So no big shocks this week then. After last night’s show, there were really only two questions: who would be joining Hannah Berney in Danny’s bottom two and which of Toni, Cassius and Ruth-Ann would survive Jessie’s. In the end, it was Max that had to share a moment of gloom with Hannah and Cassius who got off scot-free.
So what went so right for Cassius and wrong for Max? The former was not particularly outstanding and the latter was far from crap. In the end, it’s just a numbers game. The format of The Voice only allows for minimal manoeuvrability within each category. It’s possible that Max polled more votes than Cassius but of course they are not yet in direct competition with each other.
Max has a lot going for him – he can sing, he’s good looking and he plays the guitar. Unfortunately, Aleks Josh seems to hold the lady-killer trump card and David Julien wins the authentic everyman vote. Throw in an early slot for Max and an unprecedented pimp slot for Bo Bruce and suddenly the former’s appearance in the bottom two should have been visible a mile off.
Conversely, Cassius thrived in the face of mediocrity, arguably with help from a late slot and a good arrangement of a popular track. The thing is, other than Vince and Becky, Jessie’s team is generally weak and it was no surprise to see Toni and Ruth-Ann in the danger zone. Equally, it was no shock to see Toni and Max saved by their respective mentors. How frustrating that the pre-recorded results show keeps us from some easy money during the time that Betfair markets are suspended. On that note, this week saw the coaches undergo a costume change between the filming of the two broadcasts. The Voice should know that we won’t be fooled!
So what about the markets? Bo has hardly shot up the ranks as a result of her pimping, as Andrew pointed out. However, it seems clear that the show want to get her into the later stages of the competition, perhaps as a leg-up for a post-show career, musical or otherwise. Can we safely assume that Bo will survive the next cull? Danny’s is a particularly strong, competitive team, especially after the elimination of its weakest link (in terms of vote potential), Hannah Berney and I imagine somehow that The Voice will endeavour to keep at least one out of Aleks and Max beyond the next round in order to appease the screaming teenager demographic. Bearing that in mind, I think Bo could really struggle to make the semi-finals but last night showed that The Voice does care about her.
Ruth, Jaz, Becky and David are still the big four, according to oddschecker.com and it feels very likely that all or most of them will hit the final. The bigger question then is that of who will be joining them in the semis. Can Bo beat out the lookers on Team Danny in order to prosper? Will Cassius prove to have a wider appeal than Vince Kidd? How will Joelle’s talent hold up against Tyler’s quirks and who the hell will join Ruth in Tom’s final two?
Do let us know your thoughts.
Well the semis double elimination is actually a bit different.
The top voted contestant in each team goes straight through and then the Coaches get to pick which other contestant joins them (no matter how many votes they got).
In that case I think:
Jessie: Becky (Public) + Vince
Will: Tyler (Public) + Jaz
Tom: Ruth (Public) + Adam
Danny is tricky, I’m certain Danny will take Bo through but I have no clue who the public will pick. It could be Aleks, David or even Max. Its down to the performance I guess.
I’m with you that Danny’s is the hardest to call, Sarah. But I’d be surprised if Tyler got more votes than Jaz. Do you think that Jaz’s hype is bigger than his true appeal?
I think when acts are so blatantly pimped, it does make it hard to judge their true appeal.
Indeed, that will certainly change the dynamic in the sense that it is advantageous for contestants like Bo, who haven’t appeared to have a widespread appeal thus far. However, there is no guarantee that Ruth, Becky, Jaz and David will be the ones selected by popular vote. Ruth and Jaz seem like safe bets but the other two still face the vague possibility of being saved by a coach rather than voted through.
Tonights result pissed me right off. Aleks is decidedly average/poor and only last night did he show any glimmer of potential. Cassius is dull, Max was dull (and by the way “his” version of Tom Petty’s Free Falling was far from original and was rather a complete replica, and a poor one at that, of John Mayer’s.) I thought Hannah was one of the best singers in the competition, especially after hearing her 10ft away from me earlier this week but yes agreed, she unfortunately didnt have the vote power and therefore it’s resulted in some seriously average and dull people left. Rah rah Exerah, what can I say.
A thought occurs re Bo – is it possible that her pimp slot was of the Katie Waissel “just make sure she doesn’t hit the bottom two” variety, rather than the “set her up as a winner” variety? In which case it may be that the plan is not for Danny to take her through, but to allow her a facesaving exit as we’ll never know how popular she was.
