SYTYCD - How you disappoint me...

Let's be clear. It's not the dancing; not really - though I do think last year had way more personality. There have been fewer really memorable or specatcular routines this time around. (Last night's Wade Robson routine excepted)

It's the judges. I know they have favourites. That is bound to happen. But I don't think they have ever been SO blatantly obvious about who those favourites are. And it's getting obnoxious and annoying. Like last week, when Mia Michaels basically told Kayla and Kupono that they were not going home, before they ever danced for their lives. Kupono went on to dance the worst solo in the history of the show, which Nigel basically said, but they kept him anyways.

I can only guess that backlash over that decision led Nigel to "explain" this week that the judges know the bottom 3 in the morning of results day, and have pretty much made up their minds before the solos - and that the solos rarely change their minds, but they can. Frankly if a great solo can save a dancer, then a terrible one should clearly send them home, no matter how favoured they are (especially when they also state they are prepared to go home). Speaking of all the judge-love, I do not get their obsession with Kayla either.

As for tonight - I think Nigel really wanted to keep Phillip for the tour but couldn't justifiy keeping him in the competition as he doesn't do well in a variety of styles, so insteady they just made it a Top 12 tour instead.

All these shenanigans are making the show a bit less enjoyable for me. I am fully aware this is how it has been in the past, it's just way more heavy-handed and blatant now - I'd rather be subtly manipultaed and won over by spectacular, sensational routines than beaten over the head with it...