So happy about the winner (and still peeved at not getting to see it.)

Oh dag -- no A/C on the Voice! I feel bad for them.

So far, I don't think anyone I've seen has been very good -- Vedo, Garrett, Sarah. Although they were singing in the hot, which probably didn't help.

Edit: Feeling better about the Swon brothers and Sasha Allen. Still behind, but catching up fast!

Edit 2: I don't hate Josiah, and think he did a good job here. And little country Danielle has a great voice, but she shouldn't sing anything that shouldn't be sung smiling.

Edit 3: Judith is great, obviously. Michelle Shamuel is a trip, but I don't think that song was great for her.

Edit final: Kris and Amber both had some good and bad moments, I thought. I didn't think Amber was so incredible.

OK, who'd I forget about?

I agree, Jesse. I wasn't blown away by anyone last night. I liked Michelle but that's mainly because I like Michelle. The song choice was nothing to write home about. She did what she could with it, though. Judith was fine. She has lost a lot of her shine for me from the early rounds. She just seems not to be very engaging. She is a great singer but kind of . . . workmanlike? I don't know. Maybe I'm just taking her for granted.

I like Sasha, but I think she sang Alone just like a Broadway singer trying to sing a rock ballad. It could've been something from Phantom. Also, Shakira needs to step away from the time worn reality show chestnuts. Nobody should be singing Alone on an AI-type show in 2013. It's done. Danielle is too young to have much going on other than a really powerful voice which makes her extremely boring. I liked but didn't love Amber. I think the song choice, again, was odd. Martina McBride songs are very Martina McBride. I've yet to see someone do a good cover of one. I liked the Swon Brothers a lot more this week than last, probably because you could tell that the song they picked really meant something to them.

I thought Shakira's song choice for Garret was genius but the performance was stank because he ruins everything. I've never missed Karina more. Neither Kris nor Vedo were very good. Lots of pitch issues for both of those gentlemen and both of them are just cut rate Usher clones. I can't see how either of them become stars on Urban radio. Seems like they will fall into the Javier/Jermaine Paul bucket . . . nice guys, decent voices, kind of lost in a sea of Montell Jordan-esque dudes who want to be smooth operators.

I don't remember anyone else . . . oh, no. Wait. I remember Sarah. Hated it. That song is completely nails on a chalkboard for me, so frikkin' twee. And she was just off key for lots of that song. It was not pleasing to the ear.

I read X-Tina is coming back next season and Shakira is on her way out. This makes me sad.

I read X-Tina is coming back next season and Shakira is on her way out. This makes me sad.

This. She's delightful and Christina is ... not.

SYTYCD has been on for 14 minutes and I've cried already. I LOVE THIS SHOW.

But Jesus Christo, did they need to show that injury a hundred times??

That was GROSS. And then it popped back in on its own! Blech.

Yipes.

Re: The Voice: Good job, America.

SYTYCD Notes so far:

So You Think You Can Daaanncceee! Ah, my people. My people.

Things I loved just about the cold opening: All the past seasons’ dancers, yes, even Dom (cause it’s early, y’all!). And of course the lovely and talented Cat Deeley!! She is everything. JTF at the judges table and glimpses of new guest judges to come. Was that Minnie Driver? Why? And Wayne Brady? Is he gonna choke a bitch? Can it be Mary?

It’s LA. Bring it, you lean and hungry types.

Duchon(AKA Fik Shun) – Despite my immediate hate for the name, he’s a cutie. He reminds me of Leroy from Fame. And wow, he is a cCrazy good popper. The body control on this kid is ricidulous. The smooth glides are also fun. He is money, this kid. Charisma like what? I am having fun with him. And oh my, the chest isolations where he was bent over and then he brought the head with it? He is doing stuff that just looks physically impossible…and with a million watt smile on his face. Love this kid. I’m in. Here’s hoping he can pick up choreography.

Malece – She’s a Utah girl so at least she should have solid technique. And she’s rocking the cute little blonde pixie cut that Anne Hathaway wishes she were rocking right now. The short hair should cut down on the hair flinging at least. Bonus points for the funny. Ha! I like you, not deaf Malece. Sadly, she’s just OK as a dancer. She has some skill, but she’s very choppy. Way more tumbling than dancing. Her center is not great. The connections between moves are not great; she lacks fluidity. I think she should go to choreo. She needs more seasoning. Thank you, Mary. The transitions were hinky as fuck. I can’t believe they didn’t make her do choreo. Oh, well, she’ll be out on the first jazz round in Vegas. She needs to cook more.

Dance Break: Farrah Fawcett feathered hair girl, red t-shirt boy, top knot girl . . . They all seemed OK not stellar. I won’t be keeping an eye out for any of them in Vegas.

Paul Kamiryan – SYTYCD Armenia. He’s a winner baby! Awesome. I want to watch that. Come on Latin ballroom kid. Let’s do this. Although, if you think SYTYCD Armenia really prepared you to be on Original Flavor SYTYCD, I would beg to differ. The camera work in this audition was really weird. Why did they keep cutting away from him? He’s good, though. He’s giving me a kind of Benji vibe. Another good but not great. They’ve definitely had much stronger latin ballroom kids before. He seems like a much better singles dancer than a partner dancer. Aaaand, Nigel is on the same wavelength as me. I don’t know if I like that.

Elijah Laurant – Oh, honey. You are so talented but right now you look like a total jackass with that tutu around your neck. You don’t need it, Boo. Just go out there and trust your talent. You can turn it out. He actually would’ve done better without the prop because fooling around with it took away from his dancing. But leaping for joy at being called androgynous during his judges’ critiques? OK. That was a whole world of oh my gosh, why are you so cute? I would like to see him do partner work. I’m nervous about that. I’m guessing he hasn’t done much of it before.

Dance Break – You’re going to choreo: Latin ballroom couple – the girl was a firecracker, the boy was just there. Break dance white girl all bent over…yeah, I couldn’t tell. Rapa Nui! What? He’s awesome. I hope he can do choreo because he’s soooo pretty. Thank you, JTF, for overruling Nigel.

Taylor Ward – Went into dance a few months ago? I don’t understand her story. Did she just start dancing a few months ago? Did she dance and do sports when she was little or what? And also, this sob story is tired. The grandfather was an old ass man. Old ass men die. Am I to be sad now? I don’t think so. But whoops, I did get kinda sad watching that practice session. Holy shit! That knee just popped right out. Wonder if she did that in softball or dance initially. Naturally loose joints. Ah. I’ve seen that happen in class before. Hurts like hell. Good on her for pressing on. Too bad her audition was nothing special. Very (continued...)