The Bachelorette, Ep. 11.2

The Britt Story
Britt's devastated that she didn't get picked. She has a tearful call to her mom to tell her that she is coming home. Not long after, there is a knock at her door, and it is Brady (big surprise!). Suddenly she's not so sad anymore.

Group Date #1: Boxing Match
 Ben H, Ben Z, Corey, Daniel, Jared, Justin, Kupah, Tanner

Kaitlyn wants to see who has heart and who can fight for her and protect her. The guys will battle (literally) for Kaitlyn. Laila Ali will be giving them some pointers.

Who thinks there will be some injuries? Yeah, it's pretty much inevitable. The only questions will be: who will get hurt, and how badly.

Most of the guys make an effort to talk to Kaitlyn at some point during their practice. Everyone except for Kupah that is. He is taking the boxing really seriously, and Kaitlyn forgot he was even on the date because she hadn't talked to him yet.

Round 1:

Survivor, Ep. 30.14: Finale

It's hard to believe that we are just a couple hours away from knowing who the winner of season 30 is! Best case scenario: the Final 3 are Mike, Carolyn, and Rodney and Mike wins. Worst case scenario: the Final 3 are Will, Sierra, and Rodney and Will or Sierra wins. It's obvious that Will and Sierra have done nothing but be followers. They made no moves and have no argument for why they should win. Rodney at least has worked on keeping his alliance together and on top of the numbers. Other than that, he doesn't really have anything else. Mike has worked his butt off, and while making just one mistake (a pretty big mistake), he has done just about everything right, including finding a hidden immunity idol and playing it at the exact right time, winning immunities when he most needed to, and more. Carolyn has also played a decent game, including an idol of her own (and playing it at the exact right time), and winning individual immunities. They've both had pretty good social games and have been instrumental players in their alliances. The season will really go down the tubes if neither Mike nor Carolyn make the finals. It's going to be pretty impossible for them both to make it because they are both on the outs now. Last week, Mike and Carolyn voted Dan, while the rest of the group all voted for Carolyn. Mike and Carolyn are the targets, and whoever doesn't win immunity is going home. But how sweet would it be for one of them to find a hidden idol and for the other one to win immunity! Hey, at least I can dream :)

Merica Camp
Carolyn asks Will if he voted Dan, and he said "no". Yet Carolyn still goes off with the group, leaving Mike alone. Carolyn says they all voted for her, but they said that she never told them about the idol. She thinks that with Mike as their common enemy, they are all still good.

Reward Challenge

The Bachelorette, Ep. 11.1 (Part 1 & 2)

Kaitlyn or Britt? Tonight we find out. If you missed my post yesterday previewing all of the guys, you can read it here. I just updated the post with the episode by episode spoilers from RealitySteve. Check out the post to find out who the lucky couple at the end of the season will be!

Limo Entrances and First Impressions
The guys are immediately hit with their first decision of the night: who do they walk over to first, Kaitlyn or Britt? For the sake of easiness for me to recap the entrances that we see, I'm listing the guys in alphabetical order and not in the order that they come out of the limos. Because, who are we kidding? We know that the order they show us is not the order they came out, and does that really matter anyway? This will help us match them up with their bios in my previous post, since we are just getting to know them.

So, as Chris is talking to the girls and prepping them...how many times did Kaitlyn roll her eyes at something that Britt said? Wow, she couldn't have been more obvious that she was annoyed that Britt was there and that she had to compete against her.

Kaitlyn seemed WAY more nervous than Britt did, especially when a lot of the guys seemed to be going to Britt first and having more of a connection with her. She definitely seemed slightly more annoyed when it wasn't "her turn".

Part way through the entrances, Kaitlyn excuses herself and sneaks into the house, just to tell the guys "hi" and that they were all really handsome and killing it. Britt said she was cheating.

The Voice, Ep. 8.25 & 8.26: FINALE

The Finale of Season 8 is here! Hoping for a Sawyer, and Team Pharrell win!

The Final 4: Sawyer (Team Pharrell), Koryn (Team Pharrell), Joshua (Team Adam), Meghan (Team Blake)

One question: how in the world are they going to fill 2 hours with just 4 people? This could have totally be done in 1/2 hour people. There better be some group performances and performances with the coaches (which have really been lacking this season). At least I can fastforward through all of the judges' comments...thank goodness, because I've got Dancing with the Stars and The Bachelorette to cover tonight, too!

Koryn (Team Pharrell)

James Brown's "It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World"
This song should really be banned from all singing competitions because it has been done WAY too many times! That said, she sang it just as I would have expected her to. It was gritty, it was loud. She pretty much brought the house down.
My Score: A

"Bright Fire" (original song written by Pharrell)
I'm not totally crazy about the song, but I like the message. Probably my least favorite of the original songs. I do not see this being a winning song. How special for her that he said she inspired him to finish the song.
My Score: B

Meghan (Team Blake)

"Change My Mind" (original song)
I didn't care for the way she was overpronouncing the words with such a thick twang that sounded really forced. The song was pretty, but I'm still not feeling it from her for some reason. She really puts her heart and soul into the performance, but I just don't connect to her.
My Score: B+

Michael Bolton's "When a Man Loves a Woman"
Exactly what you would expect from her. She busted all her pipes on this one. Maybe one day she will learn that not every song needs to be sung at the top of your lungs. The end of the song was just so over the top, it was ridiculous.
My Score: B-

Joshua (Team Adam)

