5/10 "Best Performances"/Results Show Discussion **Spoilers**

[jadewarlock]

I don't think Chelsea's improved at all, her dancing this week is the same as the first week....so that either makes her a "ringer" or the least improved, so either way... she needs to go home

I totally agree, combined with the smug look she had last night.

I really truly hope that people see that and don't vote for her. If she or Mark fall, I hope that they don't get sympathy votes. Personally, love Kirstie and Ralph's dances but they shouldn't have had sympathy votes to stay in. (Yes, this would mean Ralph probably would've been out last night, but Romeo was an excellent dancer too).

[KatesMom]

I think it's obvious the judges follow a script. As was already stated above, they've been hard on Ralph during weeks where he did really well, and if they want a Chelsea/Hines/Kirstie final 3, they may try and get him next week by low balling him and finding the smallest flaws to ding him on. I'm curious what the cha cha challenge/15 bonus point dance was Brooke was talking about. Is it like the marathon dance where they all get points, or just one couple gets an extra 15 tacked onto their overall score? To Derek and Mark fans, it's probably no big deal they keep winning and getting the best pick of partners. I have to say, as big a fan I am of Maks, Tony, Anna, etc, it would get old real fast to see them win season after season. When the cast is announced everyone can pretty much guess who will get the early ouster clunkers, and who will get the ringers. I don't think the judges really base their scores on the technical skills of the dances. I think they judge based on who they like, and who is ratings worthy. I'm sure a big deal will be made of Mark being in the finals and already winning twice, trying for the third time. He and Chelsea have the story line of being rebels and still making it through despite his attitude and disrespect. Their freestyle will no doubt get a 30, so why bother even performing it? The following night, when it's judges only scores, is what I hate. I feel that can easily tip the results to the outcome they want. If Mark wins this season, I'll lose even more interest next time if he and Derek are back, because we already know who will win, or at the very least make it very far. I don't get what's so special about those two, but I think the judges do have their biases when it comes to the pros. Maks and Tony have called CA and Bruno out before, and ultimately if they want they can take it out on their celeb by lowballing their performance. This season has been unpredictable to a point, but it was pretty obvious early on Chelsea and Hines would be making the finals. There's more suspense seeing who will take the third spot, which right now I'm thinking will be Kirstie. And fan favorite Ralph, dealing with an injury and a dance mishap with their paso, will get the boot next week.

Just wanted to add my thoughts re: the bolded. What is so special? Their attraction to the coveted demographic! It has become very obvious to me over the last few seasons that this show is trying to pull in the younger viewers. Derek and Mark (and Julianne) do that. End of story, IMO.

[AZChristian]

I, too, get frustrated when Derek and/or Mark (whoever is deigned to win before the season starts) get the pro or semi-pro partners. If this is really a "competition," pairings need to be totally fair. Let them draw names out of a hat to start the season off. Let's see Mark get paired with a Cloris for a change. (Yes, I know he had Bristol, but she's another who IMHO was kept around for the ratings. And their scores from the judges were way too high most of the time.)

And it needs to be a true, fair draw - not like the fake "draw your music CD out of the trophy" when the teams already know what style of dance they're doing.

I'm so tired of Ballas' behavior that if he wins this season, DWTS will join AI in my list of shows I used to watch.

[northernviewer]

Just wanted to add my thoughts re: the bolded. What is so special? Their attraction to the coveted demographic! It has become very obvious to me over the last few seasons that this show is trying to pull in the younger viewers. Derek and Mark (and Julianne) do that. End of story, IMO.

and weren't either Mark or Derek in pretty much every clip last night during the first hour - like they were the only highlights from every seaon?? **gag** talk about subliminally shoving something down the viewers throats!!

[Fanny Mare]

Maybe they are running out of stars because they refuse to give an actual accounting of the votes.

I agree, also they are running out of so called stars.I tune in to see dancing, not love stories, just dancing.Come dancing in the UK was very different and very pleasant. This DWT the d Lister's not so much, it would be a easy show to stop watching

[Debb70]

I, too, get frustrated when Derek and/or Mark (whoever is deigned to win before the season starts) get the pro or semi-pro partners. If this is really a "competition," pairings need to be totally fair. Let them draw names out of a hat to start the season off. Let's see Mark get paired with a Cloris for a change. (Yes, I know he had Bristol, but she's another who IMHO was kept around for the ratings. And their scores from the judges were way too high most of the time.)

