SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Podcast: Top Four Finale Performances
August 6, 2009 by Kath Skerry
Here we go kids, it’s the Season 5 Finale of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE! Dan and I discuss all of the routines, the finale expectations, the Judges commentary and Cat Deeley’s awesomeness.
Did Kayla, Brandon, Evan and Jeanine live up to previous seasons’ finalists? Were the finale dances as amazing and memorable as years past? Did Shankman dazzle us with his genius or completely disappoint us? Who gave us one of the most unbelievable solo’s in the history of the show?
Sit back, ignore your work load and get ready for the Winner of Season 5 to be revealed!
To listen to TV Talk Podcast (with Chapter Markers) head on over to our iTunes page and subscribe! It’s the fastest and easiest way to listen to The TV Talk Podcast from week to week.
Listen to So You Think You Can Dance Finale Part 1 Recap
Wow. The finale performance show was pretty damn awesome. I loved Mia Michaels’ dance for the girls (though I really love everything Mia does – except when she was hatin’ on Brandon!). The boys dance, to Nasty, was pretty damn fantastic too. But what it proved, for me, was how inadequate Evan is, especially when pitted against Brandon. I could not take my eyes off of Brandon during the performance, as he’s just so INTO the dance. I forced myself to look at Evan, and he just seemed like the “silly little brother”, dancing next to Brandon.
I understand Evan has a huge fan following, and I like him as a Broadway dancer … I just think last night proved that he really doesn’t belong alongside the other Top 4 dancers. And I hope he doesn’t win the title, just because he’s adorable.
Oh – and Shankman was awesome!! I hated that he kept getting booed … I think his comments were valid, and the audience should have shut their mouths. Also, Nigel’s comment about Tyce being “named after a cookie” made me LOL. Seriously. Especially when they showed Tyce, and the look on his face. Nigel’s comments about Jeanine, though … wow. He seems to be much more pervy this season.
Can’t wait for the finale results tonight!
Love the latest podcast! And on the whole, I would agree with you about the show…something felt off in the beginning of the finale and it took me a little while to realize it was that they were in a bigger theater. I did get over it once the show got going. It just took some getting used to.
While I agree with most of what you and Dan said, I am still rooting for either Kayla or Brandon to win. I agree that Jeanine was wonderful last night and her solo was crazy but something about her personality just turns me off. I think I’m still mad that Jeanette got cut. I would have loved a Kayla/Jeanette finale.
I think that Kayla is just gorgeous and has such a beautiful spirit when she dances. I know it is a longshot but i would love for her to win the whole thing. If not her then Brandon. Evan is still a favorite of mine but part of being “America’s favorite dancer” is being able to adapt to different styles and while i LOVE Evan…he cant do that. (I totally teared up when the crowd was chanting his name… ) I would also agree with you guys that I didnt feel satisfied after the final number as I usually do with the finale shows. It felt like something was missing. I remember watching the final 4 dance during Benji’s year and being so overwhelmed by how good the number was. I rewound it a million times so I could focus on each dancer individually. I dont feel the need to do that with this group. I really hope that next season the judges do a better job with constructive criticism. I really wish they had told Kayla that she needed to have more personality on stage earlier in the season. In the past few dances she really “popped” on stage but it took too long for her to get there and she probably won’t win because of it.
Sorry this has been somewhat rambling…. I’m a huge fan of the show and your podcasts and just felt like I needed to share my opinion before the winner is chosen.
PS – I love Shankman … he better be on the show more in the fall!!! Loved Cat calling him out for not picking a favorite to win. 🙂 🙂 And Jeanine and Kayla should get a restraining order to keep Nigel’s lecherous hands away from them. He is such a gross, dirty, old man.
I only made it through half of the podcast this morning before I had to leave for work, but so far I’m loving it, as always. I stopped at the part where you were talking about how no one has really grown this season and I have to agree with that. The Ivan moment has been missing. These dancers are fantastic of course but because they have always been fantastic, there haven’t been too many of those “I’ve just witnessed something magical” moments this season. And yes – more variety in choreographers please.
I’ve been a fan of Jeanine (among others) from the beginning and I loved how much she stepped it up for the finale. You could tell she wanted it. I will be happy with anyone but Evan winning though. I can’t help but like Evan, but I don’t feel he deserves the title.
So happy to have Adam back too! I tweeted to him that he would never get booed in my house!
One more thing about last night – I also think the bigger stage totally overwhelmed the cameraman too! The girls piece had to have been so much better in person than it was on tv – I really don’t think they did a good job at all capturing it on camera. I know this is nothing new, but it really made me mad with that one!
I could go on but I’ll spare you all…can’t wait to listen to the rest of the podcast!
I was so underwhelmed by the finale it made me sad. I am a huge fan, and have been since Season 2. I expected to see the best performances and everyone “bringing the thunder” as it were, but only Jeanine’s solo really impressed me last night.
I was also highly irritated by the judges – so obviously pimping Jeanine and Brandon and dissing poor Evan. That poor soul has been criticized by the judges all season long, and yet we’ve not seen the same fair level of critiquing with the other dances. The judges have their favourites but it’s so obvious it’s almost criminal.
I was hoping Evan would knock one out of the ballpark for his solo, but it was not his strongest. No thunder there. Again though – those judges – commenting on it being a variation of his audition piece. Hello? Brandon’s solo last week was his audition piece; and the judges called it the best solo ever. If you played Brandon’s solo last week against his audition piece – I’m sure they were exactly the same; not even a variation. The selective memory of the judges is just brutal this season.
Good for the audience in breaking into the Evan chant as well. I’ve been an Evan fan since the beginning (as if you couldn’t tell by now). I do agree that he has not grown during the season as one would hope; but tell me which dancers have? I would not say growth has been a theme this season; and that’s partly the judges fault as far as I’m concerned. By not giving the tough love out through the season and giving better critiques throughout, the dancers have not had to come up a level.
I loved your podcast. Dowloaded it this morning and chuckled my way through the first hour of my day in my sad little cubicle. Looking forward to tonight. My vote for the winner…Brandon; followed by Evan (based on popularity and mean judges backlash); Jeanine and Kayla.
People….Leave your comments over at TheTVTalkPodcast.com 🙂