CBC's YouTube link to all the performances. Not sure if this is geolocked to those outside the country.
CBC Revives Battle of the Blades Skating Show!
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Weeks ago, I emailed Insight Productions to ask whether they wanted the audience to wear Halloween costumes to the finale. Never got a response. Middle of the day Tuesday, we got email from the venue telling us to please wear costumes, with a whole bunch of parameters. Hence, 95% of the audience didn't wear a costume.
Kinda sums up how well-run this whole thing was.
Kinda sums up how well-run this whole thing was.
JasperBoy
Stayin inside
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To be honest, I watched bits of the final show but it didn't hold my attention. Too much pointless talk, not enough skating. I never connected with any of tonight's show and yes, rolled my eyes at the Frozen number.
It won't bother me if there are no more seasons. Unless, of course, Elladj is given the show to host!
It won't bother me if there are no more seasons. Unless, of course, Elladj is given the show to host!
The Accordion
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Wow! I clearly had a much better time than many of you watching this!!
I am grateful that the show has been brought back, thought the results were perfect, enjoyed the camaraderie between hockey players and figure skaters, and am in great admiration of everyone’s courage. I also enjoyed becoming more familiar with the hockey players. In addition, there is so much in what Kurt understatedly referred to - in the bad will between hockey and figure skating - and the terrible homophobia as well.
I normally detest reality shows but adore the good nature of this one and the tremendous focus on and the passion for the charities. I also enjoyed many of the numbers by the contestants and Elladj Balde and Kurt Browning’s was very moving.
It may not have been perfect but looked forward to it each week.
I am grateful that the show has been brought back, thought the results were perfect, enjoyed the camaraderie between hockey players and figure skaters, and am in great admiration of everyone’s courage. I also enjoyed becoming more familiar with the hockey players. In addition, there is so much in what Kurt understatedly referred to - in the bad will between hockey and figure skating - and the terrible homophobia as well.
I normally detest reality shows but adore the good nature of this one and the tremendous focus on and the passion for the charities. I also enjoyed many of the numbers by the contestants and Elladj Balde and Kurt Browning’s was very moving.
It may not have been perfect but looked forward to it each week.
Japanfan
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For me, far too much fluff and far too many fluff performances from non-competitors. The final skate-off did not occur until the last ten minutes of the show.
I'm not a skating show fan. The only reason I watch this show is that gives me a little more FS - which I'm starved for by the end of summer.
Elladj would be fun, but I don't know that he could bring any fundamental changes to the show - not that is needs any. People who don't appreciate cheese skating just don't need to watch. No offense intended to the hockey players or figures skaters. Seeing hockey players who have mastered FS is another one of the reasons I watch the show.
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stephanie2006
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I was at the live taping yesterday and I had a blast. Seeing the skaters goofing around in the commercial breaks was everything, like Tessa and Kurt did and also Scott and Brian Orser who was sitting in the audience with Nam Nguyen.
As I had never seen an episode until the day before due to geoblocking it was perfect for me to see more of the skaters I knew like Tessa & Scott being there, solos by Kurt and Elladj, and Andrew & Katilin skating together even if it was cheesy Disney. Andrew lifting up Katia was like wow and it was probably the only time ever I got to see Katia live.
I was also relieved that it didn’t turn out as a Halloween party but focused on the skating and charity. I guess that in front of the TV you would expect to see more of the finalists and less commercials but being there it was entertaining. I think all the finalists deserved to be in the final and either of them winning would have been OK for me.
After the taping especially Scott, Eric and Elladj stayed on to give signatures to kids and talk to people. The winners were also still there taping a very long TV interview.
As I had never seen an episode until the day before due to geoblocking it was perfect for me to see more of the skaters I knew like Tessa & Scott being there, solos by Kurt and Elladj, and Andrew & Katilin skating together even if it was cheesy Disney. Andrew lifting up Katia was like wow and it was probably the only time ever I got to see Katia live.
I was also relieved that it didn’t turn out as a Halloween party but focused on the skating and charity. I guess that in front of the TV you would expect to see more of the finalists and less commercials but being there it was entertaining. I think all the finalists deserved to be in the final and either of them winning would have been OK for me.
After the taping especially Scott, Eric and Elladj stayed on to give signatures to kids and talk to people. The winners were also still there taping a very long TV interview.
MacMadame
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OMG, I would just LOVE to be a producer on a show like this. I'm very detail-oriented and have run a lot of projects and have some great ideas. How can I get them to hire me?!
Please don't misinterpret what people have been saying. Like you, we all love the show, that's why we are here. And for those of us who have seen it from the beginning, we know that in the past this has been a very well run broadcast. We've been spoiled with many seasons of excellent entertainment (at least in my opinion) I think the only thing that has been stated is that a few of us were a little disappointed this didn't seem to be up to the usual standards. That's not saying it was bad, but that it might not have been the very best, which is what we have become accustomed to over the past years. I started to get the feeling (after the midway point) that something was not quite right or being left out and that feeling stayed.
Seems like a nice guy, but he doesn't have a high enough profile among the mainstream to take over as host.
Andora
Skating season ends as baseball season begins
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I was very glad to have the show back and hope it will return next season. Congratulations to the winners - when it was down to the final two we were assured of an ice dancer being part of the winning team
I, for one, am not going to criticize how the show was produced/paced/packaged. Obviously there are several folks here, however, who think they could do a better job - perhaps they should apply for jobs next season....