"The Workingman's Hymn" (original song)
I like that he wrote a more upbeat song. His slow songs tend to be so sleepy. When he's got a good beat...his voice can't be beat. This was actually really catchy.
My Score: A

Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah"
Perfect song, I always love this song. It's been done a million times, but somehow everyone's version always sounds just a little bit different. He did a great job with it, and it was beautiful.
My Score: A

Sawyer (Team Pharrell)

"Please" (original song, written by his idol Ray LaMontagne)
Let's be honest, if you've ever hear Ray LaMontagne, you know just how perfect his song is for Sawyer, because they really have the same kind of voice and the same style. Another great performance that sounds just about like every other performance he has done. Hey, if it ain't broken, don't fix it.
My Score: A-

Neil Young's "Old Man"
Oooh, those first few lines gave me chills! This song was absolutely perfect for him! If he doesn't win, I''m going to be really upset. He's clearly the most consistent performer, and he knows exactly what type of an artist he wants to be. Someone needs to sign this kid and make him a star. He's only 16...so ridiculous! He has so much soul in his voice that is so beyond his years. I would never like a song like this, but somehow when he sings it, I really enjoy it.
My Score: A+

FINALE RESULTS

4th Place: Koryn Hawthorne

3rd Place: Joshua Davis

2nd Place: Meghan Linsey

SEASON 8 WINNER: Sawyer Fredericks

Woohoo Sawyer! Wow, that was close...I can't believe Meghan came in 2nd. I can't believe Koryn came in 4th. I think those 2 should have been flipped.

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Dancing with the Stars, Ep. 20.12 & 20.13: FINALE

It's the Finale of Season 20! I'm sad to see it end. I'm hoping for a Riker win, but I have a feeling it's going to be Rumer. Whoever wins, it will be the first time (that I can remember), since Derek and Mark have been pros, that neither of them are in the finals and the winning pro will get their first win ever!

Our Final 3: Riker & Allison, Noah & Sharna, Rumer & Val

Round 1: Favorite Dance

Noah & Sharna - Argentine Tango (Week 3)
I don't really remember a lot about this the first time around. I'm not seeing the intensity in his face that this dance really requires. He was kind of laughing and smiling through it. I don't know if he messed up or what. The big lift was a little rocky, and I wasn't sure if she was going to be able to hold her pose or not. This showed a lot of his weaknesses. I don't agree with the judges...I don't think he showed improvement on this dance.
Score: 32

Riker & Allison - Paso Doble (Week 5)
Can I just say that I did a little squeal when I saw Riker come out with his Captain Jack Sparrow costume on! I LOVED that dance...loved, loved, loved it! What a great dance to redo, because it could gain him a lot of votes. And can I say that I could listen to him talk like Jack Sparrow...all...day...long. He is perfection! I just can't believe how perfect it is. Not just the voice, but every single move is Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow. The dance was just as perfect as the first time, and Len better award it with a 10 this time! I get goosebumps every time I watch him do this! I think he might have even done it with even more power and even more intensity than the first time...if that's even possible! Len is standing up, that's a great sign!
Score: 40 (Len could barely sit still waiting to give his score! And I love that he carries the character into the interview after the dance!)

Rumer & Val - Foxtrot (Week 1)
This was just as beautiful as it was in the first week. It was so close to perfection the first time, I'm not sure what they can do to perfect it. If anything, I would say their connection as partners was stronger...which makes sense because they know each other so much better after weeks of dancing together.
Score: 40

Round 2: Freestyle

Noah & Sharna
They went for totally emotional rather than explosive and theatrical. Probably a smart move, seeing as he can't physically do the tricks that the other 2 can do. They went for a military theme (no surprise, as they know this pulls on voters' heart strings). He again went for the one armed lift of her entire body above his head. Absolutely incredible. I love the mashup of "Titanium", "Apologize", and "Fix You". It was beautiful, it was emotional. Was there a lot of dancing by Noah? No, not really. Dancers lifted him over their heads, he lifted Sharna above his head, but there wasn't a lot of "dancing". It was a great performance, nonetheless.
Score: 40

Riker & Allison 
I sure hope Allison doesn't disappoint with the freestyle. It is well-known that the biggest and best freestyle often wins the close race. Well, I already hate the music. I love that he is out front. Whoa, they just really flipped her around! OK, so the music is picking up a lot of speed here...yay! They lost a little bit of sync, but picked it back up. It's like a mix of jazz and a little bit of hip-hop. It was definitely a throw-back to the old-fashioned musicals. It's amazing how much he's grown and matured in this competition. Once he got his hair slicked back, he became a true pro and he hasn't looked back since. Unfortunately, it didn't have the big WOW ending that I was hoping for. It was so full of so many different things, but as good as it was, I was actually a little underwhelmed. Maybe it needed another 15-20 seconds to have a great finish or something. At least the judges loved it!
Score: 40

Rumer & Val
I can't wait to see what Val has in store for Rumer. He's been in the finals and I'm sure he knows with his own (and with Maks's) visits to the finals, just how important it is to have a freestyle that pulls out all the stops and goes for more than just the emotion. He went for steamy/sexy...which is kind of what they do best. It was a combination of tango, Argentine tango, contemporary, and rumba. I like that it was just the 2 of them dancing and not a bunch of other dancers as distractions. It was a great dance, but it looked like a lot of their other dancers. It didn't feel like a freestyle to me. It didn't have anything special or extra added to it. Still really good though. Oh, and by the way...that's her singing Britney Spears' "Toxic".
Score: 40

