New Television Season

It's that time of the year - new television season has started!  Mr. Y and I are very excited.  Here are some early impressions:

1) How I Met Your Mother.  This is the last season, and they started off with a bang.  I love the first week where they showed Ted and the Mother together a year after Robin's and Barney's wedding.  Cristin Milioti and Josh Radnor had the perfect chemistry, and you can see how these two belong together.  The creators have warned viewers that it will be rocky during the wedding weekend, and we still don't know what Ted is planning to do about the locket, but it's nice to know that there is a happy ending.

2) Castle.  My favorite part of the first two episodes is when Castle told Beckett that he didn't propose because he wanted to keep Kate in New York, but because he was committed to figuring it out.  It was a nice moment.  It is also fun to see Beckett out of her element a bit in Washington, D.C., since she was always so together in New York.  I hope that they will go back to New York soon, because I miss the interplay between Castle, Beckett, Esposito, Ryan, and Lanie.

3) Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.  The only new show we are adding to our DVR list for now.  So far so good - the show has really shown us a lot of action, and the cast is entertaining enough.  My favorite is Ming-Na.  I can't believe she is 49 years old - she looks amazing and is totally believable as a kick-ass agent.  It's also great that they kept the humor from the movies in the show.

4) The Big Bang Theory.  I've said it before and I will say it again - how does Leonard put up with Sheldon?  He is such an annoying roommate, even if it can be funny sometimes.  Most of the time it's just annoying.  The best part of the first two episodes was when Howard and Raj started feeling each other's chests up after Howard accidentally obtained large doses of estrogen.  Bernadette's silent reaction was priceless.

5) New Girl.  I love how Jess's and Nick's relationship is not all smooth sailing, but they kept the sweetness and the romance.  Poor Winston is still stuck with the C-plot, but the story about him trying to kill his girlfriend's cat was hilarious, especially since he ended up being very attached to it.  I don't really like the subplot about Schmidt dating Cece and Elizabeth at the same time, but at least they didn't drag it out too long.

6) Glee.  As fun as the Beatles are, the death of Cory Monteith hangs heavily over the show.  I don't think I can properly judge this season until after the tribute episode.

Mariano Rivera's Last Game at Yankee Stadium

The greatest closer of all time, Mariano Rivera, pitched his last game at Yankee Stadium on September 26, 2013 in a game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

I am a Dodgers fan, but I cheer for the Yankees while living in New York because I can't cheer for fellow National League competitor the Mets.  Plus it gave me chills to go to the old Yankee stadium, which was steeped with so much tradition.  The new Yankee Stadium is nice, but doesn't have quite the same feeling as the old one.

Rivera entered the last game in the eighth inning with one out and runners on first and second.  The Yankees played longtime announcer Bob Sheppard's introduction of number 42 (Sheppard died in 2010), and the familiar "Enter the Sandman" by Metallica also accompanied Rivera's entrance.

Rivera retired four straight batters, and with two outs in the ninth inning, manager Joe Girardi sent long-time teammates Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte to the mound to relieve Rivera.  That was when the tears and cheers started.  A great ending to an amazing career.  

I had the pleasure of watching Rivera pitch several times, and it's great that he is able to do a farewell tour. Many clubs around the league have paid tribute to him.  It's too bad that the Yankees have been eliminated from the playoffs and they also lost his last game 4-0.  However, Rivera left with five World Series rings, 13 All-Star selections, the all-time save record at 652 saves, and numerous other accolades and awards.  He is also for sure going into the Hall of Fame.

Goodbye, Mo. Thank you for the memories.

2013 Emmys Review and Fashion

It's the 65th Annual Emmy Awards!  I enjoyed the show for the most part, especially NPH hosting.  It is nice that the Emmys are usually held far away from the other award shows, so I can appreciate it without being sick of award shows already.

There were a lot of surprise winners, such as The Voice dethroning The Amazing Race for Best Reality Competition, Jeff Daniels winning Best Leading Actor in a Drama Series for The Newsroom, Tony Hale winning Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy for Veep, and Bobby Cannavale winning Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Boardwalk Empire.

Best Parts

- I actually like NPH's opening with the past hosts.  The best part was Kevin Spacey's speech and Tina Fey and Amy Poehler heckling NPH.

- Merritt Wever's very short speech.  She did not do it intentionally, but it really became the best speech ever.  Schmidt is dating an Emmy winner!

- Julia Louis-Dreyfus's speech with Tony Hale holding her purse and being her handler, just like in Veep.  Anna Chlumsky also got into the action by texting during the speech.

- The bit about NPH suffering from Excessive Hosting Disorder (EHD).  We love How I Met Your Mother, so it was fun to see the cast.

- Nathan Fillion in the "Number in the Middle of the Show"

- Oprah doing the introductions of Jimmy Kimmel writers.

- The dance portion choreographed by the nominees for Best Choreography.  We are big So You Think You Can Dance fans, so this is a treat.

Worst Parts

- Jon Hamm's beard

- Melissa Leo's outfit

- Boring musical tributes from Elton John and Carrie Underwood.

Best Dressed

- Sofia Vergara in Vera Wang.  She knows what works for her, and she looks amazing in this red, clingy dress.

