5/25 Finale Pt 2 - Show Discussion Thread **Spoilers**

[KatesMom]

I'm tempted to leave this dead horse alone, but comparing Erin's dance training and experience as a child and teenager ten years ago on a non-professional or competitive level (and I suspect her natural gawkiness would have prevented her from ever moving from amateur to professional status as a dancer had she even wanted to) to the "ringer" credentials of Nicole, Evan and past celebrities who bore that label is laughable IMHO.

I preface this with saying I personally don't care - there will be dancers and so-called ringers on this show every season. However, I did want to clarify something that I have seen posted multiple times - apparently the dance team Erin was on during college is one of the hardest to make it on in the entire country. Many people have compared it to the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders - and we all know how many felt about Melissa as a ringer. So while she is not a dancer today as part of her career, I think that her dance background is pretty substantial and if there hadn't been a Nicole or Evan this season, she definitely would have been attacked more.

Also, regarding Evan - it might not have happened as much on this board, but on other fan sites, I saw Evan take a merciless beating for also being a ringer. So I don't think it was just Nicole this season and I don't think Evan was treated differently because he was a male figure skater.

[Pandora2]

That's the problem. I made a big effort to vote, (home, mine and DH's cell phones, I even considered going in to work to also vote from there,) and got other family members to vote as well. Now I feel like a fool for trying and for caring. I won't do that again. The show can tweak things however they want and our votes don't matter.

That's how I feel today. This was my second season watching and my first season voting and it does sort of feel like it doesn't matter. As someone else said, just knowing how the fan voting broke out would help, I think. If the fan voting was close or if Nicole came out ahead, I would feel a lot better than if Evan came out significantly ahead and lost to that arbitrary dance-off thing last night.

[KatesMom]

I believe in Drew's season Stacey was considered more of a ringer and last season it was Mya although some people were claiming that Donny also was one.

I agree that both of those were seen as the "bigger" ringers (if that is even logical). However, I think there have been multiple "ringers" every season. Even Shawn's season - where Melissa was the main ringer attacked, there were plenty at the end who attacked Shawn as being a ringer because of her athleticism and having to take dance for her floor routines. I think at the end of the day, people can argue anyone is a "ringer" - depending on how they define that.

I was just trying to be helpful as to the original question about anyone being seen as a ringer winning.

[norealityhere]

and being that late if you had went you probably would have been so far back in line that you wouldn't have got in anyway.[/QUOTE]


From the email, it looked like they had way too many extra tickets to the finale.
But, who knows .......
At any rate, there's no way we could have gotten there in such a short time, so it's a moot point. Guess we'll have to try again next season.

[veg_out]

You live and you learn, I guess.

Naively, I thought that the audience could sway this competition. Rookie logic As soon as the finale started, I knew it was Nicole (kudos to all who predicted her from the outset). The flashbacks/clips were heavy on Erin and Nicole with Evan almost nowhere to be seen. Nicole's testimonials were the only ones included in the season review packages. Then when Erin and Maks' package went the way of a negative edit, I knew that no upset would possibly be in store.

My questions about Monday night's score breakdown were answered. 1) They had to repress Evan to compensate for his enormous fan following. That the final scores had him 7 points below Nicole further indicates that the show, for sure, created that gap to cover their butts if they were checked on numbers. In the past, no final has ever had that huge a gap. 2) they created enough hope in Erin/Maks fans that they might pull off an upset to have them toss their full voting weight behind EA/Maks rather than defect to Evan. 3) they didn't want to make obvious what has been obvious all flippin' season: that Nicole would win it.

Their GMA interview this AM in which they tauted Derek as a "two-time champion like his sister" makes me think that that was the entire objective: tie up the Ballas trio. I won't look for Derek next season on DWTS. Maks either.

I agree with all posters who say that the tallies need to be published. Maybe D/N did win on votes. I doubt it.

It was a great season despite all the manipulation.

