Battle of the Blades
Three pairs of finalists sharpen their skates to be audience’s choice,
Battle of the Blades
Sunday, 8 p.m., CBC
It’s a cliché, but it’s true: All the competitors on Battle of the Blades are winners for having accomplished the series’ goal of turning former pro hockey players into figure skaters.
But only one of the three teams still standing can take the top spot, and the $100,000 charity cheque that goes with it.
In the penultimate episode, couples Violetta Afanasieva and Jason Strudwick, Marie-France Dubreuil and Mathieu Dandenault, and Amanda Evora and Scott Thornton skated two routines. The judges gave their thoughts on the performances, but the crown will be decided solely by viewers’ votes.
Season four dispensed with the weekly results show. Instead, all the action was packed into 60 minutes, which encompassed the weekly performance and elimination. It was a good move on the part of the producers, creating a fast-paced, actionhour of television. And it didn’t hurt that the level of skating this season was sky high.
There were heart-stopping tricks, moments of emotional resonance and some flat-out great figure skating. As guest judge David Pelletier noted, Amanda and Scott’s triple twist was worthy of the Olympics.
VIOLETTA AND JASON
The head says: These two firecrackers have landed two first-place finishes and never had to participate in the skate-off. Their adagiostyle routines, which highlighted dazzling lifts and holds with intricate entrances and exits, hit home with the crowd and the judges (who awarded them a perfect score of 18.0 for their final performance).
The heart says: Although Jason was very entertaining, we didn’t see much of that other “E” word from him: emotion. While he doesn’t show the same emotional openness Mathieu does in his performances, he beats Scott in that department.
AMANDA AND SCOTT
The head says: Although Amanda and Scott placed first on the leaderboard once, they led the way in technical skills. Their final performance — which also received a perfect score — featured both that high-flying triple twist and a throw double Lutz. Plus, they never had to skate for their lives. Viewers liked what they saw and voted accordingly.
The heart says: Figure skating at its finest is a blend of athleticism and artistry, and these two emphasize the former to the detriment of the latter.
MARIE-FRANCE AND MATHIEU
The head says: The two are the big winners — and losers — on paper. They won Weeks one and four and excelled at conveying emotions, whether the challenge of supporting a loved one with cancer or the straight-up silliness of Gentleman. But wait, there is that last performance ...
The heart says: ... which surely resonated with viewers across the country. The duo dedicated their skate to Marie-France’s mother and her battle with cancer. But they don’t have the same level of high-flying, high-impact tricks as the other two teams.