Week 12 Judges' Leaderboard after 2 Rounds

Riker & Allison - 80

Rumer & Val - 80

Noah & Sharna - 72

Round 3: 24-Hour Fusion

Noah & Sharna - ChaCha/Argentine Tango
So, the white flags and white outfits...we've seen that before from them. And the same exact lift we saw before. Aside from the lifts (which didn't seem so effortless like sometimes), again, there wasn't much dancing on his part. It definitely wasn't perfect, so let's hope the judges' scores reflect that.
Score: 36 (Total 108)

Riker & Allison - Salsa/Quickstep
Love this song, and it's so perfect for them - "Classic" by MKTO! Great choreography that blended the 2 dances perfectly. He was having so much fun out there! I can't believe this is the last time we get to see them dance. I love how much Len loves him. It's so surprising because Len usually doesn't go for the young ones, but I think Riker might be his most favorite dancer ever. It's so cute the way he just raves over him!
Score: 40 (Total 120) He was so blown away by his 3rd perfect score :)

Rumer & Val - Foxtrot/Paso Doble
So classy, so powerful. These are 2 interesting dances to try to put together, but Val did a great job with the choreography. It was so fast!I like that they kind of weren't in "character" for the dance, and were just all smiles because they were having so much fun on their last dance. So cute. I love what this experience has meant to her on a personal level.
Score: 40 (Total 120)

Well, could it be more obvious who the final 2 should be? I really hope that's the way the votes shake out...Riker and Rumer deserve final 2. Sorry Noah...enough with the pity and sympathy votes.

FINALE RESULTS

3rd Place: Noah & Sharna (THANK YOU AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All is right with the world, and everything is as it should be!)

2nd Place: Riker & Allison

SEASON 20 WINNER: Rumer & Val

Well, it's not what I wanted, but I can't be mad at that. Rumer definitely deserved the win, and a win for Val is very well-deserved as well. I do have to wonder though...Rumer and Riker were completely tied with the judges' votes. Riker & Allison won the fan-voted freestyle encore. That would suggest that people liked them better. So it seems a little strange that Rumer comes out on top when the fans voted to see Riker's freestyle again.

Well, it's been another GREAT season! Can't wait until September to do it all again!

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Survivor, Ep. 30.13

Can I just say: Go Mike! Can he survive another day? I sure hope so! He's the last one worth rooting for. He truly deserves to win with the way he's played this game. He made one dumb move at the Survivor Auction, and it was a big mistake. But other than that, he's been smart and he's been a force to be reckoned with in challenges. With Tyler gone, he has an even better shot at winning immunity. Let's hope he can also find a hidden immunity idol that is rehidden because he played it at the last Tribal. If he works as hard to find this one as he did on the last one, he should be good to go.

Merica Camp
Dan said Mike pulled out the idol and that gives him 1 free pass. He said he has no plan to work with Mike because he is arrogant. He thinks the 5 of them can take Mike out. Carolyn doesn't trust Dan or his advantage. She said she needs Mike as an option if something bad happens with Dan.Carolyn shared the details of what Dan's advantage actually is. That shows some trust on her part to share that with him. And then in her ITM, she says that if Mike doesn't win immunity he is gone. So, she basically only wants to work with him if voting him out isn't an option.

Reward Challenge
2 teams of 3 race through obstacles, untie knots to release a doorway, then chop the rope to release puzzle pieces. The pieces have letters and they are completing a phrase. First to complete the puzzle wins.

Reward: take a helicopter ride and then surf and turf.

Rodney makes a plea to go on the reward. Jeff comments that it is called a "reward" because you earn it. Mike said all he could say was "win".

Dan, Sierra and Rodney (blue) vs. Carolyn, Mike and Will (red)

Blue in the lead with the doorway released. In 2 chops, Dan gets through the first rope and with 2 chops Mike gets the next one. Red is catching up, as they are both working on the puzzle.

Mike puts up a barrier so the other tribe can't look and cheat. 30 minutes in and the 2 teams are completely stumped. It's now 45 minutes! Wow...I don't think we've ever seen so many people so confused! It's now an hour - the longest word puzzle in Survivor history! Jeff keeps trying to give hints all over the place...it's not sinking in to anyone! Finally it clicks for Carolyn and she knows what it is. The blue side is still clueless...and Rodney is shut out again!

Carolyn stared over at the other side, as she debates whether or not to honor her word to give her reward to Rodney. She ultimately decides to keep it. She hopes he doesn't take it personally...that she has been on every reward except for one...and he has been on none.

Reward

American Idol, Ep. 14.29 & 14.30 -- THE FINALE

After we lose one more singer tonight, we will have our final 2 finalists!

To be honest, I have absolutely NO IDEA what's going to happen! I could make a case for each of the 3 to move on to the finale and even win the season. I could make a case for reasons I think America would vote any one of these 3 on. I could make a case for why each of them could go home tonight. Pure craziness! I'm being loyal, and I'm sticking with my original pick, Clark. So many others have jumped ship and counted him out after the past couple weeks where he hasn't been as strong and the judges have kind of sabotaged him (in my opinion). I may be wrong, and his ship may have sailed, but I'm still holding out hope. I think if he can make it through tonight that he can (and will) beat whoever he is up against. But did he make it, that's the question. Jax has been getting the winner's edit all season (in my opinion) and she seems to be the producers' and the judges' pick to win it all, so it is highly likely that she will move on. That would mean that it would come down to Clark and Nick, who seemingly could have the same fanbase and will be splitting the votes. But who will edge out who? Let's find out!

