I miss old strictly

[DawnieOwl]

Don't get me wrong, we are still big strictly fans in my house, but I cant help but feel that strictly has changed somewhat and pine for those old days. The days of Craig, Len, Darcy and Bruno, the days where movie week dances actually felt cohesive and every dance worked with the chosen film, the days where Anton danced with the older woman, the days where the celebrities would be paired with a member of the opposite sex, even the gay celebrities, the days where the strictly spoiler wasn't all over the Internet, and the days where the judges were allowed to be harsh without a woke social media backlash. Me and my whole family are still big fans but I can't help feeling like the last few years have definitely changed, and it will never be the same strictly experience.

@mehday It was Arlene, Len, Bruno and Craig. Arlene was a victim of sexism/ageism. She was dropped in favour of Alesha Dixon. Alesha Dixon was a winner of SCD, but more importantly photogenic and young. So the dance expert with big credentials but middle aged was ousted in favour of the pretty pert singer Alesha. So out of a panel of 4 the woman was dropped, leaving three men and a pretty singer. Man's world. You can bet your life the BBC want a gay man to win, it's not a lesbian winner they crave.

Things really do seem to have moved even further away from the 'proper' latin and ballroom dance styles in the last couple of years. They are now danced as 'show dances' with a storyline and themed costumes, sets, props and goodness knows what else, and often bear only a passing resemblance to a foxtrot, samba or whatever.

A triumph of style over content, as the saying goes.

I don't know loads about ballroom but seeing two men dance together brings out a different aspect of the dancing for me - it's different from watching a man and a woman. Jayde and Karen I didn't like but I don't know if that was to do with choreography or if it was just that Jayde wasn't very good!

Also I think motsi is a brilliant judge. In fact this panel now I think are all very knowledgeable and it's interesting to hear their comments. I loved Anton's demonstration tonight.

Agree it's more difficult (for me) to judge when they're all doing different dances but it does make for a bit more variety so it holds my attention better. But I'm happy to admit that's probably my issue haha.

I do hate the way people boo Craig though. It's ok to say when someone is not very good if you can back it up, which he can, because he knows what he's talking about.

Take it you didn’t actually watch it and see the bit where they waltzed (May be another dance I don’t know them!) then

I can’t watch it anymore. Darcy was brilliant because she actually critiqued the dancing. As did Len and Bruno. These judges hardly say anything technical. It’s all something about the person. Maybe they’ve been told to as we public won’t ‘get’ the jargon but the judges comments are so vacuous now as to be painfully boring and meaningless. It all started going downhill with Shirley replacing Len. Craig being routinely nice is the final nail in the coffin.

I think it's because the dances were designed to emphasise femininity and masculinity - that's the point - it's an exaggeration, a fantasy. Seeing a female take on the 'male' role or a male take on the 'female' role is frankly odd. That's not how gay/ lesbian relationships work - they are their own thing, not poor imitations of heterosexuality. It could be done properly with choreography designed to fit but the way it's done is a square peg into a round hole so to speak.

Darcy didn't know anything about ballroom, Bruno was really annoying and Bruce was a sexist pig.

I do miss Len though

What I miss even more is Come Dancing from the 70s/80s. On BBC2 late at night, always a treat to stay up late to watch it with your mum ❤️

I think you’ve just helped me work out why I didn’t love Layton’s routine tonight. Normally I enjoy the male / male routines- last weeks for example was incredible.
But tonight felt like caricature and drag- it was just a little misjudged for me. But hey- it’s just one week- and I generally love evolution- keep it growing!

Yes, and Sewing Bee seems more and more to becoming like Bake Off....a contestant checklist of minorities and wokeness.

Oh I know, those pesky gays need to get right back in their closet don't they?🤬🤬

SCD has always had gay dancers, judges and celebrities on it. None of them were breaking out of a closet.

I miss Len 😞 I love Craig as he seems to actually watch and offer constructive criticism.

Anton has always given me the creeps. And Bruce was awful!

I feel it's one of those shows that's been done to death now.

Yes, it has been on too long. One of those shows that the BBC cling on to in the absence of new ideas.ITV does the same with BGT and anything with Ant and Dec in it.

I don't see the point in the same-sex partnerships, they are there to dance not be on a relationship.

Haven't watched more than a couple of dances from Ep2 this year. Craig being nice is unnatural.

It's reaching the point where I can watch the entire episode in 20 minutes by fast forwarding out everything except the dance and Cluditorium.

We love SCD and have watched from Season 1.

What's killing my enjoyment is the constant piffle on R2. Then they gave Ritchie Bloody Anderson the slot at the top of Claudia's show.

Seriously, that dude must be in the skinny on where a fucktonne of bodies are buried to be getting the exposure he has.

Sorry can't get past your gay comments, as a straight heterosexual woman I fully support inclusion, I assume you don't like the dancers with disabilities too?

Your comments scream of "I'm not racist but" "I'm not homophobic but"

The only thing I agree with is that if they all dud the same dance we can gauge ability better, also the faffing about with props

Oh yes, and if you watch Breakfast TV they are all over it, plus whatever magazine type programmes they have on during the week. It's proper overkill.

I cant stand all the shrieking, screaming and dizzy camera shots, it gives me a headache 😤

Well I don't miss Darcey as I thought she talked far too much and I don't like Motsi for this reason too. I actually liked the show during COVID as there was none of the stupid 'party' going on upstairs and all the contestants being stupid so they could actually concentrate on the dancing. I'm not even bothering to watch this year

I stopped watching a few years ago, was just getting silly.

I do remember one pro dance, for the Halloween show. It has Brenden as a vampire and Kevin with his then wife (I forget her name) as a sort of young couple at the vampires whim. It was AMAZING! I watched it several times on YouTube. I don't think a pro dance has topped that since.

Depends on the dance - disco, gangsta (is that right?) fine.

Ballroom, Latin etc - nope. Just looks unbalanced to me. And they aren't on the show to get off with anyone, so what does it matter if they dance with the sex they aren't attracted to?

I have to admit that I loved that Pirates of the Caribbean dance Johannes and Sonny did, but other than that, the dances look clumsy to me.

It does - and it's ruining it.

Thank you - I was trying to work out how to describe what I meant by the traditional dances with same sex couples being "clumsy" but I couldn't put it into words - you've described it perfectly. The contrast between male and female, and the way the dances were structured both around that and to emphasise it, which is lost with same sex couples.

Loved the old Strictly but it has just become very woke and tedious.

I was wondering just today, what is it about SCD and GBBO that I don't like anymore? I just can't put my finger on it. Is it because it's all so contrived now?