Strictly '22 #17 — Never mind which celebs are there, the Glitterball Gang have made it to the final!

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

Previous thread here

I don't have to do the no spoiler warning, because it's the Final and it's ALL LIVE!

Quick reminder for no YouTube videos please, they embed and slow the thread down horribly for some people. I'll add a link to the multimedia thread in a minute.

Yes- it surprised me because Will had been complimented and cosseted so much that I thought that he was the one the judges wanted to have in the final at all costs.

He must have felt like he'd been slapped with a kipper when he got this weeks' feedback.

Hi all!

For some reason I'm not really enjoying strictly that much this year. I wonder if it's because so many new professional partners have joined and I just haven't warmed to them yet or whether it's the actual celebrities which have been involved. Needless to say I've just found it quite disappointing.
I think what is really bothered me this year is the judge is constantly saving repeated bottom to couples. For example Fleur and Molly. Fleur and Molly are now in the final but it is clear that isn't what the public wanted. I understand that the judges save the better dancers to avoid it being a popularity contest, but they also need to understand that the public will want to see the favourite couples in the final. I think some really strong couples went early on because people like Fleur and Molly and Kim kept been saved. Does that make sense?
Normally I am so looking forward to seeing the final of strictly and would be preparing myself for the strictly come down after finishing this weekend, but I don't even know if I can bring myself to tuning in. I just don't really care about any of them. I get really annoyed when I see people whinge about programs, and just think "we'll don't watch it then", but I just genuinely I'm really disappointed this year and I just think they need to rethink how the judges can go about saving people in the bottom two.
Hope this makes sense.

I think maybe I just really miss alijaz!!

Anyone hazard a guess to which pros may bow out after this season? I love Gio and Karen but I think they may go soon 😬🙁

Agreed. I think it's between Hamza and Helen. I would love to see Hamza win. I can't take to Helen at all. That's no reflection on her, or her performance. Just me. Delighted for Molly and Fleur to be in the final.

I didn't really understand how the judges seemed to suddenly criticise Will, having gushed over him and indeed put him at the top of the leaderboard for two weeks in a row.

That cc was cringy, I felt I could have danced it, and I'm no dancer.
He seems to be taking elimination quite badly, apologising on his instagram today, to those who voted for him. 🙄

I think the judges suddenly criticised him over his paso because it wasn’t that good. Simple as that. I’ve never massively liked him, but I would say many of his earlier dances were better than this week’s.

I remember when nobody did an Argentine tango until the semi-final when they all did one. Might have been the first year AT was included. Also remember in the early years in the first week or two everyone did either a waltz or a salsa, making judging easier, able to compare like with like. And they also had to do 2 dances per show long before the semi-final. And like many of you I think the final should be one ballroom, one Latin, and one show dance.

And I’m so BORED with the Charlestons now!

I was just saying to DH last night that perhaps next year in the semis they could all do an A Tango @ that way there is more of a level playing field and also interesting to judge the 4 couples against .

We also don't think you should redo a dance that you literally did in the quarters

I was not wowed by Helen's show dance music - interested to see what Hamza and Jowita choose.

I would like Hamza to win

I'm bored with all the Charleston/Samba/Salsa/Jives.
They seem to have all gone from a bit of fun to downright slapstick and a competition to see who can wear the most "look how goofy we are" costume.

If CC has to stay, it should be a "special" week where they get the whole bilge filled lot out at once.

How is Will apologizing to people who voted for him "taking elimination badly" Surely it's a nice thing to do? Especially if people are still voting by making a phone call in some cases.

If CC has to stay, it should be a "special" week where they get the whole bilge filled lot out at once.

Hear, hear.

I will probably go to the pub that week

If I don’t see an ostrich trim gown in the finals Vicky Giggles I will be making you into a snowman.

and you won’t get a nose or eyes. You will be wearing Pumba shreddings.

Are you reading this Vicky?

WARNED!

I'll come with.

I'm pleased that Vito Fleur made it to the final, especially in the absence of Joe Varney. Fleur has been my favourite since Ellie Simmonds left. I wasn't enamoured with Fleur's Charleston though, hated those little daps she wore.

I was disappointed that neither waltz this week had a properly beautiful dress and nice staging - I'm a sucker for twinkly lights and a dreamy ball gown.

I'd like to see more gowns like AJ's last year for her quickstep. I'd also like more traditional music for certain dances - to me Debbeh and Gio's AT was set to perfect music. Charlestons should be to proper music (see AJ and Kai) and Paso Doble (see Susanna Reid and KFG). I like a big old school Hollywood number for an American Smooth for example.

Occasionally an alternative choice can work - e.g. Simon and Kristina's AT to Roxanne or Joe and Katya's samba to Money from Cabaret. But so often the wrong music for the dance just spoils what would otherwise have been a good dance.

