Dear SYTYCD:

[healingmirth]

Remember last season, when you set up the big fancy stage for the finale, and all of your camera angles sucked, and the shots were too wide, and those spot lights directly overhead obscured more than they illuminated? What part of that really looked like a good idea when you watched the tape. "Yeah, the best way to introduce the show to fall viewers is to make sure they can't tell the contestants apart. Good idea!"

That is a big, weird, round space to choreograph one or two dancers in. And no stairs! More room for the group routines, I guess? Meh.

I was not particularly excited by any of the routines in the preview or whatever Monday night. The tap routine could have been spectacular with less of their shaky unison work. I don't think I've ever been less inspired to put on a pair of tap shoes. Mandy Moore's choreography reminded me a lot of Mia-lite, Sonia's awesome concept got lost on the giant stage, and... uh. Yeah. the ballroom was okay? I have no doubt that Tabitha and Napoleon were thrilled to get to work with the three hip-hop guys, but I wish it'd been Dave or Shane. Of course, I always wish it was Dave or Shane.

In other news, I signed up for mini_nanowrimo. I am totally going to write bad-guy bit-part backstory for the Die Hard series. Every couple months, someone asks for Matt/Gabriel, and I can never see my way to it, but I think it would be interesting to try.

I finished Sons of Anarchy season 1. I was thinking of writing up a hypothetical review of the series, and what warnings I'd attach to it, and came to the conclusion that it might be a shorter list if I brainstormed the things that I wouldn't have to warn for. There's a lot of bad, bad people, but it makes for compelling TV. As opposed to Defying Gravity which is over now, thank goodness.