CBC Revives Battle of the Blades Skating Show!

[Satellizer]

LMAO they actually did that.

 

[marbri]

What a cop out
I don't think Kurt has the guts to send Ekaterina home.

 

[Satellizer]

I do like the idea of moving the scoring of the skateoff until after both couples have performed.

Violetta & PJ
Colby - 5.8
Sarah - 5.7
Kurt - 5.7

Ekaterina & Bruno
Colby - 5.7
Sarah - 5.8
Kurt - 5.7

Kurt forces a tie, which apparently means nobody is eliminated. I wasn't aware that was an option.

I really think it was an on the fly decision. Last week, Vanessa and Brian got their scores before the second team skated. This week, they waited until we could see Katia and Bruno's skate.

 

[Desperado]

Super happy about the tie!!!

 

[liv]

Yes, in the comments after Katia skated Kurt said they made it look so easy that he didn't think Canada realized how hard this stuff was... definitely a word to the audience of what his opinion is and that he wants to keep her around longer.

 

[rdavies]

I don't think I'm likin' this fix. I think it's a good idea because this season seems to be going too fast and teams eliminated too early but I think if this show was audited, it would be as Colby might say "Massive Fail"!

 

[Desperado]

Yes, in the comments after Katia skated Kurt said they made it look so easy that he didn't think Canada realized how hard this stuff was... definitely a word to the audience of what his opinion is and that he wants to keep her around longer.

True. Also think they may want to avoid a team with less talent going on and on like we’re seeing again this week.

 

[Alvyne]

I do like the idea of moving the scoring of the skateoff until after both couples have performed.

Violetta & PJ
Colby - 5.8
Sarah - 5.7
Kurt - 5.7

Ekaterina & Bruno
Colby - 5.7
Sarah - 5.8
Kurt - 5.7

Kurt forces a tie, which apparently means nobody is eliminated. I wasn't aware that was an option.

It happened once in season 4, but the following week 2 couples were eliminated.

 

[Colonel Green]

I don't think I'm likin' this fix. I think it's a good idea because this season seems to be going too fast and teams eliminated too early but I think if this show was audited, it would be as Colby might say "Massive Fail"!

I don't get what you're referring to. If anything, the fact that the audience vote is so clearly overturning what the judges want is proof that the voting is legitimate.

 

[rdavies]

What a cop out I don't think Kurt has the guts to send Ekaterina home.

I got that distinct feeling

 

[Satellizer]

Now, I can't wait to see who's in the bottom 2 next week. If it's the same teams...

 

[liv]

True. Also think they may want to avoid a team with less talent going on and on like we’re seeing again this week.

And Katia was away for the week, so he didn't have time to really practice with her... so maybe they thought it would be more fair if they gave them another week to work together.

 

[rdavies]

I don't get what you're referring to. If anything, the fact that the audience vote is so clearly overturning what the judges want is proof that the voting is legitimate.

I'm not talking about the vote, I'm talking about the producing on the fly.

 

[victorskid]

So the scores from the judges tonight were:

• Kaitlyn & Sheldon - 18.0
• Natalie & Andrew - 17.4
• Violetta & PJ - 17.2
• Katia & Bruno - 17.2
• Amanda & Colton - 17.0

 

[screech]

I actually agree with both teams staying. Katia and Bruno were smoother, but boring. PJ and Violetta were much more entertaining but messy.

Kaitlyn and Sheldon are in a complete class of their own. i love that she sits back and lets him shine on his own for a few bars of each program. And he does actual skating while selling a program. (Plus she's had the best costumes of the season).

Andrew and Natalie were entertaining and had some good footwork, but she seems heavy on her feet (nothing to do with her size), and it was a lot of just goofing around. Somehow Andrew even made that outfit look hot, though...

Amanda and Colton - their best performance yet, and a pretty decent twist, but still lacking. IMO they deserve to be at the bottom.

 

[Scrufflet]

Yes, in the comments after Katia skated Kurt said they made it look so easy that he didn't think Canada realized how hard this stuff was... definitely a word to the audience of what his opinion is and that he wants to keep her around longer.

Sandra Bezic did the same thing. Katia wasn't getting the votes and Sandra told the audience that they weren't seeing how good she was. Scores improved the following week and she won.

 

[rdavies]

I actually agree with both teams staying. Katia and Bruno were smoother, but boring. PJ and Violetta were much more entertaining but messy.

Kaitlyn and Sheldon are in a complete class of their own. i love that she sits back and lets him shine on his own for a few bars of each program. And he does actual skating while selling a program. (Plus she's had the best costumes of the season).

