TT
ESC 2010 Semi-Final 2 Results
At last I've finally finished watching the second semi-final, almost an hour after it finished, so I can now bring you the results and my feedback.
My preferred qualifiers: Armenia, Israel, Denmark, Sweden, Azerbaijan, The Netherlands, Romania, Ireland, Bulgaria, Croatia.
Actual results: Georgia, Ukraine, Turkey, Israel, Ireland, Cyprus, Azerbaijan, Romania, Armenia, Denmark
I am GUTTED that the Netherlands didn't qualify after I voted for them, they had such a great song.
Likewise it's such a shame Sweden, Bulgaria and Croatia failed to qualify. In my opinion, the entries from The Netherlands, Sweden, Bulgaria and Croatia were all MUCH better than the offerings from Georgia, Ukraine, Turkey and Cyprus. I was disappointed at Cyprus getting though, and disgusted at Georgia, Ukraine and Turkey qualifying. Netherlands, Sweden, Bulgaria and Croatia deserved the places robbed by Georgia, Ukraine, Turkey and Cyprus. Thank heavens Denmark qualified, I'd have been even more heartbroken if they'd not made it. Ditto Ireland, as they've not qualified the last couple of years and Niamh sung a decent ballad. I'm also glad that Israel, Azerbaijan, Romania and Armenia qualified. So that means that 6 out of my desired 10 made it through. Thank goodness Lithuania and Slovenia managed to stay out, as they were terrible. Switzerland wasn't much better, but at a push I'd sooner they'd gone through than Georgia, Ukraine or Turkey.
At last I've finally finished watching the second semi-final, almost an hour after it finished, so I can now bring you the results and my feedback.
My preferred qualifiers: Armenia, Israel, Denmark, Sweden, Azerbaijan, The Netherlands, Romania, Ireland, Bulgaria, Croatia.
Actual results: Georgia, Ukraine, Turkey, Israel, Ireland, Cyprus, Azerbaijan, Romania, Armenia, Denmark
I am GUTTED that the Netherlands didn't qualify after I voted for them, they had such a great song.
Likewise it's such a shame Sweden, Bulgaria and Croatia failed to qualify. In my opinion, the entries from The Netherlands, Sweden, Bulgaria and Croatia were all MUCH better than the offerings from Georgia, Ukraine, Turkey and Cyprus. I was disappointed at Cyprus getting though, and disgusted at Georgia, Ukraine and Turkey qualifying. Netherlands, Sweden, Bulgaria and Croatia deserved the places robbed by Georgia, Ukraine, Turkey and Cyprus. Thank heavens Denmark qualified, I'd have been even more heartbroken if they'd not made it. Ditto Ireland, as they've not qualified the last couple of years and Niamh sung a decent ballad. I'm also glad that Israel, Azerbaijan, Romania and Armenia qualified. So that means that 6 out of my desired 10 made it through. Thank goodness Lithuania and Slovenia managed to stay out, as they were terrible. Switzerland wasn't much better, but at a push I'd sooner they'd gone through than Georgia, Ukraine or Turkey.
NG
Do you think? I'm not that impressed. They're not annoying - as a number have been (Moscow's semi-final presenters were awful) - but they're just a bit bland I think.
Cast your mind back to Sweden 2000 - Kattis Ahlström and Anders Lundin were probably the best hosts I can remember. Witty, ironic, self-deprecating, and polished. They are still the ones to beat. In fact - Stockholm 2000 is still one of the best contests for my money. Sure TV technology has improved - but the opening was classy, and the show just set the benchmark for future events, just as the music direction in Birmingham 1998 set new standards. (The set was old school - and it wasn't a jib and steadicam fest - but the skill in 1998's music scripting was obvious)
Also, does anybody know where I could find HD screen caps from tonight or Tuesday's show? Thanks
I'm sure anyone with SVT HD could oblige...
noggin
Founding member
Wonderful show again, I really like the presenters this year. Nadia will do a great job during the televoting I think.
Do you think? I'm not that impressed. They're not annoying - as a number have been (Moscow's semi-final presenters were awful) - but they're just a bit bland I think.
