<p>I agree, soozie. Sure, he’s attractive, but more than that he is a wonderful performer. I continue to think he was robbed during his first season, with Cheryl bizarrely mis-choreographing the freestyle. (Conspiracy theory alert. 
) Shawn has two advantages: she can do a lot of flashy tricks very easily, and her partner is the best choreographer on the show.</p>
<p>Consolation, I never saw the season when Gilles was previously competing. I have only been watching DWTS since spring of 2011. I don’t watch ANY other TV shows! When my older D was home that spring for a brief period, she turned me onto the show and I have watched it ever since and we call one another later in the week to compare notes and thoughts (she is on the West Coast and I’m in the East).</p>
<p>Shawn and Derek are really great too! Many of the remaining couples are very good. And yes, I like Apollo a lot too and think he moves very naturally. Emmit was better last night than the previous week. The remaining women are quite good. Kirstie is not up to their level of dance, though she can be entertaining (I can’t see her winning by any means) and I can’t fairly compare someone of her age to the much younger competitors and much slimmer women.</p>
<p>Gilles’ rumba was awesome. Esp. since he messed it up in the previous season. They had to do a solo and he did the moonwalk and then he and Cheryl rolled on the floor. The judges spent all their time talking about that and neglected to mention that he has probably the best rumba technique of any celebrity dancer on the show (male, of course)!</p>
<p>One thing about the rumba is that you have to commit 100% to the storyline and the romanticism of it. If you don’t, it’s either a complete miss with no character or it’s hokey. Of course, the song didn’t hurt. So much of it is getting good music. And he and Peta are exceptionally well matched. </p>
<p>The other thing about Gilles is that he has no bad dances. His worst ones in the previous season were the jive (terrible song that was extremely fast/bad choreography) and Viennese waltz (he messed up and it was their psychological wall week). Oh, and that swing where they made him look like a country bumpkin Elvis (but that was mostly the costume rather than the dance). His jive this time was awesome–and the bollywood! </p>
<p>I think he was robbed last time, but that awful freestyle had a lot to do with it. On the DWTS Facebook page, they are really pushing Derek & Shawn and Melissa and Tony. Their features are all over it. Gilles is only there 3-4 times. However, it pleased me to note that his photo (shirtless, of course, with an ice pack on his shoulder) has more likes than most of the others combined. Also their Gangnam group dance feature had more than twice as many likes as the other one. </p>
<p>I wonder who’s going home next week. Kirstie, I think, but who else? My bet is on Sabrina or Melissa. I think the final will be Gilles, Shawn and Apolo. Then you never know. It’s all fan base.</p>
<p>There is no doubt in my mind that the show organizers are pushing for Shawn, just like they did last time. I actually think that Cheryl was ordered to throw the freestyle. There just is no explanation for it otherwise. The woman who had won twice and shown she could choreograph great freestyles fails miserably with her best partner ever? No way.</p>
<p>Kirstie, as fond as I am of her, is obviously the least good dancer left. Emmitt (grossly overscored this week, IMHO), Sabrina, Kelly (grossly underscored this week IMHO, but I am comforted by the fact that she seems to be getting Val out of it 
), and Melissa/Apollo. Finale, Shawn and Gilles. Producers find a way to throw it to Shawn.</p>
<p>Agree with Consolation, Emmitt was over-scored but Shawn was underscored by Len. Her Rumba deserved higher than an 8. Derek’s choreography was stellar. I still think Sabrina is a stronger dancer than Shawn, but I don’t think she’ll get the votes Shawn will get. I’m hoping the finale is Sabrina and Gilles but I didn’t think Sabrina’s genre choice for her guilty pleasure dance was a very good choice.</p>