- Christina Hendricks in Christian Siriano.  Christina is another actress famous for her assets, and sometimes she can look as if she's about to pop out at any moment.  But this dress is perfectly fitted and shows her curves without danger of over-exposure.

- Allison Williams in Ralph Lauren.  The color is beautiful and the dress is very simple and elegant.  She wears it with great hair and makeup, too.

- Tina Fey in Narciso Rodriguez.  Another gorgeous blue dress.  Tina looks sexier here than what she would normally wear.

- Kaley Cuoco in Vera Wang,  Kaley has had some weird choices for red carpets, but this one is a winner.

- Mindy Kaling in Georges Chakra.  I love the color and it hugs her curves nicely.

- Michelle Dockery in Prada.  I love the color blocking on this dress, and she looks very modern and fresh.

- Kerry Washington in Marchesa.  I think this is the best pastel of the night. It's very fashionable, but she makes it look so elegant.

- Alyson Hannigan in Marchesa. The eggplant color really complements her red hair, and the fit was beautiful without overwhelming her small frame.

- Cobie Smulders in J. Mendel.  Another lovely HIMYM leading lady.  She wears this dress so well and it's well-fitted.

- I just had to include Nathan Fillion and his date, Mikaela Hoover

Worst Dressed

- Emilia Clarke in Donna Karan Atelier.  This dress looks wrinkled and makes her head looks so much bigger than her body.  

- Claire Danes in Armani Prive.  The bottom of this dress is fine, but the top looks ill-fitted and she doesn't quite have the assets to fill it up.

- Jessica Pare in Oscar de La Renta.  The whole look is just messy, and the shoes are awful.

- Lena Dunham in Prada.  It's great that she doesn't do anything conventional, but I wish the skirt was a bit smaller and the pattern not as busy.

- Julianne Hough in Jenny Packham.  She looks like she's wearing a leotard with some sparkly covering, and the off-the-shoulders top looks horrible.

- Zosia Mamet in Honor.  The dress would be lovely without that weird black bustier.

- Amanda Peet in Erdem.  Another wrong move in a sheer dress.

- Robin Wright in Ralph Lauren.  She looks like she's going to a funeral.  Robin, you're not married to Sean Penn anymore - you are allowed to smile once in awhile.

Split Decision

- Linda Cardellini in Donna Karan Atelier.  The dress is a touch too busy, but it has great color and she wears it well.  I love the hair.

- Anna Faris in Monique Lhuillier.  The color is beautiful and the dress is a nice change from the pastels on the red carpet, but her makeup makes her look 10 years older.

- Connie Britton in Naeem Khan.  Connie always looks so pretty, but this dress is just on the wrong side of busy, and the velvet material doesn't help.

So You Think You Can Dance - Season Finale

Last night was the season finale of So You Think You Can Dance.

SPOILER ALERT!

The winners were Amy and Fik-Shun.  Although I was cheering for Jasmine and Aaron, Amy and Fik-Shun are deserving winners.  They have been consistent all season and have noticeably grown as dancers.  Plus they are so cute with each other.  I also got a feeling that Aaron and Jasmine will be just fine.

The judges, Cat, and the finalists picked favorite routines to re-do last night.  I was especially happy to see the Top 20 group routine set to "Puttin' On the Ritz" and choreographed by NappyTab, Christopher Scott's Top 10 guys routine with sand, Mark Kanemura's crazy and wonderful jazz routine with Jenna, Paul and Makenzie's Mandy Moore routine set to Lady Gaga's "Edge of Glory," and Jasmine and Comfort's NappyTab hip hop routine set to Beyonce's "Run the World (Girls)." I would have loved to see more routines instead of the fillers.  I especially could've lived without seeing Nigel and Mary dancing to "Let's Get In On" by Marvin Gaye.  The only saving grace of that routine was Adam Shankman's cameo at the end.

The top 20 also danced a new group routine choreographed by season two's Ivan Koumaev, and the top 10 and the all-stars danced a fun, beach-themed routine choreographed by NappyTab near the end. Both routines were fun and reminded me how talented these dancers are.

The good news is that SYTYCD has been renewed for the eleventh season, so we'll definitely be doing this again next year!

So You Think You Can Dance - Performance Finale

Last Tuesday was the performance finale, and boy, it was jam-packed. Each dancer danced five routines - a group number, one with an all star, a solo, and three with each of the other finalists.

As a result, some of the routines felt rushed and not quite finished, but there was no question that these four deserve to be in the finals.  Each of them bring something different to the table, and although I am rooting for Jasmine and Aaron to win, I wouldn't be upset if Amy and Fik-Shun win.

Most favorite routines

1) Jasmine and Comfort's hip hop from NappyTab.  It was a surprise that contemporary dancer Jasmine chose hip-hop instead for her one chance to pick a style, but it was a risk that paid off.  Jasmine was fierce in this routine and pulled off the attitude and the moves as well as Comfort.  I think it was smart for Jasmine to do something different that will set her apart from Amy.

I am also glad that the show did not emphasize Jasmine's relationship with Cyrus since the beginning of the show.  She deserved to be there on her own merits and not just because she was Cyrus's ex-girlfriend.  It amazed me how SYTYCD can be so sensitive and on the point about stuff like this while American Idol usually pummels you over the head with this kind of story, and yet they shared the same executive producer in Nigel Lythgoe.  Maybe it was Ken Warwick that was the problem on American Idol?

