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| "Andrew does the cooking." |
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| "What is he, a woman?" |
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| "Do you make sure you schedule time so that you both have SPACE and get the chance to breathe without getting on each other's fucking nerves from spending one more second than you absolutely need to spend together because each of you finds the other one so goddamn annoying?" |
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| "And do you ever just SNAP and want to PUNCH her in the face?" |
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| "Dinner with Kaitlyn and Andrew made me realize I needed to make this work." |
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| "Bullshit, pretense, role-playing, amping up, faking out - you don't need this. You don't need to WORK for that. It is what it is. Deep in your nature." |
GOD this episode was long.
When people started joking the W/P dinner would focus on being platonic, I thought it really was a joke because honestly -- how lame. And yet, that's exactly what it was. Unbelievable. Lowest common denominator.
ReplyDeleteAlthough, as bad of a decision it was for W/P to be involved with this, I have to give them credit that they didn't throw their own relationship under the bus here. I don't have a problem at denial by omission, and even though they've said "platonic" before, here it was more Tessa's voicover and Scott's "joke" that framed the idea that both couples are platonic.
Delete"because honestly -- how lame. And yet, that's exactly what it was. Unbelievable. Lowest common denominator."
DeleteI'm not surprised in the least. By now it's blatantly obvious THE THEME of the Tessa & Scott Show is that VM are platonic in every way. So much so, they really annoy each other and they can't wait till the end of the day/the week to get away from each other.
The skating theme happens to be incidental. The main storyline here is their platonic partnership which, as portrayed so far, you could not even go so far as to call it a real friendship. They irritate each other too much for this to be a genuinely close or affectionate friendship.
This show is about the business partnership of Tessa and Scott communicating to the public that they are in NO WAY romantic. And in case anyone was wondering, IT'S PLATONIC. They've been bashing that theme over our heads every minute. The skating is a secondary storyline.
How many ways can they keep pushing their platonic/separate theme? Lowest common denominator happened from the very first episode and never improved. Unbelievable that they have 4 more episodes of this shite. And predictably, they overcompensate to ridiculous lengths in their attempts to make the lies "real" and so everything ends up a caricature, contrived, not feeling genuine at all.
The only genuine moment in the entire episode (or semi-genuine, maybe) was when Marina briefly skated with Tessa to "show" Scott how she wanted him to approach a particular moment in their program.
DeleteUnfortunately, any authenticity in that scene was quickly killed by Scott's overcompensating attempt to make it look like he was finally in a better mood since his staged "talk" with Tessa in the change room. Even his attempt to be funny by playing up how his coach "impersonates" he and Tessa when she's showing them something on the ice was overplayed and came off fake. That's too bad, because there's probably a lot of truth in his portrayal of her impersonations, but he's so stuck on trying to come across as super masculine, unpredictable, and temperamental.
This show is such a warped clusterfuck.
Kaitlyn and Andrew's pained facial expressions throughout that entire dinner scene are priceless.
Delete5:14 - the thing is, we don't know if those moments were in sequence. The themes are hit VERY heavily by Scott and Tessa and the staged moments are completely obvious, but then they edit in some skating. The stuff Marina said about chemistry - staged. Spoonfed. Because these are married people with a child and are super close and they don't have those conversations.
DeleteThe part where Scott joked that Marina made him look clumsy and Tessa refined looked more "real" to me because Scott skated around and took hold of Tessa in a very natural, real way, and her facial expression looking at him was also actual-relationship-Tessa (just look at that moment, it's the only earnest seeming part of the entire episode). The body language was natural and close. What a show like this does is take staged stuff (which is the obvious stuff and the ON THE NOSE) things and then other stuff and play with sequence.
I don't blame anyone for reading every moment of this show as weird, just because it's so saturated with fake and gross stuff throughout. But I do think OC is right here. It was the only twenty seconds of the show I enjoyed. Why on earth we couldn't have had a show full of stuff like that.... It's so sad. I was prepared to be so pissed if Cassandra was mentioned or shown in the background, and now a show with that but full of real skating training sounds like heaven.
