‘So You Think You Can Dance’: Adieu to Jamie and Rayven

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There are a handful of aspects of the ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ results shows that make them more entertaining than most other shows’ results episodes. The first is the group dance number, which ranges from entertaining to breathtaking. Then there are the guest performers, usually luminaries from the world of dance who are likely not to be a household name. Finally, that nothing is truly decided when the results show starts, as the judges let the bottom contenders get one more shot to prove they’re deserving of staying, and then they, not the viewers, cast the final vote.

All these things were present in tonight’s show: The opening number with the dancers kidnapping a very hammy Nigel Lythgoe was a little cheesy but impressive in its scale. The first guests were dancers Popin’ Pete and Shonnie, whose amazing moves looked almost insect-like at times. And then Rayven Armijo, Will Wingfield, Matt Dorame, Jamie Ray Bayard, Kourtni Josephine Lind and Jessica King each had to perform once for the judges as they danced for their lives. This was entertaining although by and large it seems like the dancers, being so new to the show, have yet to learn the real desperation that seems to get poured into those final dances as the season progresses. Rayven’s departure was very sweet -- she hadn’t received much camera time prior to tonight so it was nice learning that she had such a great experience during her first professional dancing gig. As the boy who got eliminated, Jamie was fairly new to the viewers although perhaps it’s best he’s gone: He used to partner with Lacey Schwimmer, a finalist from last year and sister of the previous year’s winner. Jamie -- the tyranny of the Schwimmers must end eventually. (Impressive early footage of Lacey and Jamie dancing together can be found here.) Then again, will this season end up being all contemporary dancers?

However, to the discerning ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ viewer, there were a few aspects of tonight’s results show that made it weaker than the majority of those from last season. The first was the performance by the Pussycat Dolls, entertainers who certainly know how to dance, but unlike on SYTYCD, dancing is at best second, if not third or fourth on the their priority list (#1 being to look sexy). They’re certainly eye candy, but since the rest of SYTYCD is so very much about dance first, the use of them as a guest on the first results show was slightly disappointing.

Then, it’s been brought up before, but the product placement in this season is disappointing in its clunkiness. The awkward positioning of laundry detergent or chewing gum during the segments makes the show look cheaper, literally and figuratively. Compared with those giant logos in the corner of the screen, Simon Cowell’s Coke cups are subtle.

-- Claire Zulkey