★★★★★ 0/5

Is Dance patronising the audience?

If TEN wants to know why So You Think You Can Dance is shedding viewers it should review all the content that isn't actually dancing.

71
Leave a comment

I happen to think the dancing on So You Think You Can Dance Australia is exhilarating stuff.

The young dancers are terrific with their energy and art, putting celebrity dancers on other shows to shame.

But it’s an endurance test to sit through the rest of the showjust to watch the dance content. It feels like advertorials and verbal padding outweight the actual dance.

If TEN wants to look at one of the reasons why the show is down this year maybe they should be asking if there is too much filler?

On Wednesday night the show pulled a disappointing 767,000. Even in the 18-49 demographic it was beaten by Spicks and Specks, Criminal Minds and Customs. That’s a disaster.

Last night on the results show judge Jason Coleman also layed a big, fat guilt trip on viewers for voting for the wrong 6 dancers.

“…Australia needs to watch these guys with open hearts and open minds and the problem Natalie, I believe is with OPEN. TELEPHONE. LINES,” he said.

“Do not get complacent Australia. These 6 dancers that are standing before us tonight are not the 6 weakest dancers in the competition and they are not the 6 weakest dancers from last night. So please Australia, you’ve done so well in the past. Vote for the dancers. Vote for the routines. We want this to be the best dancer left at the end of the day.

“Now you have given us these 6 dancers so we have to make a decision from these 6 dancers. Australia we are dealing with your decisions here.”

This is patronising stuff.

Shouldn’t we be grateful viewers have engaged enough with the show to pick up the phone, yeah?

These sorts of claims have been tossed around on Australian Idol for years while reality shows continue to profit from telephone voting lines. If TEN is serious about wanting more votes, how about offering it online via a registered email?

Maybe we should just stop voting period and let the judges decide.

If the whole point of the lecture was to ease the pain for the dancers, do me a favour: tell them during the commercial break then maybe the show would finish on time instead of 9:10. Anyway why do we have to come back from yet another commercial break just to watch dancers pulling cards out of a hat to see what routine they will dance next week?

Yes these are harsh claims, because Dance is a show that has brought real dance onto our television screens, been one of several reality shows that celebrates diversity, and epitomises youth when they are too frequently the subject of negative headlines.

But it’s being destroyed from within because it isn’t making enough hard decisions, and it’s being reflected in the figures.

71 Responses

  1. Gosh agree with all the comments here. Just to put my two cents in –

    1.I feel like the judge’s egos have become more and more inflated since the show first started (or maybe they are feeling more comfortable in showing their true personalities) – especially Jason and Matt. It really annoys when Jason says “darlin” and “fella”. I know that sounds petty and that it is just Jason expressing who he is, but it’s still bloody annoying.

    2. Also I really don’t like it when Jason introduces the “dance for your life segment – he just sounds so patronising and like he is the “master” asking his slaves to dance for him. Ok I know that sounds harsh but that is the way it appears. For the record I know that Jason means well and is a softie underneath all that puffed up exterior but I really don’t think he realises how he comes across at times. Also I feel that in this season he has become more annoying than previous seasons. I notice he is getting lots of air time too – I wonder if that is an ego thing.

    3. Also four judges is just way too much. When they get to the fourth judge to comment I feel exhausted especially if the other three judges have rambled on a bit.

    4. Also yes agree I think the show worked better on Sunday and Monday nights at earlier times. It is a family show and I know lots of kids that love dancing so I think it is cruel to have the late start and end show times during the middle of the week.

    5. Yes Natalie Bassignthwaite is also very bland at times – she is a beautiful and gorgeous woman but she doesn’t she have the natural charisma of a Cat Deeley to draw viewers in. She comes across as very bland and a try hard at times – like she is forcing a smile. But to be fair I don’t mind her – I just don’t love her.

    6. Yes way too much padding on the show – needs to be trimmed in parts – I have no idea why they have the segment at the end showing the dancers drawing the cards. Just let us know on the next show. May build curiosity to watch the show on Wed night.