<p>I’ve watched every season of DWTS. I don’t think the producers have to “throw it to Shawn”. I LOVE to watch her dance. I don’t love to watch Gilles dance, although I think he’s very talented. He just always looks like he’s trying too hard to me, whereas I think Shawn is incredibly physically adept (obviously), extremely musically aware, and just plain infectious! Not to mention Derek is a genius which gives Shawn an advantage over many of the others just by having him as her partner. All my votes have gone to Shawn. I’m sure I’m not the only one. I think Kirstie must go home, since she’s obviously the weakest at this point. Then I’d send home Emmitt. I don’t get the love of him at all. I can’t stand Tony, so much as I think Melissa is really good, I have a hard time with them as a pair. I think Apolo has strong points, but also some weaknesses. I’m not a big Sabrina fan. I don’t get Kelly at all, especially her contemporary last week. What was all that brooding, sad, blank stuff going on? Kind of creepy. I’m hoping for Shawn to win again!</p>
<p>I guess I’ll have to watch the original Gangnam video. I didn’t get the significance of the different outfits. It was a fun and crazy dance, but the Monday night group freestyle was magnificent.</p>
<p>The camera angles on Shawn’s rumba were weird. It seemed that there weren’t many closeups, mostly shots of the two of them from far away. I couldn’t tell if she managed the “vulnerable” vibe and if her hips were moving enough (obviously, Len thought not).</p>
<p>Not sure why Louis told Sabrina that Cinderella needed to be vulnerable. Carrie Ann was right–Sabrina didn’t sell vulnerable, but the character didn’t call for it.</p>
<p>I’m pooling my votes for Shawn and Sabrina. Going over to vote right now!</p>
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<p>On that we definitely agree! 
I loved the season where he danced with Nicole Scherzinger, even if she was the ringer that season. It was such a joy to watch them.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I have had to watch DWTS on Hulu in recent years, since we no longer get reception on that station. So I don’t vote anymore.</p>
<p>I haven’t seen the show every week this season but happened to catch most of last night’s. I have to admit that as entertaining as the gangnam style dance was, I’ve seen youtube videos of others doing it that were far more entertaining. </p>
<p>Peta and Gilles are very good together. I do find him attractive but he’s not really my cup of tea. Fun to look at but not my type past that. What other than DWTS and the SATC movie has he done?</p>
<p>He was in Brothers and Sisters. Love interest for one of the sisters.</p>
<p>I got home late and missed a lot of the show, but Gangnam Style was a hot mess, though Gilles was the best part of it.</p>
<p>I didn’t get to see last night’s show live and will have to catch it at some point on the internet. </p>
<p>However, I must not be up with the times as I have no clue what Gangnam is.</p>
<p>Susan, you can google the original which is done by a Korean guy named Psy. It apparently is the most watched youtube video ever. I’ve seen several take-offs and one of my favorites is the one done by the USNA. Very cute.</p>
<p>Another is done by several actor friends of mine, the casts of two shows at Stratford this season. One that you’d probably enjoy. You can find both on youtube via google.</p>
<p>I don’t think anyone leaving from here forward will be a shock to me. I thought I read Las Vegas oddsmaker were giving it to Emmitt, but I don’t really see him standing out. I’ve thought all along the “star” with the best choreographer will win - which to me, is Derek. I used to like Louis, not so much anymore, something seems a little off to me with the big age gap of him and Sabrina. And she’s just too jerky and forceful for my taste - almost like she’s a little too hyper with the dancing. </p>
<p>I’m saying the next to go will be either Kirstie or Sabrina or Melissa or Kelly - I even forgot about Kelly completely. Seems like most of the women are expendable to me. I’ve always thought the men had the advantage because the women seem to be the ones on display whether they are the pro or celeb. Many times it looks to me like the men are just standing there lunging with their arm out.</p>
<p>I think the final two will be Gilles and Shawn (again) Interesting that 3? celebs came from that season.</p>
<p>Well, I watched last night’s show on hulu, and I must admit that I was very pleasantly surprised by Shawn’s dance: no tricks, actually dancing, and lovely. Gangnam Style was indeed a hot mess, although a lot of fun. Not sure that Max was the best choice as choreographer…</p>
