Bradie Tennell Short Program
I have not been as on top of skating this year as I have been in the past, so this was my introduction to Bradie; her short program is to music composed by a Korean artist, so we know she's forward thinking and confident. Her costume is also LOVELY. She has that long-limbed coltish thing that Polina Edumuds had at this point in her career as well, which the judges I think love.
Bradie Tennell free skate
This look is very Princess Aurora to me, but then the chryon popped up and told me it was actually Cinderella. SO CLOSE! Bradie is apparently SUPER consistent and she can really jump. I agree that she's lacking in artistry (and I think her footwork sequence needs work) but, man, can this kid stick her landings. I do think she was maybe a LITTLE overscored technically, but not so much that I think it would make a difference in the standings. I look forward to the thoughts of those of you who know more than I do.
Mirai Nagasu's short program
I'M SO PROUD OF YOU, MIRAI. I've been angry about Mirai -- MY HOMETOWN GIRL! -- since the last Olympics, when she was ROBBED of a spot on the team. (I am firmly against this system of choosing a team. Top three finishers should go, period. DON'T @ ME.)
Mirai Nagasu free skate
Her free skate was to Miss Saigon, and I don't know all of what she said to herself before she started her skate -- she was talking to herself the entire time -- but the one of the last things she muttered before she began skating was CLEARLY an emphatic "FUCK YOU," and look, if anger is what gets you to skate well, DO IT. What I really REALLY want is for her to nail that triple axel at the Olympics. I know several members of Fug Nation were at this event, and it REALLY seemed like the crowd was with her -- was that true in person? I just love her. She SOBBED when she finished skating, just sobbed and sobbed. Frankly, I TOO almost sobbed. MIRAI!!! DRAMA!
Karen Chen Short Program
I love Karen. She is skating to On Golden Pond, and I assume she's in costume as one of the birds. (She choreographed it herself.) The opening of the song has a LOT of loons hooting in it; it makes me giggle that she's skating as them. She even has bird faces on her gloves, as you can see here. It's VERY elegant and also kind of my worst living nightmare, given my bird phobia.
Karen Chen free skate
My guess when I saw this look before watching her skate was that it would be to "Carmen," but it was to "Jealousy Tango," which you have also sincerely heard many times before. But this is an amazing Let's Go Get 'Em! expression.
Karen Chen free skate
THAT'S RIGHT. There were a lot of highly competitive women killing it this weekend. It was great.
Ashley Wagner Short Program
I will be frank: This program is pretty obnoxious. It's what Johnny called a "vintage program," and also "very very rehearsed and prepared and slick," and I agree that it felt....somehow phony. She mugs throughout it in a way that comes across like a put-on in a way that isn't always the case with her. But I run really hot and cold on Ashley. Having said that: this costume is GORGEOUS and she looks GREAT lately.
Ashley Wagner Free Skate
This is a new program, which...is NOW the time to debut a NEW PROGRAM? Ashley is always ALWAYS fiddling around with what prgrams she is skating in the course of a season and it never seems to be that useful for her. Anyway. It is to La La Land, which makes TOTAL sense for her skating aesthetic, given her love of movies and her success with movie-related skates; both her Moulin Rouge and her Black Swan programs were classics, and probably my two favorite pieces in her repetoire. This skating costume, also, is truly stunning. Say what you will about Ashley -- and I have and I did -- but her skating costumes are almost always the most beautiful at any given event. Now, as to her skating: This does feel like the routine to end your career on. That sounds bitchy, but I mean it: It's skated mostly to "Here's to the Dreamers," which is a song about going out there and taking a chance and fucking things up and doing your best for art. I can't really think of a better farewell. Now, obviously, she wanted to go out AT the Olympics (or World's), but if this is it? Not a bad final bow. (She also hasn't said she is retiring, but...she's 26 and she's lost half a step, technically, to my inexpert eye. She has to be thinking about figuring out the next step of her life.) As far as the scoring goes? I think the judges got it right on this one. (She and Mirai shared what seemed like a super sincere hug after everyone's programs were completed. That's probably a complicated relationship.)
Polina Edmunds Short Program
A few other bits and bobs for the ladies; Polina wore a catsuit, and also pulled out of competition after the short, due to a foot issue. (I assume it's an actual foot issue and not a "foot issue.")
Mariah Bell Short Program
Mariah finished fifth, but I wanted you to see her short program costume. It's like Taylor Swift's dream performance ensemble and it's fabulously spangled. (She skated to selections from Chicago.)
Starr Andrews Short Program
Another catsuit! This one makes me want to see a woman skate as Spidergirl.
Starr Andrews Long Program
Starr also skated TO HER OWN RECORDING of "One Moment in Time," by Whitney Houston. It takes guts to record your own song and skate to it, and it makes EXTRA guts to sing WHITNEY. (She sounded great. I mean, not as good as Whitney, but...you know. Literally no human alive sounds as good as Whitney Houston.) She also skated well, and burst into happy tears when she came off the ice; it was really nice. She finished 6th, and I think she had to be EXTREMELY pleased with that, as well she should be; she's super young.
Nathan Chen Short Program
Let us move to the dudes! This short program ensemble looks like something an evil speed skater might wear, and indeed, the music he's skating to is called NEMESIS. His step sequence in this routine is SO GOOD. He is great ALL OVER THE PLACE, in fact, and has a good shot to win the gold, which would be thrilling.
Nathan Chen free skate
Chen is costumed, btw, by Vera Wang, like Evan Lysachek before him. There is a HUGE exposed zipper on the back of this; very fashionable. He NAILED this performance. I just really, really like him.