Going Home:  Less than .4%. difference..Jax!
Whoa, what?! And just as they got ready to say her name, I whispered to myself *Jax*...and wouldn't you know! I should have put her on my bracket...that would have put me ahead! What was I thinking?! That feeling just hit me at the last second. I can tell you that there are going to be a lot of surprised people about that one. And what an anti-climactic way to eliminate her. They were on stage, with no audience and no judges. They started the show, and in less than 30 seconds, Jax was ushered off the stage with no proper goodbye. The whole thing was very awkward.

As much as Jax deserved to be in the finals (as they all do), I can't remember the last time that I genuinely really, really liked the final 2! There are no losers here in my opinion (except for me in my bracket if Clark loses!). I wonder if this is the season that all of the Chris Daughtry fans in season 4 got sleepy and felt safe, and didn't vote and got him shockingly eliminated in 4th place. Nick is almost a perfect clone of Chris, and if Nick wins, it's almost like Chris wins.

Clark

Round 1: Favorite Performance: "Georgia on My Mind"
This was one of his best in the early audition rounds. Clark's back y'all! If he can sound this good all night, the win is his. He looked like himself again. Clark has kind of been missing the last couple weeks, but I think he found himself again! Go Clark!
My Score: A+

Round 2: Simon Fuller Pick: "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers
Great song choice, hope he can nail it! I like that he is doing it as a stripped down acoustic version. I wish it had a more heavy beat though. He looks and sounds amazing tonight! Ooh, he's getting into it now! It took it a little while to get going, but I think he did a great job. If he lost any voters in the last couple weeks, I think he is slowly winning them back.
My Score: A

Round 3: Finale Single: "Champion"
Anyone else think the beginning and the chorus sounded EXACTLY like the theme song from the show Who Do You Think You Are? As all finale songs are, the lyrics were a little bit cheesy. This is a little different than the style he normally sings, but it seemed to suit him pretty well. He rocked it out like an anthem he truly believed in. Nice performance, but if Nick's song is better, that could be the open door to Nick winning. Yet again, poor Clark is being sabotaged. They give him the weaker of the 2 finale songs, and a song that doesn't suit the kind of artist he wants to be. Not only that, but the title of "Champion"? What a way to jinx him.
My Score: A

Nick

Round 1: Favorite Performance: "Bright Lights"
This was a great pick because this was one of the first performances that really all seemed to come together. He's continuing on his upward trajectory toward the Season 14 crown. He's not going to make this easy on Clark. That was an amazing performance!
My Score: A+

Round 2: Simon Fuller Pick: "I Won't Give Up" by Jason Mraz
Another great song choice. Oh my, he's playing the piano! Have we seen him perform on the piano this season? I think this is the first time, and what a time to pull that trick out of the bag! What a nice change of pace for him. And gosh darn it, if he didn't do as well on this as he does with his guitar. He's becoming such a great performer. Beautiful and moving performance!
My Score: A

Round 3: Finale Single: "Beautiful Life"
This truly seemed like a song that Nick would put out and even write himself...much more than Clark's song. Of course he was going to sound amazing, so it all comes down to the song. I think Nick's song is more catchy and leaves a better impression than Clark's song. If Nick wins, this will be the difference. He was able to get the crowd into it, and it was a great lasting impression as the last song of the night.
My Score: A+

This is going to be so close, I think!

Final Thoughts...
Watching different polls on various sites, this vote is going to be extremely close! One poll has Clark ahead 50.5% to Nick's 49.5%. Another one has Nick ahead 51% to 49%.

And the Season 14 winner of American Idol is... NICK FRADIANI

I'm very happy for him! Of course, I wanted Clark to win so that I would win my bracket, but honestly, I love them both, so I can't be mad. We avoided crowning someone like Joey as the winner, so the season was a success. It is kind of a shame though, that Clark kind of stumbled in the last weeks, just as Nick was really finding his footing. Clark was seen as the front runner for just about the entire season. I always kind of counted Nick out because he wasn't a dynamic or memorable performer. He always performed well and did very predictable songs, and sang them pretty much exactly like the original. It was hard for me to see him being able to sustain that for a whole season. But as he grew stronger, and Clark plateaued, he really started to make a name for himself, and the idea of him winning began to seem like a real possibility...especially with Jax out of the picture.

And so ends our 14th season. If you haven't heard the news, and didn't hear them mention it over and over tonight...next season, season 15, will be Idol's last :( Until next January...

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The Voice, Ep. 8.23 & 8.24

Top 5

First of all, can I just say how much I love that they had Nate Reuss back to sing his new song that I am absolutely in love with!

Joshua - Team Adam
"I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt
I get it that the slow songs are what he does best, but man, some of his performances are just such a snoozefest! They just seem to be missing something, intensity or something. His voice is great, I just wish his performances weren't so boring.
My Score: B+

"When I Paint My Masterpiece" by The Band
Never heard this song, but I'm glad it's a little bit more upbeat. I tend to like his more folksy and upbeat songs a little more than his boring stuff.This was a nice, fun performance. His voice sounded great.
My Score: A

Koryn - Team Pharrell
"One" by U2
I think this is one of the most subdued performances we've seen from her (at least at the beginning of the song). Normally she is just all out in beast mode. If she could sing like this all the time, I might actually like her. Still wish she would take the key up a notch and not sing so low.
My Score: A-

"Oh Mary Don't You Weep" by Aretha Franklin
This song actually worked very well for her. I liked the strong beats, and the low notes actually suited the song very well, which of course, is perfect for her. She really belted it out at the end, and just wow...so much power!