    7. Ok phew – I know I have been very critical but I still watch and enjoy the show because I love dancing. I just flick channels when any annoying bits come on – like judges comments going overboard or lots of sobbing.

  2. I thought it odd Wednesday night that Jason utterly dismissed one of the performances, commenting on the choreography that “he didn’t like it, didn’t understand it” (after also explaining that he didn’t like or understand Picasso!) … but doesn’t this miss the point? His job as a judge is to critique the DANCING, not the chory, or what it means, or the (at times) pretty lame stories being told within. That’s just unfair to the two dancers whose job it is to perform what they’re given to the best of their ability. I just wish they’d strip the show back to great dancers performing great dance.

  3. I’ve never seen Dance, having been sucked into Loser, Idol and BB many years ago. To me they have always patronised the viewing audience, but then you just have to acknowledge the demographic and well it makes sense. I avoid these cheap tacky shows – aside from the odd accidental preview during a show I’m actually watching but usually the mute button works – as I’m sick of the journeys, the tears, the judges softly gushing candidly as to why this season will be the best, unlike the other seasons which they also said would be the best and wait for it…You won’t believe the twist in the next episode.

    This genre of tv is slower than a snail watching grass grow, unless you record and fast forward through all the repetitive rinse and repeats after each break.

  4. I read somewhere that people are sick of reality TV that charges alot of money for their votes. I heard that in America voting is for free, maybe the shows here should make a deal with telephone provider with voting prices. It might helps. Instead charging cents per vote charge less. The judges also take took long to talk, and the hosts should get straight to the point.

  6. Give me a break. The whole premise of the show is to find Australia’s favourite dancer, not Jason Coleman’s favourite dancer. If the outcome of the votes bothers you that much, get rid of the voting system altogether instead of telling viewers who they should or shouldn’t vote for. People are paying for their votes, after all.

  7. More of the dancers, less of the judges. The less they say the better because if I hear “this is what this show is all about” ONE more time, I will swich off, yeah?

  8. The strengths of the show are the choreography and the personalities of the dancers.

    The Aust series has always suffered on the former in comparison to the US (with exceptions) and this series is suffering with the latter.

    Also, 4 judges is too many (the US series with just 2 permanent and 1 choreographer on rotation is superior)

    Also, the costumes and camera work on the Aust series is often shoddy

  9. Good story David. For the past 2 season on both dance and idol, in this house we dont watch the shows live, we record them and fast forward all the “fill”. it is amazing how quickly the show is over doing it this way.

  11. I’m not sure what the judges problem was – I would have had no problem sending two people home from last night’s bottom three couples (and FYI, Doug would NOT have been one of them). I’ve made the point on previous SYTYCD forum entries that I don’t believe they picked the best 20 dancers and I’m glad to see others agreeing. Honestly, I’m all for diversity among the dancers styles but only when they are the best dancers.

    Oh, and I hate the new format of the elimination show with Jason inviting the dancers to perform their solos – it’s just bad tv. For once, please stick to the US format that works! Grrrr!

  12. I used to watch the US version, i loved it, but this was way back when it first started and no one watched it. Was an awesome show.

    Then the Australian version came along, i started to watch but stopped after about 3 eps. It was terrible, Nat Bass is awful as host, she sounds so nasal when she talks, the judges are all annoying, and the dance routines were not that great.

  13. Fantastic feedback from viewers on SYTYCD here. Such good points, I so hope Ten execs scan this forum to read this thread.

    I agree about the “Australia’s favourite dancer” comments. Yes, Natalie and the judges often refer to it as a contest to find Australia’s “favourite” dancer. Rarely, if ever, do they refer to it as a contest to find Australia’s “best” dancer. As we all know, there is a world of difference between the “best” dancer and the “favourite” dancer. Producers, make up your mind about this once and for all. Do you want us to vote for the best dancer or the one who appeals to us the most? Truly, this is something they have to fix once and for all. It can’t be both – it is either Australian’s fave dancer or Australia’s best dancer that viewers vote on.

