5/24 Finale Pt 1 - Show Discussion Thread **Spoilers**

[jadewarlock]

Watching the show, I feel that they are setting up Evan to be eliminated at the final two so they have a reason for Nicole to win.

Personally, based on improvement over the season, the final two should be Erin and Evan competing head to head. Even dances I feel theirs have been the most improved and most interesting.

(BTW, for those who say Evan has an unfair advantage - he's had to work all season to improve his personality more than what is usually needed for skating - even his most joyous at the games he still was quite reserved, and he had to learn to move his hips more - which he doesn't use as much because of the tricks needed for skating).

They were so dinging Evan for nitpicky things - yes, he was off on his steps a little bit in the free, but Erin had at least two bumbled lifts and Nicole had one bad lift and the dancing was not nearly as exciting.

And - don't get me started on the clip of them arguing - that was set up to make Evan suddenly appear to be this cocky somebodyrudefellow which is so counter to the whole season. I can understand the pressure both had and it lead to raised tempers, but I don't think he was in the attitude of Kate Gosslin "I'm doing it for my kids, so we're going to do it my way" type persona. If he was... he'd take away Plushenko's title of sad attitude.

In a way, I feel that Nicole and Derek are acting as though they're entitled and they're going to win no matter what. Felt this way with Maya last season - and that combined with the good routines is why I was tickled that Donny won if Kelly Osbourne wasn't going to win. I'd love to see this happen again this season, no matter who wins. If we do by some great luck get Evan and Erin - then I'll be happy with both winners because most of the season they've had the best attitude.

Hopefully people are smart and voted for Erin and Evan in enough numbers that Nicole will be out at final three, but I don't see that happening sadly. So, whomever is in the final two with Nicole I want that person to win - be it Erin or Evan.

[karalott]

Watching the show, I feel that they are setting up Evan to be eliminated at the final two so they have a reason for Nicole to win.

Personally, based on improvement over the season, the final two should be Erin and Evan competing head to head. Even dances I feel theirs have been the most improved and most interesting.

(BTW, for those who say Evan has an unfair advantage - he's had to work all season to improve his personality more than what is usually needed for skating - even his most joyous at the games he still was quite reserved, and he had to learn to move his hips more - which he doesn't use as much because of the tricks needed for skating).

They were so dinging Evan for nitpicky things - yes, he was off on his steps a little bit in the free, but Erin had at least two bumbled lifts and Nicole had one bad lift and the dancing was not nearly as exciting.

And - don't get me started on the clip of them arguing - that was set up to make Evan suddenly appear to be this cocky somebodyrudefellow which is so counter to the whole season. I can understand the pressure both had and it lead to raised tempers, but I don't think he was in the attitude of Kate Gosslin "I'm doing it for my kids, so we're going to do it my way" type persona. If he was... he'd take away Plushenko's title of sad attitude.

In a way, I feel that Nicole and Derek are acting as though they're entitled and they're going to win no matter what. Felt this way with Maya last season - and that combined with the good routines is why I was tickled that Donny won if Kelly Osbourne wasn't going to win. I'd love to see this happen again this season, no matter who wins. If we do by some great luck get Evan and Erin - then I'll be happy with both winners because most of the season they've had the best attitude.

Hopefully people are smart and voted for Erin and Evan in enough numbers that Nicole will be out at final three, but I don't see that happening sadly. So, whomever is in the final two with Nicole I want that person to win - be it Erin or Evan.

That girl has it written all over her face that she's got it wrapped up. Short of totally bombing tomorrow (and we know she won't), she's got it. I agree with the rest of your post. I'm really hoping the negative edit for Evan tonight, on top of the judges criticism aimed at him, has people voting in droves. I still think he's got the best shot of beating Nicole. How the three AT are ranked tomorrow are probably going to be the most telling. I mean, we know who's getting #1 and the 10 points (we'll see if they try and act surprised) so it's going to be interesting who gets #2 and #3 and whether that plays into who makes the final 2.

[MFWalkoff]

Seems like much ado about nothing.
And, if Julianne did make that statement, it seems unfair to me to take it out on Derek and Nicole. It's not their fault.

Totally agree. It was a quick tweet that was taken back, probably brought on by the overwhelming "ringer" backlash on the internet. I'd get huffy too after working that hard all season, only to keep hearing that I don't deserve to even be there.

