Dance

We're at the finale already (didn't this season seem short?). I'll say it right here at the top of the episode - unless William falls repeatedly on his keister, requiring the judges to give him 5's across the board, there's no way he's not winning this thing. That being said, I'd be OK with any of the three finalists winning, even though I'm personally Team Driver. Tonight's show will have each couple dancing two dances:  1. Judge's pick, which are new routines danced to new music, but in a style the couple has previously danced and in which the judges would like to see them improve.  2. Freestyle Tomorrow night, the couples will be doing some sort of third scored dance, details about which we'll learn later.

Before you turn on tonight's premiere of “So You Think You Can Dance” there are a few things you should know. The format and rules, which have stayed pretty much the same for the past eight seasons, have been changed drastically.  First, the show will no longer be on two nights per week. It's a strategic manuever that will look to increase the suspense in each episode. Essentially, the eliminations will be done in a two-week rotation. During the first week, the dancers will perform and on the second week they will perform again.

In the wake of WWE's Over the Limit pay-per-view, a new Intercontinental champion has been crowned, four other champions continue to hold onto their titles and John Laurinaitis remains employed. Sunday night's show delivered an evening of quality entertainment and good in-ring performances. On a non-major PPV event, WWE delivered a product that surpassed the expectations of many. Here's a match-by-match look at the show: Battle Royale This last-minute addition to the card was a means of crowning a No. 1 contender for one of the midcard titles.

Tom opens calling it the "hardest fought season ever. " I'm not sure about that, but I will say that this is one with a lot of strong competitors, few loathsome personalities, and a satisfying final three. It starts with the pro dancers (the "real" pro dancers, not just the troupe) dancing to a song I would probably know if I were 20 years younger, but I'm not and the only 16-year-old in this house is a cat. At the end of the song, we get the pros walking the floor with their celebrity partners.

Thank God for Joan and Don. Without their lunchtime escape from the office, replete with witty, sexy banter, this episode, the worst of the season, would have been pointless. Nothing else quite worked here, in what clearly was a transitional throwaway leading up to the final few episodes this season. I, for one, do not care about Lane's financial issues (though, surely him forging Don's signature on a check to pay debts will come back to bite him). Anything involving Harry is sort of blah, even though his subplot this week brought back and old friend, Paul Kinsey, who has, ahem, gone through some changes.

Here are our picks for what horses to bet in the 2011 Preakness Stakes: Race 1 10:45 a.m. Analysis: Expect Boreal Forest to set the early fractions, as he has in his previous starts. He will have less competition on the lead than in previous efforts. As a result, he could carry his speed a long way. He is tested at this level, so the class is no problem. Issues and Answers comes in off just a maiden win, but he did win at a good level and should compete well here.

Tom opens calling it the "hardest fought season ever. " I'm not sure about that, but I will say that this is one with a lot of strong competitors, few loathsome personalities, and a satisfying final three. It starts with the pro dancers (the "real" pro dancers, not just the troupe) dancing to a song I would probably know if I were 20 years younger, but I'm not and the only 16-year-old in this house is a cat. At the end of the song, we get the pros walking the floor with their celebrity partners.

This episode begins with Emily meeting for “girl talk” with her best “gal pals.” She mentions that all her friends are the mothers of her daughter's playmates. Can't Emily form meaning relationships by herself? While she hangs out at the park these friends that are twice her age, the guys indulge in a pool party reminiscent of a Schmitts Gay commercial . Only two of the 19 bachelors have chest hair! Ryan Gets the First Date Card Sarah: Ryan “Fluff Head” spent a lot of time getting ready for the date - except he forgot to comb his hair.

They open by reminding us that next week is the semifinals - can't believe we're there already! It's been a quick season. After the staircase introductions, we find out there will be two dances for each couple tonight and a double elimination tomorrow night. Donald Driver & Peta Murgatroyd They've got the tango tonight and in rehearsal, Donald's having trouble with his frame, so he watches footage of Derek for inspiration. OK, they're tangoing to "Higher Ground" and whether you think Stevie Wonder or Red Hot Chili Peppers when you hear this, it's still a weird ballroom choice.

Baltimore County Board of Education President Lawrence E. Schmidt's recent letter ("Selecting Dance," April 21) is as notable for what he did not include as what he stated. Mr. Schmidt did not mention that S. Dallas Dance did not meet the Maryland requirements for teaching experience and that a waiver had to be requested from then interim state Superintendent Bernard J. Sadusky. This waiver was granted in two days. It could hardly have been granted because Mr. Dance had such extensive experience in all other areas because Mr. Dance has never held another job for more than three years.

"America's Got Talent" is in New York for a second night. Howard Stern brought his parents along. They look like a sweet old couple, but according to Howard, they've been complaining about waiting in the auditorium for the past two hours. First to audition is a singer/dancer named Ronald Charles. I can already tell his act isn't going to be pretty; his turquoise leggings and weird haircut are dead giveaway. I'm right. He's so awful, Howard gets his dad (who is conveniently equipped with a microphone)

We're at the finale already (didn't this season seem short?). I'll say it right here at the top of the episode - unless William falls repeatedly on his keister, requiring the judges to give him 5's across the board, there's no way he's not winning this thing. That being said, I'd be OK with any of the three finalists winning, even though I'm personally Team Driver. Tonight's show will have each couple dancing two dances:  1. Judge's pick, which are new routines danced to new music, but in a style the couple has previously danced and in which the judges would like to see them improve.  2. Freestyle Tomorrow night, the couples will be doing some sort of third scored dance, details about which we'll learn later.

The search for America's next greatest talent continues in New York.  First up is The Flyte Cru, who I guess you could call basketball stunts-men. They use trampolines to do all sorts of somersaults as they shoot hoops. Their act is pretty entertaining, but I feel like I've seen it before, so I'm not very impressed. Judge Howie Mandel thinks the same thing and gives them a “no.” New judge Howard Stern has been surprisingly kind this season; he continues that streak and says he wants to see Flyte Cru move on to next round.

Gifted with a mother's second sight, Catherine Johnson knew her daughter Jacqueline Green better than the child knew herself. In 2004, the eighth-grader insisted she had absolutely zero desire to study dance. "Oh, Mom," she said, rolling her eyes. "Why would I want to do that?" Nonetheless, at her mother's prodding and though she had never taken a dance class in her life, she auditioned for the Baltimore School of the Arts. On Tuesday, the 22-year-old Green will return to her hometown for the first time as a member of the main company of Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, one of America's premier modern dance troupes.

Baltimore County parents and legislators will ask incoming schools Superintendent Dallas Dance to consider putting more teachers in high schools, where class sizes have swelled since positions were eliminated a year ago. Maryland Sen. James Brochin, a Baltimore County Democrat, said he wants Dance to examine restoring positions at high schools, where hundreds of classes have been dropped, soon after Dance takes over July 1. He said he warned county...

Dallas Dance, Baltimore County's soon-to-be superintendent of schools, won't officially take the job until July 1, but the school board approved a contract Tuesday night that will allow him to begin working as a consultant for the month of June. The school board will pay Dance a salary of $21,250 for the month, or one-twelfth of his annual salary, as well as some relocation costs and health insurance. School board chair Lawrence Schmidt said the board wanted Dance to have a month to get to know the people in the county, visit some schools and work for a week with Superintendent Joe Hairston, whose contract expires at the end of June.