    @ Bella – really excellent point. The viewers played no part in choosing the Top 20. The Top 20 was wholly and solely the judges’ decision. Therefore, it is totally inane to lambast the audience for favouring weak dancers. There should be no weak dancers in the Top 20, as it is the judges’ job to weed the weak dancers out during the elimination heats. The Top 20 should be made up of outstanding dancers, and if it is not, then the judges have not done their fob.

  14. I’m finding Jason Coleman more and more offensive. The judges selected the top 20. If there are “weak” dancers in there then it’s not Austraia’s fault.

  15. SYTYCD has definitely gone down the gurgler. I agree about the banana commercials and if I hear Jason C say Dullin’ ( I think he is trying so say darling!!!) to any of the girls again I think I will scream. He has turned into a pretentious git. he used to be my fave. Now I tape the show so I can fast forward the judging sections.

  16. Exactly, well said. They need to make a choice about whether it’s Australia’s best or favourite dancer. Jason’s been banging on about being favourite for so long, don’t whinge and complain when the vote doesn’t go the way he wants it to.

  17. You should have seen the padding on the biggest loser the other night. Woman walks into the kitchen and see envelope. Cut to an interview with her saying that she walked into the kitchen and saw an envelope. She walks back into the lounge room. Cut to an interview with a guy telling us that she came in with an envelope. Two more bits of people saying they were nervous followed by her reading out a message to go to another room. They all get up and go. Seriously! Ten! Nothing happened. You could have just had them walking into the room. They are really stretching it. I’ve given up on it. The U.S one is quite good, things happen then they get on the scales. I know we can’t afford to spend that much money in Australia without getting 6 nights a week out of it but it I really wish we could.

  19. I agree totally. The judges are the worst part of the show. I watch all the dancing and then watch something else while they are speaking (especially Bonnie and Jason). They continually patronise us and it annoys me when Jason says ‘our world’ and ‘for all those viewers at home who don’t know dancing’.

    Come on Jason, we are educated people watching the show, don’t treat us like idiots.

  21. I don’t know if the judges/producers are patronising us. I believe that Australia made a stupid decision with the elimation last night. Two exciting personalities were booted out of the competition. WTH?

    I am quite shocked there were only 767,000 viewers on Wednesday night – that’s abysmal. But I agree, there is very little dance content for a dance show. Squish the show down to 1hour. Put at least 2 dances in each segment.

    This show has fantastic potential – TEN don’t seem to know what they’re doing anymore…

  22. “Also a big lol at whatever jason was wearing…”

    Agreed!! Last night Jason said “And now to the bad” and my husband immediately yelled “Your jacket!” at the tv.

  23. Simple – don’t allow for sob stories, just get out there and dance. And instead of trying to be the next simon cowell the judges should simply write notes on a piece of paper and make their decisions behind closed doors………yawn. He might think australians are too dumb to vote but he’s obviously too dumb to develop a tv show. Sheesh, you’re not looking for someone to perform a heart transplant, let people vote for who they like.

  24. I believe the main reason the show is losing ratings is because its on a Wednesday & Thursday night, with Wednesday’s show finishing late at 10pm. Because it’s a family show what parent would let their younger children stay up that late to watch it? It worked well being on a Sunday & Monday night and ratings showed that.

    I agree that Jason’s direct comments to the public were a bit off, but it’s obvious he wasn’t happy about sending two very talented dancers home while Don & Issi (easily the worst dancers on Wednesday nights show and overall as well) are getting ready to dance again next week.

    I’ve been a huge fan of the show and will continue to watch and vote like I do every year 😀

  25. Used to watch it on Sundays. Never watch it on Wed/Thur. Just the wrong nights.

    and…because of the laboured pace and over-run of SYTYCD I now record ‘Burn Notice’ and watch it on the weekends – rather than live.

Leave a Reply