Strictly Come Dancing 2010

BeaconRuth

OK, embarrassing confession time :oops: - for the first time I'm following this from (almost) the start to the finish and I'm really quite intrigued to see how the dancers progress each week. So, a question for anyone else following it:

I've not been watching any telly for many years so I've no idea where Tess Daly has come from. What is her background? She's absolutely atrocious as a presenter! Is garbling your words the latest in-thing on TV? Claudia garbles badly too, but at least she has some wit and good one-liners in her interviews. I can hardly bear to watch Tess Daly, she's so bad..............

rick_chasey

Wife of Vernon Kay.

Tess isn't as bad Bruce.

matt581

OK........I'll step up and say it. Strictly come dancing? WTF???? Pull your self together

rick_chasey

matt581 wrote:

OK........I'll step up and say it. Strictly come dancing? WTF???? Pull your self together

I suggest you go google Ola Jordan...

simonaspinall

BeaconRuth wrote:

OK, embarrassing confession time :oops: - for the first time I'm following this from (almost) the start to the finish and I'm really quite intrigued to see how the dancers progress each week. So, a question for anyone else following it:

I've not been watching any telly for many years so I've no idea where Tess Daly has come from. What is her background? She's absolutely atrocious as a presenter! Is garbling your words the latest in-thing on TV? Claudia garbles badly too, but at least she has some wit and good one-liners in her interviews. I can hardly bear to watch Tess Daly, she's so bad..............

Your mind is turning into goo

Strictly vs. X factor - The most depressing contest in the history of television, presented by people who are dead behind the eyes in the most crass delivery of entertainment ever seen outside of the Katona residence's Big Christmas Light display.

You're not helping the situation of "if we all ignore it then it will go away"

LittleB0b

I'm sorry but i love striclty -

maybe because it's everything i'm not - sparkly, glamorous, heels, dresses, make up, music, dancing... (I'm usually covered in sweat plus either grease or chalk)

I quite like the whole "journey" thing too.

simonaspinall

LittleB0b wrote:

I'm sorry but i love striclty -

maybe because it's everything i'm not - sparkly, glamorous, heels, dresses, make up, music, dancing... (I'm usually covered in sweat plus either grease or chalk)

I quite like the whole "journey" thing too.

You wouldn't say the BBC was punching a hole through the bottom of the barrel into a rat infested cellar of tired, lazy programming?

BeaconRuth

simonaspinall wrote:

You wouldn't say the BBC was punching a hole through the bottom of the barrel into a rat infested cellar of tired, lazy programming?

I'm getting a nagging feeling you're not a fan of the show........

simonaspinall

BeaconRuth wrote:

simonaspinall wrote:

You wouldn't say the BBC was punching a hole through the bottom of the barrel into a rat infested cellar of tired, lazy programming?

I'm getting a nagging feeling you're not a fan of the show........

True, but then it's not aimed at me - Like pretty much every show on the BBC - All commissioned for shrieking harpees and pinot grigio glugging bored housewives with nothing better to do than watch masterchef/great bake off/period drama/low-rent saturday primetime moron tv/soaps/daytime trash. So I can choose not to watch it, but what else can I watch? Dave?! Awful Formula 1?! The whole schedule is skewed totally towards women.

I don't actually watch any of the above but what's the point in a public broadcaster that omits 50% of the public? Ok, bar the news.

afx237vi

simonaspinall wrote:

BeaconRuth wrote:

simonaspinall wrote:

You wouldn't say the BBC was punching a hole through the bottom of the barrel into a rat infested cellar of tired, lazy programming?

I'm getting a nagging feeling you're not a fan of the show........

True, but then it's not aimed at me - Like pretty much every show on the BBC - All commissioned for shrieking harpees and pinot grigio glugging bored housewives with nothing better to do than watch masterchef/great bake off/period drama/low-rent saturday primetime moron tv/soaps/daytime trash. So I can choose not to watch it, but what else can I watch? Dave?! Awful Formula 1?! The whole schedule is skewed totally towards women.

I don't actually watch any of the above but what's the point in a public broadcaster that omits 50% of the public? Ok, bar the news.

