DONALD: No question about it, this routine was a challenge to pull off. I didn't really care for it. The softer hip-hop style came across as weak, almost desultory. I thought the dance moves themselves were fine, though I did see a few out-of-sync moments. More damaging was the hard-to-define way in which the strengths of these dancers were not utilized by the choreographer. He tried a weird, soulless, almost avant-garde derivation of hip-hop, and it didn't quite work. It didn't help that the dancers' demeanor didn't match the material. Jason has a tendency to plaster that wonderful grin on his face no matter what character he's playing or what style he's dancing. He's going to have to watch that. I think the majority of the blame has to go to the choreographer, however.

The judges all seemed to feel this way, too, though it seems to be established protocol on this show to blame the dancers when the choreography doesn't work. (After all, they can beat up the dancers all they want; the choreographers are established names and likely come with big egos.) Judge Lil' C, who spoke first, came closest to affixing blame where it was due. "I'm left feeling a bit perplexed at the end of the number," he said. "I think the choreographer's dream has to become the dancer's reality." In this case, however, he said the routine became the dancers' "nightmare." (The problem is that Lil' C's rambling pronouncements, pumped full of academic-sounding sophistication, don't coagulate into intelligible sound bites. He really flailed last night. Did anyone else notice that midway through the program, Mary started making her pronouncements first -- as if he'd been bumped from that important position?)

Judge Mary Murphy, who often takes us on a shrill ride, was subdued when she consider Jason and Caitlin's performance. The routine bothered her, though she didn't say anything about the choreography, choosing to direct her vague criticisms at the performers. "You didn't really nail it," she told the dancers.

It was left to Nigel Lythgoe to offer a more nuanced view, and it was clear that he was trying both to salvage the verdict on the dancers and not tick off his famous choreographer. Of the three judges, he offered the most positive review. Still, I think it's a pretty good chance that Jason and Caitlin will land in the Bottom 3 tonight.

KATHY: I agree, Donald. The dancers are all so strong this year, and this week, it seemed, some of last week's stars just didn't stand out. Jason falls into that category. I think people were probably paying more attention to the bottom dancers from last week so they could decide whether to help save them. Those bottom dancers really stepped up this week. The one thing Jason seems to have going for him are shrieking girls ... that sex appeal and charisma could save him.

DONALD: The rest of the show had some really great performances. My favorite dancers Janette Manrara and Brandon Bryant, who did a skittish but technically amazing disco routine; Kayla Radomski and Max Kapitanniko's weird pop jazz routine. (I think Kayla is much better than Max, but he's growing on me.) My predictions for the Bottom 3 are Jason and Caitlin; Jeanine Mason and Phillip Chbeeb, who plodded through the tango; and Randi Strong-Evans and Evan Kasprzak, who did OK on their jive number but just aren't going to attract enough votes. I think Jason will hang on, but it might be a nail-biter. What odds do you give him, Kathy?

KATHY: I think Ade and Melissa and Max and Kayla are the strongest couples. For the bottom 3 I'd pick: Evan and Randi (I just find them both underwhelming), Philip and Jeanine (They really were the worst dancers last night) and Kupono and Ashley (I thought their hip hop was worse than Jason and Caitlans). I think Jason and Caitlin are on the cusp, but their personalities seem more likeable than the others and that should push them to 4th from the bottom this week.

DONALD: What do you think, Beehive readers? Will Jason's personality and the hometown Fresno vote come through for him? We'll find out tonight.