Beijing Olympics Recap: Shawn Johnson’s Gold and Usain BOLT

Shawn Johnson gets her gold

Congratulations to Shawn Johnson for her long awaited, and well deserved, gold medal. In the words of Nastia Liukin and her father/coach, this really was the perfect ending for USA gymnastics for these Beijing Olympics. In the end, the US women actually ended up getting more medals than the Chinese women, including 1 Gold, 3 Silvers for Shawn Johnson and 1 Gold, 3 Silvers, 1 Bronze for Nastia Liukin. Of course, no matter how fervently Bela Karolyi says it on NBC with Bob Costas, I think objectively you can say that the Chinese team had the more successful Olympics, given their golds. Whether you believe that’s due to some scoring arbitrariness though is up to you. In my (uninformed) opinion, all of the scores were a little arbitrary, not just the Chinese, and I did not see any reason to think the Chinese were getting anything more than an innocent home crowd bump.

Bela was not always happy

Give Bela credit though, he has an unwavering passion for USA Gymnastics, and I absolutely respect that. He really is the reason why gymnastics is so popular and successful here.

One last thing about SJ. I don’t know why, but the medal ceremony always gets me. If I were an athlete who had just garnered a gold and was standing there with the anthem playing… well, I’d be one of those with tears in my eyes. So it was very nice to see Shawn Johnson on the podium finally getting her gold, with her parents in the stands pretty much wrecked and ecstatic, and with her fully appreciating the moment and becoming a little emotional. All in all, great job by the Americans, and 2012 is already shaping up to be a great competition. It will be interesting to see how many of the “20″ year old Chinese girls will be on the team (He Kexin anyone?), and whether the Russians will redouble their efforts to get back into gymnastic relevance.

Now, Usain Bolt.

Usain Bolt

First off, he has absolutely the perfect name for Olympic competition… Not just the obvious “bolt” and its lightning connotations, but the “Usain” is sufficiently pronouncable and exotic at the same time. It just rolls off the tongue, no?

Second, yes, he’s a bit of a brash youngster, perhaps even a jerk to some! Now, in the world of NFL wide receivers like Chad Johnson and TO and so on, he’d fit right in… which maybe makes some of his antics a bit unbearable in the Olympics. And, he’s gotta get another pose besides his finger pointing thing into the air.

Pointing again

I mean, once in a while, maybe just once per race, would be borderline for this trite pose. But to do it during his introductions, then when he finishes, and to do it for every preliminary round AND the finals? We’ve seen this about 12 times already, and it’s gotta go.

Now, about the running itself… Best I’ve ever seen. And this is all that probably matters. I never ever thought that Michael Johnson’s 19:32 would ever be broken. For those that don’t remember, that number was INCREDIBLE back in 1996. He broke the record by an unthinkable amount, and it seemed like one of those seismic shifts that just wouldn’t be accounted for until say 2050 if at all. But this guy just broke it without a problem. Absolutely incredible.

For those who haven’t seen him run, I would go post haste to youtube and look for his races. His 100m dashes seriously look like he’s jogging. His 200m final was so incredibly dominant that he’s practically the only on on the track. His race around the turn was flawless. And he’ll be unbeatable in 2012 as well.

Mad Men Season 2: My Review and Thoughts on Episode 4 (s02 e04)

Peggy, about to be embarrassed

As I sit here watching the still rings event finals for the men in Beijing, let’s talk about the latest episode of Mad Men:  Season 2, Episode 4.

First off, in my opinion, this was the strongest episode of the second season.  Thus far, I don’t think Season 2 measures up to the drama, tension, and frankly, novelty of Season 1.  I think we’ve strayed a bit too far from the smaller-scale stories like Don Draper’s past, the Peggy-Pete dynamic, and Betty’s growing insanity.

Betty and her gun

Betty and her dress

That said, Episode 4 was terrific.  Some thoughts:

1. My new favorite character?  Don Draper’s daughter, Sally.

When Don finds out that he has to go in to the office on Palm Sunday to deal with the American Airlines, and when Betty has to take Bobby into the emergency room for his burn, Don takes a deep breath and looks down at Sally…. who proceeds to clap enthusiastically!  Loved that moment.  Sally also got a chance to observe a lot of people at the office, most interestingly Pete Campbell taking a little swipe at Don behind his back, and Duck Phillips using that frustration to unite some employees against Don.  Will that come back to haunt them?  I wonder, probably not.  But you just never know.

