared to paso dobles from past season I don't think this one had the same power or fire. Take a cue from a great movie (one that should NOT be remade into a ABC Family TV show!) - I wasn't overwhelmed or underwhelmed I was just whelmed.

Jeanine and Phillip: Broadway - Finally they don't disappoint! For the first time I saw Jeanine's appeal. She carried the weight in this routine and finally showed some personality.

As far as the bottom goes I think Nigel was spot on with Kayla and Jonathan. I'd also put my money on Asuka and Vitolio.

"Modifying your Manipulation of Movement"

Note on the intros - I think Jeanette got the most applause out of all the girls - could this be an indication of her overall popularity?

Randi and Evan: Jive - These two are quickly becoming one of my favorite couples. They are adorable and genuinely seem like nice kids that are having a good time with this. The technique was pretty much on though Randi's arms were a bit distracting at some points. Overall very enjoyable.

Melissa and Ade: Jazz - It just wasn't as good as I wanted it to be (or as the judges thought it was). Melissa looked like she was going through the motion a little bit and I thought Ade really carried the weight in this performance.

Caitlin and Jason: Hip-Hop - Jason is good....really good. Caitlin was much better in her solo section than in the synchronized portions. Mary was right on in saying that they were just very different dancers in this piece. My sister brought up an interesting comparison between Caitlin and Kherington from last season. Both were pimped very heavily during auditions by judges and producers but also had very popular partners. We will see if unlike Kherington, Caitlin can last in the competition when not paired with one of the best guys.

Jeanette and Brandon: Disco - Can we get this girl a new haircut please? I love disco and I was tired just watching it. There were a couple of bobbles but they were well handled (and kind of expected at that speed!) It's amazing how well these two have done with both of their ballroom dances - it has definitely put them at the front of the pack.

Asuka and Vitolio: Waltz - The lines hit during dance were absolutely gorgeous - from the splits to the arms. People who don't really "get" dance and the concept of lines should really watch this routine and it should make sense. I'm really glad these two bounced back from their Broadway disaster last week.

Kayla and Max: Pop Jazz - Another great return to the show in Brian Friedman even though he's not rocking the curly locks anymore. Kayla killed it. Even at the beginning of the routine when Max was supposed to be the highlight my eyes went straight to her and pretty much stayed there the whole time. She is totally deserving of all the praise given to her by the judges and I am a big fan.

Karla and Jonathan: Contemporary - Wow - what a great debut for a new choreographer! Last week Jonathan annoyed me with his salsa but things were totally different with the contemporary - He wasn't dancing like a little boy and he was good! This was the first time we've actually seen how good of a dancer Karla was and learning she is also a hip-hop dancer only makes her even more exciting. I absolutely loved every minute of it and can't wait to see what else Stacey can bring this season!

Jeanine and Phillip: Tango - Phillip did a decent job for his first time out of his style. Jeanine doesn't do much for me. She doesn't inspire me to pick up the phone and vote - doesn't really make me want to watch her dance and she doesn't even get the judges to talk about her. This week could be trouble for them.

Ashley and Kupono: Hip-Hop - I was not in agreement with the judges on this one. I thought it was pretty decent routine. Ashley continues to surprise me and is definitely growing on me.

Strange.....ly Intriguing

I recently stumbled across this video on Facebook.



Things that went through my mind while watching this
- How do these kids know Usher?
- Why is this Canadian kid throwing up the A?
- It looks like a Ludacris video except everyone is white and small
- I think I went to college with a kid named Justin Bieber
- Watch out Jesse McCartney
- Is this the white man's non-threatening R&B answer to post-"Domestic Disturbia" Chris Brown?

...I'm confused

Finally!!

It's the day we've all been waiting for - the first full performances of the season!

Jeanine and Phillip - Tabitha and Napolean are back with their unique brand of lyrical hip-hop. While Phillip's popping style was perfect for the routine Jeanine felt a little forced and stiff. Unlike Adam I really think she was overshadowed. Note to the cameramen - please stop with the kooky angles, I'm getting a little vertigo...thanks.