BBC4 is your friend.

AndyRubio

I'm with Ruth here. This is my 2nd year as a Strictly fan. I can't fully explain it - it's shite Saturday night tv with lousy presenter (Bruce), 'celebrities' who I either hate or have never heard of before, and distorted UK 'ballroom' versions of dancing....

And yet....

OK my g/f is mad into it and I got into it through her. But still, I think it's the fact that non-dancers transform and learn a new skill. In many ways, like cycling where technique is 99% of it. There are similarities.

But will Ann Widdecombe please just F*CK OFF FOREVER. There are better dancers than her being booted off now (she's a fcking evil woman). Gavin annoys me too. I hope Matt wins.

There I've said it and I'm glad!

sloboy

Yes, it's the journey thing. Strictly is one of those things that seems to exceed the sum of its parts, but it does take a bit of faith or insight or something to find it's beating heart of humanity. My brother for example, can't really distinguish between it and "I'm a celebrity" - which proves he misses the point completely. Strictly is supportive, developmental, showing somewhat ordinary people excelling at something of elegance and grace (so something that may be generally aspirational) far better than you might reasonably suppose is possible.

Also, if you happen to be a leg man, then you should have this on series record and archive it for posterity.

sloboy

Oh and after a few series, you can also take some interest in studying the pros and how good they are at Strictly - being able to develop and present their celeb, a bit like a dog handler at Crufts or a jockey in the Derby. Case in point - Natalie Lowe is doing a fantastic job with Scott Maslin whereas Matt Baker and Aliona Vilani aren't making the same progress.

simonaspinall

I guess audiences just expect less these days - Or commissioning editors have beaten any degree of expectation out of them.

BeaconRuth

So does no one else agree with me that Tess Daly is atrocious? Surely surely surely she's got someone advising her how to do the job properly and that doesn't include saying "the scores are in" so fast that it might as well be "scorsarin"?

Agreed, Andy, Gavin is absolutely awful - not just his dancing, but how much he loves himself. I'd be happy with Matt winning but Scott's very hot stuff too. Wouldn't you chaps go for Kara?

Ruth

SBezza

We normally end up watching it, I quite enjoy it I will admit.

I normally have to suffer with X Factor afterwards (Ruth, turbo session on a Saturday night will be fine )

sloboy

AndyRubio wrote:

I...But still, I think it's the fact that non-dancers transform and learn a new skill. In many ways, like cycling where technique is 99% of it. There are similarities.

the pursuit of 3-d souplesse...

BeaconRuth

simonaspinall wrote:

I guess audiences just expect less these days - Or commissioning editors have beaten any degree of expectation out of them.

So what were the wonderful prime-time Saturday evening entertainment programmes in the past then, if the BBC has reached new depths with Strictly? All I remember from the '70s was The Generation Game which hardly says a lot for the past. Admittedly I didn't watch much TV from the mid '80s until recently, so I've no idea what has gone on which has been better in between.

Ruth

sloboy

BeaconRuth wrote:

Wouldn't you chaps go for Kara?

Ruth

Well - if I must, I suppose

Kara is gorgeous and has actually been my daughter's tip to win as she may have the most potential for a late run of improvement, now known as the "Chris Hollins Gambit" of course.

sloboy

To fill out the list of pet peeves with Strictly, may I add

...The "Singers"

Frank the tank

The female pro dancers and some of the female celebs make this the best early Saturday evening viewing since the demise of baywatch.

Pross

I'm happy to admit I've watched every series and enjoy it. There seem to be a surprising amount of people who's 'wife watches it so I have to' but claim to hate it. The presenters are terrible but that sort of adds to it in some strange way. The female dancers are on the whole very easy on the eye as are some of the celebs and Tess has her moments too (nice bit of leg on Saturday ). This series there has been a mix of those who started well and the usual two left feet contenders but no-one has made a huge improvement as they have in other years.