Delete"The part where Scott joked that Marina made him look clumsy and Tessa refined looked more "real" to me because Scott skated around and took hold of Tessa in a very natural, real way, and her facial expression looking at him was also actual-relationship-Tessa (just look at that moment, it's the only earnest seeming part of the entire episode). The body language was natural and close. "
DeleteI know. That's the "connection" everyone talks about and the reason they have been popular from such a young age. It's what you see all the time when they skate.
I'm surprised the producers didn't want to focus on that more, because it's so easy to film, and wouldn't cost a dime, as opposed to all the script writing, multiple takes, and other nonsense they have had to create in order to show a faked storyline.
"I'm surprised the producers didn't want to focus on that more, because it's so easy to film, and wouldn't cost a dime, as opposed to all the script writing, multiple takes, and other nonsense they have had to create in order to show a faked storyline."
DeleteBut that wouldn't be dramatic enough!
I find it funny that they're basically recreating the rift narrative from their book in video form. Somewhere they got the idea that fans want to see that kind of storyline but it makes no sense.
The alienation part of their faked storyline is stilted and ... alienating. We're seeing people be mean on purpose, for effect, and it's nasty to watch. Then the show edits in selected pieces of Virtue Moir being themselves and tries to spin that as a "development" or "breakthrough.".
DeleteOC, new to your blog. very interesting take on things. I think paul islam have quite a future. but if the sport were just, not rigged, and everyone skates their best, who would you rank in top 6 this season? I would have to say VM of course, WP, PB, DW/shibutanis (DW are awful but still in top 6), Paul Islam, and that Russian team I cannot spell their names.
ReplyDeleteMy problem with DW is they're just not skating. It's very polished, very smooth, but the entire thing is package with very rehearsed, very athletic, non-skating content. Even the edges are ass backwards.
DeleteSo I struggle with the sort of placement exercise you mention. I'm just going to take them out of it because I haven't thought it through, or studied it through to be able to say something like, "for me, even with all the dumbed down and eye cheats by DW, THIS team isn't doing enough either, and DW get the edge." I haven't done that exercise.
Based on skating, otherwise my list is pretty close to yours. VM, Shibutanis, P/I, BA, WP. BA really do have talent but damn they have to get themselves organized. The posture on both of them is crippling. They both desperately need to get their asses and pelvises underneath them so they can skate together. Just do that first and see where they are. When, as a pro, Tara Lipinski worked with Lori Nichol and got her ass under her, her stroking transformed. Sometimes it can be as "simple" as alignment, so with BA I'd like to see what would happen with improved alignment.
B/S, I think you mean?
DeleteI agree with BS needing to get their bums and pelvises underneath them. They are actually quite talented.
DeleteFor my money, the real number 2 team in the world is PB. They are fantastic skaters and dancers. Excellent skating skills and they're second only to VM in what they are capable of in terms of complex choreography, interdependency of movement, and management of their bodies in relationship to each other.
Once upon a time, there was talk of them being able to challenge for the top spot on the podium (you should have heard the howling of the DW ubers when Tracy Wilson once mentioned that PB would be challenging them at one of the GP events). They beat DW at TES in the SD in Nice (back when DW would get negative GOE's purely for sucking at what they were doing), but then when the 2012-2013 season started, PB were pushed back, even before the injury, when they were also clearly outskating and outdancing DW.
Up until a couple of years ago, I would have said that despite DW's many shortcomings, they should probably be landing on that third step a good deal of the time. I think in the past couple of years though that enough teams have surpassed them that they shouldn't be on the podium at the big events and should likely at least be out of the top 5.
Anon at 7:51 pm - I would agree with you that PB are a great team to watch and they actually dance (both of them) and have soft running blades. I also enjoy C/L as well. They do not have the same power but I respect them for their improved technique and their characterizations.