Asuka and Vitolio - Can't say that I was totally wowed by this. Broadway routines have to be infused with lots of energy and cheeseballness and I just didn't get it from either one of them.

Karla and Jonathan - The Gaga makes her SYTYCD debut! Watching Jonathan kind of reminds me of watching one of those youth ballroom competitions - and not in a good way. Everything was just a little amateurish. In fact I was so distracted by this I didn't really pay attention to Karla. Really didn't agree with the judges on this one and I think these two might be in trouble.

Randi and Evan - While I think these two danced the piece very well I wasn't the biggest fan of Tyce's choreography/music choice on this one - it was a little repetitive and never really picked up. Since that's not their fault I'll focus on the dancing - both had beautiful lines and I think the connection was good. They will definitely be a couple to watch.

Paris and Tony - Mary was spot on in saying that this won't be a memorable dance. Yes, Paris was better at hip-hop than expected. No, Tony isn't gangsta or buck (yet). Are these two in trouble? Judging on the high pitched squeals I'll say no.

Caitlin and Jason - Very entertaining number - I love Bollywood!! This technique is really difficult and they really pulled it off well. I'm really glad they threw in this style right from the beginning this season and I can't wait to see more. Jason is definitely creeping to the top of my early favorites to make the Top 4.

Jeanette and Brandon - Holy dancing show crossover Batman! Louis van Amstel from Dancing with the Stars! Brandon really showed off his strength with the challenging lifts in this piece. I really like the Foxtrot and the style brought out both of their grace.

Ashley and Kupono - WADE!!!! It was crazy and weird but at the same time overwhelmingly beautiful. Like Mary I bought it and I loved it!

Melissa and Ade - Mandy Moore always has great choreography and the dance was absolutely gorgeous. We didn't see a whole lot from these two in the auditions but if they have some versatility we could have another power couple.

Kayla and Max - Wow that was SO much better than I expected. Kayla has already shown versatility throughout and Max was totally in his comfort zone. Coming into tonight I would have put him on my at risk list but now I think he's safe.

Quote of the night - "Mary Murphy gives us an eyebrow." "I can't because of Botox!"

In trouble tonight?
This show is SO much harder to predict than Idol! Asuka and Vitolio had the weakest performance in my opinion with Paris and Tony also at risk for being in the bottom three couples. Ultimately I think that those who had little early exposure are more likely to be sent home by the judges so I wouldn't be shocked to see Karla and Jonathan eliminated.

In Case You Missed It

As some of you may know Jimmy Fallon hosts the Late Night show on NBC these days. While his comedic bits can be hit or miss this scene from last night was a winner. For the past few months Fallon has been trying to reunite the cast of Saved by the Bell for the 20th anniversary of the show's debut. Thus far he's bagged commitments from Dennis Haskins, Mario Lopez and Lark Voorhies and tonight he got the big gun. Children of the 90's - enjoy. I may have teared up a little when "Friends Forever" started playing. Come on Kelly and Screech!

TV Wrap-Up Week... Wrap-Up

Kind of fell off my game this weekend with a lot of things going on. These are the last three series we'll be talking about. Hopefully you have a couple new shows to check out on Hulu during the summer months!

Friday Night Lights (NBC) - The Taylors (Eric, Tami, Julie, and Gracie). The Garritys (Buddy and Lyla). The Riggins (Tim and Billy). The Colletes (Tyra, Mindi, and Angela). The Saracens (Matt and his Grandmother). Landry Clarke. The Williams (Corrina, Smash). The McCoys (JD, Joe, and Katie). This is the Friday Night Lights family, and with the exception of Landry, it's interesting to note that these are families. And that's the major appeal of this show. Earlier this year, we wrote pleas for you to watch FNL. We begged you to put aside your feelings about Texas, football, and high-schoolers and just give the show a chance. And then we listed our reasons: we compared the show to arguably the best drama ever made (The Wire), we explained that the characters are three-dimensional, we documented all the great music they've used to add even more to each scene, and we confessed that even though we like to think we're pretty manly (well, one of us at least), almost every episode of this past season has blurred the vision a little bit. To contine raving about the show is almost pointless... either you're convinced, or you're not. Regardless, Friday Night Lights and its incredible ensemble cast will entertain us for the next two years, and that's a very good thing.