2. In a moment of great casting, Don’s son Bobby looks a lot like Don’s half-brother.

That last conversation between Bobby and Don really brought out an almost sad look from Bobby that harkened back to Don’s half brother.  Overall, this was a very interesting episode to me, precisely because of this hinting back to Don’s hidden past and his seemingly lasting issues regarding his childhood.  Also, the fight with Betty revealed a few things that will definitely play out for this season:

a. That theme of distance between man and woman, husband and wife, has come back strong here, right when it looked like Don and Betty were starting to really grow a little closer.  Betty had no idea about Don’s past, about how deeply his father hurt him both physically and psychologically, and so she kept pushing Don to discipline Bobby by hitting him.  And Don never took the opportunity to talk to Betty, let her know about his past, not until they had a shoving match.  And even in the end, Don left a lot unsaid to Betty.  Why?  What is preventing him from opening up to her?  And how long will Bobbi (the manager) hold sway over Don’s fidelity?

b. Father figures. Don is becoming more of one for Bobby.  I still think we’ll see a bit of a relationship between Don and Pete.  Betty may need to rely on her parents a bit more if Don can’t come through.  There’s something a little fatherly between Roger Sterling and Joan.  And to get religious, the Father and Peggy had a quick falling out… but will that reverse itself in the future?  Where will some of these play out?

3. Duck Phillips and Don Draper are coming to a brutal fight.

It’s clear that Don made a professional mistake bringing in Duck Phillips.  It almost seems like Duck is Don’s boss, what with making Don go through that terrible breakup with Mohawk, with Roger seemingly taking Duck’s side on everything… It makes me think that Don’s standing as partner at the firm is going to be in jeopardy. How will Pete side on this one?  After all, with American falling way way through, Pete no longer has a reason to stick with Duck… in fact, he’s back to square one in a way.

Some additional thoughts?  Add them in the comments section!

Mad Men: My Ongoing Review of Season 2 (s02 e03)

They Still Have Eyes For Each Other?

Ah Mad Men.  Now that SYTYCD is over, I lean on you for entertainment until LOST comes back. Well, that and the Olympics! If anyone caught the Mens 4×100 Free Relay last night… Wow! And the US Women’s Gymnastics – very tense moments, but so far, so good.

Now, to Episode 3 of Mad Men.

So, we took a break from the emerging Pete Campbell story line involving Duck Phillips.  We also took a break from the Peggy story line, though we saw a glimpse of how hard it will be for her to escape at work.  Even something random like a television show brought in to a client harkens back to her “illegitimate child”, as described in the show clip.  We stepped back from a lot of the newer story lines and looked mostly at the Don and Betty Draper relationship.  What did we learn?

1. Don has definitely made a conscious, sincere decision to be a better husband and father, but this line of work just won’t let him.

This most likely stems from that devastating moment at the end of Season 1 when Don realized that he wanted to be with his wife and kids during Thanksgiving, two years ago.  Betty had basically thrown his affair in his face (by talking about how their neighbors/friends were dealing with the husband’s affair), and Don definitely made the turn towards his family at that point.

However, I think we saw that until Don quits this job, he simply will not be able to remain faithful.  He can certainly try, and he will be able to “minimize” his actions if he wants, but there will always be … well, the need for amoral actions.

What do I mean? Obviously, there was this incident with Jimmy and Mrs. “Utz”.  In order to smooth it out, Don had to deal with Jimmy’s manager.  At first, Bobbi was quite simply more than a match for Don.  In fact, I think it’s clear that she was playing Don like a fiddle, and she was lording it over him. Don’s glib talk wasn’t making any headway.  He couldn’t get to Jimmy. He couldn’t even fend off her advances! (Notably, Betty Draper was able to succeed at exactly that in the stable, more on that later.)

Don could not “win” this battle until he dropped that barrier, and so we had the scene in the restaurant powder room.  Quite a shocking scene, to be honest. I was not at all expecting that. For those who missed it, Bobbi was basically taunting Don with Jimmy’s contract, demanding $25K for any sort of (presumably insincere) apology, and seemed to be heading for the win.  But Don grabbed her hair, used his right hand in another body part, and (to be crude) played her like a puppet. Quite a moment… and you could see the terrible effect it had on Don afterwards in the car with Betty.  How would you interpret his facial expression at the end?  I’d call it self-loathing, hatred of his job, and a desire to be free.  (I think the fact that he was at the movies during the work day, even if for research, is a sign that something big will be in the future, perhaps at the end of the series.)

2. Betty will have a breakdown very very soon.

We saw a lot of Betty this episode, and every time we do, (a) Betty’s character becomes more and more interesting and (b) January Jones’ acting becomes more and more impressive.  The aforementioned stable scene shows that in some ways, Betty is a stronger person than Don, at least for now.  She is able to stop sexual advances in the moment, though maybe that has more to do with fear – fear of what will happen if she lets that dam collapse, fear of losing Don and the kids, etc. But I also think that it is evident and obvious that she is “profoundly sad” as stated by Mr. Romeo in the stables.

