I'm sorry to say that a lot of judges do not always follow the rules-but you should remember that in dance, as in singles, that the judge is supposed to add the different bullets up to get the score for each element, unless the rule says specifically (as in the case of a fall on a jump in singles) that the GOE can be no more than thus and so.
I think that new rules were made to increase a level of objectivity. If everybody would put GOE and levels how he feels like this time and what is suitable in that moment, it is completely loosing sense to have a new judging system. Every year there are new things and changements in rules to make it even more objective (and more complicated), if somebody follows it and somebody not, what it is for?
Another you should remember is that many people who view themselves as musical do not have a great sense of timing. If the team is close, some judges put up with it, and don't really know the difference. This is why metronomes were made
I can understand that not every Russian judge can notice that some skaters are not able to go with the rhythm. But when we demand professional work and performance from skaters, we should also offer professional judgement. If some judges may passes an exams and that judge is not able to notice musicality or skating with or without rhythm, it is loosing sense of a new judging system again.
I&K blew the beginning of a lift, which means that the timing of the whole program after that was likely to be screwed up. A lift takes 6 seconds, after all...getting things back together is not easy.
My rhythm issues with this couple take longer time, it touches many performances not only unsuccessful programs.
I agree with you that it is not easy to continue and get back in program and elements after such mistake. But their program is one of the most simple choreographed in this year larger World field. They have many stops in skating, two-footed skating and one-foot waiting moments and many times they are waiting for music... with this concept of free skate, they catched the beggining of their waltz part perfectly. Pointing the rhythm means that they are hitting the stroke in music, it has nothing to do with interruption in skate. Skaters always perform only some parts of their dances during official practises (like a program is split up into few parts), Lena and Nikita had a good luck this time, they started with part of waltz from the moment they are usually starting with at practise, so nothing unusual. (Bobrova & Soloviev fell at COR and GPF in moments which were obviously in the middle of those "practise parts", once just before the lift and another time in next steps after the lift - so it was more difficult to connect with program again in these moments).
I&K had a unexpected fall (almost all falls are unexpected) and then... they should start to fight hardly to get back and made another elements without mistakes to save what is possible. It is champions character - not to give up and fight for every next element after such mistake - the best couples are doing it (and personally I expect it from the best couples and or couples who want to be the best). A program and dance is made from much more elements and other aspects then just one lift. If you fail in one element, you can still hit all others, you can still touch people's heart with the emotions, with the story or dance, there is no reason, why not. Lena was quite noteless from the beginning of the program, she had problems to finish any arm movements, she started with move and lost focus and continued in some other move, it was obvious that she is not in program at all. Then it is not suprising that the mistake and fall came so soon when concentration was not there. It is difficult to come back after such mistake, I know, but real champion should choose this way. If you are a champion you don't always compete in top form (nobody can keep form for the whole season, even many your fans and judges expect you are perfect always), there are always some competitions where you don't feel in top form, but it doesn't means that you give up and skate like the second-class skater.
I know that I&K are still a young couple, but they are already very well experienced (fourth season in GP, Euros and Worlds). They can still learn how to fight. But after the last years free dance at Worlds, this is the second dance in a half year, when they failed in one element and after it....they started to make more and more mistakes and program completely lost speed, energy, power - simply everything what this couple is admired for. It is a disappointment for me, because they are proving with this behaviour that they are still not ready to be a top couple.
I am not angry at I&K, it is their thing and decision how they want to skate, I am angry at judges. I see no reason why to celebrate and putting extremely high GOE and component mark for something like this. If you fail in one element but you still keep the rest of the program in great quality, OK, it can save a lot. But if you fail in one element and then you continue to fail in other elements loosing the whole composition, why are judges trying to give credit for it? The couple doesn't deserve it. They did nothing to show the qualities they were annoucing in 3 minutes from 4 minutes of the free program. They simply gave up.
, but after reading that answer / question, I am even more confused. OK, in third lift looks inelegant like riding a horse (very far from Swan Lake music), but it is OK and legal. 
