I Know I Can't Dance

So You Think You Can Dance? offers a show surprisingly different from Idol, despite trying to use the same formula.

The biggest difference: there's no hope of an unskilled person with heart winning here -- good-bye even faux-democracy. One rightly-booted contestant argued that the show would end up being about rich white kids with training. She's off-base in the requirements of race and money, but not about training. While a church-choir singer like Fantasia could succeed on Idol, most of the successful dancers on the show have been taught. One of the requirements is to quickly learn a routine, which is much easier if you've got a background. The speed with which some amazing breakdancers got cut showed how little talent matters up against skill in this contest.

The laughers: much less interest here on the disasters, which was actually kind of nice, even if it makes for less appealing tv (says the hater in me).

The judges: three boring people without nearly the personality of Randy, Paula, or Simon. The low moment came when the fake-Simon told one competitor that he didn't dance "masculine" enough to proceed. It seems like dance would be one area you could avoid the strictures of gender norms...

I'm curious to see how this show does in the ratings. I suspect the average tv viewer (me) doesn't know enough about dance to have an opinion on lines, form, etc. Without the bite of sharp and clever insights and no engaging characters, I'm not sure this idea can carry a season.

And while I'm glad someone danced to M.I.A., I'm just confused if I don't hear the theme from Fame anytime I see a dance student.