She obviously wants so much for her and Don to be a true couple, truly in love. Not just from the end scene with her crying “happily” about being more involved in Don’s life and work, being a “great team” (such an ironic scene all around), but even from something simple like the watch she had fixed and monogrammed for Don.  It seemed to touch Don, and it certainly was a very thoughtful thing for her to do.

Even Jimmy called them the JFK and Jackie couple. And I think it’s clear that Betty desperately wants that image to be true, that their home is the Camelot of suburban New York. Now, will that ever happen?  My money is on yes, perhaps at the end of the series, but there will be much trial and tribulation before we get to that point.

My guess is that at some point in Season 2, Betty will finally have her affair.  It will be passionate, and it will be discovered or revealed to Don in the last episode of the season.  How will Don react?  I honestly could see it going both ways – Either Don will be understanding (doubtful right away), or he will break down, loath her, but somehow come around (more likely to me).

3. BTW, love the Joan Holloway character.

Queen Bee

How GREAT was it to see Joan  as Don’s secretary for a minute!  She obviously is the queen bee in that office for a reason – in the words of Don, she is suited for that job.

Next Week’s Episode:

Looks like from the preview that we will return a bit to Peggy’s story, but honestly, I’m most interested in Don’s line. I wonder if his standing at the firm will continue to drop?  How will the Duck and Pete collaboration develop?

Beijing Summer Olympics: Opening Ceremony Pictures

Count me as one of those who was skeptical about the Beijing Olympics. But that was before the Opening Ceremony. If you missed it on our U.S. broadcast (7:30-midnight on August 8), then hopefully you’ll get to catch it on youtube. I tried looking for a link, but they’ve all been taken down for copyright claims. So, I’ve put some photos I found of the ceremony below. But honestly, they do not do it justice.

I have never seen such a grand display of beauty, precision, and technology. There was so much profound symbolism in everything that was presented, whether linking to Confucian principles or to broader Chinese ideals. And then when you see how everything was orchestrated using individual people, all moving to one beat, all choreographed to every minute detail, and producing such intricate geometries of design and movement….. well, let’s just say China can count this as an immense success. It’ll truly go down in history as one of the greatest opening ceremonies, and I can’t imagine how Great Britain will follow up on this in 2012.

The Bird's Nest

A Profound Symbol of the Chinese State

The Inside Lip Had a Screen for Images!

The Precision

Almost Like a Painting

Look Closely, Those Are People Walking Around It!

Amazing Lighting of Torch

SYTYCD: Season 4 Winner …. JOSHUA ALLEN!!!

A sincere congratulations to Joshua Allen, winner of Season 4 and the new “America’s Favorite Dancer”!

I for one am very very surprised that Twitch did not win. But I believe that Joshua was the deserving winner between the two of them. I just think he showed more overall technique, more diversity in excellence, and more believability when it came to the serious, mature routines. If you think back to what he had to perform, including the Paso Doble, the Samba, and of course, the Bollywood — considering how terrifically he performed those routines, and how Twitch struggled with certain ballroom dances, I think Joshua was more deserving.  I respect those who feel that Twitch’s performance value should have carried the day, however.

A quick note though – I still think Katee deserved the overall win. She really did display an amazing range, musicality, and devotion to the details.  That Pas de Deux with Will really should go down in SYTYCD lore as one of the best routines ever, up there with the “park bench” routine with Travis and Heidi and that Ivan/Allison contemporary routine, both interestingly by Mia Michaels.  And that Wade Robson Mikado-like routine with Hok and Jamie.

Nevertheless, great end to a great season!

Some final notes about the final episode:

1. Mary Murphy is much skinnier than I expected her to be. I guess I’ve never really seen her full on, just behind that judge desk, and I’m ashamed to say that based on her face (and chins), I had expected her to be a little out of shape.  But her legs – wow!

2. Mary Murphy cannot really dance at an elite level any more.

3. Nigel Lythgoe truly stunk up the stage and kind of embarrassed himself, in my opinion.  I guess it’s his show, but he kinda “jumped the shark” a little bit there for me.

4. I hope we never have to see Adam Shankin on that stage.  That man just loves being on camera and will shamelessly take any opportunity to ham it up.

