Thursday night's (August 12) grand finale episode of "So You Think You Can Dance" was full of curve balls. Robert was the first dancer eliminated, which should probably be considered a minor upset. Alex Wong made another appearance during the opening number (he was seated, of course, but it's the thought that counts). In her first television appearance since she gave up her chair behind the "American Idol" judges' table, Ellen DeGeneres showed up to shake her tailfeather. But the biggest upset was probably the revelation that 18-year-old cheerleader Lauren Froderman was the last dancer standing and is this season's champion. She'll take home $250,000 for her trouble.
While Lauren's work was excellent (driven home by her fine dancing during Wednesday night's episode), she never seemed to really have a huge breakout week. What was Lauren's signature routine? Meanwhile, it seemed like Kent had half a dozen of those kinds of performances (though when he slipped up, it tended to be huge — which is exactly what happened during his encore cha-cha last night). Robert probably had the best narrative of anybody, though of the three finalists, his dancing was probably the most inconsistent. In the end, Lauren's victory makes perfect sense (and also provides redemption for all of the female dancers who dropped off early and got hurt along the way).
With another season in the books, it's time to look forward to the next season. If Alex Wong doesn't win, won't it be one of the biggest upsets in the universe? Will they do anything to switch up the format again? How will Nigel Lythgoe's return to "American Idol" effect "So You Think You Can Dance"? It's the mark of a great show if the finale immediately leaves you wanting more.
Did "So You Think You Can Dance" crown the correct champion? Let us know in the comments!