<p>Not to belabor the point, but ABC created a character for Gilles on Brothers & Sisters. He did 12 or 13 episodes the season after DWTS finished and was a regular on the last season. He’s now a regular on Switched at Birth. He’s also guested on Hot in Cleveland, Modern Family, Castle, and a couple of others that I can’t recall now–since DTWS. </p>
<p>I know Derek is a wonderful choreographer, but I can’t tolerate him. He comes across as so full of himself. He’s not as bad as Mark but he tends to overdance his less talented partners–of course, he’s never really had a bad one. He gets all the ringers. Over the seasons, he has been notorious for throwing in double turns in almost every dance. I once joked that you could do a drinking game to them. He hasn’t done them this year, but then Shawn can match him turn for turn. I don’t like to watch either Shawn or Sabrina. Sabrina is just like a mack truck coming at you, although she certainly can dance. </p>
<p>I like Kelly, and I think she’s much better this season than I remembered her. She and Val were cute, at first, but it’s getting to be a bit over the top. I also really liked Kirstie on the previous season, even though she can’t do what the others can. But I think she’s trying too hard this time. </p>
<p>I don’t think they’ll do another All-Star season, even if they could get enough celebs to do it again. The ratings are down. And I think everyone is just really stressed out.</p>
<p>I agree that Kelly and Val are getting way over the top. I thought she was hot the first dance out, but now she looks like a conspirator who sets herself apart from all the rest. Like she’s in it for the kill, not for the entertainment. What’s with that?</p>
<p>Last night was a riot. I wasn’t quite watching television at the time, but when Kirstie did her very awkward cartwhell, I had to look over. After that, I couldn’t stop giggling. When Gilles did his thing, oh my! I laugh now, just recalling that scene. Oh what a mess, but oh so entertaining for us at home. Later, he seemed so embarrassed with his lack of clothes, it was kinda cute.</p>
<p>Melissa and Tony? They seem to be the fillers. Not memorable at all. I like that description of Sabrina looking like a mack truck. That outfit she had on Monday night was especially unattractive. I like Emmit, but somehow I feel badly for him, maybe cuz he’s kinda of “in the background” and his dances all look the same. My favs are Shawn/Derek, Melissa/Apollo. I’m certain Kirstie will be out next.</p>
<p>I do feel a tiny bit bad that Kirstie feels bad. When you are Kirstie Alley and get the call to be on All Stars, do you really think “they must be calling because I was one of the best ever?” I’m surprised that she doesn’t have a more realistic understanding of her dancing ability and that the way she score points is personality.</p>
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<p>But that’s exactly what she does seem to understand, to me. Nevertheless, she wants to dance as well as she can, and in this season at this point the difference between her and the rest of the field is pretty overwhelming. (Well, except perhaps Emmitt. but no one expects him to do cartwheels or look graceful in a lift.)</p>
<p>Did anyone see the clip on the Tonight Show? They put Obama’s head on Gilles’ body in the Gangnam dance. It was hysterical.</p>
<p>Monday is country night! Oh dear! Not as bad as America night (where everyone did red, white & blue stuff) a few seasons back. It all depends on the music and what dance. Country cha chas, country waltzes can be ok. A country samba leaves me doubtful!</p>
<p>Does anyone know how these reality shows (like DWTS, American Idol, etc.) work? Are they required to be honest about the popular vote? I know they can manipulate things by the judges scores, placement in the show, music choices, etc., but it really all comes down to the popular vote in the end. Is there any kind of oversight for how fair that aspect of it is? </p>
<p>It always obvious who the DWTS producers want to pimp. Usually Derek and whoever his partner may be. But occasionally the public doesn’t seem to want to go along and someone else wins.</p>
<p>I really hope that Shawn Johnson will be able to recover from her knee injury and continue in the competition! This “two points for the team dance” thing was a bust…best to give the points to Kirstie, which won’t change anyone else’s point totals.</p>
<p>Kirstie to go home tomorrow?</p>