Also, I don't quite get it-- Erin and Maks made out on an actual bed on the dance floor and left Tom speechless with a risque joke about it after, but it's Nicole's low waisted pants that were raunchy?

As for Nicole and Derek seeming "entitled" -- I couldn't disagree more. If anything, Nicole finally loosened up a little and was finally having more fun tonight, no matter what happened. She didn't break down and cry after that mishap with the lift -- they both just went on, and were upbeat in their interview, like a couple should be.

Are they supposed to lower theit heads and apologize for being able to produce the results they do? Absolutely not. I really, really hope they run away with everything tomorrow night, because it's the only logical outcome from this season. In fact, at this point, I think Nicole is getting such a raw deal, I would run out there and help Marc hoist Derek on his shoulders if they won.

[MsDiva2007]

Lol I feel for Nicole. No matter what she does she will always be more wrong than anyone in the history of the world just because she lives. If she smiles she is fake, if she doesn't smile she is being a Diva,etc on and on....

I see it this way she got invited to be on the show. It is a show about dancing, she can dance and she looks good doing it. Nicole is on point she has worked just as hard as anyone else and if she wins it is a well deserved win.

Nicole FTW!

[karalott]

I think Nicole has more fan support than people realize. And I don't believe it has anything to do with her as much as it does Derek's overwhelming popularity, along with that of Julianne and Mark. If anything, Erin's the one who's gotten lost in the shuffle. Evan and Nicole got the TV Guide cover. The final 2 match up has been talked about being between those 2 for how many weeks? Evan's got his former DWTS Olympic athletes in his corner, and Nicole's got fanbases of the Hough/Ballas trio. Erin's got Tony So let Derek get his second trophy and match his sister and friend's set, let the ringer win like it was set up to be, and let them close what they think was the best season ever with that outcome and try and play it off like it was a shock (from the girl who got 10s in her second dance). Maybe next season I'll get lucky, Derek and Mark will be gone, and the show can gain some credibility and less bias to it. Or at the very least, they'll finally give Derek his horrible hoofer that is way overdue. Erin/Maks may have each other or a really good friendship, as do Evan/Anna, who got screwed over royally.

[MFWalkoff]

I will gladly agree that Derek needs a Cloris/Buzz/Macy partner at some point. And there are already rumors that he won't be appearing next season anyway. But since he hasn't taken a partner, even his great ones, to a final in four seasons, I don't see it as a crime if he wins another trophy.

But again, it's all up to the dancing tomorrow. Seeing Evan in third place tonight is certainly evidence that it ain't over till it's over.

[Fritz]

From Derek's Twitter: " OfficialDHough

Not that it matters but I watched it back and when I flipped Nicole up and in the cradle position the music stopped .. "

Maybe it's because I find Derek to be obnoxious and annoying and I just don't like him, but he really needs to get over it. I didn't see him complaining when they got higher scores than they deserved, so he needs to stop fighting this lift thing.

[Beachmom]

And it makes me hope even more if Derek's back next season he doesn't get the ringer or anything close to it.

I heard that Talk Soup was covering it and Joel said the name of the show next season would be "Dancing with the Dancers"!

[Jezebella]

Whiny boy...give me a break. I voted for Erin/Maks and I was tickled pink to see Mandy Moore help them. Let's face it, we all had our favorites, and nothing would change that. So we'll watch tonight, and then tomorrow there's SYTYCD to look forward to! Ahhhh dance shows!

[spockwhat]

Freestyles:

Erin/Maks: I'm sorry, I really didn't like it much. I thought it was creative and outside the box, so points for that, but the throws on the bed were kind of messy (her legs didn't have a position). Overall, I thought the marks were pretty good.

Evan/Anna: Also a bit messy, but fun, full of energy and expression. I thought they could have matched Erin/Maks nines. I really didn't get the 8's. AT ALL.

Derek/Nicole: It started out well, but not out of this world. I noticed it looked like they were flubbing their costume change, and the cameras panned to the judges instead of staying on the dancers (do the cameras ever do that? That was weird). At first I thought it was because they didn't want us to see Derek/Nicole flubbing, but it could be that they didn't want a horrid wardrobe malfunction on live tv. It obviously threw Derek/Nicole off though, because they also messed up their lift just following. As for marks, after that, I think they were lucky to get nines. An eight or two wouldn't have been crazy.

And that is my unbiased opinion, marred of course, by my own personal taste.