Mad Men (AMC) - Jon Hamm! Scotch, smoking, sex!! Retro fashion and culture!!! It's actually been so long since this show's incredible season finale happened, I can barely remember what the second season of Mad Men was about (hence, the yelling of fragments above). However, it's definitely on the shortlist of shows I would consider taking with me if I had to pick just one for a deserted island... assuming the island has Lost-esque power capabilities. The things that make Friday Night Lights great apply for Mad Men: great character development, interesting story lines, and characters that are both incredibly flawed yet sympathetic. And while many shows take time to develop those characteristics, Mad Men hit the ground running from Episode 1.1 and hasn't lost steam. Although still in its infancy, I think it's safe to say that we can expect similarly great things of the show in the future.

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (FX) - If you already watch It's Always Sunny, then you'll recognize the clips below. If you don't, watch them. The first is an extended 6ish minute clip that embodies the general tone of every episode (over-the-top, vulgar, playing on stereotypes, moral voiding, etc). If you like it, you'll like pretty much every episode. If you hate it, you'll hate pretty much every episode. The second clip is the opening sequence of the season finale, probably one of the funniest episodes in the series' 4 seasons. If nothing else, they should make you laugh. Hopefully, they'll convince you to watch the show

If this doesn't get you excited...

you may not be human.

Bow down Beyonce...the real diva is back.

Thoughts on the Top 20

This week has brought us to the most important leg in our journey to find America's favorite dancer...the Top 20. Very few people that we were introduced during the auditions weeks actually made it this far (only Ryan and Asuka from our highlighted dancers last week.) Here are my thoughts on why...First of all the people chosen to be featured during the auditions are more often than not selected for their interesting backstories or ebullient personalities. We learn to love them, get invested and then get disappointed when they don't have the technical skills to back it up. Another problem seen frequently this year was the contestants' discomfort with dance styles outside their own. This was particularly true for early favorite Gabi Rojas who shined in her solos but just looked downright awkward during the hip hop and jazz segments.

Dancers I'm excited about in the Top 20
- Randi - another jazzerina from Utah...and I dig her unitard swag
- Kayla - didn't disappoint at all during Vegas week and showed versatility
- Paris - the beauty queen seemed to excel in all styles though I do sense a little potential to get annoying
- Asuka - as long as Cat and the judges stop calling her "Oscar" she'll be OK
- Evan - though in my opinion Ryan outshone him this week he still brings something fresh to the competition
- Jason - all of the clips they showed of him have been AMAZING - can't wait to see him in a full routine
- Vitolio - we hardly got to see him dance but his energy is infectious

Other things I'm excited about
- The imminent showdown between Brandon and Mia
- The return of Wade Robson and Shane Sparks as choreographers
- Mary's first hot tamale train squeal

Can't wait for Wednesday!

Thursday TV Wrap-Up

The Office (NBC) – While The Office doesn’t generate the same cultural buzz that it once commanded, this season ushered in a much-needed mini-renaissance. With the Pam-and-Jim storyline kind of on a holding pattern (which is moderately annoying, but whatever), they were able to focus on some other characters and bring in great guests for multiple-episode arcs. Amy Ryan did a fantastic job as Holly, Toby’s replacement in HR and Michael’s flame-not-to-be. Although she added to Michael’s awkwardness, when the two were together, it was more bearable for some reason. And obviously, Idris Elba was excellent as Charles Miner, Michael’s replacement at the Scranton branch after he started the Michael Scott Paper Company. Miner’s hatred of Jim wasn’t that believable, but it was pretty funny… almost as funny as when he finally realizes that Dwight is insane. But the best storyline of the season probably revolved around Dwight, Andy, and Angela. Their love triangle finally fell apart, and the evolution of Dwight and Andy’s friendship has been as funny as anything else on the show this season. A welcomed resurgence from the folks at Dunder Mifflin!