Meghan - Team Blake
"I'm Not the Only One" by Sam Smith
And we see yet ANOTHER side of Meghan. This is VERY different from what we've seen from her all season. She, like Koryn, actually toned it down and sang instead of shouted. This really was beautiful. It was very beautiful ...until the end, when she started to scream and her voice got really ragged from over-forcing the notes out. I was ready to give her a perfect score, until the end.
My Score: A-

"Tennessee Whiskey" by George Jones
Again, completely contrasting songs from Meghan. Someone please tell me what kind of an artist she wants to be again? This performance was OK, but I guess I just don't care for her country songs. I thought she was quite pitchy in a few places.
My Score: B

India - Team Christina
"Gravity" by Sara Bareilles
Beautiful performance, but also guilty of being kind of boring.
My Score: A

"Earth Song" by Michael Jackson
I didn't love this performance. She sang it well, but it just didn't do it for me. I'm not quite sure what it was.
My Score: B+

Sawyer - Team Pharrell
"For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield
Great, just great...as usual. Such an old song, but somehow when he sings it, it still sounds fun and youthful. Loved it!
My Score: A

"1000 Years" by Christina Perri
This is cool to see him sing not only something modern, but something that isn't a folk song. And a song originally sung by a female, as well. Of course, I am immediately reminded of Matt McAndrew singing this as his audition song last year. You know, in a way, they almost sound similar on this song. Normally, I wouldn't think that Matt and Sawyer sound anything alike, but they kind of do on this song. Again, like last week, we got to see him move around a little bit more and without his guitar. He is still able to command the song without it. I don't know if he would have been able to do that early on in the competition. It just shows how far he's come. Another beautiful performance. Can we just crown him the winner now and get it over with?
My Score: A+

The Results

Bottom 2: India (Team Christina) and Koryn (Team Pharrell)
Wow, I'm shocked Joshua survived again! And who is voting for Meghan?

India's "save me" song was REALLY painful...ouch! Koryn pulled out the usual and this wasn't even close. Except the Twitter votes look to be 52% Koryn and 48% India.

Going Home: India

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Dancing with the Stars, Ep. 20.10 & 20.11

Semi-Finals - Final 4

Round 1

Rumer & Val - Viennese Waltz
Dancing to Weekend's "Earned It" from 50 Shades of Gray...so that makes Val Christian Gray...I'll take it! This was so incredibly steamy! You don't normally think of a Viennese Waltz being sexy, but this totally was. It was almost more of a rumba or a contemporary piece then it was a Viennese Waltz. Haha and Bruno used those exact words - "steamy"!
Score: 38

Noah & Sharna - Viennese Waltz
Thank you Dancing with the Stars band for totally ruining David Cook's song. At least we saw Noah do a little more dancing this week. I feel like the last 3 or so weeks we have seen him do nothing but stand around while Sharna does all the dancing around him...and the judges saying nothing about it! At least this week there was a dance worth judging. It looked more like the Noah who started the competition. He was also a lot more fluid in this dance than he has been. Side Note: he just proposed to his girlfriend...who said "yes". Can I just say that I totally saw that coming at some point in the season. And not to be a Debbie Downer, but pair that with his handicap, and that is going to get him way more votes than he deserves. Sorry, don't want to be mean, but it's the truth. He's an inspiration, and it's unbelievable how well he can perform, but let's please vote on skill and performance, and doing that, it's clearly his time to go.
Score: 36

Riker & Allison - Contemporary
I'm excited to see him do contemporary! He is really learning how to play with the emotions and intensity. He's not all smiles any more...he's totally in character and believable. This was so beautiful. No doubt it would be because this is Allison's style. The lifts were graceful and effortless and their connection was the best it's been all season! The whole thing just gave me chills! I loved the chalk cloud that they created at the beginning. I loved his perfectly timed and placed jump that landed right at the step. That moment at the end with their heads together just made me melt! Holy crap! Who is this man in front of us?! He is not the young boy who started this competition! Vote for Riker...don't let Noah take his spot in the finale!
Score: 40

Nastia & Derek (Sasha) - Quickstep
Yeah, quickstep...didn't think Derek would be able to pull that off quite yet. This was definitely a true quickstep...lots and lots of quick leg flicks and running up and down the floor. They even did a side-by-side...while holding hands...cartwheel! Wow! That was incredible! I think if anyone besides Riker is in trouble of not making it to the finale, it might be her, just because she isn't super well-known, and she's been without the most popular pro for the last few weeks. She deserves to be in the finale...vote for her and don't let Noah take her place!
Score: 40

Round 2: Judges' Pick
For the first time ever, the judges are taking control of the entire dance - the costumes, everything. They are actually mentoring their couple, and won't be judging their own couple, and will be competing against each other...kind of like The Voice. I think I like this concept!

