He doesn’t seem to have much of a fan base and I thought that salsa was perhaps the worst routine of the night.

Oh, that would make me sad, because he was the only thing good about that salsa. But I guess it does work that way often enough.

I am a bad person for not caring for the bullying dance, I suppose. Very much enjoyed the Broadway mini-group though. More group numbers! Even if they are not always to my taste, I like them conceptually.

OK, just having a chance to watch now, with family visiting:

ANOTHER injury? Jesus, show. I’m assuming they’ll send him home, and that’s why the boys didn’t dance? I hope they’ll send Alexis home—especially after I LOVED Jasmine’s solo. Dang. I thought that was fierce.

Jenna/Tucker: hiphop--OMG MORE HAMMERPANTS. WTF. Well, at least those aren’t in the costumes. But I don’t think Tucker can pull off all that leather. Or hip-hop. Maybe if they were trying to do some Macklemore or something?

Alexis/Nico: contemp—I didn’t even pay attention during this routine. Which tells you how unimpressed with it I was.

Haley/Curtis: tango—she’s lucky to get to dance with someone other than Curtis? Focuses the attention on her, but I’m sure it’s easier for her, too—god knows I can dance way above my usual skill level with a better partner.

Mackenzie/Paul: jazz—more leather. Crackhos must’ve gotten a deal? I like this much better than the other Sonya one tonight.

Jasmine/Aaron: contemp—I like how they’re dancing fine, but I’m not loving the choreo, so yeah.

Amy/Fikshun: hiphop—OMG the first 15 seconds alone were adorable. I don’t know how hiphop this is, but it’s freaking adorable. Oh no! I wonder if she slipped on that water he sloshed? So damn cute.

Malice/Alan: (OMG these baby dancing things are so cute for some of them!) salsa: Love the tricks. Which you can do when you have a guy who knows what he’s doing. And he’s pretty good at looking strong, while she’s failing mostly at looking sexy. A couple times she has good face, but…other times there’s something about her head and shoulders and arms that is not working for me. Possibly because I hate her.

Group Number 1: Pool sticks: I like the costumes better than some? It works better for the boys than a lot of the usual costume stuff. I’m liking the vibe on Alan much better than on Nico, though. And I thought Spencer was Tucker for most of that. (OMG, the cameras? I mean, yay be a nice person Anna, but so often awful!) Also, why make Malice and Alan dance right away again? Why not put this number second?

Group Number 2: bullying?? Um, ok. Didn’t really do it for me.

I wonder how they decided who would be in which number.

Wow, that was quick. But the right decision, I think. Sad about the injury but damn.

Side Note: Cat’s lipstick is way too dark for her coloring. Discuss.

Hah--both my sister and roommate commented on that separately. I thought it was good, but not with the dress she was wearing.

Look at the plié in second. Suck it, bitches!

This was totally a moment I called out to my sister, all "Damn, look at that plie!"

I love that Anna Kendrick is a true fan.

One thing I do love about this show is the guest judges are so often clearly FANS--who have watched several seasons.

Y'all, new salsa choreographer was apparently actually a contestant on SYTYCD in S5! Jonathan Platero. 1) I have no memory of this kid. 2) I was totally right when I said that he looked young enough to be a contestant on SYTYCD and I love being right! 3) I love that the show continues to let former contestants come back as choreographers.

He...really!?!? I don't remember him AT ALL.

I am a bad person for not caring for the bullying dance, I suppose.

If this is wrong, then I don't want to be right. I enjoyed the kids in the dance and I liked that the choreographer didn't just pull a Cedric on Fik Shun and actually expected him to dance as much as all the other kids in the piece. But, it was still overly literal, manipulative twaddle. Well danced, overly literal manipulative twaddle, which I suppose is better than poorly danced twaddle, but not by much.

Well danced, overly literal manipulative twaddle, which I suppose is better than poorly danced twaddle, but not by much.

Ha! Yeah, I can support that.

Hah--both my sister and roommate commented on that separately. I thought it was good, but not with the dress she was wearing.

I am, in general, a fan of the dark, dramatic lip, but with her coloring and that pale dress, it just wasn't right. Maybe if the hair hadn't also been so severe?

I feel like I have to go back and look at S5 to see who Jonathan was. It's very rare that I don't remember Top 20 contestants at all. I must've blocked him out, but really, how bad could he have been? I still remember Big Pasty and Kayla's first partner who was also the only non-hot Russian ballroom dancer of all time and Scarecrow looking Jonnis from all the way back in S1. Could he have been worse than all of them? Hmmmmm.

OMG, how could we forget the cha cha to Poker Face?

More Jonathan for kat:
Week 2: Falling Slowly
Week 3: By My Side

They had a predictably stupid discussion of BB on the Slate Culture Gabfest this week, and the most annoying part was that Willa Paskin said you can tell the players are superfans because of their use of lingo like "back dooring" and "head of household"....

So, people who watch Top Chef Masters, I have to ask, do you notice the Anolon Gourmet Cookware sponsorship? It jumps out at me, but I'm primed to notice it, and I'm curious how it comes across to others.

I haven't paid really strict attention to either episode this season, but I know in past seasons all of the product placement/sponsorship has felt very in your face. Same with Masterchef this season, I have to say.