2) Aaron and Melinda's tap from Anthony Morigerato.  It was fun to see something different on the SYTYCD stage like this tap routine.  Both Aaron and Melinda danced well, and Anthony choreographed a great dance to a fun song.  Annie Barrett from EW.com said it best when she said that this routine "really drove home the concept of tap as a conversation between two dancers (and between the tappers and the music) instead of just the necessary maintenance of a beat."

3) Fik Shun and tWitch's hip hop from Luther Brown.  This routine looked like tWitch as the big brother teaching Fik-Shun the little brother.  It was fun, fast-paced, and very well-danced.

Least favorite routines

1) Amy and Fik-Shun's tango/paso doble from Miriam Larici and Leonardo Barrionuevo.  I think it was a mistake to show even that brief moment of Miriam and Leonardo dancing, because nothing Amy and Fik-Shun would do would measure up to that.  Plus I still remember how amazing Leonardo was dancing with Hayley when he had to step in for the injured Curtis earlier in the season.  Amy and Fik-Shun tried, but the routine did not have the snap and the spark it needed.

2) Aaron and Jasmine's samba from Dmitry Chaplin.  This routine was just OK.  The dancers did not look fully comfortable dancing it, and it was their weakest routine of the night.

3) Fik-Shun and Aaron's Broadway from Tyce Diorio.  As far as a Tyce routine go, it wasn't bad.  But it was still overstuffed with too much props and movements.  I think Aaron outdanced Fik-Shun in this one.

So You Think You Can Dance - Top 6

This is the first week that the judges and choreographers don't have any say in who goes home.  I wanted Jasmine and Aaron to say, so as long as that happens I didn't care who left.

The group number was a fun, fast-paced jazz number from Sean Cheeseman.  It was nice to get another upbeat routine.  Jasmine and Aaron shined the most during this group dance.

Everyone also did solos this week.  The most entertaining ones were from Fik-Shun and Aaron, although no one did a bad solo.  In addition to dancing with the all-stars, the top 6 also paired with each other.

Most favorite routines

1) Amy and Alex's Bollywood from Nakul Dev Mahajan.  The producers are really stacking the deck in Amy's favor.  Travis Wall last week and Alex Wong this week?  Lucky girl.  This Bollywood number was fun and looks very difficult to execute.  Plus it showcases Alex's abs, which is not a bad thing at all.

2) Aaron and Melanie's Broadway from Spencer Liff.  Despite the one miscue that ended with Melanie on the floor, the routine was fun and danced well.  Aaron actually kept up with Melanie, which is very difficult to do.  And how sweet were his parents?  Actually, it was great to hear from all of the parents and how supportive and proud they were of their children.

3) Jasmine and Aaron's jazz from Sean Cheeseman.  I still cringed at the amazing stretch Jasmine did with her leg midway through the dance.  This is my favorite couple and this was a great dance.  It really played to their strengths.

Least favorite routines

1) Jasmine and Neil's contemporary from Tyce Diorio.  I love Jasmine and Neil, but I hated Tyce's routine about hurricanes, tsunamis, and natural disasters.  As typical of his big-statement pieces (like the breast cancer one), it's manipulative and annoying instead of being moving and touching.  The voice-over at the end just put it even more over the top.

2) Paul and Kathryn's jazz from Tyce Diorio.  It was boring and even Kathryn couldn't save it.  I know I'm biased against Tyce, but his two routines tonight were just bad.

As an aside - what is more disturbing: Joshua's tiger shirt or Dave Scott's ratty bucket hat?  I vote for the hat.

Eliminations

They didn't do the bottom twos this week.  Hayley and Paul were eliminated, which I think was the right call.  I'm just excited that Jasmine and Aaron made it to the finals, and I hope they win.  It will be an exciting finale.

Battle of the Year

Mr. Y and I were watching So You Think You Can Dance tonight, and saw a preview for Battle of of the Year.  As Mr. Y put it, it's like they took a typical martial arts or sports movie with all the cliches (underdogs triumphing, individuals learning how to become a team, down-on-his-luck coach getting a second chance, etc.), and applied it to the subject of dance.

The movie has a few familiar faces.  My first reaction was wondering what Josh Holloway is doing in this movie.  Definitely not an obvious choice for a dance movie.  Some of the dancers also looked familiar, like Chris Brown (yes, THAT Chris Brown), SYTYCD dancers Dominic Sandoval and Jonathan "Legacy" Perez, and a bunch of dancers from LXD (the Legion of Extraordinary Dancers) like Luis Rosado, Ivan "Flipz" Perez, and Caity Lotz.

Trailer below:

Cookie Monster Spoofs Icona Pop's "I Love It"

Icona Pop's "I Love It" has been ubiquitous for the past few months.  Here comes Sesame Street's spoof of the song featuring Cookie Monster, entitled "Me Want It (But Me Wait)."

So You Think You Can Dance - Top 8

Apologies for not blogging last week during top 10 week.  It was a crazy week.  I was excited to see the all-stars, but disappointed the judges eliminated Makenzie instead of Jenna.  Not a surprise that Nico was eliminated with Makenzie.

This was a great week for the show, because not only did the all-stars showed up to dance with the contestants, but they also choreographed the pieces.  These all-stars are very talented and the results made for a very good show.

