Will it be Melanie or Sasha? That’s the question on everyone’s lips leading into the finals of “So You Think You Can Dance” tonight. Sure, Marko and Tadd are still in the competition, but even the judges are comfortable saying it will likely come down to two female contemporary dancers. (Sorry, fellas!) While we won’t know who will take top honors until Thursday night, here’s a look back at the most notable performances from last week’s Top 6, where we bid adieu to dancers Caitlynn and Ricky. With lead judge Nigel Lythgoe waffling between which girl is his favorite — one minute, it’s Sasha; the next, it’s Melanie — it’s sure to be one of the best finals yet.

Sasha and Kent
Sasha literally hit the wall in her routine, but fortunately we mean that in a good way. The onstage prop for their Tyce Diorio routine was simple: a plain wall, which played a significant role in their his story about two people who have hit a wall in their relationship. Sasha poured herself into the routine, putting her technique and her emotion into the routine in a way that made it clear that early frontrunner Melanie wasn’t a shoo-in to win this season. “You put your finger against a wall and you break my heart,” guest judge Christina Applegate said. “And that’s dance. … Something has hurt you and I thank you for sharing that with us.”

Tadd and Melanie
Melanie showed off her acting skills with Tadd last week as they performed a story about a choreographer and his star dancer. As Tadd took the role of the choreographer, Melanie portrayed a young dancer who was falling in love with her teacher. As she showed off her technical, sensitive side, her B-boy partner showed how far he’s come this season. “Tadd, to think you are in this routine with one of the best dancers we’ve ever had on this show,” Nigel said. “… To say that you did not suck is a compliment.

Melanie’s Solo
Since the judges referred to Melanie’s solo repeatedly in their critique of her pairing with Tadd, here’s a look at the “beefy” performance. (Description courtesy of judge Lil C.) No wonder the judges call her a “beast.”

Marko and Caitlynn
It may have been Caitlynn’s swan song, but it was still worthy of a Lil C-ism: her final dance with Marko last Wednesday earned the title of “double hash tag buck.” Marko’s performance was top-notch, for sure, but that’s expected of the Guam native. And so the judges focused on Caitlynn, whose breakthrough routine was one of her best numbers in the series.

Melanie and Twitch
Week after week, Melanie has conquered whatever dance “SYTYCD” has thrown at her, getting to the point where it seemed there was no style she couldn’t master. Last week, however, we almost — almost — saw her falter as she paired up with All-Star Twitch for a hip-hop routine. The music was difficult, and the choreography was fast, but, as judge Lil C pointed out, she got through the routine, letting go of her precision and athleticism, and finally showing us that she has teeth and claws. That’s right, this Little Red Riding Hood has bite, too.

Tell us what you think: Which “SYTYCD” star gets your vote for America’s top dancer?

Just when we were starting to get really attached to the couples on this eighth season of “So You Think You Can Dance,” the show threw us for a loop by splitting up the seemingly unbeatable duo of Marko and Melody. But it wasn’t all sad news: “SYTYCD” paired up the Top 10 dancers with some of our favorite All-Stars from seasons past, including Pasha, Twitch, and Comfort. Perhaps even better, the show treated us to two nights with Neil Patrick Harris (no stranger to Broadway, he’s also a fan of the show). Even though we eventually had to say goodbye to Mitchell and Clarice, several acts soared last week. Here’s a look back at some of our faves.

Sasha
In what was one of the week’s most highly praised dances, Sasha teamed up with All-Star Twitch (Season 4) for a hip-hop routine styled by Christopher Scott (a dancer himself on “The LXD” web series). But this wasn’t your traditional pop-and-lock number. The choreographer opted for some soul, instead, and it worked. Lead judge Nigel Lythgoe was left speechless at first, and noted that this was the first time he’d really seen chemistry between Sasha and her partner. We’d have to agree!