Interesting you say that, because I felt like this season was full of new people behind the scenes, starting with the show-runner. IMDB doesn't shed a lot of light on this, but you don't have to be an insider to know that CBC has faced some... struggles in the last while. There are not a lot of the same people there that used to be. On top of that, the new normal in television is "do more with less." It's a sunset industry, and it's hard to invest in stuff without cutting costs somewhere else in order to make it work. Maybe it didn't work enough for some.
This wasn't the same show as when it started in 2009. I'd argue when the show came back in 2013, it wasn't the same either-- even beyond the obvious cuts to production. But I don't know that anyone noticed too much, because enough of the show's dynamic was still there, a lot of the same skaters came back, judges, etc. I was really surprised at a lot of the production decisions, but that happens when you have ostensibly a new team. Television is evolving, skating in Canada is evolving, so I'm trying to chalk my lack of connection to this season up to growing pains.
OMG, I would just LOVE to be a producer on a show like this. I'm very detail-oriented and have run a lot of projects and have some great ideas. How can I get them to hire me?!
You'd be surprised. Some of the best producers/floor directors, etc. I've known-- including those who've worked at CBC-- have a much different tune.
I would love for this show to come back, because I enjoy seeing figure skaters from different generations get together, interact and work with choreographers they haven't worked with before. Any chance I get to see Queen Gordeeva do new material is a plus. It's cool to see both the figure skaters and hockey players who aren't competing anymore enjoy skating competitively again. And the finale is a reminder of the charities that get some money due their work.
My favourite seasons were the early ones. I loved watching my faves from the 90s and early 2000s in the first few seasons, but I realize that's not realistic anymore. Some of the hockey players seemed terrified this season and I never got to really know their personality, on or off the ice. That doesn't make watching their numbers enjoyable. The 1st episode had bad song number choices. And I would totally lean in more into the nostalgia - if Bezic, Orser, Stojko, etc. are around, get in there and interview them, make them mentor, etc. (although I get that Orser may just want to sit in the audience and enjoy - it's competitive season, so the man is busy!)
My favourite seasons were the early ones. I loved watching my faves from the 90s and early 2000s in the first few seasons, but I realize that's not realistic anymore. Some of the hockey players seemed terrified this season and I never got to really know their personality, on or off the ice. That doesn't make watching their numbers enjoyable. The 1st episode had bad song number choices. And I would totally lean in more into the nostalgia - if Bezic, Orser, Stojko, etc. are around, get in there and interview them, make them mentor, etc. (although I get that Orser may just want to sit in the audience and enjoy - it's competitive season, so the man is busy!)
mapleleafsk8fan
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I also found some of the music choices strange, some didn't fit with the "themes" in each week.
Satellizer
existing
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In previous seasons you could see they were committed to a distinct theme each week. This season not so much (Ed Sheeran for country week?). As well as the costumes (budget?), the guys were almost always in a t-shirt and jeans and didn't necessarily match their partners outfits.
Alilou
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I don't know how to link an individual twitter post. This is Sheldon Kennedy's twitter. Scroll down a bit for a really sweet vid of Kaitlin teaching a compulsory to Sheldon.
Learning the #NastyKanasky
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Learning the #NastyKanasky
Sheldon Kennedy (@ShelKenn) | Twitter
The latest Tweets from Sheldon Kennedy (@ShelKenn). Order of Canada, Alberta and Manitoba. Co-founder of @respectgroup, Former NHL player. Very Proud Father of 2. Canada
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screech
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Canasta. They also did the Dutch Waltz. (I don't think they've changed the music in the 30+ years since I tested those dances. And speaking of music, I still do the steps to the Fourteenstep whenever I hear "Consider Yourself" from "Oliver!")I don't know how to link an individual twitter post. This is Sheldon Kennedy's twitter. Scroll down a bit for a really sweet vid of Kaitlin teaching a compulsory to Sheldon.
Learning the #NastyKanasky
Sheldon Kennedy (@ShelKenn) | Twitter
The latest Tweets from Sheldon Kennedy (@ShelKenn). Order of Canada, Alberta and Manitoba. Co-founder of @respectgroup, Former NHL player. Very Proud Father of 2. Canada
I won't be surprised if he tests his preliminary dances
MacMadame
Doing all the things
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I never got to the Fourteenstep but I also think of it when I hear that music.
I love the Dutch Waltz, btw.
victorskid
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The cheque from winning Battle of the Blades has now been presented to Jump Start: https://twitter.com/CBCbattle/status/1196563736900837376
screech
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Oh, I'll be driving (and listening to the Broadway station on satellite radio) and that song comes on and my feet start (slightly) moving to the Fourteenstep. It's bonkers!
I never got to the Fourteenstep but I also think of it when I hear that music.
I love the Dutch Waltz, btw.
I really wish a team had chosen Oliver (and Consider Yourself) for their RD this year.
flowerpower
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I'm like that when I hear 76 Trombones. Loved the Fourteenstep. Good times!
Alilou
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Sheldon is learning the dances so he can take his tests! 
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So does my husband, and he doesn't even skate! He feels like he knows it, though, because he used to go to the gym at my rink and he heard it and saw the kids doing it THAT many times!
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