Mia Michaels' group routine was definitely very Mia.  Tucker was a revelation here - his freaky, long-haired centerpiece stole the show.

The guest judge was Jenna Elfman, who at least had some experience as a professional dancer before she turned to acting.

Most favorite routines

1) Jenna and Mark Kanemura's jazz.  This was one of the weirdest and best routines I've ever seen on the show.  Mark is already freaky and has apparently been learning more freaky as one of the lead dancers for Lady Gaga.  This jazz should not work, but it did.  It was so strange that Mr. Y and I didn't even notice the song was a Korean pop song until we saw the routine for the second time.

2) Amy and Travis's contemporary.  Lucky Amy and lucky Travis.  This was the perfect combination of routine and dancer.  Amy really rose up to the occasion and did not appear cutesy at all.

3) Jasmine and Twitch's hip hop.  Jasmine did the difficult thing and matched Twitch in his physicality.  The routine was fun and cute and definitely worth watching again.

Least favorite routines

Again there was really only one routine I wasn't a huge fan of - Paul and Comfort's hip hop.  Comfort put together a great routine and danced it well.  The problem was that Paul couldn't quite keep up with her and the gap was obvious.  Paul might be in trouble this week.

Eliminations

This is the last week the judges and choreographers had any say on who is going home.  I'm surprised they waited this long to turn the votes over to America - usually it happens much earlier than this.

Hayley and Jenna were the bottom two girls, and Tucker and Fik-Shun were the bottom two boys.  I'm glad they finally got rid of Jenna, even though she danced her best routine this week.  She has been in the bottom so often only to be saved by the judges.  I was sad to see Tucker go because he is a great dancer, but there was no way the judges were going to get rid of their anointed favorite Fik-Shun.  There is no male contemporary dancer left in the competition.

Predictions on who will be in trouble this week:

Boys: Paul and Aaron
Girls: Hayley and Jasmine

So You Think You Can Dance - Top 12

Another show, another injury. This time it's poor Tucker who got an infection in his knee. What's up with all the guys being injured this season? Tucker was able to dance his solo, but since he could not participate in rehearsals he did not dance the rest of the show.

I love the big group number this week. Maybe the powers-that-be were as sick of the dark, intense group routines as I was. I think this was the first time the group ever did a Bollywood number, and they looked like they were having so much fun. It was of course choreographed by Nakul Dev Mahajan. I especially loved Alan and Amy's smiles throughout this number.

The two smaller group numbers were also good, although I prefer the guys over the girls. Perhaps because the guys went first, but theirs were much more interesting and impactful than the girls' routine.
The guest judge this week was Kenny Ortega. Finally someone with actual knowledge and experience.

Most favorite routines

I thought overall the routines were very good. The dancers have really stepped it up, and it should continue to get better when the all-stars join the show this week.

1) Jasmine and Aaron's hip hop by Tabitha and Napoleon. Now this is how you dance hip hop. They were both strong and believable, and they really drew strength from their movements. I still don't understand how Jasmine ended up in the bottom three last week.

2) Makenzie and Paul's contemporary from Mandy Moore. I love the rendition of Lady Gaga's "Edge of Glory" that was used for this routine, and Makenzie and Paul knocked it out of the park. I believe in their chemistry and it was fun to see their flirty banter.

3) Jenna and Alex Wong's paso doble from Jean-Marc Généreux. I am including this dance on this list because of Alex Freaking Wong and his abs, who replaced Tucker. Nice abs, Alex. He looked great, especially considering that he is not a ballroom dancer. I almost forgot Jenna was there.

Least favorite routine

There is really only one that I didn't like - Malece and Alan's jazz by Mandy Moore. Poor Malece. I think she knew she was a goner from the moment Jenna was saved by the judges and she had to go up against Amy. She tried really hard, but she and Alan just seemed off from the beginning and the dance did not do them any favors.

Eliminations

I was not expecting Amy to end up in the bottom three. She has been coasting along so well. The only girl left who has not been on the bottom is Hayley. As I mentioned above, the other two girls in trouble were Jenna and Malece. I also did not understand the decision to save Jenna - is it because they want to guarantee a ballroom girl in the top 10 and the tour? She has been in the bottom several times. We knew Malece was gone the moment Jenna was saved. Plus Amy danced a better solo.

I was right about the three boys in trouble: Tucker, Alan, and Nico. Nico was immediately saved, while Tucker and Alan danced solos. I thought Alan did a better solo, but the judges kept Tucker instead. Since Tucker wasn't able to dance, he immediately ends up in the bottom two this week.

Predictions on who will be in trouble tonight:

Boys: Tucker and Nico
Girls: Makenzie and Jenna

So You Think You Can Dance - Top 14

Sorry this post is very, very late. At least I got it in before tonight's new episode.

The group number was choreographed by Sonya Tayeh and Dmitry Chaplin. I like it OK, but definitely ready for something different with the group numbers instead of these dark, intense dances.

Anna Kendrick was the guest judge. She looked so tiny sitting in that judges' table.

Curtis Holland was injured and would not be performing. The minute I heard the news I knew that he would be out if he ended up in the bottom three.