DeleteWe all agree that DW have been overscored. But I also think in general, even at events that DW have not participated in - the ice dancing scoring has been so inconsistent in this quad - not only the tech callers but the judges as well - that unless you call a spade a spade from the beginning of the season and everyone is on the same page - we will continue to get a clusterfuck of results. In addition, this quad - we have seen absolutely no public pushback from coaches or federations regarding results. So when there is no pushback - there is no discussion. And voila - complacency. And let's face it - ice dance needs to figure out what it wants it to be: pairs lite or dance. If it continues the route of pairs lite - then you might as well get rid of the ice dance discipline altogether. (Don't get me wrong I enjoy the lifts but it shouldn't be the main focus of a dance program. I mean take a look at VMs 2004 Nationals Free Dance or their tango OD or even their 2010 tango romantica. Just in terms of pure skating and precision - its fierce period. Take out the lifts out of a program - and see what the couples are doing and hell yeah - some teams just stand out.
Perhaps I am naive - but maybe there also needs to be a push for judges and tech callers to be able to judge across all disciplines in order to increase the pool of judges. As an international judge - at that level - you should have the skill set to do it.
Lastly the ISU needs to address the GP events and allow more participants. The ISU needs to provide more opportunities for lower ranked teams/skaters to show their programs and improve accordingly. I am not talking about opening the floodgates - but there has to be more exposure for teams. Mind you this also goes to federations like Skate Canada who have not used all their opportunities to send skaters at the junior level to get experience.
I am glad that PI took advantage of their opportunity and are going to the Olympics - it is well deserved. But I also want to point out that Skate Canada did throw them a small bone when they were assigned Skate Canada this year. I honestly believe that had they stayed in Barrie and not gone to Krylova/Carmenlengo and see their progression there - Skate Canada could have given their spot to Orford/Williams or Ralph/Hill. Like other sports - a federation does play an important role. A federation can literally bury a skater...Case in point - Mirai Nagasu...comes in 3rd at nationals and boom wasn't even assigned Worlds...if that's not a slap in the face - I don't know what is...
I agree with you, 7:51. I really like DW, but I see that they have now been overtaken by several teams. PB were always stronger than DW but now PI, BS, IK (their FD is empty but at least they skate it), WP, and the Shibs are too.
Delete"you should have heard the howling of the DW ubers when Tracy Wilson once mentioned that PB would be challenging them at one of the GP events"
That thread can be really hateful. Several people in there act like PB completely suck and have only done as well as they have due to politics. One of them also recently called BS's skating skills "atrocious for a top ten team" (in the Zhulin thread) and previously bashed them in the WP thread. BS have their issues but they are better skaters than DW--they don't just skate around on flats with no blade run. They also aren't wooden which DW, I hate to say it, often are.
That is another funny thing--I have noticed that several DW ubers have been very vocal about their support for DW, and of course that means telling everyone how WP are now superior to VM, the true number 1 Canadian team...one wonders what will happen to all this support if DW were to stay in and lose to WP.
9:42 - Well, yes. PI went to Detroit. They were fortunate enough to be able to do so, but also smart enough to know it was a necessary decision. They got better there. Had they not received SC, then two teams not as strong as they are would have been on the Grand Prix once again while they went without. (OW did have an assignment -- TEB, finishing last with clean skates; RH were the ones who went without this year, and PI went without in 2012, while RH finished last in their event that season despite skating two clean programs, probably not inspiring the fed's confidence.)
DeleteI also believe, though, that PI are more fundamentally skilled as pure ice dancers than the other two teams, if you compare what they could do even while still in Barrie, even while new together, with what those other teams were doing/went on to do. RH and OW could go on to greater things under different coaching, because both have a lot of good qualities, but I think a DSC PI would still come out ahead.
anon at 10:05 pm - no I agree that PI are a strong team - no doubt about it and they deserved that third spot. I just wanted to point out that several different factors come into play and PI played their cards right. You do have to wonder if Paul Poirier regrets his decision about Vanessa Crone though and whether he will go another quad...time will tell...
DeleteAnon at 9:48 pm - the DW ubers are a weird bunch. I think the majority of VM fans will acknowledge that DW are decent skaters and are consistent. On the other hand - the DW ubers just make it personal on every level. Actually I think most DW ubers are not even DW fans - there are more defined as the anti-VM fans...when DW retire - their fans are not going to youtube their programs in 2 to 5 years..