5. I am, however, intrigued at the idea of seeing Mia Michaels dance.

6. Philip Chbeeb really kicked that weirdo Robert’s ass. I don’t know what was going on there with the judges, but maybe it’s because Philip will try to audition again and they didn’t want to do anything to bias the fans of his?  I don’t know, but it really wasn’t all that close in my eyes.

7. Very interesting to see the past contestants.  But is it me, or did Jesus’ “Lovecatcher” look like Xanadu 2008?

8. I liked Blake’s dancing on the show, but man, he became show-bizzy very very quickly. Loves to drop names and show up dancers on his Canadian SYTYCD, apparently.

9. I realized as I was watching Chelsie dance that I really wish she had been in the Top 4 instead of Courtney.  Courtney is great and all, but I think Chelsie would have killed that Jive with Joshua.

10. Thanks for reading! I’ll be continuing with more random SYTYCD posts, American Idol when it starts up, and of course, Mad Men.  And finally, Lost when it starts up in 2009.

SYTYCD Top 4: My Review of the Performance Finale

Performance Finale Time!

It’s that time again – Wednesday night, we had our Top 4 finalists on So You Think You Can Dance: Joshua, Katee, Twitch, and Courtney. The finale of performances, the last of Mary Murphy. Some definite ups and downs, so let’s get right to it.

First off, it needs to be said: The judges were shamelessly inconsistent in pimping Twitch for the win. There was a clear agenda right away, and it went from the first performance to the last. Look over the tape when it comes out on youtube and listen to those judges’ comments. They not only spent way more time reviewing Twitch’s routines, but they had nothing but extreme accolades for him, even though that foxtrot with Katee was the most butchered foxtrot I’ve seen in a long time. We’ll get into the specifics as we break down each routine one at a time.

1. Courtney & Twitch: Hip Hop

The show began with a nice number from Napoleon and Tabitha. I was surprised to enjoy this routine, not just from Twitch, but also from Courtney – she definitely pulled this off. The choreography was also very well done, with a lot of fun details: the sequence of fake punches that ended with an uppercut to Twitch’s nether regions was acted out well, and Courtney’s little run over Twitch’s thigh and chest was unexpected. Courtney also did a little thing with her shoulders bobbing Twitch’s head up and down. However, it wasn’t without flaws: they had a little trouble staying in synch during some paired moves, and that lift at the end – whoa. I don’t think it was meant to look that awkward in the beginning and that loose at the end, where Courtney almost slipped off his head and onto his shoulders. In fact, she looked just as surprised as we did when it happened.

So a good routine, not flawless, nothing extraordinary to me…. but the judges went W I L D. Mandy Moore went mall chick over it “You guys that was awesome!” and the others were unequivocal in how great it was. Mary was predictably over the top with her scream and constant yelling, and even Nigel was gaga (they had a little Simon-Paula moment as well, which was somewhat nauseating). They had absolutely no critiques at all, which surprised me. This to me was the beginning of the “Let’s get Twitch to win” quest by the judges. Only time will tell if the voters fell for it.

2. Joshua & Katee: Wade Robson

I should be honest from the start: I have a total man crush on Wade Robson. No need for my wife to feel threatened or anything, but still, how cool is that guy? As for the routine, this to me was clearly the best routine of the night, both in terms of choreography and in terms of the actual dancing.

To start, Katee’s presence at the very beginning was breathtaking. As the judges said, the honesty and emotion in that moment were plain to see. Then that side to side motion and arm raising action at the beginning – there really has not been a couple more in tune and in step with each other than these two. The routine only got better from then on, with some shockingly quick, controlled, and expressive pirouettes by both. The ability to spin twice so fast then to stop and be able to collapse into exact movements – both Joshua and Katee showed to all that they are the two best dancers left in the show.

The judges’ comments were on point, though not nearly as enthusiastic as they were for Twitch and Courtney. But they quickly latched on to both dancers’ excellence in their emotions and movements. It was very interesting to see Joshua’s and Katee’s emotions at the end – they were clearly very sad that this was the last time they were dancing as a couple.

3. Courtney & Katee: Broadway

This was the weakest performance for me tonight, in terms of the overall choreography. It may have worked better in a Top 10 or Top 14 show, but for the finale, I felt it was a little weak and Tyce let both girls down. They danced it well, Katee certainly a little better than Courtney as Nigel astutely pointed out, but they had very little to work with. The music was limp, the movements were simplistic, and it just didn’t work for this stage. It felt like a real broadway number, which I can appreciate. But it was a deflating moment for both dancers this night. Mandy couldn’t even fake her enthusiasm in her comments.