Parks and Recreation (NBC) – Are people already writing this show off? Are you kidding me? It’s only been 6 episodes!! This seems eerily reminiscent of how quickly people were willing to write off Arrested Development, and if anything’s been shown to be almost universal in television, it's that shows need a couple of seasons to get off the ground. Parks and Recreation has a phenomenal cast, and although Amy Poehler’s character (Leslie Knope) seems to be going for the "female Michael Scott" feel (not sure if that’s good or even necessary), everyone else has been stellar. Rashida Jones and Chris Pratt have a great dynamic as Ann (responsible nurse and parks sub-committee member) and Andy (the can't-quite-make-it rocker). The government staff is hilarious: the sleezy but innocent Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari), the dry-humored Mark Brendanawicz (Paul Schneider), the completely anti-government Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman), and the young, disinterested intern April (Aubry Plaza). This show is good, and it really hit its high on season finale “Rock Show.” If you didn’t catch it this season, make sure you check it out in the fall, when NBC’s Thursday night comedy lineup is going to be incredible.



30 Rock (NBC) – Wow… this season ended with a bang, didn’t it?!? Between “Kidney Now” and “That’s a Dealbreaker, ladies!” we had a lot on our plates. I like to think of myself as a good person, but if the opportunity arose, I think I would steal Tina Fey away from her husband so fast Usain Bolt would be jealous (not of… you know, me getting Tina Fey or anything, but of the… the fastness.. you know, because, uh... he’s really fast… right??…). 30 Rock remains the best comedy on TV because it’s smart, lightning quick-witted, and ultra-consistent. The star power they rolled out for guests this year was obscene: Will Arnett, the cast of Night Court, John McEnroe, Jennifer Aniston (who actually was pretty terrible), Salma Hayek (kind of ditto), The Oprah, Megan Mullally, Steve Martin, JON HAMM, and Alan Alda… not to mention the myriad musicians on hand for the season finale benefit parody. How I Met Your Mother may have a tight-knit cast, but 30 Rock has the best cast. Between the big-timers (Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, Jane Krakowski) and the supporting cast (too many to name, but absolutely essential to the show), everyone comes with top-notch performances for every episode. I’d like to think that if Arrested Development were still on the air, it would continue to be amazing and stand alone as the best comedy on television. But even if it was, I think 30 Rock would give it a run for its money. The subtle humor and linear storytelling feel very similar, and while not as subversive as AD, 30 Rock is pretty damn close to going punch-for-punch on the jokes. And that’s probably the greatest compliment I could give to any show. That, and the fact that we named this blog after it!!!

Wednesday TV Wrap-Up

Lost (ABC) - How can you rationally talk about a show that is so irrational and insane that when you tell someone you watch it, they immediately either laugh at you or launch into their theory of what the HELL happened at the end of this season?? It’s impossible, unless you’re this guy from Entertainment Weekly, who writes excellent reviews about each episode, complete with wacky ideas about every plot twist and turn. And boy howdy (yes… boy howdy), this season had its share of them. I’ll admit, the constant time-jumping was actually kind of annoying and hard to follow (laws of physics, notwithstanding), and a number of characters were very underutilized (Jin and Sun, for sure). But episode-for-episode, this was one of (if not the) best seasons of Lost. Between the reformed Sawyer, the batty Jack, and the comedy duo of Hurley and Miles, there was a good amount of character development this season. But this season will by defined by two things: the performance of Michael Emerson (as Ben Linus) and the season finale, “The Incident.” Terry O’Quinn’s portrayal of John Locke was excellent, but Emerson is the best actor on television (not an overstatement), and if he doesn’t win an Emmy, there is something seriously wrong. He at once elicits both sympathy and hatred, and he does both in such subtle ways that you don’t even realize you feel sorry for him/hate him until after you’ve started doing it. As for “The Incident,” I don’t even know how to begin thinking about it. Did a hydrogen bomb go off? Is Jacob’s nemesis the black smoke? Is Locke really dead? Does Jack really believe he wanted to blow up the island for a second shot with Kate? (Her?) This was a Top 5 episode (as a season finale should be) and I can’t wait for the next (and last) season. They’re unlikely to answer every question (like ‘What’s the deal with Aaron?!?!’), but I feel confident that by the end, we’ll be able to look back and say that it was one of the better television series in the past decade.

