So You Think You Can Dance Responds to Fan Outrage, Changes Season 10 Results Format

So You Think You Can Dance‘s Season 10 nightmare is over — and only took 48 hours and a tidal wave of fan outrage to make it happen.

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The controversy began during Tuesday night’s telecast, when head judge Nigel Lythgoe began the episode by announcing the six dancers at risk for elimination based on America’s votes from the previous week. He then sent two of them to immediate safety, asked the remaining four to dance for their lives, and promptly cut Carlos Garland and Brittany Cherry from the competition.

Problem was, Carlos and Brittany were then asked to go backstage, compose themselves and return later in the broadcast to perform routines with their respective partners. Fans promptly took to Twitter blasting the move, saying that not only did it put a damper on the entire broadcast to kick it off with brutal cuts, but it also might penalize partners of eliminated dancers, particularly if the week’s evictees weren’t able to tap into their competitive spirits with nothing on the line.

Executive producer and head judge Nigel Lythgoe took to Twitter yesterday to announce a format tweak that addresses viewer complaints. “We’re taking your advice by revealing America’s vote in the beginning and judging at the end. I hope it will inspire the bottom 4? Thank you,” he wrote.

To put it another way, Lythgoe will announce the Bottom 6 vote-getters at the start of Tuesday’s broadcast and immediately send two of them to safety. CORRECTION: The Bottom 4 contestants will then perform their “Dance For Your Life” solos, before the telecast proceeds with couples’ routines featuring all 18 dancers. At the end of the show, the judges will deliberate, and the show will end with two of the at-risk dancers going home — similar to the format used in Season 9 (SYTYCD‘s first year without a designated results show.)

Are you happy Lythgoe & Co. listened to viewers? Or did you like the top-of-episode eliminations? Take out poll below, then sound off in the comments!

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