4. Joshua & Twitch: Russian?

From weak to … odd. I sort of enjoyed this routine in the end – there was a lot of athleticism and leaping displayed here, but I couldn’t help wondering why they hadn’t picked a Dave Scott choreographed hip hop routine for this pair. It just seems like a no-brainer for me, especially for the ratings-laden performance finale.

That said, I thought the routine was … alright. Yes there was a lot of jumping and somesuch, but the music (Tchaikovsky Nutcracker??) was not at all inspiring, and the routine became almost a farce towrads the end. However, I think it was clear that Joshua showed himself to be the better dancer, both in his athleticism and in his overall presentation (I still cannot take Twitch seriously when he tries to make “serious” faces). Nevertheless, the judges did all they could to make Twitch’s case for the voters, even going so far as to point out that Joshua got all the leaps in the air.

5. Twitch & Katee: Fox Trot

Oh man. Here, in my opinion, is where the show hit its low low low point. I’ll be quick. I think the routine was so dumbed down for Twitch that it became something other than a Fox Trot. There really was no foxtroting at all, and as comparison, here below is Danny and Anya doing the fox trot from a season ago. Take a look at that and then review last night’s performance.

It’s actually appalling that the judges said NOTHING about Twitch’s lack of fox trot grace. I think they were in fox trot mode for approximately 15 seconds total, maybe two runs if that. And those fox trot passes just were not graceful or dynamic at all. They had no form, the steps were off, everything just did not work at all. And yet, did the judges say anything about that? Nope. All of their comments were about Twitch’s performance value and they said nothing about his technique. Particularly galling given that, as I mention later, Nigel in particular is focused on telling contestants that on this show, mere effort is not enough – they have to be able to perform the steps. I think they fell incredibly short in this routine.

6. Joshua & Courtney: Jive

Well, Joshua was very tired at this point, having done the Russian dance, his solo, and then this Jive in the span of about 30 minutes. And it showed. His kicks were somewhat slow and short, and Courtney didn’t help either.

However, although Nigel justifiably pointed these flaws out, I was amazed that he did so after giving Twitch a pass on PRECISELY the same issues on the last dance… Nigel in fact said, “I could say you were entertaining and the audience had fun and you put your heart into it, but that would be unfair.” However, he said pretty much exactly that without touching Twitch’s technique, so what’s the deal?

Solos:

Courtney: She had a predictable solo, actually an area that she’s excelled at among the girls. However, I was struck at how much time the judges spent praising her growth and spirit. Nevertheless, she showed some sincere emotion both during her routine and afterwards.

Twitch: Twitch has always had great solos, but (as long time fans of the show surely recognized), tonight was the second time Twitch used music from Wade Robson that Ivan had used in Season 2 for his solos. The first time was a few weeks ago with “Question Mark” and tonight, he used “It Was All In Your Mind.” Now, look, I have absolutely no problem with him using the same music. But I guess my problem is that his movements resembled Ivan’s solos a little too much and in that same vein, he didn’t quite measure up.

What perhaps bothered me more though was how blatantly the judges propped up Twitch as winner of the show. Mary in particular seems to want him to win more than normal. Here’s what bugs me… thoughout the season, the judges were particularly harsh on certain dancers dancing out of their realm (say, waltz for a hip hop specialist) saying that being uncomfortable is not an excuse, that on SYTYCD, they have to step up… However, they never once used that line on Twitch. Instead, they praised his entertainment value and made excuses for his lack of technique. Simply inexcusable in my mind.

Katee: Her solo was actually better than I expected. She also used an old tune (Imogen Heap, previously used in a group routine last season), but paired it with great choreography. The judges seemed, however, to speed through her review and gave her practically no help with the voters in terms of highlighting her immense skills. Plus, I still don’t forgive them for how they treated her during the Top 20 selection show. Her answer was simply honest and emotional, and they used it for drama.

Joshua: I actually was very disappointed by his solo! He seems to have the exact same movements: the double-foot stance, the waving of his arms, the hip bounce, and other hand movements. Then he did the same thing next to the judges (hopefully this will not be a trend in future seasons).

Verdict: Who will WIN????????

I offer two answers. First: Who I think DESERVES to win:

1. Katee

2. Joshua

3. Twitch

4. Courtney

Second: Who I think WILL win after the votes:

1. Twitch

2. Joshua

3. Katee

4. Courtney

What do you guys think???? Am I being too harsh on the judges??

The Save Statistic in Baseball: A Solution

"Best" Closer in Baseball?

Jim Caple of ESPN wrote an article in which he argues that the closer is the most overrated position in baseball and the save is the most overrated statistic in baseball. Definitely worth a read.

