Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Dance War Is Officially the Campiest and Least Sensical Show on Television

I've been watching Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann since the premiere episode, and I'm now ready to say...

This is the campiest and least sensical show on television!

Don't get me wrong -- I initially fell for the concept that seemed to merge the best of American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance. I'm a Broadway freak, so getting to watch cute kids singing and dancing seemed nothing but a treat. And there have been moments of semi-greatness on the show -- last night's second number choreographed by Carrie Ann came close to being one of them.

There have, however, also been a whole of lot of moments of "eh" on the show. Being able to both sing and dance spectacularly is something very few people in this world can do, which means by it's very nature this show is going to have an amateur feel to it.

It seems the producers have recognized this, and, as such, they have gone totally over the top to try and ramp up the entertainment value. Think about it -- Bruno and Carrie Ann's sniping at each other? Bruno collapsing to his knees after finding out his team has won? Carrie Ann crying through the last 10 minutes of the show as she had to cut a member from her team? The hysterics are overwhelming!

(And that's not even accounting for the performance by the High School Musical Tour cast!)

But the real problem with everyone (the judges, audience, Lachey, and contestants) taking this show so seriously is that we have no idea what the stakes are! I've heard talk about a "record contract" for the "winner," but is the "winner" one person? A group? How will this "winner" ultimately be decided? By Bruno and Carrie Ann? By the audience?

It's nearly impossible to keep a straight face when the contestants say "Dance War means everything to me. If this was all to end, my dreams would be shattered." Huh? First of all, the show's season finale is next week, so you best be preparing for your "dreams to be shattered." Second of all, how can it mean everything to you when you don't even know exactly what you are competing for?

Thus, the best way to watch this show, I've decided, is to simply not think about it. It is what it is. Let the high stakes come into play on Idol --this one's not about logic, it's about ridiculousness (with a bit of singing and dancing on the side). And truth be told -- there's worst things than that.

CLICK FOR MORE HEADLINES IN THESE IDOL THOUGHTS CATEGORIES:

AMERICAN IDOL
BIG BROTHER
DANCING WITH THE STARS
SURVIVOR
PROJECT RUNWAY / TOP MODEL

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

They should have called this show "Song & Dance War" Carrie Ann vs. Burno

It seems obvious to me that which ever team wins gets a recording contract to be a singing & dancing pop group like 'NSync or Danity Kane.

Besides you know this is just filler until the next Dancing With the Star session. Oddly enough, I'll watch this but have no interest in DWTS.