Plushenko did a very clean program that was about as empty as a Christmas bauble. His 2 3A's were impressive and so his technical score was justified. But his PCS was the second highest of the night if I remember correctly -which is ridiculous. That said, it was enjoyable, and his ending pose in a fetal position lying down on the ice was hilarious.
We all have different opinions, of course. But since we're on a discussion forum, I want to take a moment to express a different view.
I've actually had issues with every Je Suis Malade performance outside of Vancouver 2010. It was magical that night, and completely in character; every performance since never quite captured the mood (for instance, 2012 Europeans was a little too celebratory--though the tech remained impressive with three 3As). However, there was none of that in this performance. He really brought a character and mood to life. In terms of visceral emotion, I thought Plushenko was unmatched. He only slipped out of character after the final pose, which was acceptable to me since it's not part of the performance.
With the way you were talking about the program, I thought he'd do three jumps, then walk off. But really, the only long glide was into the first triple axel--which was well worth the wait.
The footwork was quick, energetic, and fitting to the music (though there was a jarring music cut to fit the time requirements--my one issue with the performance). The spins weren't anywhere near as fast as Oda's, but he did get Level 3s for all of them, so I wouldn't say he put no thought into them.
Honestly, the only person who had a
really packed program was Buttle. And he did receive the highest PCS, thanks to TR and CH (even though he was transitioning into failed jumps
). Evan Lysacek also received higher TR and CH than Plushenko... but PCS is five categories, not one or two.
Now for the rest...
Oda's 4-3 (the knee bend!) and spins were excellent. I'm not sure if the program was the right choice for a pro competition, but it was a good vehicle to demonstrate his skills. He did seem to lose a little bit of energy on the step sequence after the spill on the lutz, but thankfully he ended with a spin, to finish the program strongly.
I thought Jeff Buttle was lovely even with the jump errors. It was a typical "lyrical skater" program, but this is probably the pinnacle of that kind of program. Every nuance of the music was acknowledged--the spread eagle as the singer holds a note, the steps in time with the words. While I personally wasn't affect emotionally--it was a more cerebral artistry--I do acknowledge the quality and difficulty of what Jeff does.
I feel the same way about Johnny's performance as I did about all his recent exhibitions: interesting concept on paper, fancy costume... but the skate turns into a bunch of figure skating moves strung together, with a hardcore COP step sequence to top it off. His movements are elegant, and he does have expression with both face and body. I just don't know what he's expressing on an emotional level.
I appreciate the concept of Evan's program--I think it's one of only two programs (along with Plushenko's) that captures the spirit of a pro competition. But he doesn't come across as genuine to me. It feels like someone told him to do these movements, and he tries very hard, but ultimately it's just difficult to watch.
I'm happy to see Honda hanging with the young'uns, and trying a triple axel even! But the performance was ruined by the spins. Jeff could fumble on his jumps and still perform, but once all three spins go to heck, it's quite difficult to salvage anything. I was wrong--it's not that Honda didn't train for COP. He just (understandably) can't pick it up that quickly. There was the "slow section" which I liked--his arm movements were quite elegant.
All in all, I conclude:
1) Pro competitions might be best judged with 6.0, or a mark out of 10. Or, at the very least, there should be two required spins (not three), and they will not be levelled. Though I personally didn't like Evan's performance, I could get behind him receiving bronze if judged more holistically, due to Jeff's jumping errors. And Takeshi Honda would've been more watchable if he hadn't tried to force the COP spins.
2) As a consequence of 1), it felt more like a short program than a pro competition.
3) ...Is it just me, or was the tech panel really lenient? I thought both Oda and Johnny's 3As could've been called UR, and maybe even Jeff's 3-3 as well. I mean, not that it matters... I'm just curious if it's because it's a pro competition (fair enough) or if tech panels in general tend to scrutinize the guys less (which would be unfair).
EDIT: Holy crap, I'm sorry for the wall of text! I had no idea it would turn out this long when I was typing. :hopelessness:
Considering that Plushy had a major operation less than a year ago, and his grueling schedule over the past couple months, I would certainly not expect him to turn in a program as packed as Jeff's. I'm just incredibly proud of him for putting in the work and effort it must have taken to get back to this level. Whether anyone else feels he deserved his PCS matters to me not at all.
sandpiper, I enjoyed reading your honest and thorough reviews.
To me, it wasn't a surprise that Joannie and Plushenko would win. I've actually seen Joannie skate live at Stars on Ice 2014 in Canada and she was awesome!! I'm really glad she skated so well in this event. 
