International?
So, support for listening outside the US? All I see on the various review pages is either the imeem player or nothing. Or is it just my iMac?

Jeanine's personality
A lot of people have mentioned that they don't get Jeanine getting props for her personality over someone like Kayla. But when she won she thanked the Academy. That's pretty sharp wit for someone who just danced for almost two hours and then was informed she'd won a quarter of a million…

Nigel tapped in a routine last season, didn't he? With a bunch of young dancers? Anyone? Bueller?

"It's really important to bring some exposure to this issue" - Mia (I think)

In the version of the Butt Dance (TM) featuring Jeanine and Ade that exists only in my head, Jeanine plays a lusty old woman entranced by Ade's behind. That man has an ass that just won't quit!

Why even bother with wikipedia… JFGI already.

So, Merk, you seem knowledgeable or at least an enthusiast. If I've seen the Nutcracker and decided I didn't like ballet because of that experience (and some casual exposure to ballet on TV/movies) would you say this is enough information for a proper judgement?

Hmm, Benji and Travis much? Both were excellent partners and gay gay gay. Evan is just a dweeb. I'm pretty sure he has no idea how to touch a woman without getting sweaty palms. There is just no *sex* in his dancing.

Because the Brits have this insane tradition about "The Christmas Single" where anyone and their dog (but more likely washed-up stars, casts of TV shows, news presenters, Jordan, etc etc) put out a holiday themed single that everyone is supposed to buy and give. That Mad World broke through this tradition is actually…

Rebel Rebel gets used in a bunch of commercials (the one I specifically remember is a car ad) but always without the part about cross-dressing or being androgynously pan-sexual

"Seriously, just because it looks cool . . . "

The Scar is good, although you may also find it becomes a monster hunt, if you're that way inclined. (I'm just saying that I didn't find it a problem in either PSS or The Scar, as at least each novel had a plot that carried things along). Do NOT waste your time on The Iron Council.

Detritus: You've hit the (brass, no doubt) nail on the head. Steampunk is more about style than substance. It really is an aesthetic. Most of the works listed seem to me to be steampunk-infused examples of other genres. Mieville is gothic sci-fi, for instance. The description of Sedia's novel (a clockwork woman…

Lazerguided: Interesting that you mention this, as I'd never heard of it until this very morning when I read of it in China Mieville's new novel (v. v. good so far, BTW).

He makes me want to French him at the end of the routine.

randi and kupono going home
No chemistry. Not a crowd-pleasing style. Poorly executed. I'll be sad to see Kupono go, because I think he brings something interesting to the show, even though he's not the best dancer. Randi I will not be upset about at all. She and her unitards have survived in the competition for…

I forgot that she's married. I implied in my comment above that I figured she's a virgin because she had NO idea what to do with her hips in that samba. This makes me sad for her and her husband.

Randi and Evan definitely are skating by on the cuteness factor. They're both cute little pocket dancers. But they cannot do sexy to save their lives. The samba they did, which should be sex on legs with all that pelvic thrusting and grinding, made it look like neither of them have ever had sex, wouldn't know what…

"This shit is Bananas… B-A-N-A-N-A-S"

Crusader: It's cool, but I think you mistook what I was going for. I don't think we can expect the same level of expertise from "the kids" as from a pro; I'm just happy we get to watch the pro. My point was that a pro can make the simplest thing seem so exciting compared to less talented/experienced people trying…