Rumer & Val - Contemporary 
Mentored by Bruno
Bruno's idea was to do Swan Lake. His famous last words to them "If you don't have everyone in tears, I'm going to kill you." No pressure. I don't know how they made it look like she was in white, and then all of a sudden, she's in black...I'm guessing they are going more for Black Swan than just Swan Lake? That lift at the end was huge! And he held her so long and so steady! Wow!
Score: 30

Noah & Sharna - Paso Doble
Mentored by Carrie Ann
The back-up dancers are wearing horns! He actually had some intensity! That was actually really incredible. Wow.
Score: 30

Riker & Allison - Argentine Tango
Mentored by Julianne
Awesomely brilliant! I could watch this all day long! I love that hey incorporated Julianne into the dance, too! The visual effects were kind of out of this world...right out of Derek's playbook. His movements were so sharp and on point. And that intensity in his face...so perfect! Love, love, love him!
Score: 30

Nastia & Derek - Viennese Waltz
Mentored by Len
The theme is about Len and him not being able to dance any more. He was even out on the floor with them sitting at the piano, and then he even danced with her for a few bars! How cute! So nice to see Derek back on the floor again too! I can't believe after his injuries that he is able to dance like that. Wait...who am I kidding...he's Derek Hough! Beautiful and so moving! And EVERYONE is in tears!
Score: 30

Week 10 Judges' Leaderboard

Riker & Allison - 70
Nastia & Derek - 70
Rumer & Val - 68
Noah & Sharna - 66

The Results

In Jeopardy: Noah & Sharna, Nastia & Derek, Rumer & Val (So, can I just say how shocked I am that Riker was the only one safe and I didn't have to worry about him in jeopardy?! Thank you, thank you, thank you!)

Going Home: Nastia & Derek

I knew it. I knew if Noah didn't go home that Nastia, even with her perfect scores could be the one in trouble. How could people not vote her through to see what Derek would come up with for the finale? She so deserves to be in the finale, but unfortunately, the pity votes and over-inflated happiness for Noah's engagement did her in ;(

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American Idol, Ep. 14.28

Top 3
I can't believe that next week is the finale already! This season seems to have gone by so quickly. As clear as I think the votes should have gone, that has just not been the case. I crossing all my fingers that Clark is safe tonight. Normally I wouldn't be worried, but he picked the absolute wrong time to have 2 sub-par performances AND a very long, drawn out argument with Scott and the judges. I just hope that it doesn't hurt him the way the whole Quentin thing did. I hope that Clark's fans came out in droves even if he didn't have the best week last week. There is only 1 acceptable outcome tonight, and that is Rayvon going home. If anyone else goes home, I'm going to be (1) VERY UPSET and (2) very annoyed that Rayvon stays simply by luck and not by skills, and he will have taken the spot of someone who truly deserves it. I sure hope his 9 lives are up tonight!


Rayvon

Scot's Pick: "Want To Want Me" by Jason Derulo
Love this song, and you know what...it's perfect for Rayvon. Let's see if he butchers it. Not loving it so far. Something's off, I'm not sure what. Ouch! Majorly painful attempt at falsetto there! Yikes! I feel like he was into the song, but he was only putting about 50% effort into the song. It could have been great, but it fell short. Harry was right that it was his best up-tempo performance, but it was still not as good as what everyone else can do.
My Score: B

Hometown Pick: "As" by Stevie Wonder
Snoozefest. It got a little bit better at the end, but wow was that uneventful and predictable.
My Score: B

Judges' Pick: "You Are So Beautiful" by Joe Cocker
Oh, this is most definitely on my most hated songs list. I already have a headache, and this isn't going to make it any better. He really made this kind of dark, which was interesting. If "As" was a snoozefest, I don't know what you would call this. Is it over yet? It feels like it's going on forever. At least his voice sounds half decent on this, but man was it boring!
My Score: B

Clark

Scot's Pick: "Beautiful Day" by U2
Clark wanted to be challenged, and I think this will be a good challenge for him. First of all, let me say that he looks exceptionally gorgeous tonight! The first verse was a little shaky and it was too low for him. The chorus was really amazing though! He hit an amazing, big note at the end that was really beautiful. It might have started shaky, but he ended great, and it was a very good performance. That's a tough song, and I think he was up to the challenge.
My Score: B+

Hometown Pick: "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding
No, Clark, no. This song ranks on my all-time hated list. It's a good thing I love Clark, and I love hearing his voice, because he made this more than tolerable to listen to. There's the Clark we know and love. His voice sounded incredible on this song, which made it a good pick...I just don't care for this song. I like that he made it more upbeat and fun, that definitely helped.
My Score: A

Judges' Pick: "Earned It" by Weekend
I like that they chose something that is popular right now for him. This was steamy, and it felt a little James Bond-ish. It's not my favorite song, but he sounded great and I think he delivered it well. I think he could have maybe dug down a little deeper and made it a little bit more gritty, but it was really good. That ending was incredible!
My Score: A-

Nick

Scot's Pick: "Because The Night" by Bruce Springsteen
Oh Nick, I love you more and more with every performance! Nothing to say, except this was awesome! It was a little more "shouty" than "singy" in some parts, but it was still great.
My Score: A

Hometown Pick: "Back Home" by Andy Grammer
This is a great song, and it's a great choice for Nick. It's upbeat and fun, and it allowed him to move around the stage. He was smiling and having a great time. Nick continues to rise to the top. He's performing like he's the winner right now, and I'm not sure that anyone is going to be able to stop him at this rate. He tops himself with each performance. So great!
My Score: A

Judges' Pick: "I'll Be" by Edwin McCain
I feel like this song has been done so many times. I wish they would have picked something different. Regardless, he slayed it, just like his other 2 songs tonight.
My Score: A

Jax

Scot's Pick: "My Generation" by The Who
Another great performance from Jax. I won't say it's my favorite song she's ever done, though. She rocked it out, but I wasn't as impressed as the judges were. Performance-wise it was energetic and fun, vocally, it was kind of mediocre.
My Score: B+

Hometown Pick: "My Immortal" by Evanescence
Oh, Jax...what a great song choice! I absolutely love this song and it is right up her alley. I don't think anyone has ever done it on Idol before. This is the Jax that I love the most. Just her at the piano with her beautiful voice. She had a few too many breaks and she veered off to her "weird" voice a little too much, so this wasn't as good as "Human" or "White Flag", but it was still really good.
My Score: A-

Judges' Pick: "Misery Business" by Paramore
Another great song for Jax...just listened to this song today at work! I like the sound with just the acoustic guitar up front. This is so perfect for her...it's punk rock, but it's got parts that she can really sing with her pretty vibrato. Some of the fast words got a little muddled and seemed a little bit off beat, which made the performance feel a little disjointed.
My Score: B+

The Results
I don't like being this nervous. I almost don't want them to reveal the results. I just can't bare the thought of Clark especially, or Nick or Jax not making it to the finals.