Most favorite routines

1) Jasmine and Aaron's contemporary from Justin Giles. I am amazed at how well they can dance even with an apple as a prop. Jasmine and Aaron were so in sync as usual, and they really conveyed the story well. I couldn't believe it when Jasmine ended up in the bottom three.

2) Hayley and Leonardo's tango by Miriam Larici and Leonardo Barrionuevo. Leonardo stepped in for the injured Curtis to dance this tango. Poor Curtis, but lucky Hayley. She looked amazing dancing this tango with Leonardo. It was hard to take my eyes off Leonardo, though. He was so perfect and spoke so much with so few movements.

3) Makenzie and Paul's jazz from Sonya Tayeh. As an aside, are Makenzie and Paul really dating or is this a showmance? I like this number because Makenzie and Paul really went for it. I don't understand why viewers kept putting Makenzie on the bottom - she's an amazing dancer who seems really goofy, too.

Least favorite routines

1) Jenna and Tucker's hip hop from Luther Brown. So many things wrong with this routine. Jenna and Tucker did not hit the moves hard enough, and they were not believable. Plus it was weird that this supposed club only had two people in it.

2) Malece and Alan's salsa from Jonathan Platero. Mr. Y and I did not remember Jonathan at all from season 5, but that was also the season with Jeanine, Evan, Kayla, Brandon, Ade, Phillip, Janette, and Melissa. Jonathan was unfortunately lost in the shuffle among the other more memorable contestants. I didn't think this couple had any chemistry, and I thought Malece struggled to keep up with Alan, who was right at home in his genre.

Eliminations
I was correct about the three guys in the bottom three, but did not expect the other two girls other than Alexis. How did Makenzie and Jasmine end up in the bottom three when they were amazing last week?

The judges saved Makenzie immediately, and Jasmine and Alexis had to do solos. Jasmine's solo was great, but Alexis's was just meh. It was not a surprise that Alexis was eliminated. Curtis was also eliminated, and unlike last week, they actually got the goodbye video packages.

Predictions on who will be in trouble tonight:

Boys: Tucker, Alan, Nico
Girls: Jenna, Makenzie, Malece

Little Boy Meets the Avengers

The photograph below was going around the internet for awhile of a little boy carrying a Captain America shield sitting on the shoulders of Tom Hiddleston in full Loki outfit from The Avengers. 

The boy's name is Edison, and his dad wrote an amazing story about how the photograph happened.  It's definitely worth a read.  A short summary: Edison and his mom, Jill, saw The Avengers filming in Central Park, and were able to meet and get pictures with many of the cast members, including his favorite, Captain America (played by Chris Evans).  Edison had been carrying around his Captain America shield ever since he saw the movie, and he was lucky enough to have had it with him that day. 

There is also a cute update.  Lisa Evans, Chris's mom, who was helpful in getting Edison a picture with Chris at Central Park, was also able to get Chris to sign Edison's shield as well as the picture and a new shield.  Now all three items are hanging proudly in Edison's bedroom.

I know my son, who's around the same age, would have freaked if he gets to meet his superheroes.  Lucky Edison!

So You Think You Can Dance - Top 16

Our feed did not have sound in the beginning until it switched to the non-HD feed, but it was about halfway through the group number.  Unfortunately that affected how we viewed the group number - seemed interesting, but the impact was lessened because of lack of music.  The group number was choreographed by Stacey Tookey and Peter Chu.  Jasmine deservedly got the spotlight. 

Carly Rae Jepsen was the guest judge.  Not sure why she was there, and she didn't really add anything to the judging.

Most favorite routines

1) Amy and Fik-Shun's jazz from Tyce Diorio.  I can't believe I actually like this routine best, since it involved Tyce and a hobo theme, but it was actually cute and Amy and Fik-Shun looked awesome dancing it.  I credit the fact that Tyce let them be creative, and they really got into character.  I would be surprised if this couple didn't end up in the finale. 

2) Jasmine and Aaron's quickstep from Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin.  Ah, the dreaded quickstep.  Fortunately for Jasmine and Aaron, this one was gorgeous and they danced it well.  Jasmine's legs are just amazing, and both of them looked so elegant and glam. 

3) Makenzie and Paul's hip hop from Dave Scott.  Much better than Dave Scott's other routine with Malece and Alan (see below under Least Favorite Routines).  I thought the rehearsal footage was hilarious when Dave Scott outed Paul was being intimidated by the beauty that is Makenzie.  I can totally see them as a couple.  Makenzie looked great and both of them danced this one well. 

Least favorite routines

1) Mariah and BluPrint's jazz from Brian Friedman.  I didn't get this dance at all.  Nothing about the music or the dance invoked the goddess-falling-in-love-with-a-mortal-theme, and Mariah and BluPrint looked out of sync from the beginning. 

2) Alexis and Nico's jive from Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin.  The routine itself was fine, but Alexis was way out of her depth.  Nico started off pretty well, but deteriorated over time. 

3) Malece and Alan's hip hop from Dave Scott.  Malece did better than Alan in this number, which is not saying much because Alan was terrible.  Neither one of them hit the moves that hard, and the busy costumes didn't help. 

