What to Watch: Summer Edition: So You Think You Can Dance

Since I had so much fun with the TV theme for the A to Z Challenge, and had opportunity to dissect different shows for my TV writing gig on slackerheroes.com (which sadly, is ending as the site is closing), I thought I'd kick off a fun blog series on what to watch.

Summer is a great time to catch up on everything time didn't allow to see first hand over the regular season, whether by clearing out the DVR, watching reruns, Hulu, or Netflix. So many options exist! But as TV watching has changed, the networks have too, and they now offer more variety during the off season. Here's one of my favorites -- it doesn't require huge commitment (you can miss an episode) and it's genuinely fun and even inspiring:

For those who haven't seen this show, you might be thinking: I don't watch reality TV! I hardly do either, with few exceptions. What sets So You Think You Can Dance apart is it features people with real talent! What distinguishes it from many of the other competition shows is that it doesn't spend a great deal of time on humiliating dance wannabes who lack the skill to make the cut. Occasionally, yes, you'll see a misguided klutz whose mother insisted she was good enough for Broadway, but the judges dish criticism without tearing them to shreds (unlike American Idol and America's Got Talent). Mostly what you see is incredibly hardworking performers who turn out some pretty amazing dancing.

The second reason I like this show is a contestant can make into the competition based on tap dancing skills, but each week they're expected to perform a different dance style, which could be modern, hip-hop, ballet, ballroom, etc. Some of the best moments are when a street performing break-dancer nails a tango. Or when a performance is so dramatic, it brings tears to your eyes. I'm not much of a crier, but this show sometimes...

Image source: TV.com

The judges, while knowledgeable, can frequently be annoying, so that's the one downside. The first season I watched, I fast forwarded through every Mary Murphy response. She's just so loud and orange. Now I can either tune her out or I occasionally mute her. There's usually a guest judge, who can range from Lady Gaga, to legendary choreographer Debbie Allen to Mitchell from Modern Family.

So You Think You Can Dance airs on FOX Wednesdays.

Do you watch? Or, do you have a different favorite reality competition show?

Book Review: Tempest by Julie Cross

Tempest
Julie Cross
Young Adult - Contemporary/Sci-fi elements
Published: Jan. 2012

I'd anticipated this book for awhile, having read early press for it last year. The story played out differently than I expected. The narrator is a boy, which is cool, but just unexpected based on the cover (which could go either way) and since so many YA books tend to be written from a female protagonist or multi-POV male and female, it surprised me.

The timelines in Tempest are pretty out of whack because the main character can flip back between different years at will (usually). It's a bit disorienting, but I suppose on a deeper level it helps the reader connect with the character and the instability he feels.

The time travel is central to the story, but it is more of a storytelling device rather than an element that's explained in detail. If you've read either Outlander or The Time Traveler's Wife, those are good examples of what I mean. Outlander uses time travel as a device to get a modern-era (well, WWII era) protagonist to an earlier time frame, but the story is not about time travel. In The Time Traveler's Wife, the character and plot are dictated by Henry's spontaneous time travelling condition. It is dissected and discussed and is central to the story, and it weaves romantic elements and a personal interest story within that.

Tempest falls somewhere in between with a specific YA slant. If you're looking for sci-fi, it's not here; rather it's another one with "sci-fi elements." It's plot driven, quick, and full of mystery and tension. I had a little trouble connecting with Jackson's love interest; part of the reason may be because Jackson himself was not very deep in his future relationship, which he realizes along the way when he goes back a few years and meets her before he should in his normal timeline. It actually reminded me a bit of I Am Number Four, which had lots of tension and plot twists, but was a bit lighter on the depth of characters. It depends what type of read you're looking for; I can see younger readers connecting with this for a cool time travel concept.