Couple's Choice should be ditched or at the very least not allowed past a certain point. It's unfair to allow someone in the quarter or semi final to get a dance with no rules where their competition has to perform a dance with lots of rules and risk being marked down for an illegal lift etc. I liked Faye and Gio's theatre jazz couple's choice but it could have worked as a show dance instead. Rose and Gio's couple's choice was also very good but also could have worked as a show dance instead.

I’d skip a CC week too. Can you imagine multiple contempowafts and all the competing kid/nan/dead goldfish warz?

Shirley being blamed for Will leaving due to her scorings and comments...according to the Daily Fail...also Fleur being likened to a Tina Turner tribute act. I do think that Shirley scuppered Will this week...which isn't fair she has has her favourites which as head judge she should be more neutral. I think she tried to do down both Helen and Will this week... hmmm

Something's occurring on the bits of SM I don't see- this morning Dan Walker was pleading with people to stop trolling Shirley. I follow her on Insta and there's nothing there, so maybe Twitter? There are people on the Strictly Insta saying the wrong person was eliminated but that happens every week (apart from when it was Ellie T strangely) and moaning about judging inconsistencies and overmarking, but again, you get that every week. (and every week I agree 😂)

I forgot to say I loved Tess's dress more than my own children. The top half with the knotted effect over the bust is the same as those coats the Princess of Wales wears often. Obviously as a 38DD I really would look like a sofa with extra knotted patterned cushions but on them it looks great.

And I think poor old Nancy might have set herself up for next year's John Sergeant/Ann Widdecomb after the hysteria. I did feel sorry for them and as you know wanted him to go through but sheesh, it was him consoling her. I know she's disappointed but she's the pro. And really wasn't. Bet him and Michelle are going to be going "okaaaaaay" and backing away. Has any pro ever been like that before?

They've listed all of the dances for the final. All but Molly are doing their Couple's Choice. Ugh. Why not just one long, extended showdance for everyone?? So each couple apart from Molly will be doing exactly one ballroom or Latin. Can't see the point tbh.

The final dances arent very thrilling. Mind you the final often is a bit of a dull affair.

I posted this on the old thread (despite knowing this one existed, oops) so here it is again. And I think they should all have to do one Ballroom in the final. Make that change, Producers.

Argh.

Dances are up. THREE Couple's Choice!!! Very little Ballroom. It's going to feel very over the top.

Fleur & Vito
Judges’ Pick: Samba to Hot Hot Hot by Arrow
Favourite Dance: Couple's Choice to Destiny’s Child Megamix by Destiny’s Child
Show Dance: Find Me by Sigma featuring Birdy

Helen & Gorka
Judges’ Pick: Jive to Tightrope by Janelle Monáe
Favourite Dance: Couple's Choice to Mein Herr by Liza Minnelli (from Cabaret)
Show Dance: Shine by Emeli Sandé

Molly & Carlos
Judges’ Pick: Quickstep to Love On Top by Beyoncé
Favourite Dance: Rumba to All The Man That I Need by Whitney Houston
Show Dance: Kiss/1999 by Prince

Hamza & Jowita
Judges’ Pick: Salsa to Ecuador by Sash! featuring Rodriguez
Favourite Dance: Couple's Choice to Jerusalema - Remix by Master KG featuring Burna Boy and Nomcebo Zikode
Show Dance: Let’s Face The Music And Dance by Irving Berlin

Thanks, Grouchy. I was trying to find a list rather than the moving images on twitter, but was struggling. x

Interesting that out of three Couples Choices, all of them were the couples’ favourite dances, not the judges’ choices. I wonder if they pick CC knowing that because it has no rules it’s harder to mark so might therefore give them an advantage? Plus CCs tend to be showier to impress viewers more? I did like both Hamza’s and Helen’s CC but still disappointed to see three CC in the final.

I'm pleased to see Fleur's samba again and Hamza's salsa and Helen's jive. I expected to see Molly's rumba again and don't mind - I enjoyed it.

Disappointed that there's no charlestons or AT's in the final and that there's so many CCs.

I would have liked the judges to have picked Fleur's AT and Molly's Cha Cha Cha which I really enjoyed (the frock for Molly's was gorgeous) and both could be improved.

I'm sure back in the early days of strictly they could only redo a dance in the final after x amount of weeks since they first did it so no repeating a dance from 2 weeks prior (Helen's CC).

Tbh I would ban CCs from the final. Too similar to a showdance.

The last few years finals have been CC heavy which is a shame. Also, as there have always been more dances than weeks available to couples who make the final, the CC should have been a pick from all dances available so someone could select something they've always wanted to do like an AT or Charleston.

Kudos to Molly for not picking a CC (although hers is best forgotten).

I liked Hamza's CC and loved his Salsa so looking forward to him.

I hated Fleur stomping around to Beyonce songs - doesn't help that I dislike the music so not looking forward to that at all.

Helen's CC I quite liked but it wasn't really a dance just posing

Feeling abandoned, shucks you disappeared on me!