So You Think You Can Dance Canada (finale)
Did I call it, or what? Tara-Jean herself told me she was convinced Vincent was going to win - but, no, like I said, it was her that ended up with the Mazda, the $100,000 and the so incredibly meaningful title of Canada's Favourite Dancer. The 20-year-old Lethbridge native deserved it - yes, even a teensy bit more than precious-enough-to-pinch tapper Everett, ballroom manly man Vince and sexpot Jayme Rae. Congrats, TJ.
Battle of the Blades
Three weeks ago these guys didn't know their jazz hands from their toe-picks. Now they can spin. They can jump. They can whirl their partners through the air faster than they can execute wrist shots. Craig Simpson is especially good at tossing around Jamie Sale, and that - along with some slick dance moves - scored him a near-perfect 17.7. I could even see guest judge Lanny McDonald smiling through his mustache.
The Amazing Race 15
Unbe-friggin'-lievable! The Are You Kidding Me? moment of the week goes to Mika's refusal to go down a water slide - a move that cost her and boyfriend (or perhaps now ex) Canaan the Race. I'm just as much as a wuss about things like bungee jumping and roller coasters; but it's a SLIDE! The worst that would happen is she'd have gotten water up her nose (not even, given those water wings she was wearing). Call Big Easy and Flight Time mean for psyching her out so they could get ahead and stay in the game - but I'd have done the same thing.
Battle of the Blades
Because I'm a complete @$$, I can't help but point out that guest skater Yu-Na Kim fell during her routine. (It's not something you'd expect from a world champ.) But she wasn't hurtin' as bad as Jodeyne Higgins and Ken Daneyko - who looked devastated when they lost the danceoff against Tie Domi and Tuffy.
Dancing With the Stars
What's the deal with Joanna Krupa? What does she have that far-more-entertaining folks like Mya and Donny Osmond don't (besides a modeling portfolio full of "Maxim" clippings)? It was nice to see Mark match her waltz's score of 26 with his good 'n' cheesy jitterbug, but I'm still trying to wrap my head around what - besides her near-invisible outfit - got her first place in the mambo marathon.
Dancing With the Stars
There wasn't enough magic in the universe to keep Sabrina the Teenage Witch (Melissa Joan Hart) from getting tossed into the cauldron this week (sorry, that was lame). And while birthday girl Kelly Osbourne was happy to be safe, the rocker could not run or hide from musical guest Taylor Swift (now THAT'S scary). And since this was Danceoff/Double Elimination Week, snowboarder Louie Vito was also turfed after a match against Michael Irvin - who is apparently invincible.
So You Think You Can Dance
As cool as it was to see a new group of 20 hit the floor, SYT's first Season 6 performance episode felt empty. As tapper Bianca, krumper Russell and b-boy Legacy broke the show's mould - and judges dismissed Ariana and Brandon, as the World Series prevented them from holding a viewer vote - I couldn't help but miss the dancers on the Canadian version that just wrapped (see Sunday). I know, silly me.
The Biggest Loser
If all reality shows were as inspiring as TBL, there probably wouldn't be any couch potatoes around to watch them. Cynics and crybabys alike were undoubtedly reduced to tears when Abby - whose husband and two kids were killed in a car accident - gracefully accepted her elimination, went home to start the new life she never thought she could live, and started using her experience to reach out to others dealing with tragedies. Beyond touching.
America's Next Top Model
Aloha, Hawaii. Normally I wouldn't consider a place where people wear grass skirts and leis a fashion hotspot - but it is a hotspot, and if The Tyra wants it to be this season's destination, then The Tyra gets what The Tyra wants. Unfortunately, this meant sunburn for Laura, and controversy for the photoshoot, which saw the models portraying people of mixed heritage. Brittany's "stoic" East Indian/Native American impression got her eliminated. Hopefully The Tyra also wanted angry people knocking down her door, because chances are she'll get that too.
Survivor: Samoa
Everything went back to normal after last week's mega-drama: Shambo resumed bossing people around (except now that she's Galu's leader, she can get away with it), Foa Foa fell into their losing rut again, and another weak link (Liz) was blindsided. Yeah, I think they're about ready for that merge.
TOP-RATED REALITY SHOWS IN CANADA (millions of viewers)
Survivor: Samoa (Global) 3.2
Amazing Race 15 (CTV) 2.6
Dancing with the Stars (CTV) 2.1
TOP-RATED REALITY SHOWS IN THE U.S. (millions of viewers)
Dancing with the Stars (ABC) 16.8
Dancing With the Stars results (ABC) 14.9
Survivor: Samoa (CBS) 12.9
Amazing Race 15 (CBS) 11.2