Paolo Nutini - "Sunny Side Up"

Continuing this week's semi-switcheroo....This 22 year old Scot has done a lot of maturing since his 2006 debut "These Streets." While that album was full of standard radio fare guitar driven pop this latest release sounds like it could have been recorded in another decade. "No Other Way" and "Coming Up Easy" would be right at home on any Otis Redding or Sam Cooke album while "Pencil Full of Lead" and "Simple Things" conjure images of washboard and harmonica jam sessions on sleepy Southern porches. Who needs plutonium and gigawatts when you've got music like this?

Sunny Side Up - Paolo Nutini

Dirty Projectors: "Bitte Orca" (Streaming)

Bitte Orca, the Dirty Projectors' soon-to-be-released new album is now streaming from NPR. Last week, we may have stated that the Album of the Year race has two horses: Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion and Grizzly Bear's Veckatimest. We may also be dumb, as Bitte Orca is bound to garner the same kind of critical praise as both those albums. It's probably more on the Animal Collective side in terms of accessibility (or rather, inaccessibility), but the vocal harmonies and complex rhythms/time signatures definitely make this album an interesting listen, if nothing else. Whatever you think of the album as a whole, "Stillness Is The Move" is bomb. Respect.

Monday TV Wrap-Up

So I'm kind of switching things up a little this week and talking about the shows I watched this year. You get a lot of reality TV updates, but I'm here to let you know a little about some of the excellent comedies and dramas that recently wrapped up their 2008-2009 seasons. With the exception of today's post (which will consist of shows that aired on Monday), all future posts will include reviews for shows that aired on that day. Without further ado...

Chuck (NBC) – You always know what you’re going to get with the Josh Schwartz-produced Chuck: solid acting, semi-cheesy plot lines, more-or-less slapstick action, pretty good humor, and above average indie music. Zach Levi is a strong leading-man, and the supporting cast of characters… from Chuck’s sister Elie and her husband (as of the season finale) Awesome, to Chuck’s best friend Morgan and the Nerd Herders Lester and Jeff, to Chuck’s government handlers Sarah Walker and John Casey… is really cohesive and makes the show enjoyable through side-plots that are often funnier and more entertaining than the requisite “missions” for each episode. Although they’ve had their number of episodes for next season reduced (and we can undoubtedly plan on more Subway product placement), having Chuck around for another year was great news to the show’s many (and vociferous) fans.

How I Met Your Mother (CBS) – Awesome… just a really really good season of television. The cast is quickly becoming one of the tightest in television, especially considering that this is a traditional sitcom (laugh-track included). No doubt benefiting from the star power of Jason Segel, Neil Patrick Harris, and even Alyson Hannigan, the writers have managed to stay smart while still appealing to the same audience as Two and a Half Men and The Big Bang Theory. Not a small accomplishment. Theoretically, this show could go on forever… and if they keep pace with the quality from this season, you won’t hear any objections here.


