But first! We get 55 minutes of filler. But some of it was pretty sweet (Hi Maks!) filler, so I won’t quibble.

After the obligatory recap and some behind the scenes backtalk (whoa, Monique, you really didn’t help your cause with me at all. And here I’ve been trying to help you out. But the entitled stuff? Doesn’t fly with me.) And yet! Perverse creature that I am, I was happy that she and Louis got the encore for their cha cha cha. Still, she could take some lessons from, well all three of her competitors on graceful acceptance. (And this after getting her first tens really left a sour taste…) Where’s Willa and Maks when you really need them? Boy I wish they were still here instead of Mo and Louis (tho I love my Louis.)

So, we come back from commercial break to find out that Willa has indeed returned, but to sing, not dance. I was kind of all, really? Until I heard that Maks is one of the dancers performing to her rendition of the song Fame, and I was suddenly totally okay with it. Imagine that.

And you know, she growls more than she sings, which is distracting. But then I was too busy watching Maks and Edyta…and Louis and Cheryl (wow) to really care. I will say, though I get the flashback workout gear wardrobe, it wasn’t really All That, the choreo wasn’t All That either, really. Kinda disappointd here a wee bit. But I got More Maks, and that is always a Good Thing.

Monique? Shut up. I mean, I get it, but you are SO not helping your cause here. Honestly, if you’re not going home this week, now I’ll feel wronged. Also, how is the vote count going for Samantha? First, she doesn’t listen to the responses to her canned questions, not that she could adlib off them anyway. And she’s clearly always WAY more into talking to the guys,and hey, I would be, too. Unless I was, you know, getting PAID to interview everyone. She’s very sweet and nice and attractive…but so incredibly wrong for this gig.

So, Tom explains that tonight they are not doing the bottom 2, just randomly telling teams who made it and, in the end, who didn’t. So the next to last spot does not mean they were the next to last in votes. Got it? Sure.

The first couple moving on to the semi-finals? Emmitt and Cheryl! Woo hoo! Not a shock, but nice to know. You go, Twinkle Toes.

Okay, so Il Divo is a quartet, not a trio, of very fresh faced young men who sing opera with the same passion Justin & Company bring the Sexy Back. And we get the very lovely and intensely graceful Anna Mikhed and Victor Fung, of the Many Fungs Who Dance (from what I understand.) Lovely dancers, both. So very elegant and they make it all look ever so effortless. That? Was absolutely gorgeous. Wow. And those boys? Can sing and bring the sexy back and make me kind of like opera all at the same time. Wow squared.

Poor Tysonia. That’s a lot of pressure, making her compete. But kinda cool, too.

And what the hey? I was ff’ing, as TiFauxers are wont to do, and I see Shatner, so I’m thinking, Boston Legal commercial, so I pause. But no! It’s a game show. With dancing girls. So I’m thinking, Shatner is subbing for Howie? But no again! Shatner is getting his own gameshow, Show Me The Money, which in just that short commercial clearly says he’s brings the Campy Back. Trainwreck Potential is on the scale of massive. I can’t wait to tune in.

And we’re back…so Tom can tell us that 3 time Emmy winner, choreo meister Hinton Battle, has evolved a new hybrid dance, a fusion of swing and hip hop, called, swop…and he’s here tonight so give us a little demo. Hmmmm…. this could be cool.

Dang, that was….energetic. I think I lost ten pounds just watching that. Which calls for another round of ice cream, I’m pretty sure. Shew!

Tom and Sam tell us that for the next two weeks, the remaining couples get to choose their dance styles. Ah, strategery enters the mix. Hmmmm….. Me likey. They show where, in the past, their dances and music have been pre-selected for them, but now they have to choose one latin and one ballroom dance they’ve already performed, but with new tunes and new steps. I wonder if they can pick the tunes now? Man, I hope so!

Okay, so Joey gets the balance beam they now walk, balancing the crowd appeal with the judge appeal. Mario gets it, he wants to go for the crowd appeal, and this is smart since almost all their judges scores were high anyway. Emmitt gets it, he wants to balance the wow factor with the technique factor.

Monique? Totally doesn’t get it. She? Wants to do the routines that got panned so she can have a second shot at Proving the Judges Wrong. But, what if we agreed with the judges, Mo? What if we really never ever ever want to see you solo krunk again? What if there is no “right way” to do that? And you’re in the semi finals. Now? Not really the time. But she seems to have this big huge honkin chip on her shoulder, no matter how she dresses it up as ambition and motivating others, and so that’s what she’s going to do. Ooookay. (Has she been watching Karlyn on Amazing Race? Just askin.)

Me? I hope she goes home tonight. Sorry, Mo. I was there for you, but my ship has sailed on you tonight.

Who else is safe?

But first….does anyone watch Brothers and Sisters? I almost kinda keep wanting to watch (Hi Sally Fields!) but then I don’t. Anyone? Worth it? Is it all angst and no fun? Or is there balance? Wait for Season 1 DVD? Pretend I never heard of it?

Okay, back to the show….

We are treated to the judges behind the scenes thoughts about each celebrity. Pretty much the only thing I took away from that is that Uncle Lenny should never use the word “funky.” Otherwise, I agreed with them across the board.

Another couple moves on (which leaves two couples, but Sam is quick to point out that this week, that does not mean they are bottom two. Well, one of them is, but you know what I mean…..)

Moving on? Is Joey and Edyta. And I just love how sincerely shocked and grateful he is. Your mama raised you right.

Louis sees the writing on the wall, and Karina makes a faux attempt at hand wringing with Monique. Yeah. Right.

After a million commercials, we come back and find, to no one’s surprise…..Mo and Lo are going home.

And then Mo’s mom wanders onto the floor to hug Mo, then Tom has to kind of shoo her off. Mo does her High School Musical Inspirational Good-bye Speech of Dramatic Acting. (Did anyone see how long and tight Karina hugged Louis goodbye though? Heartfelt, it seemed.) Louis’ good-bye speech was sweet. Then Tom has to talk over Mo to get to the clip package (and yes she’s verbose and her mama is stampeding the stage, but, you know, she’d busted her ass for three months, let her have a damn minute, really.) Then it’s the walk to the dance floor for the Last Dance Hug N Weep. Only it turns into the Last Dance with My Mother, who is going to show America she is All That, too. I don’t know, that should have been sweet, but it bugged. And now mom is blowing kisses? What the?

Clearly I need more ice cream.

And am I the only one who thought it was odd that no one else came down to say goodbye? Was it because of the Mom stampede? Did someone caution them not to go down until the invader was removed in case she got all overly weird and familiar with them? (Which, strong possibility watching Mom here.) Finally Mo begs them to come down and save her. Emmitt and Edyta rush to her rescue. Awww. Then they do the ring around the rosey dance. No, really. But I get the unity thing that Joey was going for and that was cool.

Also - was it me or did we never get to see Tysonia compete? We saw her breakdown and be all nervous (and who wouldn’t be?) but did I FF through the competition? Or is it next week?

Well, whatever the case, the next two weeks are going to be intense! Can’t wait!!

Don’t forget to enter the SHaQ Attack contest this week! See Monday’s blog for details. And my new reader letter went up on my home page yesterday. New contest this month!! Gobble Till Ya Wobble which gives three lucky readers another shot at an advance copy of The Great Scot. Link to my homepage is in the column to your right, at the top. Good luck!

Tomorrow is’t Survivor MAC. Who’s going home this week? Any guesses?

Tags: Writing //