B/S are very talented, I agree. I just watched their dances this quad and from the knees down (feet only), they are doing a ton of skating and edgework. They have good stroking (perhaps not as natural as V/M or I/K) but they most definitely are a top 5 team. The DW uber's comment about their skating skills being "atrocious for a top 10 team" is ridiculous.
DeleteIMO, top 4 are 1) VM, 2) PB or IK, 4) BS
10:29 - I think P/I were overdo to get some cards to play. It was about time. I see it more as they received opportunity which they ought to have received earlier. Perhaps moving to the DSC signaled they were more serious about their future than Skate Canada had previously chosen to assume; who knows.
DeleteWhen the Gilles/Poirier team was initially formed it was "P/I who?"from Skate Canada.
Yep, B/S are doing a TON of skating and edgework. Their feet are not clean, to say the LEAST, and they're sloppy. I really do believe so much comes down to their alignment and I just don't know why this hasn't been addressed. The alignment on both is crazy - she's bent over with her butt jutting into the locker room, and he's contorted.
go see your gmail account...
DeleteIMO VM are so clearly the top team and then it's really hard to rank them below that. VM truly have everything. The most effortless, smooth, easy, skating, soft knees, fantastic rhythm, secure and difficult lifts, gorgeous positions and extensions, the most complex programs, they skate close together and have the best dance holds, the best elements and non-elemental skating. We're just so lucky to have them competing.
DeleteAfter that it's really difficult to rank anyone because no one else is as complete. Ilinykh Katsalapov have the next best edges but their posture is not as good and their programs are open. Weaver Poje have great lifts and use a lot of holds but their skating is not effortless. Agreed that Pechalat Bourzat are the next best overall package though they can get a bit labored too. Shibutanis are very polished but lack power. Davis White have a good dance spin and are consistently getting the levels, but everything else is a trainwreck. Stepanova Bukin possibly have the best twizzles but they're not a top ranked team. Coomes Buckland are all lifts, no skating. Gilles Poirier are creative with interesting lifts, and need to work on basics. Cappellini Lanotte have developed into one of the most polished teams, and have excellent timing, but their skating does not cover a lot of ice.
So I think the answer is, it depends on how each of those teams skated on the day, the levels achieved, choreography, mistakes made, and then how the judges rank the different skill sets (which they're not supposed to do, but they use PCS as an overall impression mark). How DO you compare a wonderful dancing team like CL to the power and speed but extreme sloppiness of a BS? It could depending on the panel.
No one else has that huge advantage VM do (should).
im sorry who is B/S and P/I???
DeleteBobrova / Soloviev and Paul / Islam.
DeleteI would say PB and PI are the next most complete teams. They are all great dancers and they skate close together and execute difficult choreography. IK have great skating technique but their programs are empty, they skate far apart and they have issues with posture.
Delete3:44 - and he has issues with stability at times.
DeleteYeah, he does. A couple of times I've watched him skate and thought he veered very close to losing control or going spastic. He almost looks like a young deer still growing into his legs and while he usually has them under him and can do great things, there's no guarantee they aren't going to sometimes splay out a la Bambi learning to walk on the ice.
Delete11:21 a.m., DW do have a good dance spin and have demonstrated, in my eyes, at least, that they are able to begin the spin without Charlie yanking or slinging her into it as a rotational aid. When I first saw this season's free dance it was the only element that had a legitimate entrance and exit (I think the exit as well, I'll have to rewatch). But now they've put a posing section immediately before the spin, so now all the elements are bracketed by crap instead of skating.
DeleteI happened upon this while looking for something unrelated to the reality show, but it's interesting. Was this T/D dynamic staged? A different time and place? Is Dean everything fake Scott wants to be?
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/Fhx_zclCGXA
I can't access it at the moment- is that the video of Dean whining all during practice and making Torvill cry? I'd heard about that video for years and finally looked at it over a year ago. He may have come off domineering to some, but to me he came off whiny and needy, wanting more of Torvill's attention when she was tired and simply wanted to focus on the task. He registers as extremely childish, and his criticisms are simply a way for him to demand more of Torvill's attention. That's how it appears to me, anyway.