I've also never understood the Strictly v X Factor thing as the only thing they have in common is they are on on a Saturday evening. Strictly is watching a group of people learning a new skill and how well they adapt to it, X Factor is watching a bunch of over inflated egos who have been told all their life how great they are at singing showing themselves up whilst the people who stand to make money out of them egg them on and those who don't slag them off. There is occassional glimpses of talent but they soon get put in their place performing factory produced songs with standard 'dance' moves so that they comply with the rest of the rubbish out there. How can

Pross

simonaspinall wrote:

BeaconRuth wrote:

simonaspinall wrote:

You wouldn't say the BBC was punching a hole through the bottom of the barrel into a rat infested cellar of tired, lazy programming?

I'm getting a nagging feeling you're not a fan of the show........

True, but then it's not aimed at me - Like pretty much every show on the BBC - All commissioned for shrieking harpees and pinot grigio glugging bored housewives with nothing better to do than watch masterchef/great bake off/period drama/low-rent saturday primetime moron tv/soaps/daytime trash. So I can choose not to watch it, but what else can I watch? Dave?! Awful Formula 1?! The whole schedule is skewed totally towards women.

I don't actually watch any of the above but what's the point in a public broadcaster that omits 50% of the public? Ok, bar the news.

Must be so tough be one of the cultural elite that no-one provides for

BeaconRuth

Pross wrote:

The presenters are terrible but that sort of adds to it in some strange way.

At least Brucie is a British institution - love him or hate him at least he executes his role and awful jokes as well as he ever has. Tess doesn't seem relaxed, doesn't speak clearly, just really doesn't do anything well at any level............is she really that attractive that her looks make up for all her weaknesses? Surely there are attractive female presenters out there who can speak clearly?

The female dancers are on the whole very easy on the eye..........

Ditto the male dancers and celebs (bar Henson....... uggh!).

I've also never understood the Strictly v X Factor thing

I've never seen X Factor so, happily, I can't comment.

Anyway, just to show how important the choice of celebs is, I only watched the first programme because I saw somewhere that Felicity Kendal was doing it. As I'm a huge fan of what she and Richard Briers did in the Good Life I thought I'd like to see how she got on............. and now I'm hooked. If they hadn't put Felicity in they would have had one less viewer and I guess the same could be true for thousands of other viewers with just one celeb. I guess they hooked a load of football fans with Peter Shilton, a load of rugby fans with Henson.........

Ruth

simonaspinall

BeaconRuth wrote:

simonaspinall wrote:

I guess audiences just expect less these days - Or commissioning editors have beaten any degree of expectation out of them.

So what were the wonderful prime-time Saturday evening entertainment programmes in the past then, if the BBC has reached new depths with Strictly? All I remember from the '70s was The Generation Game which hardly says a lot for the past. Admittedly I didn't watch much TV from the mid '80s until recently, so I've no idea what has gone on which has been better in between.

Ruth

There weren't any - BBC1 has a track record of ruining shows, particularly when transferring them from BBC2.

simonaspinall

Pross wrote:

simonaspinall wrote:

BeaconRuth wrote:

simonaspinall wrote:

You wouldn't say the BBC was punching a hole through the bottom of the barrel into a rat infested cellar of tired, lazy programming?

I'm getting a nagging feeling you're not a fan of the show........

True, but then it's not aimed at me - Like pretty much every show on the BBC - All commissioned for shrieking harpees and pinot grigio glugging bored housewives with nothing better to do than watch masterchef/great bake off/period drama/low-rent saturday primetime moron tv/soaps/daytime trash. So I can choose not to watch it, but what else can I watch? Dave?! Awful Formula 1?! The whole schedule is skewed totally towards women.

I don't actually watch any of the above but what's the point in a public broadcaster that omits 50% of the public? Ok, bar the news.

Must be so tough be one of the cultural elite that no-one provides for

Not a cultural elitist facist - I'm just tired of the lowest common denominator being endlessly churned out year after year.

Simon's law - A television show can only have 2 series from commissioning upon pain of death (3 if it is saved by the public in a vote) - So so so many good TV shows had so few series, or were best thought of in their early years.

Ditto for albums and bands - You're a band with 5 years and 5 albums and after that you must disband. No reforming with one different member or stupid ego supergroups. Just 5 albums and if you can't make your mark and fortune then you shouldn't have got the myspace page you insisted on forcing down people's throats.