No bottom 2 this week...

And the person going home is...RAYVON!

Woohoo! Sorry Rayvon...it was time! The man with 9 lives, finally used them all up.

I have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA what is going to happen next week. I really don't know where these 3 stand, and I have no idea who is going to go home next.

I picked Clark to win from the beginning, so I'm still hoping he can pull it off. BUT...if he has to lose to someone, I can breathe easier knowing that it was either Jax or Nick. They are also both very deserving.

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Survivor, Ep. 30.12

So, I really have no idea what's going to happen next! Wishing some happy thoughts for Mike, so that he can hold on for another week and send someone like Will, Dan, or Rodney home! And what will the fallout be for Tyler and Will switching their votes to Dan?

Merica Camp
Let the fallout begin! Everyone's questioning who voted for who. Dan said he voted for Shirin and he was the one who put a star on his vote. Sierra confirmed that that was his handwriting.

Tyler said he HAD to write someone else's name down. Dan said he could have voted for Shirin. Dan, to Tyler's face, said it was fine. Will came clean to Dan about voting for him. To Will's face, he told Will it was fine and it was a game. Then they shared some kind of weird, overly touchy-feely embrace. Those 2 are just weird!

It's Rodney's birthday! Will and Carolyn said they were willing to either give up their spot or pick him to join them on the reward. Rodney said they have a lot of heart, but he knows he has 0.0% chance of going because he has no faith in them.

Reward Challenge
Reward: they will be taking supplies to a children's orphanage and they will all feast on barbecue
Challenge: unspool a ribbon attached to 3 team members to release a key at the top. The key unlocks rungs to a ladder that they have to assemble. One person climbs the ladder to retrieve a bag. They take the bag of balls through an obstacle course. The balls are launched by catapult into basket mounted on the wall.

Ouch! Someone has to sit out of the challenge because it is an uneven number.

Dan chose Rodney and Tyler
Carolyn chose Mike and Sierra
Will was not picked, so he has to sit out

It's close the whole way through. Until Rodney left the bag of balls behind...he had to go back to retrieve it and go through the entire course again! Bummer!

Rodney gets through quickly and they immediately launch a couple balls. It's tied 2-2.

Dan gets #4 and Mike's team pleads with him to let them try it. He won't let Sierra take his place, he wants to do it all himself.

Dan's #5 goes in and out and he can't believe it. Mike gets #4 and it's tied. Mike gets #5.

Poor Rodney, he's shut out again...and it's even his birthday. Mike, Sierra, and Carolyn win the reward. He plead his case, but no one was willing to switch. Rodney said people made comments that they would switch with him. Sierra said that was before it became a "team" thing, and she wasn't going to step away from her "team". That made no sense. Your team doesn't care if you go to the reward or not.

Reward

The Voice, Ep. 8.21 & 8.22

Top 6

India - Team Christina
"Glory" by John Legend
This song was unfamiliar to me, but I really liked it! India has definitely grown on me as the competition has progressed. She had a couple of bum notes that squeaked because she tried to sing them with too much force, but it was a powerful performance. She has slowly refined her singing to not be so operatic all the time, and it's much more enjoyable to listen to.
My Score: A-

"Lay Me Down" by Sam Smith
What is it with this song? First it was on Dancing with the Stars about an hour ago. It is not my favorite Sam Smith song, and it just keeps coming up everywhere. This was another good vocal performance, but she ventured back into the crazy runs and vibrato. I could have done with less of those...it just became too busy.
My Score: B

Joshua Davis - Team Adam
"Desire" by U2
Joshua had a great song choice last week, but I think he blew it again. This was a mess. If he would have done it more acoustically, I think it could have worked, but the horns were so intrusive and out of place. It made it hard to listen to. This song did absolutely nothing for his voice at all. Not that we could even hear his voice because the horns and trombones were drowning him out. The constant repetition of the same notes was just too much. The end was a little bit better when he really started to let loose, but as a whole, this was not good.
My Score: C

"In My Life" by The Beatles
This is a much better song choice for him than his first ones. The stripped down songs allow us to really appreciate his voice. He doesn't need all the background instruments and vocals. This was really pretty and so sweet. His vocals especially, really sounded amazing on this song. He might have saved himself with this performance. Based just on the first song, he was for sure going home. I would love to have a guy sing this song to me :)
My Score: A

Koryn - Team Pharrell
"Everybody Hurts" by REM
Interesting song choice. At least she started out at a decent volume, so she had somewhere to grow to. I still wish she would stop shaking so much and she still needs to tone down that vibrato. But those pipes, man, she can really blow the house down. So much power comes out of that little body. I'm still not sure I see what everyone else sees with her...I think everyone is really over exaggerating just how good she is.
My Score: B+