Eliminations

I was correct about the three guys in the bottom three, but did not expect Makenzie to end up in the bottom three instead of Alexis.  The judges saved Jenna immediately, which was when Mr. Y and I knew that Mariah was gone.  Makenzie had been doing better than Mariah in the competition, and her solo was better, too.  It also was not a surprise that BluPrint was eliminated.  He wasn't able to come up with the charisma and facial expressions to match his movements.  I will miss Mariah especially, since I feel like she hasn't really shown her full potential and has been saddled with bad routines. 

Predictions on who will be in trouble this week:

Boys: Alan, Curtis, and Nico

Girls: Jenna, Alexis, and Malece

Royal Baby Named

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge named their baby boy George Alexander Louis.  He will officially be known as His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge.

As expected, they went with very traditional names.  No Apple or Blue Ivy or North here. 

Prince of Cambridge

Unless you have been living under a rock, you would know that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had their baby boy yesterday.  The Prince of Cambridge, who is not yet named, was born at 4:24 p.m. local time at St. Mary's Hospital in London.  He was 8 pounds 6 ounces.  The Duchess of Cambridge reportedly had about 14 hours of labor before delivering naturally.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took their son home today.  They posed for photographers and answered questions on the same steps where Princess Diana and Prince Charles introduced William to the world 31 years ago. 

William stated that his son had "a good pair of lungs on him," and that he was "a big boy - he's quite heavy."  He also stated that his son had his mother's looks, to which Kate replied, "No, no, no."  William also joked that the baby "has way more than me, thank God."  Kate added that the whole experience was very emotional.  She said, "It's a moment that any parent having just given birth will know what this feeling feels like."  She also revealed that William has changed his first diaper. 

Congratulations to the new parents!

2013 Emmy Nominations

The 2013 Emmy nominations came out today, and American Horror Story: Asylum scored the most nominations with 17, with Game of Thrones closely behind with 16.   30 Rock scored 13 nominations, Modern Family has 12, and The Big Bang Theory has eight.  Netflix's House of Cards became the first online series to score Emmy nods, including stars Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright. 

1) I'm most upset about the following snubs: Simon Helberg for The Big Bang Theory and Jake Johnson for New Girl.  Both actors have done wonderful work this year, and have made what could have been very cartoonish characters seem vulnerable, funny, and grown-up. 

2) It's also a travesty that Phil Keoghan wasn't nominated again for the Amazing Race, even though the series was nominated.  I like Anthony Bourdain, but The Taste wasn't very good, and the Emmys must be somehow contractually required to include Betty White every year.

3) Yay for Carrie Prestron being nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her work on The Good Wife.  Can't wait to see Michael Emerson and Preston on the red carpet - they are so cute together.

4) Only Jane Lynch and Dot-Marie Jones were nominated for Glee.  It is difficult to break through the ranks of the Modern Family crew in the supporting categories, all of them are again nominated except for Eric Stonestreet. 

5) Michelle Fairley, Nikolaj Coster Waldau, Charles Dance, and Gwendoline Christie also deserved nominations for Game of Thrones.  At least more than just Peter Dinklage is nominated this year.  Emilia Clarke and Diana Rigg also scored nods in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, respectively, and the show is up for Outstanding Drama Series

6) No Taran Killam from Saturday Night Live?  He did a better job than Bill Hader.  Hopefully with Hader gone Taran will get his just due next year. 

7) It's great that Morena Baccarin and Mandy Patinkin got nods for Homeland, in addition to Claire Danes and Damian Lewis.

8) I don't watch Nashville, but anything that gets Connie Britton a nomination is fantastic. 

9) No love for The Office in its final season, except for a writing nod for Greg Daniels. 

10) Love the nominations for So You Think You Can Dance and Cat Deeley. 

Best reaction to getting an Emmy nomination so far comes from Don Cheadle, who released the following statement about his nomination in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy category for House of Lies: "Given all the hilarious film work I've done, from Traffic to Crash to Flight, it's nice to finally be recognized as the comic genius I am. Thank you, Academy members.”

Edited to add Emilia Clarke's statement about her nomination (in Dothraki!): “Yer chomoe anhaan. Jin ha Khalaan, shekh ma shieraki anni.” This translates to: “You do honor to me. This is for the Khal — my sun and stars.”

R.I.P. Cory Monteith

In a shocking news, Glee star Cory Monteith was found dead in his hotel room in Vancouver on Saturday.  He was 31 years old.  The Vancouver police released a statement saying that they had ruled out foul play, and will be conducting an autopsy today (Monday).  They also stated that Monteith had returned to his hotel room alone early Saturday morning, and his body was discovered by hotel staff when he failed to check out on Saturday. 

I have been a big fan of Glee since the beginning, and it was great to see Monteith grow as an actor, dancer, and singer as his character, Finn Hudson, also grew.  He was never the best actor, dancer, or singer, but he always came across as emotionally real and accessible.  The consensus around Hollywood is that he is also a very nice guy in real life.  Monteith just recently left rehab for a second time, and he had talked candidly about his struggles with drugs in the past, which led to him going into rehab the first time when he was 19 years old.  He seemed to be doing well recently, being out and about with his girlfriend and Glee co-star Lea Michele, and looking happy and healthy.  What a blow to his family, friends, co-workers, and fans. 

In honor of Monteith, here are my top five favorite Glee musical numbers featuring Monteith by himself or as the lead:

1) "Don't Stop Believin" by Journey, from the episode "Pilot."  The original that started it all.  Finn was the one who rallied the rag-tag Glee club members together to sing this song, and the result was pure gold.