Andrew and Natalie were entertaining and had some good footwork, but she seems heavy on her feet (nothing to do with her size), and it was a lot of just goofing around. Somehow Andrew even made that outfit look hot, though...

Amanda and Colton - their best performance yet, and a pretty decent twist, but still lacking. IMO they deserve to be at the bottom.

Nuf ced! Agreed with everything but Andrew's costume, WTH? Something that hasn't really been mentioned is how good Sheldon's lifts are...effortless. He's way older than everybody, acts better than everybody, skates better than everybody, is faster than everybody and also seems stronger than everybody, hockey players I mean.

 

[rdavies]

Sandra Bezic did the same thing. Katia wasn't getting the votes and Sandra told the audience that they weren't seeing how good she was. Scores improved the following week and she won.

But this isn't about her, Kaitlyn Weaver is damn near invisible, I have to force myself to watch her (on replays) to see how brilliant she has been on this show.

 

[Scrufflet]

But this isn't about her, Kaitlyn Weaver is damn near invisible, I have to force myself to watch her (on replays) to see how brilliant she has been on this show.

I didn't mean that. To be clear, I think Kaitlyn is superb and deserves to win; Andrew second and Katia third. I was just commenting on how Kurt is echoing Sandra from a few years ago. Anyhow, a very good night. I think everyone upped their game.

 

[rdavies]

I didn't mean that. To be clear, I think Kaitlyn is superb and deserves to win; Andrew second and Katia third. I was just commenting on how Kurt is echoing Sandra from a few years ago. Anyhow, a very good night. I think everyone upped their game.

I didn't mean it against you, there is some Katia hysteria (for lack of a better word) that IMO is way over the top. Let's look at it this way, yes it is about the teams, but the whole idea is to see the progress of the hockey players and they are where the interest lies. How many times has a figure skater spoken when they are giving out the marks, someone must have but right now I can't think of anyone.

 

[Satellizer]

From Amanda's coaching partner, Jim Peterson

https://imgur.com/lqjk9LL

 

[Debrah]

Clearly 1st by a mile -- Kaitlyn & Sheldon who were awesome and so far they really deserve to win this thing and yeah for the 6.0, 2nd - Andrew and Natalie only by a hair over 3rd - this week -- Katia and Bruno, who is actually starting to really improve/project and look like a figure skater thanks to understudy/choreo/coach R.R who really got Bruno to perform/move WITH Katia this week. Amanda and Colton need to go home although I agree this was his best week so far Amanda has worked miracles with Colton, but PJ while messy is so much more fun to watch than Colton...

 

[Colonel Green]

Kurt isn’t the decisive judge.

 

[trouble77]

They've always had Quebec guys who've done well, it's Bruno's lack of personality coming out, we know he has it, but others are showing it more. I'm not one who buys into this Katia pedestalling like many in the international community and apparently Joe Sixpack Canadian doesn't either. As someone said earlier when they called Katia the best of all time, that must have been news to Irina Rodnina.

Irina heard that more then once. Besides it`s true. Irina never even attempt a throw jump because she was scared of hurting herself.

 

[Sonata]

Kurt wouldn’t have made that decision without having backing of producers.... personally I think it was discussed beforehand and was set up for tv suspense - this is why they postponed both marks until the end and the two first judges conveniently had scores that cancelled each other out before Kurt made the final “decision”.

I welcome any opportunity to watch new material from Katia Gordeeva, so I’m not upset. It looks to me like Bruno Gervais suffers a bit from nerves because he projected better during the practice sessions. If he were from another smaller province, he might benefit from regional support, but he doesn’t have that default support to help him out.

I had no idea Amanda E had a big voting base. I actually don’t remember her from amateur days

 

[aftershocks]

Amanda Evora is an excellent pairs skater. At the 2010 Olympics, with her partner Mark Ladwig, they performed great (the way Jim Peterson's teams usually come loaded for bear competitively in big moments). Mark & Amanda totally outperformed all 3 Canadian teams at that Olympics (even Canada's top pair, Dube/Davison). Yet, Mark & Amanda were lowballed by the judges since they didn't have huge rep going into the Olympics. Mark @ Amanda especially excelled with difficult, thrilling lifts. The sbs jumps were not their greatest strength -- unsurprisingly.

Probably one reason why Amanda has done well in the voting with Colton is because she previously won BOTB, and thus has name recognition with voters, and perhaps producers didn't want to send a past winner home too early. IMO, Amanda/Colton have been the weakest team from the outset because despite Amanda's gifts as a skater, she and Colton don't appear to connect as well as most other teams, in addition to Colton not projecting.

