Here is how it came down. Last week, in another surprise Monday night skate-off and vote, Shae-Lynn Bourne and Patrice Brisebois were knocked out of the competition by Kyoko Ina and Kelly Chase. But then the hosts spring another twist in the competition. Due to overwhelming popularity, the previous four eliminated couples would come back to skate on Halloween night in a one-off performance. The judges' scores combined with Canada's votes would lead to one of the pairs returning to the show to compete.
What has happened is that the ratings and ad money has got the deep thinkers at the CBC trying to figure out how to milk this gravy train for a few extra weeks. That is likely how Second Chance Sunday was born.
For the tossed pairs it is an opportunity to be vindicated and keep competing a little longer. Especially Shae-Lynn was in total shock when she was eliminated. In my opinion She-Lynn who is a 10-time Canadian Champion is also one of the best skaters Canada has ever produced. She is also one of the most competitive skaters I’ve seen and she knew she could have been better last week. I really expected her to return this week and blow everyone away.
Second Chance Sunday had a Halloween theme and since it is an odd numbered week that means a guest judge from the hockey world – Curtis Joseph.
Christine "Tuffy" Hough-Sweeney and Russ Courtnall
Week 1 losers skated to Creedence Clearwater Revival's version of "I Put a Spell on You", Russ played the role of magician, and proceeds to cast a spell on Tuffy with a healthy handful of glitter. I thought some added effects were a good distraction from Russ’ weak skating; however, he actually looked much better than his performance in week 1. The pair had one particular nice more. Russ is gliding in a seated position, and Tuffy lies supine across his lap, as if preparing to levitate. There was speed in their program that didn’t exist earlier and their scores reflected it.
Anabelle Langlois and Georges Laraque
The pair did not have a good week. Anabelle had a nasty fall and was carted off to a hospital for and stitches to her knee. From the clips there was an obvious attempt to overplay her injury. Skaters are pretty tough and there was no question she was skate on Sunday. The pair skated to O Fortuna - II Cour D'amours from Carmina Burana with Anabelle playing the good part and Georges playing evil one. Georges looked a little silly with his hair shellacked into the shape of devil's horns. I’ve never really been into this pair. They seemed too mismatched. In the end I think the judges agreed because their scores were just okay.
Violetta Afanasieva and P.J. Stock
Violetta and P.J. skated to "House of the Rising Sun" by The Animals. They are more or less dressed as vampires in lavender pastel. The pair got a bad break a couple of weeks ago by landing in the bottom two as voted by Canada and being stuck in a skate off with the superb Russians. P.J.’s lifts are terrific for an amateur and they were first class in their program. The pair finish this time in the top two and get to skate again on Monday night with a chance at joining the remain 4 pairs.
Shae-Lynn Bourne and Patrice Brisebois
What was incredible about the program by Shae-Lynn and Patrice (skated to Bobby Pickett's "Monster Mash”) was that they pulled it off in just 3 days. Everything about this program was great, the costumes, the makeup, the choreography, the execution. It was the best skate I have seen on Battle of the Blades. It was exactly what I expected from Shae-Lynn. Both Bezic and Roenick break out their first 6.0's of the season. Obviously the two skated again on Monday night and against Violetta and P.J. and return to the mix next week. Strangely on Monday Cujo rates Violetta and P.J. higher than Shae-Lynn and Patrice but then what does a goalie know about skating? Lesson to be learned - don't get Shae-Lynn pissed off.
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