"Dream On" by Aerosmith
Look out people, the scream factor is going to be at level 100. Get the ear plugs ready. This was surprisingly much better than I thought it would be. I loved how she handled that classic slide from the really low note up to the higher note...it was so smooth. Dare I say, this might actually be my favorite performance from her! I think part of it was because she used her pure voice, with a lot of power, but she dropped the vibrato. This was kind of an epic performance. Wow!
My Score: A+

Kimberly - Team Christina
"Free Falling" by Tom Petty
I feel like I love her song choice every week, and every week, I seem to be surprised by the song choice. At this point, I shouldn't be surprised by all of her rock choices because that's clearly the kind of artist she wants to be. Another great performance from Kimberly. She proves the point that song choice is everything. Any other season, I would be annoyed by someone like her because of the big diva vocals. But she picks great songs, and that makes all the difference. She's not singing Whitney Houston and Patti LaBelle every week. Thank you, Kimberly, for proving that black girls can sing more genres than R&B.
My Score: A

"Dirty Diana" by Michael Jackson
This wasn't my favorite performance of hers. It was a little too screamy for me.
My Score: B

Meghan - Team Blake
"Steam Roller Blues" by James Taylor
Yuck, yuck, yuck. That's all I can say about this. She has GOT to pick better songs. I honestly don't know who in the world keeps voting for her. Vocally, she has a good voice, but she just does nothing for me performance-wise. I actually had to fast forward through to the end of the performance when she started screeching because I couldn't take it any more. And again, I have to ask: what kind of an artist does she want to be, because she is all over the place with her song choices.
My Score: C

"Amazing Grace"
Wow, completely a capella at the beginning. I think she should have just done the whole song that way. Very moving.
My Score: A

Sawyer - Team Pharrell
"Shine On" by Daisy May Erlewine
I love the story behind this song and what it means to him and his mom. This song was so obscure, it took me forever to even find who sang it on Google. I don't know this song, but I really liked it and it was so perfect for him. This was a beautiful performance.
My Score: A+

"Take Me To The River" by Talking Heads
This was a very different performance for him. He had some go-go dancers, and no guitar. It was very different, but it also surprisingly suited him very well! It was a lot of fun. It was nice to see him smile and have some fun. His voice sounded great.

The Results

Bottom 2: India (Team Christina) abd Kimberly (Team Christina)
Instant Save: India
Going Home: Kimberly

Wow! That's quite a shocker in my opinion. The vote couldn't have been any closer: 50-50. For starters, I really thought Joshua would be in the bottom, and would be going home for sure after last night. He had 1 good performance and a not-so-good performance, plus he had been in the bottom before. And who in the world keeps voting for Meghan and making her safe? She should have been in the bottom, and she should be the one close to going home. I really don't understand that one. Kimberly was seen as a frontrunner along with Sawyer and Koryn. I'm kind of sad to see her go because I really enjoy her performances.

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Dancing with the Stars, Ep. 20.8 & 20.9

Week 8: America's Choice

Round 1: America's Choice - Solo Performances

Noah & Sharna - Tango
"Geronimo" by Sheppard
Definitely not the first song that comes to mind when you think of tango. I know the dance is supposed to be a little stiff, but he's so wooden and he stomps from one move to the next. I know some of that he can't help, but I have to think he should be able to get the dance to flow a little bit more than what he's showing. Again, there didn't seem to be a whole lot of choreography, it was all pretty much in the same area of the floor. I also agree with Len that it needed more intensity between the two of them.
Score: 31

Chris & Witney - Contemporary
"Lay Me Down" by Sam Smith
Witney came up with some really great choreography for this song. I was amazed how well Chris got into character. It was very believable (watch out Whitney). The lifts were gorgeous and so well-executed, especially the really high one! That was impressive! By far one of his best dances and best performances. Nicely done!
Score: 34

Riker & Allison - Viennese Waltz
"What Now" by Rihanna
I love all the sides of Riker. He is so good at everything! I felt like he might have been rushing it a little bit, but I just love watching him and watching his face when he dances. Allison wanted him to be intense and vulnerable. He tried, but it did come out more as a smile most of the time...up until the music ended and he stared down Allison! Whoa! That was the look! Gave me chills!
Score: 39

Robert & Kym - Contemporary
Well, the chemistry is definitely real...as if anyone has questioned it up until this point. Not a whole lot to say about this. It was fine, but it was pretty boring to be honest. I really hope people aren't voting for them just because of them and the "are they/aren't they". Now they throw in a kiss...I sure hope that doesn't bring them even more votes. His dancing is fine, but I'm ready for him to go.
Score: 33

Nastia & Sasha (Derek) - Paso Doble
"Centuries" by Fall Out Boy
This is perfect for them! The costumes, the song, everything was right on. Again, Derek joins in on the fun, and basically they have 2 trios this week! He played Caesar on his throne, and it was awesome. I loved seeing Nastia being so powerful in this dance. She has really grown since the beginning of this competition. She's not just the nice, sweet little gymnast anymore. This was so good! And she flipped Sasha by his neck, over her shoulder, what?!?! That was amazing! So intense!
Score: 36

Rumer & Val - Rumba
"Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps"
This is more of a tango song, but they turned it into a sexy rumba. I love watching their chemistry. Val always seems to have such amazing chemistry with his partners. This was a cute dance. I wouldn't say it was their best, but it was still good. It seemed really short for some reason, and it didn't feel like there was a whole lot to it. I wanted to see more!
Score: 40  (first perfect score of the season)

Round 2: Trios