Cast your mind back to Sweden 2000 - Kattis Ahlström and Anders Lundin were probably the best hosts I can remember. Witty, ironic, self-deprecating, and polished. They are still the ones to beat. In fact - Stockholm 2000 is still one of the best contests for my money. Sure TV technology has improved - but the opening was classy, and the show just set the benchmark for future events, just as the music direction in Birmingham 1998 set new standards. (The set was old school - and it wasn't a jib and steadicam fest - but the skill in 1998's music scripting was obvious)
Quote:
Also, does anybody know where I could find HD screen caps from tonight or Tuesday's show? Thanks
I'm sure anyone with SVT HD could oblige...
EO
Not just classy, it was effing epic!
Wogan-free version on YouTube for anyone who's not seen it
Anyone know what the music was, incidentally, or was it specially composed?
Cast your mind back to Sweden 2000 - Kattis Ahlström and Anders Lundin were probably the best hosts I can remember. Witty, ironic, self-deprecating, and polished. They are still the ones to beat. In fact - Stockholm 2000 is still one of the best contests for my money. Sure TV technology has improved - but the opening was classy, and the show just set the benchmark for future events...
Not just classy, it was effing epic!
Wogan-free version on YouTube for anyone who's not seen it
Anyone know what the music was, incidentally, or was it specially composed?
TT
So here are the 25 countries appearing in tomorrow's grand final, in alphabetical (not performance) order:
Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Moldova, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom.
OUT (but will still vote tomorrow): Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, F.Y.R. Macedonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland.
Now let's look at some country groups.
Baltic States (Ex USSR)
OUT: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania.
So no Baltic countries then. Never mind, I wasn't that keen on Estonia (it was on my "in reserve" list but didn't mind it not qualifying) and I hated Latvia and Lithuania, so am glad they won't be appearing tomorrow.
Benelux
IN: Belgium. OUT: Netherlands. (Luxembourg didn't enter in 2010).
Belgium was one of my "in reserve" preferences in SF1, and I'm so glad they qualified now after so many years of not reaching the final. I'm gutted that Netherlands didn't qualify last night, their song was so much better and they were robbed the chance of performing tomorrow. They should have had one of the places undeservedly taken by Georgia, Ukraine and Turkey. Will Luxembourg ever take part again? Indeed is RTL (or any other Luxembourg broadcaster) an EBU member?
Nordic area
IN: Denmark, Iceland, Norway. OUT: Finland, Sweden.
Finland and Sweden were robbed there. Both had great songs which deserved to be in the final. It's diabolical that they had to be knocked out just so we could have Russia from SF1, and Georgia, Ukraine and Turkey from SF2. All five Nordic countries should have been finalists.
Greece & Cyprus
IN: Greece, Cyprus.
I wanted Greece in as I thought it's a lively one which will be fun to dance along to tomorrow night, but didn't want Cyprus to go through, as I didn't think much of their song. So now both Greece and Cyprus are in, they're sure to give each other 12 points. Any bookies taking bets on that?
Former Yugoslavia
IN: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia. OUT: Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Slovenia. (Montenegro didn't enter in 2010).
So that means Bosnia & Herzegovina and Serbia will be able to award each other high points, and both will receive high scores from Croatia, FYR Macedonia and Slovenia. I didn't want Bosnia & Herzegovina or Serbia to qualify, but they did, worse luck. It's such a shame Croatia didn't qualify, their song was the best of the five ex-Yugoslav songs this year. Thank goodness FYR Macedonia and Slovenia didn't qualify as their entries weren't up to much.
Founding Seven
By this I mean the seven countries who appeared in the very first ESC in Lugano in 1956:
IN: Belgium, France, Germany. OUT: Netherlands, Switzerland. (Italy and Luxembourg didn't enter in 2010)
As I've already said, Netherlands were robbed there, they should have qualified. I didn't particularly want Switzerland to qualify as I wasn't that keen on it, but I'd rather that had qualified than Ukraine or Turkey, as I thought the Swiss song was better than those from Ukraine and Turkey.
Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Moldova, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom.
OUT (but will still vote tomorrow): Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, F.Y.R. Macedonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland.
Now let's look at some country groups.
Baltic States (Ex USSR)
OUT: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania.