I do believe it is important to have a defined closer on your team – while theoretically, having a closer-by-committee is more effective, pitchers are nevertheless humans with certain needs for defined roles and, sometimes, horse-blinders. Meaning, I still think most relief pitchers in baseball need to know exactly what their role is on the team: relief in a bad spot in an inning, 8th inning setup man, 9th inning closer, etc. Plus, the fact of the matter is that there really aren’t enough pitchers who are good enough that the team can say “X will not give up a run in an inning more than 25% of the time.”

The “SAVE” statistic, on the other hand, is ridiculous.  Here is the definition of a “save” according to official baseball rules:

A pitcher is credited with a save when he finishes a game won by his club, is not the winning pitcher, and either (a) enters the game with a lead of no more than three runs and pitches for at least one inning, (b) enters the game with the potential tying run either on base, or at bat, or on deck, or (c) pitches effectively for at least three innings.

On the surface, okay.  But with time, certain situations become ridiculous save spots.  (c) in particular is dumb. However, that really only happens maybe a handful of times for a team.  It’s really (a) that is problematic.  There really isn’t that much pressure, relatively, when a pitcher comes in the 9th inning, with no one on base, and with a 3-run lead.  Yet, he’ll get a save, he’ll do this 20-50 times a season, and he’ll get paid more money than other capable relievers simply because of this.

A solution?

I propose a statistic called “True Save”.  I would just call this the “save” and abolish the old save, but baseball does love history and being able to compare players across eras, and even obsolete stats are revered today (batting average and pitcher wins are somewhat included on this list). But let’s call the “True Save” the following:

(1) When a pitcher starts the 9th inning with his team up by ONE run and finishes the inning without letting in a run, or
(2) When a pitcher enters the 9th inning with the tying run at the plate and finishes the inning without letting in that tying run.

Simple as that. I really can’t think of a stress situation that doesn’t involve actual risk of an impending loss of the lead. THOSE should be the save situations we measure. As an example of what would NOT be a save under this new stat, say a closer starts the 9th with a 3 run lead. He goes a bit erratically, lets in 2 runs, but manages to get that third out with a one-run lead.  This is NOT a save! He’s created his own stressful situation and worked his way out of it.  That’s just bad pitching.

So this is my solution. I’m sure someone out there has come up with this. Have they?  In any case, what do you think?

SYTYCD: My Top 5 Performances of Season 4 (and a review)

One day before the final performances of Season 4! It’s been a great season, with perhaps the most talented group of 20 dancers from top to bottom. Now’s as good a time as ever to take a tour though my 5 favorite performances this season – the youtube clips will be embedded into the post.

Before I start, what were my criteria? Because, I’m no egotistical fool. I know my top five will be different from your top five, and I am by no means saying these were the absolute best of the year. Instead, this list includes those performances, partnered or solo, that (a) made me want to watch it over and over again, (b) was technically terrific, and (c) had some emotional impact to it. I definitely had my favorite dancers this year (Joshua, Katee, Will), but I think the top five includes a bit of a mix too, maybe.

Now, I only picked five, maybe next year, I’ll try a Top 10 list split over two days, but there were some Honorable Mentions that I’ll list here (youtube clip in link):

Katee & Joshua: Bollywood – I was nervous about this one, I’ll be honest (as was Joshua, apparently). But it was one of the more dynamic performances of the season, and exciting for its novelty to SYTYCD.

Mark & Chelsie: Argentine Tango – Mark definitely knows how to disappear into a role, which is probably at least half the game for the male in a tango, and Chelsie is fabulous at any latin/ballroom style.

Twitch & Comfort: Hip Hip – Two hip hop dancers got their style, choreographed by Dave Scott (a better hard hip hop choreographer than Nappy Tabs, for example). A great combination.

Twitch Top 12 Solo: Maestro – The solos had been a little dry up to this point (lots of contemporary dancers), but Twitch put a jolt into it with his very musically choreographed solo.

In looking over the five I picked and the four above, I see that *spoilers* I didn’t pick any Chelsie “hot numbers”, where she is in a fast Latin dance. This kind of surprises me because I think she is amazing at those routines. But I never really needed to see them over and over after she had performed them, for some reason. Maybe because she got to do them several times this season? In any case, I go into this knowing that many may disagree with me on the ones below. Comment away!

Alright! Without further ado, my Top Five, with commentary:

5. Will’s Top 8 Solo

This solo was apparently one of the more polarizing performances, based on what I read on idolforums and other blogs. Of course, Will was promptly booted from the show the next day in what I still consider to be a bad decision (I would have put Twitch or Mark off at that point). The ironic thing is that I think all Will was doing was showing exactly the personality that judges had asked him to display. In fact, the judges LOVED the solo, giving him a standing ovation afterwards. However, perhaps it was too late for Will to overcome early perceptions of his “aloof” personality.