Just consider the creative overdrive and energising force of death or glory! No more gold-plated pensions for actors being put out to pasture in some teriible dribble of a show that should have been burned down years ago. Think of the innovation, the brilliant turnover of new programming and music. Think of the comeuppance of the commissioning editor who dares to break the law!

verylonglegs

Pross wrote:

simonaspinall wrote:

BeaconRuth wrote:

simonaspinall wrote:

You wouldn't say the BBC was punching a hole through the bottom of the barrel into a rat infested cellar of tired, lazy programming?

I'm getting a nagging feeling you're not a fan of the show........

True, but then it's not aimed at me - Like pretty much every show on the BBC - All commissioned for shrieking harpees and pinot grigio glugging bored housewives with nothing better to do than watch masterchef/great bake off/period drama/low-rent saturday primetime moron tv/soaps/daytime trash. So I can choose not to watch it, but what else can I watch? Dave?! Awful Formula 1?! The whole schedule is skewed totally towards women.

I don't actually watch any of the above but what's the point in a public broadcaster that omits 50% of the public? Ok, bar the news.

Must be so tough be one of the cultural elite that no-one provides for

I found myself agreeing with his little rant, tv is largely mindless nonsense to the point that I only use it to watch sport these days. What always baffles me is people who moan that weekends are too short and they never have enough time then go on to spend a half hour discussing x-factor and all the soaps...if you can watch that crap then you've quite clearly got far too much spare time imo.

simonaspinall

verylonglegs wrote:

Pross wrote:

simonaspinall wrote:

BeaconRuth wrote:

simonaspinall wrote:

You wouldn't say the BBC was punching a hole through the bottom of the barrel into a rat infested cellar of tired, lazy programming?

I'm getting a nagging feeling you're not a fan of the show........

True, but then it's not aimed at me - Like pretty much every show on the BBC - All commissioned for shrieking harpees and pinot grigio glugging bored housewives with nothing better to do than watch masterchef/great bake off/period drama/low-rent saturday primetime moron tv/soaps/daytime trash. So I can choose not to watch it, but what else can I watch? Dave?! Awful Formula 1?! The whole schedule is skewed totally towards women.

I don't actually watch any of the above but what's the point in a public broadcaster that omits 50% of the public? Ok, bar the news.

Must be so tough be one of the cultural elite that no-one provides for

I found myself agreeing with his little rant, tv is largely mindless nonsense to the point that I only use it to watch sport these days. What always baffles me is people who moan that weekends are too short and they never have enough time then go on to spend a half hour discussing x-factor and all the soaps...if you can watch that crap then you've quite clearly got far too much spare time imo.

This is precisely why Dave became such a fast growing channel - Men were being ignored and just wanted something that didn't involve the above mentioned genres or sport.

Sadly this has led to patronising programmes aimed at both genders. Probably why I bought an online subscription to Eurosport to get away from football.

berliner

I remember watching the show one Saturday evening back in 2004. I had just completed a fast, wet sportive and I remember thinking how much I'd rather be dancing with Natasha Kaplinski .
I 'd would rather do a rumba with Katya Virshilas than a wet British Sportive anyday.

Pross

But Dave is just showing repeats of all the rubbish that has been on BBC before surely? I agree that most programmes are rubbish these days and I watch very little TV anymore. Other than Strictly (which I do find entertaining generally) the only programme I make a point of watching at the moment is New Tricks and that has also fallen foul of Simon's Law. The best TV at the moment tends to be US imports and I usually find I watch an episode, enjoy it but can't be bothered with the whole series. I usually find myself waiting for the kids to go to bed so that I can get on the big TV in 'their' room and fire up the PS3!

keef66

I now spend Saturday evenings out on the bike while wifey watches first Strictly then X Factor. Back in time for a shower, pint of tea and a couple of hob-nobs before match of the day. Splendid arrangement.

And you're right about Tess Daly; she's vacuous in the extreme. Mind you, Vernon Kay isn't exactly Sephen Fry either.