Battle of the Blades, Season 2, Episode 1: the good, the bad and the snuggly
With over two million viewers, ecstatic live audiences and almost as many cast dating rumours as Gossip Girl, the first season of Battle of the Blades was a Canadian sensation. So last night’s season two premiere had a lot to live up to. But the new crop of ice-queen and puck-prodigy pairings looks promising. As head judge Sandra Bezic noted, “The level of this competition is already around week five from last year.” By the way, were the women’s costumes always so XXX? Based on episode one, it would be fair to assume this year’s ladies have a visible midriff clause in their contracts.
We’re as excited as you are for a whole new season of lifts, lutzes and locker room gossip—last year, at least one couple took their chemistry off the ice. With that in mind, we’re analyzing every episode to decide who should stay, who should go and who should, you know, get it on. Our first breakdown after the jump.
Who should stay: Annabelle Langlois and Georges Laraque
Their scores were mid-level, but as far as pure entertainment goes, teeny-tiny Langlois (4’11”) and hulking Laraque (6’3”) were the ones to beat. Did he actually swing her around, then bench press her, then kiss his own biceps? Why yes, he did!
Who should go: Kyoko Ina and Kelly Chase
We’re as sentimental as the next snarky blogger, but a touching sob story (Chase recently recovered from a life-threatening brain lesion) is not enough to save this pair from getting iced, nor is the fact that they danced to White Snake’s “Here I Go Again.” (Woot!) Charming as he is, Chase clomped around the ice like a moose in headlights, and he and Ina were one of the few pairs that didn’t behave like they were one lift away from the bedroom.
Who should get it on: Ekaterina Gordeeva and Valeri Bure
This is a tough call, given that there were sparks aplenty last night. The judges noted how P.J. Stock and Violetta Afanasieva “oozed sexuality” during their skate, and while we agree, we’re giving get-it-on honours to the night’s high scorers, Gordeeva and Bure. Yeah, yeah, they’re both married (he to Candace Cameron!!!), but this is a game, and we think these two Russians, who met back in their school days in Moscow, are Romeo and Juliet on figure skates.
(All images courtesy of the CBC.)
I do not believe that Courtney Shea should have any further involvement in the proceedings of “Battle of the Blades” as it is very obvious that she has no knowledge of ice skating.In reviewing the scoring, why was Kelly and Kyoko only one point behind the leader? And it also appeared quite clearly that their skate was the best of all!
I loved Georges too! That judge’s comment about his big bum was totally uncalled for.
I have to agree that Kelly and Kyoko should be the ones to leave tonight. Nice sob story but he was awkward on his skates. Yes he can lift her but his footwork and his clumsiness was apparent all through the performance.
In my humble oppinion 1 out of 2 of the couples should have been in the bottom last night. Russ and Tuffy gave a good performance but there were many more who had much better and more difficult routine.
As for Valeri and Ekaterina. They did not belong in the bottomn 2 to begin with. Their program was energetic, trick heavy and all around outstanding. in my oppinion they were in the bottom for one of two reasons. 1. it’s like Sandra Bezik said and they were too good that no one thought to vote for them because everyone thought they would be safe regardless. or 2. and I hate to say it. it was because they are both Russian and many Canadians will tend to vote for other Canadians. I do hope it was for reason 1.
Finally, my other choice for bottom 2 last night would have been Patrice Brisebois and Jamie Sale. I didn’t think that their preformance was up to snuff compared to the others on the ice. I thought it was slow if not sluggish and the difficulty was not what I saw with some of the other couples.
With all that said I think the right couple went home last night. Now to see what happens next week.
correction to my post. make that Patrice and Shae-lynn. Sorry Jamie. *LOL*
who took their chemistry off the ice last year? I’m obviously out of the loop but am dying to know!
I’m trying to find out what the music was the Bure skated to….I loved it and want to download from iTunes…can someone enlighten me…thanks!
The name of the song Bure skated to is Paralyzer – but I don’t know who it’s by.
Paralyzer is by Finger Eleven- just looked it up! :)
It was Craig Simpson and Jamie who took their chemistry off the ice. She is divorced now. Simpson has left his wife and 3 kids.
Love the show, hate the judges!
I love the show, although not as much as last year. More practice time up before the show started means we get to see less growth on the ice. I really dislike the fact the the judges keep saving Valerie and Ekaterina. Granted they are wonderful technical skaters, but they have no personality. There is nothing to draw the viewers in. It’s like watching robots. No, this is not anti-Russian bias. The show is about trying something different, improving, and giving it your all. We see this in all the other skaters. Nothing comes across from the judges’ pets. So they skate well. It’s about more than that.
We would like to get a copy of Theo’s song that Theo and Jamie danced to On Sunday 24 ( Western dance) Is it available Thanks
We would like to get a copy of Theo’s song—Is it available???