My gut reaction from the GPF:
- P/C have just outpaced V/M. The Moonlight Sonata was a work of art, and they now have the advantage on the SD too. They're solidly co-favourites to win OGM, not just contenders. It's no longer a coronation of V/M for the second gold. That FD had Bolero- / Mahler's Fifth-style levels of landmark all over it. It's a mesmerizing, iconic piece, their best ever.
- V/M were great as usual, but the program just loses life in the last minute. They need to re-configure the music and at this point there's very little time, given that nationals are a month away and the holidays are in between. I think they'll still skate it well, like they did with The Seasons, they just need to tighten it up a bit and make the ending more memorable. Right now it's just so quiet and not cohesive. Scott in particular looks laboured next to the French, but Tessa seems to have found her groove as a performer, she's glorious. Still love them though and am not counting them out for OGM (at least if they get the team gold then I'll be sated).
- Shibs have gone to the well on Coldplay as a motif one time too many. Anyone else noticed they were ranked 6th in the FD? Even the Italians did better than they did. That was an uncharacteristically "meh" skate from them. They look good for 3rd at OG but it's not a lock by any means, they had that SD lead to prop them up. Competition is tight because this was like a mini-nationals for US with their teammates breathing down their necks.
- H/D: This is a wonderful team, but they are still learning how to channel their energy and compete. Still, they have now inched ahead of C/B as a more likely #2 nationally. I'd like to see them progress, because that FD is HOT.
- C/B: I'm still baffled by the music choice. They skated well today, no major mistakes, but they've become a bit of an afterthought. Shibs are considered the leaders in the US while H/D are the hot young up-and-comers. C/B are starting to get lost in the shuffle. The FD doesn't give them a chance to shine like their American in Paris or Rach 2, which allowed them to brilliantly showcase Chock in particular. Team medal, maybe?
- C/L: I love this program. They may not have the technical difficulty as the other top teams, but I found that I'd much rather watch this beautiful, fluid piece any day over C/B's tepid "Imagine", W/P re-heating "Je Suis Malade", or B/S and their latest avant-garde-art-think piece. The Italians are lovely and polished but they will need more innovation rather than just being pretty to stay in the conversation. They may not have their Olympic moment unless all the Americans, WeaPo AND B/S have a bad day. They'll have their moment with this piece at worlds on home ice in Milan and I can't think of a better way for them to say goodbye to their careers. Life is indeed beautiful.
Takeaway: We appear to have settled into a battle for the gold between two sets of training mates, sounds familiar? Except has there been an established #1 and #2, the way it was with D/W vs. V/M? They won't go head-to-head again until OG, so we won't have a rematch before then. The battle is third but although the Shibs are looking good, the other two US teams are nipping on their heels. It's a shame the lovely Italians, always crowd pleasers, seem to have gotten lost in the shuffle a bit. The top 2 teams appear to have a stranglehold on the first two podium places, the question is who will end up third? Again: sound familiar? Remember at Sochi it was P/B, B/S, W/P and C/L, but I/K broke through (and then subsequently broke up). Is this the year that no Russian dance team ends up on the Olympic podium (which would make Ilya Averbukh apoplectic)?
Wow I can't dis agree with you anymore than I do right now. I'm completely opposite opinion to you in the v/m p/c debate. I think Tessa and scott are faster, stronger, they characters are MUCH more prevelant than the french in both programs, they skate closer together, they skate from beginning to end with incredible pace and precision. I think both Tessa and Scott are better skaters than Gabriella and Guillaume. I feel the french are a tad more stiff and forced where as Tessa and Scott look like effortless and completley indulged into their characters which they do amazingly well. I'm personally shocked that P/C are eclipsing V/M with WR scores. Its actually mind boggling to me.