Marko
All season long, Marko and Melanie have been the two dancers to watch. Now that we’ve reached the top 10, though, we had to ask how well this charismatic duo would do once they were split up. We got to find out last Wednesday, though, when Marko paired up with “SYTYCD” all-star turned “Dancing With the Stars” pro Chelsie Hightower (Season 4) for a samba full of scissor kicks, fancy footwork, and of course, Latin rhythm. Rehearsals left Marko banged up and bruised, but he persevered and came out strong, leaving Chelsie breathless at the end of their routine. Neil Patrick Harris singled him out as the guy to beat this season, while his fellow judges were equally enthusiastic.

Melanie
Call it the night of Pasha, if you will: he paired up first with Caitlynn for the Argentinean tango, then returned to the stage for a sexy-sweet Viennese waltz with judges’ favorite Melanie. It was so fluid and natural, she looked like she’d been waltzing for years. The end result was a romantic confection that made us want seconds.

Tell us: which routine was your favorite this week?

Tonight on “So You Think You Can Dance,” the remaining 10 dancers will say adieu to their partners and pair up with a crew of “SYTYCD” All-Stars: Melody (Season 1), Allison (2), Pasha (3), Twitch (4), Comfort (4), Chelsie (4), Brandon (5), Kathryn (5), Robert (7). The big revelation, however, was that world-class ballerina Alex Wong, who left the show (prematurely) last season when he ruptured his Achilles, wouldn’t be returning as an All-Star. Turns out the dancer suffered from the same injury on his other foot. We’ll find out which dances stand out tonight, but first, let’s revisit our top three dances from last week.

Clarice and Jess
Christopher Scott (from “The LXD“) presented Clarice and Jess with a lyrical interpretation of hip-hop. The simple routine played to the dancer’s strengths and left the judges feeling all sorts of warm-and-fuzzy. Even typically critical judge Sonya Tayeh ate it up, saying that the pair “just slayed it.”

Jordan and Tadd
So you think “Black Swan” was creepy? Choreographer Travis Wall’s contemporary routine for Jordan and a shirtless Tadd took it to the next level, inspiring judge Mary Murphy to exclaim, “Beautiful. Dark. Magnificent.” And while it made us think of Natalie Portman’s eerie turn as a ballerina, guest judge Jesse Tyler Ferguson (“Modern Family“) may have been right when he called it the classic “vulture stalks boy” story. (Note to the “SYTYCD” producers: can we have more Jesse, please?)

Melanie and Marko
“Dancing With the Stars” pro Louis Van Amstel crossed over to “SYTYCD” last week to coach the season’s superstars, Melanie and Marko, through a sultry tango that finished with one heck of a lift. It was one of the toughest routines they’ve faced this season. So did they rise to the occasion? You better believe it. While Mary noted a few missteps, she and Nigel both acknowledged that their performance was leaps and bounds over what they saw in the dress rehearsals.

Tell us: which of the Top 12′s dances were your favorites this week?

Blame it on the salsa: the challenging Latin dance proved too much for “So You Think You Can Dance” contestants Ashley and Chris, who found themselves packing following last week’s Top 14 performances. And while ballroom has generally fallen flat this season, three numbers did stand out last week, from a romantic turn of leaps and lifts to a Moulin Rouge-like jazz number. Here’s a look at three of our favorites.

Caitlynn and Mitchell
Caitlynn and Mitchell put aside their playful personalities to get oh-so-dreamy for choreographer Mandy Moore’s piece, set to a Celine Dion power ballad. No matter that Mitchell was nursing an injury: he executed each lift and vault with precision, never once letting his brunette partner fall. In the end, the judges were on their feet and ‐ no surprise here — Mary Murphy was all choked up with pride and emotion.