24 (Fox) – For about 16-18 hours, 24 was back. I still remember watching the first few seasons of the show and being completely swept up by it. Sure, the storylines and situations were probably as ridiculous as they are now, but you could always count on at least a few huge surprises that you didn’t see coming, but that actually made sense in retrospect. We were on our way to a gold-standard season and things started unraveling. Jack gets infected with an untreatable disease? He wants to die, although Kim wants to help save him? Tony is bad, then good, then bad, then good, then bad? And seriously, I’m supposed to believe that a group of foreign nationalists could invade the White House? Or that all it takes to smuggle a biological weapon into the US is to pay-off one night guard at the shipyard? Really??? In the end, this season was ruined by combination of unnecessary and nonsensical twists, a few annoying characters (I kept waiting for Renee and Olivia to die), and a nauseating commentary on current tactics against terrorist threats (“The FBI plays by the rules. Jack, what are your rules?!? How can you live with yourself??!?!?”). Just write something entertaining and let us enjoy our Jack Bauer Kill Count Drinking Game.

Heroes (NBC) – Gave up on it. Loved the first season. Hated the second season. Tried to forgive it and watch the third season, and although it was pretty decent for a while, it derailed fast and I lost all investment in the characters.

Castle (ABC) – I never saw this show when it was regularly scheduled, and I couldn’t record it because it conflicted with other shows on my DVR schedule. But I saw every episode online and it’s definitely worth the time. Nathan Fillion excels as the title character of Richard Castle, a successful crime-story writer doing research for a new sequence of books based off of his interactions with Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic). It’s a different twist on the cop-show genre, and there’s plenty of humor to balance out the drama. The season finale served as a HUGE cliffhanger, and next season’s premier should be excellent. Already owning a strong supporting cast (Molly Quinn and Susan Sullivan are great as Castle’s daughter and live-in mother)… all this show lacks is a stronger viewership

An Open Letter to the Cleveland Cavaliers

Dear Cleveland Cavaliers,

Stop. Please stop. Just stop talking. You're done... eliminated from the playoffs after a Dwight Howard deltoid-sized crapping of the bed. A 4-2 series defeat in the Eastern Conference Finals. A defeat that you (Mo Williams) continue to claim "could've gone either way." Which way would that be? The one where you're a pray-to-God-it-goes-in bucket away from being swept 4-0? That's a pretty interesting scenario, and would've made for one of the most satisfying story lines in sports. You wanna know
why?

You've alienated people. People don't like you anymore. And it's your fault.

For some reason, people thought that your high-fiving and laughing and hysterics were a symbol of a group of guys who "just like to have fun." Forget for a second the millions upon millions of dollars you're paid to play a game (and to endorse shoes). I'm not sure how showing a lack of sportsmanship really exemplifies the purity of "playing basketball for the sake of playing basketball." And you're getting called on it. And it's great. Not only did you win (an impressive) 66 games in the regular season, but you did it without class. And now that you've exited before Nike and Comissioner Stern and ABC and TNT can bank on a Kobe/LeBron championship (is there a Dwight doll in the works?), people are happy. People are happy because in defeat, you also proved, more-or-less, to be classless. When the leader (and maybe only actual NBA player) on your team ducks out before congratulating the other team or talking to the press, only to claim the following day that he's "too competitive" to shake hands... that's when you've proven how unworthy you are for support. But it's good. People like consistency... and you've given us that. Poor-winners, poor-losers... you've exhibited poorness without fail. Well done.

The NBA Playoffs have been one of the most compelling things on television for the past few weeks. Although this may have something to do with regularly scheduled TV programming being over, I'd like to think it has at least something to do with how exciting basketball can be when played at the highest level. And although the Magic have very little chance at beating the Lakers (because they're a much much better team than the Cavs), at least the Championship will be played by two competitive teams that have respect for each other and the game.

Sincerely,

Dwight Howard's Delts

Matt & Kim (and Mojitos)

So there I was, minding my own business, watching a replay of the Federer-Haas French Open Round of 16 match... and all of a sudden, I hear the distinctive keyboard line of Matt & Kim's "Daylight." Lo and behold, who is this young, bearded party-goer... he with white, v-neck tee under skinny-lapelled sport jacket?? He seems to have developed a crazy time-defying machine that allows him to move through different eras. What is his quest? Naturally, a Bacardi mojito. Good placement for Matt & Kim. If nothing else, people will Google the song which should generate some new interest.