So no Baltic countries then. Never mind, I wasn't that keen on Estonia (it was on my "in reserve" list but didn't mind it not qualifying) and I hated Latvia and Lithuania, so am glad they won't be appearing tomorrow.
Benelux
IN: Belgium. OUT: Netherlands. (Luxembourg didn't enter in 2010).
Belgium was one of my "in reserve" preferences in SF1, and I'm so glad they qualified now after so many years of not reaching the final. I'm gutted that Netherlands didn't qualify last night, their song was so much better and they were robbed the chance of performing tomorrow. They should have had one of the places undeservedly taken by Georgia, Ukraine and Turkey. Will Luxembourg ever take part again? Indeed is RTL (or any other Luxembourg broadcaster) an EBU member?
Nordic area
IN: Denmark, Iceland, Norway. OUT: Finland, Sweden.
Finland and Sweden were robbed there. Both had great songs which deserved to be in the final. It's diabolical that they had to be knocked out just so we could have Russia from SF1, and Georgia, Ukraine and Turkey from SF2. All five Nordic countries should have been finalists.
Greece & Cyprus
IN: Greece, Cyprus.
I wanted Greece in as I thought it's a lively one which will be fun to dance along to tomorrow night, but didn't want Cyprus to go through, as I didn't think much of their song. So now both Greece and Cyprus are in, they're sure to give each other 12 points. Any bookies taking bets on that?
Former Yugoslavia
IN: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia. OUT: Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Slovenia. (Montenegro didn't enter in 2010).
So that means Bosnia & Herzegovina and Serbia will be able to award each other high points, and both will receive high scores from Croatia, FYR Macedonia and Slovenia. I didn't want Bosnia & Herzegovina or Serbia to qualify, but they did, worse luck. It's such a shame Croatia didn't qualify, their song was the best of the five ex-Yugoslav songs this year. Thank goodness FYR Macedonia and Slovenia didn't qualify as their entries weren't up to much.
Founding Seven
By this I mean the seven countries who appeared in the very first ESC in Lugano in 1956:
IN: Belgium, France, Germany. OUT: Netherlands, Switzerland. (Italy and Luxembourg didn't enter in 2010)
As I've already said, Netherlands were robbed there, they should have qualified. I didn't particularly want Switzerland to qualify as I wasn't that keen on it, but I'd rather that had qualified than Ukraine or Turkey, as I thought the Swiss song was better than those from Ukraine and Turkey.
Last edited by Tumble Tower on 28 May 2010 9:11am - 4 times in total
GE
There is only one feed* to the world - the gallery in TC3 must be covering it up in the way noggin suggests.
* actually, there are four: two HD, two SD, spread across two satellites and from two different uplinks. Can't be too careful...
thegeek
Founding member
Anyone know how the BBC (and others) omit the logo, is there a seperate non-logo'd feed is there some way they can cover it up automatically?
* actually, there are four: two HD, two SD, spread across two satellites and from two different uplinks. Can't be too careful...
FE
After only seeing Semi Final number 2:
Pos
> Presenters: Really like the idea of having three 'main' presenters, as opposed to the front pair, and the usually annoying backstage pair. The presenters also seem the most professional I've seen for years.
> Lighting: Nice to see the lighting being used more effectively with the lack of the LED screens.
> Postcards: Nice and concise, not to mention the great 3D tracking.
Neg
> 'Live from stage shots': Not so keen on the mix of behind the scenes in the main show
> Steadicam: Seems some performances have multiple Steadicam shots cut between each other. Not particularly keen on the percentage of Steadicam shots in the mix being quite so high.
Pos
> Presenters: Really like the idea of having three 'main' presenters, as opposed to the front pair, and the usually annoying backstage pair. The presenters also seem the most professional I've seen for years.
> Lighting: Nice to see the lighting being used more effectively with the lack of the LED screens.
> Postcards: Nice and concise, not to mention the great 3D tracking.
Neg
> 'Live from stage shots': Not so keen on the mix of behind the scenes in the main show
> Steadicam: Seems some performances have multiple Steadicam shots cut between each other. Not particularly keen on the percentage of Steadicam shots in the mix being quite so high.