In any case, a great rendition of a James Brown dance. My favorite moment is the leap and slide up at 1:24 – I mean, the boy can DANCE. Plus, the slow smooth shuffle down the stairs at 1:10, it just doesn’t get more fun to watch than that. Some have said it was all twirls and jumps, but I think there’s also the great alignment with the music (the hip bumps at 1:16). I only wish it could have gone for another 10 seconds.

4. Mark & Chelsie Hip Hop

Tabitha and Napoleon have gotten a bit of a beating from hip hop aficionados in some of the forums I’ve been reading. I think part of the blame goes to Nigel for his christening of “lyrical hip hop” as the future of hip hop. Nigel certainly loves Nappy Tabs, and I enjoy their choreography (as you’ll see), but this is really more of a contemporary feel than hip hop. That said, I really enjoyed this routine.

Mark and Chelsie do a great job getting into the roles, particularly Mark. Mark really does seem like a much stronger dancer when he has that role. The few routines he struggled in this year came when they were “story-less” routines, all about the moves and dances. Certainly a flaw when it comes to this show, but it doesn’t take away from this performance. My favorite moves start at 1:22, the bridge portion.

3. Thayne’s Top 14 Solo

Now I’m guessing a lot of people will read this and think “No way. He’s nuts.” My own wife thinks this was a cheesy performance. That may be, but I’m putting this one on my list for a few reasons. First, I think the solos this season were somewhat bland, particularly the girls’ solos – too many contemporary dancers. I liked Twitch’s solos, I liked a couple of Will’s, and… I liked this one. Second, why did I like this one?

Something about the musicality (is that now a word?) of it. It’s not just a bunch of tricks and pirouettes (all the rage this season after Danny perfected them last season). Not a lot of leaps for the sake of jumping. It’s actually a mix of artistic moves closely choreographed to the music, and they’re not athletic moves or flashy moves, just musical. What do I mean?

The fall backwards onto the rail at 0:11. The right leg kickback and head back at 0:13. The elbows at 0:15. And so on. From the stairs, to his slowly-timed turns and pirouettes. His leap and head bobs. All of it was just timed carefully to the music; you can see his thought process. I loved Katee, but her solos pale majorly in comparison.

2. Will & Katee Pas de Deux

I don’t think words can do this routine justice. Probably the most difficult routine ever performed on SYTYCD, all four seasons included. So many great moves, so much grace and power. I only wish, and I realize this is a bit lame of me, I only wish they hadn’t made that one small mistake with Katee’s head hitting Will’s arm. It threw off the timing of the routine up until that break/pause in the middle, and kept this from true contention for my number 1 spot.

1. Katee & Joshua Hip Hop

And the number one spot! Right away from the first week, Katee and Joshua established themselves as both fan and judge (especially Nigel) favorites. They probably needed this, Katee especially, because of her Top 20 selection fiasco (I think the judges were being drama queens and totally driven by production value when they creamed Katee like they did), and there’s no doubt that their early momentum kept them out of the Bottom 3 and 2 for the whole show.

Again, I think this is more contemporary than hip hop, closer to Mia Michaels than to Dave Scott. But bottom line, it’s a well-choreographed, terrifically performed routine. My highlights: Joshua’s entrance at 2:26. The flip of Joshua at 2:50. The synchronized dancing at 2:52. The hands at 3:12. The facial expressions from then on. This had the emotional and technical impact, and sold me from day one.

So, I went with the five that hit me emotionally the most, the ones I want to watch over and over. Now, I KNOW I left your favorite off, and put a horrible performance in its place. Tell me which one you disagree with! And then tell me which one you agree with!

And only 1 day to the finals! As a teaser, I leave you with this from Philip Chbeeb, who we’ll see on Thursday, I’m guessing.

America’s Best Dance Crew: Episode 7 Review

I’m sure there are tons of true dance fans out there who supplement their SYTYCD fix with the ABDC jolt to the system. For those of you who do, here’s a terrific review on the latest episode of ABDC, by a great friend, Howard Han (no relation).

ABDC: Episode 7 Review (Fix It In Post)

Also, if you’re a fan of Comic Con, you’ll be visiting his blog many times.

Tomorrow:

My Top 5 Performances this season on SYTYCD!

Mad Men: Review of Episode 2 (s02 e02)

Episode 2 of Season 2 of Mad Men aired last night: So what did you think?

Several questions that I brought up in my last Mad Men post were addressed last night. Let’s run through those and then discuss some new issues (*cough* Duck).

