Thinking About DWTS and Pimping

So I was pondering things tonight, after that elimination on DWTS.  I wandered over to the blog from hell to see what 'the numbers' had decreed would happen (ie, how many more votes David needed over Simone to be staying) and lo' and behold, half the post was about a dancer who is no longer on the show.  Anyway, it got me to thinking about pro-pimping and eyes on the screen and production's mandate.  I also wonder how many votes in total get cast every week - that's the most closely-held secret in DWTSLandia, I think.

So it's a TV show.  Always remember it's a TV show (thank you Shirley Ballas).  The main goal of the TV show is to get eyes on the screen.  What eyes?  The coveted 18-49 demographic to be precise.  That's how the show makes money and that's how they stay on the air.  Getting those advertisers who want those viewers.

Okay, so... over the years, DWTS has become a great deal about following the pros.  I think the majority of the regular viewership has their favourites and continue to tune in, in large part, to see them.  And I think alot of that viewership is women between the ages of 25 - 55.  So, they're going to have their favourites that they're going to root for, no matter who the celeb is.  And some of them actually have as their favourites, some of the female pros and some of the married ones.  But I don't think those viewers are a huge majority.  Quite the contrary.

But the network wants more of those new eyes on their screen, so they figure that one way to do it is to have a star pro or two who would bring in the coveted eyes.  In the past we've had Hough and Mark and Maks all at once or a couple at a time.  But this season is different.  Hough has moved on (thank God!) and Mark has as well, but I can actually see him coming back for a season if the partner and the $$ are right - and even then, he's a married man now, so would he attract a bunch of new eyes?  I'm doubtful.  And Maks... well, Maks has moved on and he hasn't.  But my point is... where is the hunky single fellow that the young ladies can swoon over?  Gleb?  Married, wife pregnant with 2nd child and he's icky - okay, so that's my opinion, but I've seen it shared in a lot of places.  Sasha?  He's adorable but he's quirky and he's engaged to the lovely Emma.  Artem?  I don't think the young ladies have the taste to appreciate his uniqueness.  *LOL*  And I'm back to Maks who is head over heels for Peta and a new father and not likely to bring in a ton of young eyes.  So who do we have?  Who's still 'available'?  We're left with the Little One.  Val.  He's going to be the pro that production is going to do their best for, I think, as the one with the greatest chance of bringing in the young eyes.  Of course, if they bring Alan on board next season, he could get some competition.

And the ladies suffer from somewhat the same problem.  I suspect most of the viewership is female and in reality, therefore, not really likely to be fanatical about them.  Even if they are extremely talented and terrific.

So production sees the votes every week.  They know who's pulling in the votes and they're not dumb, not really, they have a decent handle on the whys and wherefores.  I think they have a good idea of how much of the vote is for the pro and how much for the celeb.  They've been on top for a long time and it's not luck.

In the end though, I don't think that Simone got sent home because Normani was being pimped to promote Val. I think Normani is a pretty good dancer and is quite the crowd pleaser on her own.  I think the judges being so harsh on Simone for so long poisoned a lot of the casual vote that she would have received.  I also think that she isn't as DWTS crowd-friendly as Laurie was last season.  Laurie just sparkled all over the place, but Simone is more quiet and demure - I honestly think she might be a true introvert.  That being said, yes, I think they are 'highlighting' Val somewhat as the pro draw, but that's the business.  He's the one most likely to bring in and keep viewers in the desired demographic. I don't like it, but it is what it is.

So that's what I think about the pro-pimping and the producer's so-called agenda.  In the end, it's a TV show produced to make money for the network.  And now I'm going to bed.  *LOL*

HOORAY!!!!

Meryl and Maks are the champions of Season 18 of Dancing With the Stars!!!  I am SO thrilled!!!  Congratulations to both Meryl and Maks for making this the best season of DWTS EVER!  

DWTS Musings and Meanderings

I have been thinking thoughts.  I know, scary, right?  Well, sometimes that's what happens in my head.  *LOL*  And sometimes there are more thoughts that will fit in a little 140 character window on Twitter.  So, setting aside a hefty, hefty bag of skepticism...

First off, as I said on Twitter last night, I think that since Season 10 of DWTS, when we had Evan Lysacek and Nicole Scherzinger and Erin Andrews 'battling' it out for the Mirror Ball Trophy, the producers have been demanding more and more and more of their celebrities, leading to injuries all over the place.   Currently, we have Danica's fractured rib, Meryl's broken toe and something with her wrist, Amy's spasming back and Candace's crippling performance anxiety.  If I'm not mistaken, James had a shoulder issue earlier this season.  The only one who seems to have escaped unscathed so far is Charlie - but then he had to shave his chest (SHAME!  SHAME!).   These people are not professional dancers, why do they need to be pushed so hard to perform more and more difficult stuff and end up hurting themselves?  Good TV?  I don't enjoy it.  And while I do know that my opinion is not the only one that counts, surely I can't be alone in this?