Also, while Andrew and Spooner mesh well together, and Spooner has a megawatt smile and shows how much fun she's having, I don't think Spooner's skills nor her performances have been better than the non-skaters who were eliminated. It's Andrew setting the house on fire, plus their strong connection, Spooner's smile, and obviously, her huge popularity among Canadian viewers.

At this point, I have it: Kaitlyn/ Sheldon; Katia/ Bruno; and then Andrew/ Spooner. In fact, Andrew's partner's skills are not better than Vanessa's partner's abilities. Spooner has only smiled more and has shown an infectious rapport with Andrew.

ETA:
No matter how much some people say it shouldn't be about Katia, that boss lady can't help being stunning and soaking up all the attention. Her partner is very capable, but he's overshadowed by Katia's brilliance. Yet, even though Katia is stealing most of our attention naturally and inescapably, the fact is that Bruno is presenting Katia very well, which is no mean feat. Bruno has performed capably, but it would help if he could make more effort to match Katia's oomph, charisma and sex appeal. Alas, David P is the only one doing that these days.

 

[Alilou]

Amanda Evora is an excellent pairs skater. At the 2010 Olympics, with her partner Mark Ladwig, they performed great (the way Jim Peterson's teams usually come loaded for bear competitively in big moments. Mark & Amanda totally outperformed all 3 Canadian teams at that Olympics (even Canada's top pair, Dube/Davison). Yet, Mark & Amanda were lowballed by the judges since they didn't have huge rep going into the Olympics. Mark @ Amanda especially excelled with difficult, thrilling lifts. The and jumps were not their greatest strength -- unsurprisingly.

Probably one reason why Amanda has done well in the voting with Colton is because she previously won BOTB, and thus has name recognition with voters, and perhaps producers didn't want to send a past winner home too early. IMO, Amanda/Colton have been the weakest team from the outset because despite Amanda's gifts as a skater, she and Colton don't as appear to connect as well as most other teams, in addition to Colton not projecting.

Also, while Andrew and Spooner mesh well together, and Spooner has a megawatt smile and shows how much fun she's having, I don't think Spoons' s skills nor performances have been better than the non-skaters who were eliminated. It's Andrew setting the house on fire, plus their strong connection, Spooner's smile, and obviously, her huge popularity among Canadian viewers.

At this point, I have it: Kaitlyn/ Sheldon; Katia/ Bruno; and then Andrew/ Spooner. In fact, Andrew's partner skills are not better than Vanessa's partner's abilities. Spooner has only smiled more and has shown an infectious rapport with Andrew.

And this is hugely important in a show like this. She not only has an infectious rapport with Andrew, she has an infectious rapport with the audience, both in the arena and on TV. And she's not afraid to go all out. I don't remember Vanessa's partner. At all. Who was he? (rhetorical question). If they get Vanessa back next year may she have someone like Shelley!
Also I do think Spoje's have made excellent music choices to show their strengths. I was concerned how Andrew would be able to lift this big woman, and the first number about Canadian Girl was so perfect for them!

 

[Habs]

Probably one reason why Amanda has done well in the voting with Colton is because she previously won BOTB, and thus has name recognition with voters, and perhaps producers didn't want to send a past winner home too early.

I would think this is unlikely. She won BotB 6 years ago, so name recognition probably isn't a factor. I would argue she's probably the least well-known of the figure skaters.
I am a huge skating fan (obvs) and have always watched this show.... and I barely remembered that she was on it, let alone that she won.

 

[aftershocks]

I would think this is unlikely. She won BotB 6 years ago, so name recognition probably isn't a factor. I would argue she's probably the least well-known of the figure skaters.
I am a huge skating fan (obvs) and have always watched this show.... and I barely remembered that she was on it, let alone that she won.

Ah, I didn't realize how long ago it was. Still, I would argue the producers and judges know Amanda E is a past winner. Plus that selling point has been noted in promotion for the show. Also, maybe Jim and his Florida crew are voting in huge numbers. Maybe Amanda has a huge extended family and network of friends in the U.S. and in the Philippines.

Vanessa was born in Canada and her mother is Canadian, which might have been a boost, except I don't think that aspect of Vanessa's bio is widely known.

 

[Bonem]

and perhaps producers didn't want to send a past winner home too early

If the public decides who is in the bottom two, CBC’s desires doesn’t explain why other teams were placed in the elimination position instead. For now, the voters are keeping them afloat.