Melanie and Marko
Last week “SYTYCD” power couple Melanie and Marko wowed the audience with a staged kiss that set off a series of surprise kisses among the judges. This week, their fiery routine, set to Lady Gaga’s “Americano,” turned our notion of jazz dance upside down. The ballroom-inspired number had the audience on its feet by the end, with series alum-turned-choreographer-turned-judge Travis Wall called them the two to beat this season. Mary Murphy was a little more restrained in this round, commending the duo for their passion and commitment to character. Still, never one to shy away from theatrics, she granted Marko with a new nickname: “Domination Man.”

Ryan and Ricky
As the dancers shared past stories about themselves, Ryan’s story stood out for her “SYTYCD” connection: she trained with former judge Mia Michaels and even got an appearance on “House” thanks to her ex-coach. Conspiracies aside, Ryan and her partner Ricky took on jazz with a zombie dance — not the first we’ve seen this season, but much more fun than Ashley and Chris’ primitive undead dance from a few weeks ago, thanks to David Bowie’s “Fashion” as the soundtrack.

Tell us what you think: which of last week’s dancers made an impression on you?

The big story from last week’s “So You Think You Can Dance” wasn’t about the dancing or the two contestants (Miranda and Robert) who were eliminated. No, it was about the kissing. It all started with this season’s power couple, Melanie and Marko, as they performed a routine about a jilted groom who realized the love of his life was beside him the whole time. And while we’ve seen that story play out in dozens of rom-coms, we couldn’t help but squeal when we saw Marko fully commit to his role and plant a big one on his partner’s lips. We’re pretty sure the judges fell for it, too — but more on that below. Before the Top 14 dancers reveal what’s in store this week, here’s a look at some of the highlights from the Top 16.

Melanie and Marko
Once again, power couple Melanie and Marko won accolades from the judges for their story of best friends falling in love. Nigel had big praise for the pair, calling them the “couple to beat” at this stage in the competition. But the dancers’ connection wasn’t what stuck with us. Actually, it was the love fest taking place at the judges’ table. Responding to the big smooch that Marko placed on Melanie’s lips, first Nigel planted one on Mary (much to host Cat Deeley’s horror), then guest judge Kristin Chenoweth gave a big old kiss to Lil’ C before Nigel came over to give Lil’ C yet another kiss. (Big props to Marko for trying to get a kiss from Cat at the end of it all, too!)

Caitlynn and Mitchell
OK, so maybe America didn’t respond to Caitlynn and Mitchell’s sexy Samba this week — they ended up in the bottom three couples this week, after all — but perhaps they’re just not responding the ballroom in this contemporary-heavy season. As Cat said, though, “I think even Beyonce would have been proud of those two. You were bootylicious!” Ballroom expert Mary Murphy called the routine spectacular, calling out Caitlynn’s leg and foot action as well as Mitchell’s strength. As for Chenoweth, all she could say was “shut the front door” (several times over, in fact).

Jordan and Tadd
Was it the best dance of the night? Absolutely not, but it was a fun opportunity to see the normally sexy dancer Jordan squirm at the concept behind their storyline, which was centered around two college kids waking up in bed together. (Jordan pointed out that she shares her bed with pillow pets, not strangers.) Her facial expressions matched the “OMG, how did I end up here?” moment perfectly, even though her dance moves may not have been as crisp as some of us — including Lil’ C — would have liked. No matter, though: we forgot all about it when her partner Tadd took his shirt off. With that, we knew this duo was safe from elimination.

With last week’s quadruple elimination behind us we’re calling the shots on the best performers going into tonight’s “So You Think You Can Dance” Top 16 performances. And no, we’re not talking about the appearance of a batty Debbie Reynolds last week. We may have said goodbye to sexy girl Missy and her B-boy partner Mitchell — as well as ballroom champ Ivetka and tap dancer Nick — but six contenders really stand out as the dance-off continues. Let’s take a look at the performances that brought on the blood, sweat, and tears (literally).