2) "Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson, from the episode "Hold on to Sixteen."  Finn and the other boys look and sound amazing on this cover, and won Regionals despite Rachel's suspension after stuffing the ballot box in favor of Kurt for school president.

3) "I'll Stand by You" by the Pretenders, from the episode "Ballad."  One of the early Finn solos, and Monteith knocked it out of the park with his emotional performance after he found out that Quinn was expecting who he thought was his baby.

4) "We've Got Tonight" by Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton, from the episode "I Do."  This duet between Finn and Rachel showed their amazing chemistry, especially since the co-stars were already dating in real life by this point.

5) "Faithfully" by Journey, from the episode "Journey."  Another great duet between Rachel and Finn, and the start of the Finchel phenomenon.  Glee producers had mentioned that they thought of Finchel as being the end game, so now it would be interesting to see how they would deal with Monteith's passing. 

So You Think You Can Dance - Top 18

The powers-that-be heard the protests, and decided to move the eliminations to the end of the show.  I think this was a good move and made the show much better instead of the downer it was last week.

The group number was choreographed by Sonya Tayeh and Christopher Scott, and it was an interesting mix of the two.  A nice change from their usual styles.

Paula Abdul and Erin Andrews were the guest judges.  Paula was her usual nonsensical self, although she makes more sense here than she did on American Idol.  I wouldn't want her as a permanent judge, but she is fine as a guest judge. 

Most favorite routines

1) Makenzie and Paul's contemporary from Lindsay Nelko.  Lindsay is a new choreographer, and I hope she comes back.  I like this piece, especially the music (Idina Menzel singing "No Day But Today" from Rent).  Makenzie looks ethereal and effortless, and Paul smartly played it subtle instead of over-the-top.

2) Jasmine Harper and Aaron's Broadway from Spencer Liff.  Another strong routine from my favorite couple.  Their facial expressions were perfect and they had great movements.

3) Amy and Fik-Shun's paso doble from Jean-Marc Genereaux.  Considering that this was far from either one of their genres, they did a great job.  Amy and Fik-Shun is definitely the pimped-out couple this season, and I would be surprised if they get eliminated before the top 10.

Least favorite routines

1) Jenna and Tucker's hip hop from Keone and Mari Madrid.  Another new set of choreographers.  I like the premise and the choreography wasn't bad, but Jenna's striped pants was very distracting and did not scream femme fatale at all.  As Mr. Y put it, she looked like she was auditioning for the Yankees.  I was also not feeling the chemistry between these two.

2) Alexis and Nico's jazz by Spencer Liff.  Again I felt like this couple was really lacking in chemistry, and the routine just fell flat to me. 

3) Hayley and Curtis's samba from Jean-Marc Generaux.  They looked good in the outfits, and that's about as nice as I can say about this samba. 

Eliminations

I was correct about the three guys in the bottom three, but only got one of the girls right, Alexis.  Since Jade had to leave the competition due to injury, BluPrint and Curtis were saved.  Alexis was joined in the bottom three by Jasmine Mason and Jenna.  I thought Alexis should have left, because Jasmine Mason had been a lot stronger during the performance shows. 

Predictions on who will be in trouble this week:

Boys: BluPrint, Curtis, Alan
Girls: Jenna, Alexis, Mariah

So You Think You Can Dance - Top 20

Last night was the first elimination show, and I really hate this new format of eliminating the dancers first before they had to dance with their partners.  It sucked the joy right out of the show.  It didn't help that Cat actually looked very odd for once - I did not like the outfit. 

The group routine was disjointed and overly fussy, so of course it was a Tyce number.  Both Mr. Y and I called it about 5 seconds into the routine.

Eliminations

The bottom three guys were Carlos, Jade, and Alan.  The bottom three girls were Mariah (no!!!), Brittany, and Makenzie.  The judges immediately saved Makenzie and Alan, which meant Mariah, Brittany, Jade, and Carlos had to dance for their lives.  I was right about two of the girls, and only one of the guys. 

The solos were OK - Jade had the best one.  I didn't like Nigel chastising them for not dancing hard enough.  I didn't think the problem was that they weren't dancing hard enough, but that their emotions were all over the place.  As much as the judges like to talk about these dancers being professionals, they are still young and being throw into a national stage like this must be tough.  Plus they had to do this in the beginning of the show!  No wonder they looked scared to death.

After the solos the judges didn't even deliberate before Nigel announced that Brittany and Carlos were leaving.  I am happy Mariah is staying. 

Most favorite routines

1) Jasmine Mason and Alan's tango from Miriam Larici and Leonardo Barrionuevo.  Alan was an amazing partner in this routine.  His looks and posture really fit the dance.  Jasmine started off a bit tentative, but once the music picked up she really got into it. 

2) Jasmine Harper and Aaron's lyrical hip hop from NappyTab.  This couple again proved they were one of the ones to beat.  Their chemistry was off the charts, and the routine was so athletic.  Probably the only couple in the competition who could have pulled off such a sexually-charged, mature piece. 

3) Mariah and Carlos's contemporary from Stacey Tookey.  Mariah and Carlos really stepped it up emotionally in this dance, most likely because Carlos was already eliminated.  It worked in Mariah's favor that she looked like she was on the verge of tears the entire time, which was her actual emotion.  Much better than the jive last week.  We'll see if Mariah can do better with BluPrint next week. 