This week’s Tom/Will decisions might give us a clue, if we’re thinking gender balance for the semi. Let’s assume Jessie will end up with boy/girl in the shape of Becky and Vince, which seems very likely. If this weekend gives us Jaz and Tyler from Team Will plus Ruth and Adam from Team Tom, then Danny choosing two boys would lead to a 6:2 male:female semi. They’d want more girls than that, wouldn’t they? You would think he’d take Bo to make it 5:3.
On the other hand, if this weekend it’s Jaz and Joelle/Frances from Will plus Ruth and Leanne from Tom, that means room for two boys from Danny to level it up at 4:4.
Andrew, how do you see the next elimination market on StanJames? They still expect only one to go, strange…
Yeah, I was wondering about that. I’m assuming they haven’t realised how the format’s working and that we’ll get some “double elimination – to go” markets in due course. Dunno how they’ll settle bets placed at this stage – dead-heat rules?
I have no idea, I placed some triplets on WHill and they are gone now, will inform when they are settled.
Btw, will there be an article today for semi2 (since the acts are already known)?
Hi Boki, we weren’t planning to do an article per semi since there’s so little it’s possible to usefully say in advance of the show. You’d clearly expect C&J to sail through, but for the others it’s really a crapshoot till you see how they’re treated.
I think Bo had her time here really, they gave her the pimp slot and all. I think next time the pimp slot will go to Aleks from Danny’s team and it could push him through to the SF alongside David.
From Team Jessie, well Becky and Vince will most likely be in the SF. Team Will should see Jaz and I think Joelle has a case because she should be given a later slot next time. I wouldnt be surprised to see Tyler given the early slot. However I really do not know what the prods want from The Voice, unlike with XF its all so easy to predict what will happen. From Team Tom, Ruth will be through and either Leanne or Adam will get the pimp slot and join her.
Ah, slight problem potential there, Highlighted. Ruth took the pimp slot for Team Tom last week meaning Team Will are yet to have a pimp slot and should get it next week. Bearing in mind Tyler’s late placing last week and the fact that The Voice might want to save a pimp slot for Jaz in the semis or final, I reckon it will go to Joelle or (if the show really is as bonkers as it seems) Frances Wood. Of course it could well be Jaz but that would make it harder to push him late on, if that is indeed what they want.
Similarly, Team Danny took the pimp slot this weekend just gone so the pimp slot in two week’s time looks likely to go to Vince or Becky.
Hi
I reckon that Tyler will beat Jaz aswell to the public vote and Will will vote Jaz through but either way I reckon it will be Jaz and Tyler
For Tom I think it will be Ruth and I think Tom prefers Leanne to Adam and she’ll sneak through.
For Jessie it will surely be Vince and Becky. Unless Jessie saves Cassius over Becky?? (I think it’s unlikely though!)
Danny’s is very difficult. I cannot see Bo or Max topping the votes. I think David is more likely than Aleks to top the vote. It’s hard to work out who Danny prefers, if Max falls in the bottom 3 again it might make sese for Danny to cut him adrift. I think he would pick Bo over Aleks aswell. So I would guess David & Bo. But it’s difficult!
I hope you don’t mind my saying. I have gone off Bo for some inexplicable reason. Perhaps, it was all that knee bending, along with an air of disdain. The thing is I am, probably, not the only viewer who feels like this.
i haven’t been watching this much. i don’t like the format and i find the mentors tedious. i watched a bit of the last 2 eliminations and thera are 2 certainties for me jaz and becky can’t win. jaz because his talent is overrated – just bland bland bland! becky because she is not likeable enough – no one like gushing precocious teens – you can tell that jessie j doesn’t even like her. looks like david julien all the way to me… anyway blah… the whole thing lost it’s claim to creditability with the loss of jessica hammond
BF opened the markets “to qualify” and “vote winner” which is logical for double elimination. Several bookies still have “next elimination” market. Strange.
So, what songs will they be singing to get them winning? Here’s the exclusive Saturday songlist…
Frances Wood – Show Me Love (Robin S)
Jaz Ellington – The Way You Are / Just The Way You Are (Billy Joel / Bruno Mars)
Joelle Moses – Stronger (Kelly Clarkson)
Tyler James – Sign My Name (Terence Trent D’Arby)
Adam Isaac – High And Dry (Radiohead)
Matt & Sueleen – Missing (Everyting But The Girl)
Leanne Mitchell – Put A Spell On You (Nina Simone)
Ruth Brown – Next To Me (Emeli Sandé)
Thanks Boki – there’s already a new post on the song choices as of about 5 minutes ago!
i am not suprised if frances advances to the semi finals with jaz