Sasha and Alexander
With their story of a soldier returning home from Afghanistan, choreographers Napoleon and Tabitha, aka NappyTabs, crafted a performance that moved the judges — Mary Murphy, in particular — to tears. But dancers Sasha and Alexander deserved the real credit for their passionate, emotional interpretation. In the end, the judges had little to critique, knowing that the dancers were safe with voters this week.

Caitlynn and Mitchell
These new friends/partners had to summon plenty of emotion for choreographer Stacey Tookey’s contemporary routine for Adele’s “Turning Tables.” Nice guy Mitchell (who was injured the week before) really got into his character, however, when he “punched” Caitlynn in the nose. Her bleeding nose may have been a distraction, but their performance was strong enough to inspire judge Nigel Lythgoe to say, “Dance is the language of the soul, and that’s what came through tonight.”

Melanie and Marco
Already Top 20 favorites after the first round of couples, Melanie and Marco also got a Stacey Tookey routine this week. Their jazzy performance played up Marco’s acrobatics and Melanie’s high kicks. Some props work put things in jeopardy, though, when Marco dropped his hat just before Melanie jumped into his arms. No need to worry: Marco got the hat back and caught his partner, much to the delight of Debbie Reynolds.

V invades Hulu this Wednesday with a brand new episode — and after a four month hiatus, you probably need a refresher as to why we’re supposed to be terrified of the arrival of a group of lizard-like aliens who wear the skins of some really, really ridiculously good-looking people in order to win our devotion before doing something truly awful. Don’t freak out. Hulu has got you covered with this out-of-this-world V-cap of the season so far (and it doesn’t take an alien brain to realize that spoilers follow).

In the beginning, 29 spaceships descend upon Earth’s atmosphere and position themselves over the world capitols. Their leader, the radiant Anna (Morena Baccarin), announces that they come in peace and they hope that we can all be friends. Since we Earthlings have seen our share of alien movies, the general public reacts to this news with mixed emotions. Dubbed “The Visitors,” or “Vs” for short, they immediately command the entire world’s attention.

Since the Vs arrived, FBI agent Erica Evans (Elizabeth Mitchell) notices that one terrorist cell registered a surge in activity at a time when others were staring at the spaceships like everyone else. Her attempts to track down the mystery organization always find her a step behind, but there’s a good reason for that: her partner Dale (Alan Tudyk) is a member of the cell comprised of V sleepers sent to Earth decades ago to infiltrate high-level positions throughout the world’s infrastructure. When Dale sets Erica up at what turns out to be a V resistance meeting, Erica kills him (at least she thinks she does), but not before seeing that, underneath that human skin, he is reptilian.

Opportunistic TV journalist Chad Decker (Scott Wolf) scores the ultimate get by becoming the only news guy on the planet with whom Anna will speak … but there’s a catch: He can only cover the Vs in a positive light. Realizing the viewership he’s going to get, he tosses his journalistic ethics out the window, but before long he figures out how to create his own spin on his interviews with the leader to show the Vs that they’re not calling all the shots. Advantage: Decker. But hold on, not so fast: While reporting on the amazing healthcare provided by the Vs, he learns that he has just six months to live, but the Vs could bump him to the top of the long wait list to cure him. Superior lifeforms wouldn’t do a guy a favor and want something in return, would they?

Ryan Nichols (Morris Chestnut) is a normal guy with a great job and a pretty girl who may one day be his wife. He’s also a traitorous V who broke from the sleeper cell years ago to join a resistance organization called The Fifth Column. Their agenda: to stop Anna from committing the atrocities she’s planning to unleash on Earth. The resistance didn’t work so well the first time, so Ryan figured he’d lay low with the humans. But just when he thought he was out, they pulled him back in! Oh, and did I mention that his girlfriend is now pregnant?