Least favorite routines

1) Brittany and BluPrint's Broadway from Spencer Liff.  I love the song ("It's Oh So Quiet" by Bjork from the Ice Princess Original Soundtrack), but the routine was a mess.  Brittany looked like she was trying too hard, and Blu Print looked like he wasn't trying hard enough.  It didn't help that Brittany was already eliminated, so I couldn't help feeling sorry for her throughout the entire dance.

2) Hayley and Curtis's jazz from Ray Leeper.  Hayley looked super hot in the outfit, but the whole thing felt very cheesy and blah.  I didn't feel their chemistry as much as I did last week. 

3) Malece and Jade's Bollywood from Nakul Dev Mahajan.  Jade was behind from the beginning and was not hitting his moves.  Malece was OK, but was nothing special in this dance. 

Predictions on who will be in trouble next week:

Boys: BluPrint, Jade, Curtis
Girls: Hayley, Malece, Alexis

So You Think You Can Dance - Season 10

I have been very late in posting about So You Think You Can Dance, so I am combining my favorite dancers with my impression of the first performance show in one post.

This year the group is very eclectic, although as usual most of them are contemporary dancers.  Just like last year, there will be one male winner and one female winner this season. 

My Top 3 Women:

1) Mariah Spears - krump.  Mariah is the krumper who looks like the sweet girl next door.  I liked her last year and was disappointed when she didn't make it to the top 20, so I was excited when she made it this year.  She did not get featured at all during the auditions and Vegas week, and she got saddled with a horrible routine last week (more below), so I hope she will last longer. 

2) Jasmine Harper - contemporary.  She is also known as Cyrus's ex.  Jasmine and Cyrus broke up after he went on the show last season.  She didn't bad-mouth him, but it didn't sound like a good breakup.  She is very talented and has a compelling presence when she's dancing, and she's very good at connecting emotionally with the dances. 
3) Hayley Erbert - contemporary.  I was a bit turned off by Hayley during her initial audition when she talked about how her dancing just came across as sexy, but she ends up winning me over with her goofy personality.  She also has that "it" factor where you can't take your eyes away from her when she's dancing.  

My Top 3 Men:

1) Aaron Turner - tap.  Aaron was a last minute addition to the top 20 after hip hop dancer Emilio suffered an injury before the live show.  Mr. Y and I thought Aaron should have made it in anyway.  He is a great dancer, and actually comes across as a man among the boys.
2) Tucker Knox - contemporary.  Tucker's story about how he fought back from a terrible car accident is inspiring without being cloying, and he is an effortless dancer.  I wish he had kept the curls, though, instead of the really short hair he's sporting now. 
3) Curtis Holland - tap.  I like his low-key approach and personality off stage, while coming alive on stage.  He may not have the skills to go all the way, but it will be a pleasure to watch him grow week by week. 

Last week was the first performance show where viewers get to vote.  The night started with one of the amazing group routines I have ever seen - set to "Puttin' on the Ritz"by Herb Alpert feat. Lani Hall. and choreographed by NappyTab.  It really looked like it was one long shot, and I like the cameos by Nigel, Mary, Travis Wall, Christopher Scott, and NappyTab.  I think Tabitha made a much better animator than Nigel.  Their son London made an appearance in the audience at the live show with his parents, and he is so adorable!

Favorite routines:

1) Amy and Fik-Shun's contemporary from Sonya Tayeh.  This dance had everything - great music ("Elsa" by The Valerie Project", great choreography, great characters, and amazing dancing.  Fik-Shun lived up to the hype he was getting during the auditions/Vegas rounds and actually looked like a contemporary dancer.  Amy's dancing was so precise that every movement mattered, even the pauses.

2) Jasmine Harper and Aaron's jazz from Sonya Tayeh.  Sonya really hit it out of the park with her two numbers.  Both were very different, but very compelling in their own way.  Jasmine is the star here - her legs seemed to go on forever.  Aaron had unfortunate pants on, but he overcame that and was a true partner who kept up with Jasmine. 

3) Hayley and Curtis's hip hop from Christopher Scott.  I was surprised at the great chemistry between these two, especially so early in the season.  They were also hitting the moves hard and really getting into the story.  Definitely a couple to watch. 

Least favorite routines:

1) Alexis and Nico's hip hop from Christopher Scott.  I did not like this dance at all.  The two of them did not click and they looked out of place.  The sunglasses didn't help because we couldn't connect with them just with the movements. 

2) Mariah and Carlos's jive from Jason Gilkison.  I feel so bad for Mariah and Carlos.  Not only were they stuck with this dud, they also went first.  I pray that the viewers or the judges will give them another dance.  They just looked lost and frantic among the fast movements. 

3) Makenzie and Paul's viennese waltz by Jason Gilkison.  Jason really struck out with his two pieces tonight.  This one was just boring.  The most interesting thing on stage was that umbrella.  Plus they made Makenzie look dowdy and awful in that dress, hairstyle, and makeup, which I did not think was possible. 

Predictions on who will be in trouble tonight:

Boys: Paul, Carlos, Nico
Girls: Makenzie, Mariah, Alexis