1. Peggy’s Baby

Well, I think we now know for sure what happened right after the hospital scene from the end of Season 1. It appears that Peggy had to tell her mom and (older) sister about the baby, either because of her tenuous financial situation or because “the New York courts told her that she couldn’t just do what she wanted” as noted by her sister when Peggy when she went to their house for dinner. Maybe Peggy tried to give the baby up for adoption, but somehow the courts stepped in, and (either because the mother tried to stop it or because the courts notified the mother as Peggy tried to leave the baby) the mother or sister took custody of the baby.

Either way, we now know one of the major story lines of the season: The evolution of Peggy. Broad, I know, but what I mean is this. (a) She was clearly uncomfortable with the baby, both in that chilling scene in the bedroom and in the church. Will she come around to seeing herself as the mother of that baby? For now, it seems that she has set up a 10 foot wall between them. (b) What will happen at work for her? There was a telling look between her and Pete. Will that become something more? Will her aggressiveness displayed in Episode One against Don’s new secretary, which probably was necessary for a woman to survive in that environment, become who she is, or will her true character win out?

2. Don’s Book

Remember this book? Who did Don send this to last episode? It wasn’t directly addressed last night, but I think we got some important hints. There is obviously still tension between Betty and Don (more on that later), but more telling is Don’s response to some tough professional and personal moments last night. He basically had his legs cut out from under him by Sterling, Cooper, and Duck. And when he had to tell Mohawk about the move, Don got the brunt of the anger and guilt. Now, back in the day, Don probably would have escaped to Midge or Rachel at this point, but he ended up staying at that Chinese restaurant (which funnily reminded the Mohawk guy of Pearl Harbor – nice touch of the 60s attitude to Asians – we all look the same, maybe).

And when he was approached by that waitress, we knew he wouldn’t go, but that normally he would have. Who was he thinking of at that moment? Rachel? Midge? Betty? My guess is now Midge, and that he sent that book to her. But sounds like Rachel might still be in the picture. The Midge story line seemed dead after the beatnik party scene, to me the Rachel plot seems more likely from a writer’s stand point.

3. Don and Betty

I am mesmerized by Don’s story, and aside from Pete Campbell, I sometimes wait impatiently while other characters are fleshed out for the story to return to Don. The relationship between Don and Betty is as complicated as ever. That card/drink scene – wow. Some interesting clues there too. During cards, Betty said, when talking ostensibly about her son, that she knows what mischief and lies “little boys” play at, and drew an immediate stare from Don. Clearly Betty knows about Don’s… dalliances. But did they have a direct conversation about it or was it a tacit understanding? That I’m not yet sure of.

One possible clue was a line from Don after the party while they were in the kitchen: “I’ll say what you want me to say, but I won’t fight with you.” Now, maybe this was in context of the party, of having that friend over who had had the affair discovered by the wife, but it also seemed to go towards a possible agreement or understanding between Don and Betty – and where was that understanding born from? A confession? I don’t know. It is clear though that Betty is more in charge than before, though not fully in control. It is, after all, Betty who organized that party and was not afraid of Don’s annoyance when he had forgotten about it.

New Plotline: Pete Campbell and his “father”, Don Draper

Pete has quickly become my second favorite character on the show. I think an important line from last season will come back to have more relevance: Roger Sterling to Don when Don wanted to fire Pete but didn’t: “Sometimes allies come from the most unexpected places.” (referring to Pete)

Things are looking bad for Don right now at Sterling Cooper. Things are looking great for Pete, and using his father’s death was a great move by the writers (somewhat predictable – my wife was on top of every plot shift last night). But, Pete obviously feels something for Don… Don has really become a father figure for Pete. It’s Don that he goes to when he needs to talk – after deciding not to call his wife, after looking at Peggy, after scanning the office. It’s Don’s advice he seeks, asking “Is that what you would do?” It’s Don’s acceptance he desperately wants. Not Duck’s. When Duck first approached him about American Airlines, Pete was able to say no, even after getting the very compliment from Duck that he had long sought from Don (that he works hard, that he knows what he’s doing, that he’s driven).

And when Pete goes to Don the second time, and Don angrily snaps at him (such a hard moment), I think Don then reminded him of his real father, and that’s when he decided to go to Duck. But I think that’s temporary, and I believe we’ll see Pete and Don unite at some point in some way. It may take a while though, because while Pete sees Don as a father figure, I don’t think Don sees Pete as a mentee.

Tomorrow: My Top Five SYTYCD Routines of this Season!

And some day soon, I’ll return to my real love: SPORTS.