I've seen honest faces before. They usually come attached to liars.

Willow ,'Conversations with Dead People'


Non-Fiction TV: I Reject Your Reality and Substitute My Own

This thread is for non-fiction TV, including but not limited to reality television (So You Think You Can Dance, Top Chef: Masters, Project Runway), documentaries (The History Channel, The Discovery Channel), and sundry (Expedition Africa, Mythbusters), et al. [NAFDA]


Kathy A - Jul 09, 2009 6:28:47 am PDT #9745 of 23273
We're very stretchy. - Connie Neil

Yep, everyone got two dances, and you could tell in the first hour, because they were rushing everyone, including the judges.

Brandon and Janette totally stole the show last night! They were awesome in both numbers--that tango was so crisp and intense (they were both doing the leg flicks so well, although I thought that Brandon could have done a lunge to match Janette's in the beginning, instead of the folded-leg crouch), and that Wade number was soo Spy vs. Spy (perfect description!) and fun.

The other dancers just faded in comparison, although I did like the foxtrot (the first time I liked Caitlin) and that addiction piece of Mia's. As much as I adore Evan and Randi, the judges were correct in that he has his niche of jazz/Broadway and just can't seem to break out of it. He doesn't know how to bring the intensity and lose the cute.

Melissa and Ade were just fine in both numbers, but not much more, unfortunately. Ade did shake it better than Melissa in the disco, but he didn't get the waltz movement right (although that might have been more the choreographer's fault than his).


le nubian - Jul 09, 2009 7:39:15 am PDT #9746 of 23273
"And to be clear, I am the hell. And the high water."

the hip hop was an absolutely atrocity.

Jesse, maybe you are right, but I've seen other Russian dances that are much better, so I just thought the choreo was bad.


Jesse - Jul 09, 2009 7:43:27 am PDT #9747 of 23273
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.

Definitely everything about it was terrible. I'm willing to call it a group effort!


Sparky1 - Jul 09, 2009 7:43:53 am PDT #9748 of 23273
Librarian Warlord

but I've seen other Russian dances that are much better, so I just thought the choreo was bad.

I haven't tracked down the intro on youtube to confirm, yet, but last night I thought that in that tape they showed a number of things that didn't end up being in the dance. I suspect that whatever they had choreographed got scrapped when Phillip couldn't handle it and thus we got the judges harping on how easy it was.


Kathy A - Jul 09, 2009 7:45:56 am PDT #9749 of 23273
We're very stretchy. - Connie Neil

I think the two booted tonight will be Evan and Caitlin. The producers want Phillip to be in the top ten so he can go on tour this fall, and I personally think that Jeanine outshines him so much that they'll both be safe this week.


Jesse - Jul 09, 2009 8:36:05 am PDT #9750 of 23273
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.

Thinking about Top Chef, a comment elsewhere about Suzanne Tracht and Anita Lo got me thinking about why there aren't more badass female chefs on TV. I think it's because they don't have time to fuck around and be cute! They're too busy putting out badass food and running restaurants! Due to it being 1000 times harder for a woman to be taken seriously as a badass.

Anyway, I'm glad to see the ladies represent on TC:M.


megan walker - Jul 09, 2009 9:01:17 am PDT #9751 of 23273
"What kind of magical sunshine and lollipop world do you live in? Because you need to be medicated."-SFist

Thinking about Top Chef, a comment elsewhere about Suzanne Tracht and Anita Lo got me thinking about why there aren't more badass female chefs on TV. I think it's because they don't have time to fuck around and be cute! They're too busy putting out badass food and running restaurants! Due to it being 1000 times harder for a woman to be taken seriously as a badass.

Anyway, I'm glad to see the ladies represent on TC:M.

Yes, and I was happy to see the other chefs realize quite early who their real competition was.


-t - Jul 09, 2009 9:04:19 am PDT #9752 of 23273
I am a woman of various inclinations and only some of the time are they to burn everything down in frustration

That kind of Russian dance is really all about showing off your chops in astounding tricks. If the dancers can't do the leaps and kicks, there isn't much else the choreographers can give them. It's just not something you can tone down and still have it be itself.

How do they do the costuming for the choreographed numbers? I had assumed that it was provided by the show, but the judges commenting on wardrobe choices make me think that it's under more of the contestants' control than I thought.


msbelle - Jul 09, 2009 9:10:22 am PDT #9753 of 23273
I remember the crazy days. 500 posts an hour. Nubmer! Natgbsb

Well just in general, culinary schools are male dominated. Then to go to the externships, where the sexism is pretty heavy - and they whole 7 day a week job and late nights as a factor in possibly having a family. I'd think female chefs would need a stay-at-home partner if they wanted a family.


flea - Jul 09, 2009 12:06:39 pm PDT #9754 of 23273
information libertarian

Watching SYTYCD now. I kind of want Janette to win it all. She is just on FIRE in everything. And I loved the whole "I want to be a banker" piece they did with her a couple of weeks back. Made of awesome!