So You Think You Can Dance: The Top 20
Excitement abounds! We will finally find out who the top 20 dancers are for Season 9 of So You Think Can Dance! We start out in Hollywood, where the dancers will perform at the end of the show, and Cat is a knockout in this really fun champagne, gold, and pale pink dress. There is a panel of judges (not quite sure why they are here, but we will see), including Mary "The Screamer" Murphy, Nigel "The Pervy Uncle" Lythgoe, and Zooey "The Adorkable" Deschanel. Nigel explains the changes to this season, the biggest of which is that they will be choosing not one, but two favourite dancers (one guy and one girl). In addition, there is only one show per week (no results show), so it will be fun to see how this works out. The results show of SYTYCD wasn't the very worst, but there was certainly a bunch of reality TV filler nonsense that won't be missed.

The 35 finalists are all penned up in a room, and they call them in one by one to face the judges. Alexa (the overexposed) is called up first. Given how much time we spent with her last year, I feel pretty sure she will be in. Tyce tries to fake her out (poorly), and she is our first person in the coveted 20. George Lawrence II is next, and I don't remember much about him, except that he had a great audition. I think he has a ballet/contemporary background. Debbie Allen tells him he is in the top 20. Will Thomas (who we don't know much about) is also in. Megan Branch (who I don't know if we ever met) is a contemporary person who Mary loved, but she doesn't make it, nor does Collin Fuller (another unknown). Amber something is a contemporary dancer who has tried out three years in a row, and this year she makes it in (she had a really stanky attitude after she didn't make it the previous year, more on that later). The first four selected are dancing a Tyce Diorio routine, to "We Found Love" performed by Jesse J. The number is fairly boring, but it doesn't openly suck, which I have sometimes found in Tyce's routines. It looks a bit like a scene from Rent, which probably was the big thing in Tyce's heyday. The judges gives them each feedback, but I won't bother talking about it, because it isn't too interesting. 

So You Think You Can Dance: The Vegas Callbacks

This is very exciting. The audition rounds are over, and only people who have an actual chance of making it onto the show will be performing. The pre-show clip package promises lots of crying dancers, crushed dreams and one person getting kicked full out in the head. Good times. The judging panel includes Lil C, Debbie Allen, Adam Shankman, Tyce DiOrio (who makes a real knob of himself on his intro), Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe. Nigel announces that solo performances will be up first, and if the dancers aren't good enough, they will be immediately cut. The Peanut Gallery's response to this? "Awesome." Up first is that exorcist guy from  Dallas. Shankers is crying already, and the guy is really damn good. We lose two of the first ten people, and it does seem pretty harsh. The next person we see dance is Janelle, the Belly Dancer. The new judges really love her. 51 people are cut from this round, including that dumb hip hopper/karate champion Tim Conkle. 

The votes have been cast, the dances, done. We have made it to the end of the road, and it is time for the best episode of a very good show- the finale results! This is when the show brings out the very best routines of the season, all at once. Amazing! Let's get to the fun. 

We start with a group number that looks very Tayehesque. It is hard to pick out who everyone is because of big wigs and costumes, but I think it is the entire top 20. For the girls I only really notice Ryan and Jordan. The guys are a bit easier to spot, with Jess, Ricky and Mitchell standing out. Our final four come out the end looking intense. Cat is wearing a really adorable tight mini dress (but with three quarter sleeves). The dress is red sequin-y, and really cute. Cat tells Sonya "by god, you are weird"...fair (and she means it in a flattering way). 

Cat Deely is wearing some truly huge shoes tonight. How fun. We are down to the top 6, including the unlikely Ricky and Caitlynn. Guest judges tonight are Christina Applegate (apparently a Tony winner?) and Lil C.

Melanie and Twitch: Lame Hip Hop by Tabitha and Napolean

Last week, Mitchell and Clarice were sent home, and no one will really miss them. This week, we have a really, really, really exciting guest judge in Lady Gaga (who gets to sit in Nigel’s seat, which is bonkers). La Gaga is looking amazingly nutty today. Her outfit is a sort of psychedlic take on Sgt. Pepper, but in body suit form. I am sure you follow me. She also has faded teal hair. Wonderful. We also have a second guest judge who isn’t very exciting in director Rob Marshall. This week the dancers will do another routine with an all-star, and then a routine with a fellow dancer. They advertised that they would be doing this last week, but then crapped out to the boring solos. I am excited to see it.

Sasha and Pasha: Quickstep by Jonathon Roberts