Ross Miner Short Program
So! Ross came in second and yet they're sending Adam Rippon instead. As I said earlier, I oppose this on theory -- although I like Adam a lot. Ross Miner, you guys! This was his last chance! He's the skater whose photos I usually don't get because the Getty guy always used to go for his hot dog when Ross skated because he figured he wouldn't need him! JUSTICE FOR ROSS.
Ross Miner free skate
Ross's long program was skated to a medley of Queen, and I loved it and I'm VERY salty about this. Miner isn't even the first alternate! Jason Brown is the first alternate! I HAVE NOTES.
Vincent Zhou Short Program
I missed some of the men's short programs, because of a DVR kerfuffle, but I feel safe in saying: the American men seem real good this year. Vincent is only 17!
Vincent Zhou free skate
This was skated to Moulin Rouge, which is the new Carmen, in that EVERYONE skates to it. I can't blame them: I also would totally skate to Moulin Rouge. And what other color do you wear when you're skating to Moulin Rouge? IT'S RIGHT IN THE NAME.
Adam Rippon short program
I did not see this skate, but I will say that Adam definitely has quite a flair for shirts.
Adam Rippon free skate
I do think Adam deserves, perhaps, extra points for this VERY GLAM look. He's the first openly gay man to perform in the Winter Olympics for the Americans, as well. Go out there and prove that you're worthy of this spot being given to you, kid -- because you were technically a MESS in this program, and you know it. (My prediction: The pressure/guilt of being given this spot is going to mess with his head and he's going to blow it. I hope I am wrong.)
Alexa Scimeca-Knierim, Christopher Knierim, pairs short
These two won -- and we only had ONE spot for pairs skaters in the Olympics, so there was A LOT riding on winning this one. God, American pairs, PULL IT TOGETHER. (I do like it when skaters are married to each other because I am always interested in people falling in love.) I somehow missed this skate, but I believe it is ALSO to Moulin Rouge.
Alexa Scimeca-Knierim, Christopher Knierim free skate
These looks are very subdued and when they skated out in them, my bet was on some kind of Sad, Misguided Skate About Genocide. But it was just selections from Ghost.
Tarah Kayne, Danny O'Shea pairs short
Look at the underneath of her skirt! Nifty!
Tarah Kayne, Danny O'Shea pairs short
That's a very fetching man-blouse! This skate was to Phantom of the Opera and I always feel that's a missed opportunity for a cape and/or a mask.
Tarah Kayne, Danny O'Shea free skate
YES, of course this was Swan Lake. (There was a really funny moment where the music started and someone in the audience whoo-hooed, as if they were like, "AW SHIT SWAN LAKE IS MY JAM!")
Deanna Stellato-Dudek, Nathan Bartholomay Pairs Short
I believe this routine was a salute to ombre??? (They're actually skating to "Hallelujah," which I will ONLY accept henceforth if it's part of a salute to The OC.
Nathan Bartholomay, Deanna Stellato-Dudek free skate
What you can't tell from this pic is that his shirt was slightly more sheer than it needed to be, and the back of her ensemble was just, like, strings. They skated to U2 covers, and they both fell down more than you would want to fall down. They also don't appear to know how to high-five, so some stuff to work on here, although their short program was very good.
Ashley Cain, Timothy LeDuc Paris Short Program
CATSUITS AHOY.
Ashley Cain, Timothy LeDuc free skate (pairs)
They are actually very happy here -- their goal is to be on top in 2020, and they finished 4th here -- and her costume was really, really great. They skated to The Great Gatsby, for which this ensemble of hers is great; I do not know who in Gatbsy would wear that much man-velvet, but life is full of questions about literature never to be answered to our satisfaction.
Madison Hubbell, Zachary Donahue ice dancing short program
America has some good ice dancers right now, which is exciting, because the rest of the world ALSO has some good ice dancers right now, which means ice dancing might be a real corker this year. Anyway, the prescribed short dance this year is the samba/rhumba/mambo/cha-cha, and...yeah, okay, I can see that here.
Madison Hubbell, Zachary Donahue free dance
One of my favorite things about ice dancing is that they REALLY focus on those facial expressions, and so everyone looks DRAMATIC. These two are our big winners -- they've been third at the Nationals many many many times in a row, so it must have been a profound delight for them to finally break through.
Madison Hubbell, Zachary Donahue free dance
I thought you might want to see the detailing on her dress, which is really beautiful. The subtext of their routines is often, "THIS IS ABOUT BANGING," and this routine also is ABSOLUTELY about banging, but in a more sophisticated way than in times past.
Maia Shibutani, Alex Shibutani short program (ice dancing)
This costume on Maia is SO PRETTY; the skirt has so many colors in it, and when she twirls and twizzles, it is amazing. (It goes without saying that her ponytail is also the best in the business.)
Alex Shibutani, Maia Shibutani free dance
I feel like I often say this about Maia, but she could wear this dress to, like, a wedding. I am worried that this routine -- to Coldplay, as is their wont -- is a little....lanquid, especially at the open? I LOVE them, but is this their best long program? Let us discuss.
Madison Chock, Evan Bates, ice dancing short program
YES that's a bra top.
Madison Chock, Evan Bates free dance
Her gown here is SPECTACULAR. It has better beading than half the dresses in Hollywood. (They're skating to "Imagine," which feels....a TINY bit heavy-handed, perhaps, but if you can't be a cornball about peace and love at the freaking Olympics, when can you?)
Kaitlin Hawayek, Jean-Luc Baker short program (ice dancing)
I kinda maybe just want this dress for myself?
Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker free skate
SEE YOU AT THE OLYMPICS! (Well, not you guys, although you skated VERY well and should be super proud of yourselves. Maybe next time?)