10 Things About Season 17...So Far by Christine

Thanks to Christine for this post.  Enjoy "10 things About Season 17 . . . So Far"

10. Hosting or not so much.  I have noticed that they quite don’t know how to employ a host and a hostess, so they have Brooke doing things like sitting in the glitter pit, standing around in what used to be the balcony, or standing around backstage.  She really isn’t needed in this new format - which is partly sad, partly a relief, and somewhat awkward.  She still hasn’t figured out quite what to ask people yet.  Either eliminate her entirely or send her to hostess school. 

9. Questionable Costume Choices:  Peta, Derek and Val have always been a bit on the edge, but this season saw some questionable choices from Cheryl, Tony and Emma as well.  Emma did recycle that tie-died chicken like bustle thingy a time or two so far this season.  Also for Val, Derek and any other male pro…KEEP THE SHIRT ON! Tease me; please me BUT DON’T GROSS ME OUT!!  So far Peta has needed several new sweaters and a new fashion expert as well.  Val, who is supposedly the fashion guru, has shown me that I won’t be buying anything in his clothing line. EVER.  Especially if it was made with lace or some other material; on the other hand, he does have a fallback career if he is just brave enough to embrace it.

8. Format Changes: What the hell was TPTB thinking?  Okay, not having the results show wasn’t as horrifying as I first thought it would be, but still not exactly the best idea that they have ever had.  I miss the results show.  I wish it would come back.  I miss the artist showcases each Tuesday and the troupe and pros being showcased much more than the dancing shown on the Monday night shows.

7. Talk about dancing… What happened to Ballroom?  What happened to Latin?  What are TPTB doing to the dancing?  One week Derek is called out because he and Amber are not in hold enough…then another week, a 10 for a shirtless rendition of a tacky Cher video? On that note, Derek also gets to choose to NOT do what is assigned (refer to the week Amber and Derek got Charleston…)

6. Done with dancing…On to music:  What’s up with the music?  Seems some pros get the pick of the music, don’t have to fight with the directors to get their's changed (can anyone say Elizabeth and Derek?) while others get all the crappy leftovers and have to have diva complexes to get the music changed.  Not FAIR!  Then the world isn’t fair and we, the fans, should just grow up, right?  WRONG!  There’s a song I think TPTB should take a moment to listen to…WE AREN'T GONNA TAKE IT ANYMORE!! Nope, not gonna take it anymore.  No way, no how, got it? Okay.

5. Camera, lights and WHUT? Yeah, the camera work has been very amateur.  The lightning was preventing the judges from judging (or at least being able to see the dance) and so far as I am concerned I find it a bit distracting from the flaws that are very evident this season.  Which is why I think there has been so much of it this season, it has been enlightening as it says that the dancing is no longer important.

4. What happened to Harold and the Band? I miss the peeks now and again at the band playing and singing.  I have started to notice, especially on Cher night, that there has been a heavy reliance on taped music this season, rather than have the band perform.  I can understand why this was so on the night that Cher was a guest, but not on a regular Monday night show.  Is it because the songs are so short?  Or is there a more, sinister reason? I think the only time that I have been somewhat reasonably sure that Harold and the band have played was during that Corbin/Karina V. Waltz.

3. Star power…or the lack thereof.  Yeah, I am quite disappointed in the celebrities DWTS has had this season.  Brant, Corbin, and Elizabeth are dancers and everyone else is a mixed bag.  Leah is questionable on just how far she is going to go, Snooki should have stayed a week longer, Valerie should not have ever left and now I am wondering when TPTB are going to tire of Bill E.  I forget who (again and again) Mark got paired with…oh yeah, Christina, which is funny because my name is Christine.  Bill N. didn’t stick around long enough for us to figure out if he was a dancer or not.  Valerie was there and she was awesome.  So she forgot some steps, and she wasn’t able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but she brought a Fred and Ginger quality to the show that it is in desperate need of.  Just witness the numerous times that they have showed J-Lo in the audience and you will know that for sure.  

2. Pros and Troupe.  When the announcement came about a much reduced troupe, I was not overly surprised.  What was surprising was the choice of members.  Weren’t Gleb and Lindsey pros last season?  Emma and Sasha as pros: This, other than Valerie and Tristan, has been the highlight of Season 17.  I feel that Sasha has a style similar to Tristan’s and that Emma is very good at what she does.  They both enjoy the dancing, and really try to teach on a level that their partners can understand.  None of this dancing around while their partner stands there and tries to imitate them!  Some advice for Derek, Mark and Tony:  Time for an extended vacation guys.  Let the young bucks come in and show you what chemistry is.

1.  It’s all about Tristan…of course.  Sadly TPTB hasn’t figured this out, but I feel eventually they will have to.  Other than that, some night TPTB will awake to find that the nightmare isn’t a dream but a reality that they will pray to escape.  This will be MacManiacs storming the studio or the stage to demand that Derek, Val or Mark get the older, less able celebrities.  Of course, Tristan would be horrified if that happened and I’m actually surprised it hasn’t yet, but we can only take so much before someone snaps.