Ryan joins forces with Erica, Father Jack (Joel Gretsch) — an Iraqi War vet/priest who just doesn’t trust the Vs — and Georgie Sutton (David Richmond-Peck), whose family was killed by the Vs when he learned too much about their ultimate aims. This fierce foursome quickly learn that they can only trust one another, even though members of The Fifth Column are scattered throughout the earth, and even in some high-level positions in Anna’s cabinet. Through some FBI groundwork and some of Ryan’s V know-how, they discover and destroy a lab where the Vs were developing a fatal batch of “flu vaccine” they planned to administer to the world. It went off without a hitch … except for the V guard who tracked Father Jack down and stabbed him.

Like all teenagers, Tyler Evans (Logan Huffman) is different and nobody gets him. His FBI mom (Erica) is always busy trying to save the world and telling him to stay away from the spaceships, but what does she know about the V? Especially the hot one, Lisa (Laura Vandervoort), who convinces him to be a Peace Ambassador that gets to wear really cool jackets that are actually spy cameras through which the Vs can find out what happens when humans stop being polite and start getting real. Lisa totally wants Ty — but not in the way Ty is hoping — and calls him “the one.” She is also Anna’s daughter who has been tasked in finding “the one” for her mother, but Tyler doesn’t care what that means … he’s just hoping to get to second base.

So, there you have it. The Americans have let the V in, gotten some universal healthcare out of it, and now we wait to see what nefarious agenda they have been waiting to unfurl. Maybe the fleet of spaceships rapidly approaching the Earth has something to do with it. The Fifth Column had better start a membership drive.

Martin Moakler
Content Editor

After working two decades in film and television, Scott Wolf will show back up on our TVs on Tuesday, March 30, in the return of the ABC series V. Known for playing characters like the rebellious Bailey on Party of Five, Scott continues his role on V as the unscrupulous television journalist Chad Decker (or as I like to call him when watching the show: What are you doing? You’re playing right into their hands! They’re gonna find us V-licious!) who capitulates his journalistic ethics in order to get the exclusive interview rights with the leader of an alien delegation that has just arrived on Earth. I spoke with Scott recently to find out what it was like breaking into a new genre, where he found the inspiration for Chad and if we should expect some man-alien love in the upcoming episodes. — Martin Moakler, Hulu’s Content Editor

Hulu: After your earlier work on shows like Party of Five and Everwood, how is working on a sci-fi show different than family dramas?
Scott Wolf: I think I would start by saying what this show has in common with those and why I think I really love being on it is that it’s got a really great story and really good characters and relationships, but most of the other shows I’ve done have had very little “spaceship work.” I think in terms of my day-to-day work, the green screen work, you know, working on a giant stage that’s basically just green walls everywhere and then having the special effects guys paint in the room that you’re sitting in around you, has been pretty cool … something that’s been new to me. This story exists on a level that is beyond anything I’ve taken part in before. Obviously a story about aliens landing on earth is gigantic and limitless in terms of what we can do visually, so it’s been really great. I’m really loving it. It feels like the imagination that goes into making a story is really the fun of it and in a show like this where it’s a genre show, it feels like there’s really no limit to where the imagination can take us.

Tell us little bit about your character Chad Decker?
When we meet Chad, he’s obviously had some success. He’s on television as a news anchor but he’s feeling looked over. He’s feeling like he’s not in the center of things and he really believes he deserves to be. You’ve got a guy who’s looking for an opportunity to break out and when the Visitors arrive and the spaceships descend upon the Earth, obviously it’s the biggest worldwide story ever and the opportunity of a lifetime, potentially, for a news journalist and so he finds his way into having this encounter with the leader of the aliens and in that first chapter of the show, we watch him basically capitalize on their arrival, and while most of the world is trying to figure out Are they good or are they evil? Are they who they say they are or Do they want to hurt us? he’s just sort of moving his way through this whole event and trying to advance his own career and see how much he can get out of it, and only once we jump back into our story now do we see a guy who is beginning to sense that there’s too much at stake to not start paying attention to whether or not these aliens are actually here to hurt us.