Then there's the ongoing "Why is Charlie getting hosed" discussion.  Well... I don't think he's getting hosed, folks.  At the beginning of the season, there was talk about how both Charlie and Meryl were going to have to make the transition from ice to wood - and this is after 17 years of 'dancing' on ice.  At first, it looked as if Charlie was the one adapting more quickly than Meryl, but right now, I think he's hit that last stumbling block to get over so that moving on the dance floor becomes almost as second nature as moving on the ice.  Last night, he looked to me like he was still expecting his feet to slide as they do on ice and was a little surprised when they didn't.  Meryl seems to have overcome that last hurdle.  Is it easier for her because she's the female?  Possibly.  All that hold, leading and stuff might make things easier for the lady of the couple.

And has anyone noticed that many of the things coming out of Sharna's mouth sound rather familiar?  I know the Maks fans will find them so.  And I don't say they're not warranted.  I love Sharna.  She has become my favourite of the ladies now that Anna isn't around.  I love her honesty, her brashness, her outspokenness... many of the same things I like about Maks, BTW.  But sometimes Maks has been known to hyperbolize where his partner was concerned, I think that Sharna might be as well.  And that's FINE!!  It's how they should be supporting their partner, shoring up confidence, letting their partner know that they have their back.  So, what does Sharna have to do?  Get Charlie out of his technical head for one thing.  Maks has been able to get emotion out of Meryl (something I thought no one would ever be able to do after watching her skate) but Sharna hasn't been able to get the same out of Charlie.  Charlie also has to stop focusing on the darned 10s.  He wants them way too badly.  It's blocking him from accessing his emotions, I think, and it makes him sound whiney.   When it comes down to it, right now, Meryl has made the transition from ice to wood and is the better dancer of the two.  That doesn't mean that Charlie is BAD by any means, he's just not as complete, IMHO.  And I also think that Charlie is STELLAR in a rom-com type of dance, but the intense stuff?  Not so much.  Again, it's the emotion thing.   Donald O'Connor instead of Gene Kelly in "Singing in the Rain", y'know?

(So now, the skeptic in me says, that the script will now focus on Charlie rising from the latest ashes as has been predetermined from Day One, but I am trying to quell it.  *LOL*)

Now, I don't know what magic Meryl has woven to gift us with this Maks.  I have long suspected that this is what lurked behind much of what we saw on DWTS over the years, when he's not shoehorned into playing Mr. Crankyass.  I just hope that TPTB aren't grooming Sharna for that role in the future.

And while I'm at it.  Damn, Bruno... coming on to James like he did last night.  Dirty Old Man much???   Just let a 58-year old man come on to a 23 year old young woman like he did and everyone would be horrified.  And rightly so.  This was equally as distasteful.  Every season he's got to step over that line at least once.  *sigh*

And let it be noted that I am not a fan of these big production numbers for the couple dances.  Even all the crowdede mucking about at the beginnings.  I'm starting to sound like Len now.  *LOL*   It makes my DWTS look like my SYTYCD and I don't want, need or appreciate that.   And it's funny... I've agreed with Len pretty much all along so far with his comments and scores.  Sometimes it's like he's the lone sane voice crying out in the wilderness.  *g*  (And that scares the bejeesus out of me!)  Oh, and let's not forget, Len was the one that gave Charlie the 10 in Disney Week despite the wandering cane.

Look, I'm no expert, but I know what I enjoy and one does not need to be an expert to 'feel' a dance.

Now, come on, aren't these two adorable??  :)

You know what? Thanks Maks!

So I had an epiphany last night while watching Dancing With The Stars.  It was during the second round of dances, when the judges were critiquing Amber and Derek's Viennese Waltz.  Maks told Amber that she was in the best hands possible because no one knew better than Derek how to put together routines etc.. to make her shine.  He was the best in the business at packaging his celeb etc.. etc...

Now, it's no secret that I'm not a Derek fan.  He's struck a wrong chord with me since his second season, I guess.  I don't buy his self-deprecating persona.  I don't buy the "aw shucks" routine at all.  I think he's very calculating, very out for Derek and furthering Derek is always in the forefront of his mind.   He seems a very personable fellow, polite and well-mannered but...

Derek is talented.  He's a gifted choreographer and a gifted dancer.  I see his talent all the time. I'm not fond of his style, but I'm not so bull-headed as to ignore his obvious gifts.  And some people like his blond, Leonardo DiCaprio looks.  Not my taste.   But I love dance - I should love Derek's routines, right?  Well... I've realised a big part of why I don't.  And that's thanks to my honest Maks who calls 'em as he sees and feels 'em.

See.. when Maks gave Derek the compliment - and believe me, in Maks' eyes, it's a HUGE compliment - I realised what it was that turned me off routines of Derek's most of the time.  It was a calculated package devoid of what I term, warmth and soul.  It was designed to WIN, not to necessarily play to the celeb's personality.  The building blocks of the routines don't start with who the celeb is and the joy of the dance, but what will advance the celeb further.  THAT'S why I most often find Derek's performances lacking, why they leave me cold.  Because I 'm not fond of Karina either, but I don't get the same business-like, sterile feeling that I get when I watch Derek and his partner.

Many others will say I'm wrong, and biased, and blind etc... etc... etc...   But this is indeed how these routines leave me feeling more often than not.

I don't know how much of this makes sense to anyone, but... it makes sense to me.  (And obviously 140 characters wasn't going to cover it.  *LOL*)