DeleteInteresting analysis of top three SDs at GPF; how convenient that the camera angles were not great from D/W and B/S:
ReplyDeletehttp://icedanceanalysts.blogspot.ca/2014/01/more-on-finnstep-key-points-look-back.html?showComment=1390330724299#c8009864538574534563
wow, you can see DW missing key points...or at least if they got them it was really close. would other teams get the benefit of the doubt?
DeleteWhy aren't the commentators and sports journalists doing analysis like this? Thank goodness for the fans!
This from the Italian forum was also posted on FSU:
Deletehttp://translate.google.it/translate?sl=it&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=it&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Ffenice.forumcommunity.net%2F%3Ft%3D55168681%26p%3D391515658
And this team is getting 10s on PCS?
Meryl looks really ungainly because of her 'lines'.
Delete@6:12
DeleteIt is funny because it is not just one or two awkward moments in a program. There are several...in fact, you are hard-pressed to find nice pictures of them (when they are in motion--I think they look really good in some of their poses). I used to defend them all the time but now I see that there really are so many issues with their technique (skating and dancing). I mean, it is pretty hard to ignore them when you see posts like the ones on here and on that forum.
Someone said Tessa is also on a flat but from the gif it looks like she is on an inside edge. I wonder what OC think.
DeleteFans are treated like shit. Flat out. FANS have to actually analyze the skating. Of course Meryl is frequently on a flat. We've all seen it, so of course it's going to occur in key points. Of course the panel is going to award credit for her pushing/leaning AFTER the initial blade placement.
DeleteThe sport is corrupt and is invested in having an uninformed public. It's absolutely criminal that the only analysis is being done by the fans, while the media is pushing the other way, wanting us to value momentum, personality, and subjective bullshit like "wow" factor (even though the program with the "wow" factor this season is VM, not DW).
anon at 4:07, HILARIOUS! the Italian's pics are incredible! shows how awful meryl is.
DeleteMaybe with all the anti-gay propaganda in Russia, this series was done to protect Scott. Now he won't be a target because everyone knows he's getting some pussy on a regular basis.
ReplyDeleteThe Moirs were anti-gay in skating long before Sochi. The sham made sure to tell us Scott was getting ass long before he and Tessa won in Vancouver. This is on them - that community, which includes Scott and Tessa.
DeleteAs to the anti-gay propoganda, I think Obama has done a nice checkmate with his Olympic delegation. It's a shame Moirville is so hidebound.
Sometimes I thought I received hints about the ending of this show. Maybe I'm just imagining things but they really play with the viewers' minds by indicating that Tessa and Scott will somehow find together in the end. I'm not sure whether that's the route they're going for.
ReplyDelete@5:59
DeleteThe thing is, VM have done this type of teasing since they were teenagers. It's unlikely they've had a change of heart and no longer get off on mocking the fans. Every indication so far in this show is they're thrilled to put their disgusting acting out on national TV.
The end of the show probably has the biggest rug-pulling ever. That's how they roll. This show is nothing but fake, scripted bad soap opera. It greatly diminishes Tessa and Scott. I and many I've talked with have lost so much respect for them and each episode there's more respect lost.
ITA, 6:51. It's highly unlikely that VM have had a change of heart and I'm fully expecting some sort of super gross gotcha at the end of the show. I'm sure VM want people to think that they're going to get together at the end of the show, but that's only so they can pull the gotcha. It's another sting from them. They enjoy doing this to the fans.
DeleteI've read a lot of comments on social media from the clueless. I feel so bad for these people, a lot of them who seem to just be teens, who are getting played by VM.
I totally agree with you anon 8.37...Sometimes I just want to say to these people on twitter to be prepared for the bashing at the end of the show...
DeleteI find this pic interesting...it's from the 100th anniversary skate canada gala...http://i41.tinypic.com/2lm5lra.png
We already know the end of the show. They had coSondra at the spaghetti dinner thing in Ilderton, so the entire reality show is just an Ilderton/Moirville circle jerk, as their lies have been from day one.
Delete