And it needs to be a true, fair draw - not like the fake "draw your music CD out of the trophy" when the teams already know what style of dance they're doing.

I'm so tired of Ballas' behavior that if he wins this season, DWTS will join AI in my list of shows I used to watch.

I agree, except I'm eating my words about Idol and am watching again this season. (I will say the only reason is that Scotty is from my hometown. LOL)

[anders332]

Just wanted to add my thoughts re: the bolded. What is so special? Their attraction to the coveted demographic! It has become very obvious to me over the last few seasons that this show is trying to pull in the younger viewers. Derek and Mark (and Julianne) do that. End of story, IMO.

but the preferred demographic for this and any show is the 18-45 range (or somewhere around there) so the tween/teen vote isn't what they should be shooting for - it the folks like me (or I should say slightly younger than me) who they should be targeting - and we like Tony, Maks, and Dmitri to name a few. We're tired (or at least I am) of the Hough's and Ballas' being given the spotlight all the time.

[Lucky22]

I love Dance Center!! The stats are hilarious, but they go by so fast, I have to rewind to catch them all. Like, for Romeo, his height was listed as "Lil." They really were funny about him too, showing clips of him saying basically the same phrases over and over all season (I'm doing it for the kids, this is for the kids, etc...), and then picking on his "frame" and writing "Fatty" with the magic pen while showing his awesome abs. Jerry says, "he just isn't working out hard enough."

I also LOVE Dance Center and wish it were longer! The stats do go by too fast. Geez, I'm a fast reader, and I can't read the whole thing before they take it off the screen. Why doesn't anyone in charge there realize it needs to stay on the screen longer? That's some funny stuff. Love how Jerry Rice's face is bedazzled! More Dance Center!

[Oceansands]

I, too, get frustrated when Derek and/or Mark (whoever is deigned to win before the season starts) get the pro or semi-pro partners. If this is really a "competition," pairings need to be totally fair. Let them draw names out of a hat to start the season off. Let's see Mark get paired with a Cloris for a change. (Yes, I know he had Bristol, but she's another who IMHO was kept around for the ratings. And their scores from the judges were way too high most of the time.)

And it needs to be a true, fair draw - not like the fake "draw your music CD out of the trophy" when the teams already know what style of dance they're doing.

I'm so tired of Ballas' behavior that if he wins this season, DWTS will join AI in my list of shows I used to watch.

Agree. I do like Derek more than Mark. Mark is showcasing himself instead of his partner, never noticed Derek doing it that much. Mark is just plain irritating he is so full of himself. If the show thinks pros Derek and Mark are their best choreographers why not partner them with celebrity dancers with no dance talent and see how good they really are. I saw Tony on a dance competition show on PBS. He was fantastic, just as good as Derek but the difference he had an excellent partner. Without good celebrity dancers Derek and Mark wouldn't be all that hot, nor would they win all the time.

Maks is a workhorse he gives it his all to enhance his partners performance. Kirstie deserves to be in the finals just as much as anyone else. In my opinion Maks is a better teacher than either Derek or Mark, because it's not all about him but his partner.

I hated to see Romeo go I'd much rather it was Chelsea, but looks like Chelsea & Mark are this year's ringer. Yawn yawn, same old same old!!

[KatesMom]

but the preferred demographic for this and any show is the 18-45 range (or somewhere around there) so the tween/teen vote isn't what they should be shooting for - it the folks like me (or I should say slightly younger than me) who they should be targeting - and we like Tony, Maks, and Dmitri to name a few. We're tired (or at least I am) of the Hough's and Ballas' being given the spotlight all the time.

I agree with you 100%. But the Disney kids, many of the performers on elimination right (Chris Brown, Miley Cyrus), and the Hough/Ballas love? None of those things are targeted at you and I (I fully admit to being towards the top end of that demographic). While I think the demographic is "officially" 18-45, I know I have read in multiple places that it is really 18-29 they are targeting - those are the people that are swayed by the advertisements (which is really where all the money is).