[maude~flanders]

I thought it was really sad when Lenn told Nichole that she should be the winner of the season when there was still more competing to be done (supposedly)!! What a freaking joke! Then, it seemed obvious when he scored Evan a 9 on his last dance that he was trying to change the outcome to what he wanted it to be. If they are having a competition in which the fans are supposed to determine the outcome, they should not be able to pull that crap. It was a total rip-off!

[RealityLovesMe]

It seems like there is always a ringer that draws attention and then there is a "stealth ringer" or two. You know, someone who has all the experience and capabilities that the ringer has but we pretend like they don't. Ability matters less than popularity with the demographic anyway.

[fluff]

I thought it was really sad when Lenn told Nichole that she should be the winner of the season when there was still more competing to be done (supposedly)!! What a freaking joke! Then, it seemed obvious when he scored Evan a 9 on his last dance that he was trying to change the outcome to what he wanted it to be. If they are having a competition in which the fans are supposed to determine the outcome, they should not be able to pull that crap. It was a total rip-off!

They're not having a competition in which fans determine the outcome.
It's always been a combination of fan voting and judges scores.

If Len thought Nicole and Derek's dance was better than Evan and Anna's, then, imo, it's entirely appropriate that he give them a higher score.
The judges often get a little too free with the 10 paddles around finale time, I was pleased that all three at times over the past couple of nights didn't just automatically give everything a 10 like they seem to have done in previous seasons.

[veg_out]

I thought it was really sad when Lenn told Nichole that she should be the winner of the season when there was still more competing to be done (supposedly)!! What a freaking joke! Then, it seemed obvious when he scored Evan a 9 on his last dance that he was trying to change the outcome to what he wanted it to be. If they are having a competition in which the fans are supposed to determine the outcome, they should not be able to pull that crap. It was a total rip-off!

I was appalled at how they treated Evan in the finals. They were horrible to him, first with Monday nights scores, comments, and ranking, and then, last night with declaring Nicole the winner before Evan even danced. Add to that CA's "Lysacek syndrome" comment and I'm about ready to write a letter to ABC. It was complete disregard for him. They busted him on everything all over the place this whole season, but he took every negative thing they ever said and made it into something positive.

Beyond that, it was truly ridiculous that they tried to cast a negative light on his and Anna's partnership. They were incredible together: so respectful, so appreciative, so kind to each other. He really revered her. Their package was so wonderful, that Evan is incomparable as a partner. I loved watching them dance. Loved it.

After Evan danced his tango, you could see the frustration in his face. He didn't even want to hear the crap the judges would try to feed him about his AT. How can you even buy that any of their comments were genuine after the night before?

Utterly impressed with Evan. Not so much with the show.

[TonyDovolaniFan]

I was appalled at how they treated Evan in the finals. They were horrible to him, first with Monday nights scores, comments, and ranking, and then, last night with declaring Nicole the winner before Evan even danced. Add to that CA's "Lysacek syndrome" comment and I'm about ready to write a letter to ABC. It was complete disregard for him. They busted him on everything all over the place this whole season, but he took every negative thing they ever said and made it into something positive.

Beyond that, it was truly ridiculous that they tried to cast a negative light on his and Anna's partnership. They were incredible together: so respectful, so appreciative, so kind to each other. He really revered her. Their package was so wonderful, that Evan is incomparable as a partner. I loved watching them dance. Loved it.

After Evan danced his tango, you could see the frustration in his face. He didn't even want to hear the crap the judges would try to feed him about his AT. How can you even buy that any of their comments were genuine after the night before?

Utterly impressed with Evan. Not so much with the show.

I was also appalled at how they treated Evan in the finals. I felt so sorry for him & Anna. Granted his freestyle wasn't the greatest (although I loved it) giving it a 24 was crazy! I thought it deserved a lot higher.

I loved watching Evan and Anna dance and interact, too. I agree, they really were incredible together.

I wasn't a fan of Evan's before DWTS (don't watch ice skating), but I am now. I was so impressed by him.