Is there a newscaster on whom you based your performance?
He’s kind of a mish mash of a bunch of different people. I’d say there’s a bunch of Anderson Cooper in there just because I’m a fan of Anderson Cooper’s journalism. Not only do I think he’s great at what he does, there’s something very approachable and you can really connect to him. And I think Chad is somebody who thrives on people feeling like they can trust him. He’s not an old-fashioned newsman, but kind of a new model news guy who feels like your buddy delivering the news. Ultimately, I feel like what’s fun in our story is we’re tackling the idea of what it means to place so much faith in the hands of our media and the members of our media who we entrust with information and our lives, in a sense, and our story takes a look at what would happen if all that faith was placed in the hands of someone who might not deserve it. At this point we don’t know. We don’t know whether Chad is ultimately going to lose out to his worse side or rise to the occasion in the end.

What has been one of your favorite moments on set so far?
There have been some scenes recently between Chad and Anna [Morena Baccarin] and I think one of the most interesting things for me when we began this story was this relationship between Chad and Anna and it’s one of the closer relationships we see between a Visitor and a human. You’ve got the leader of the Visitors … this alien population, and this news journalist, a guy who is basically carrying their message for them, and they’re dancing. They’re sort of seducing each other. They’re trying to get what they need from each other. There’s a personal aspect to it that’s hard to define. They seem to have some sort of chemistry. They see something in each other that makes sense to them, but they’re each wrestling for control. Ultimately, I think she holds most of the cards, but I think Chad holds a couple, and I think he plays them pretty well. So, as we go along here, the stakes of that relationship keep rising. Every time the relationship grows more important and more dangerous, Chad seems to find a way to keep himself in it and to prove that she needs him as much as he needs her. But there are some scenes where they get really, really close to each other. Physically, the intensity of their exchanges increases. Morena Baccarin and I have had the chance to play some scenes that are really sort of hot. There’s a lot of heat in them, and that doesn’t mean necessarily just sexual. There’s always so much going on between the two of us and there’s also so much going on underneath the surface that we’re not telling each other. It’s just as much fun as I’ve ever had as an actor.

Seeing as all of us at Hulu may or may not be aliens, as a professional courtesy, could you tell me any tricks you may have for identifying any potential undercover aliens in real life?
[He laughs.] Yeah, I should have probably asked you before we started this interview what side you were on. For starters, I think the most fun thing about this show is the central questions of Who is a Visitor? and Who can you trust? and What side are you on? So far, I, as Chad Decker, have spent so little time worrying about who’s a visitor and who isn’t, that I’ve just been moving through this thing thinking, How can I move myself ahead? So only recently have I started thinking about how to tell who is a Visitor and who isn’t and … Man! I don’t have anything really good yet. I think, frankly, that’s probably the thing I know the least about, and if I did know, I probably wouldn’t tell you. I think it’s what makes the show so fun. As we move through this story now, the people you thought you knew who they were and what they are are going to surprise you.

Well, thanks a lot, Scott. We look forward to the return of the show on Tuesday!
Thank you so much!

Catch the first four episodes of V before the series returns on March 30.

Next Thursday, FBI Agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) and her crackerjack team — mad scientist Walter Bishop (John Noble) and his level-headed son, Peter (Joshua Jackson) — return to explain the unexplained on Fox’s Fringe. As the Fringe Division comes together to explain a string of mysterious events and prevent an unprecedented clash of the worlds, here’s a little primer to bring you up to speed and fill you in on “the Pattern,” “the Observer” and this alternate world that keeps coming up.

At the start of “Fringe,” Agent Dunham assembled an unlikely panel of paranormal detectives to uncover the truth behind a plane full of dead passengers. The surprising source for her lead scientist, Dr. Walter Bishop? The insane asylum, naturally. To help keep the mad doctor in check, she turns to his estranged son, an initially reluctant participant in their investigation.

The reason for Walter’s madness is complicated, but he’s one doctor with a sordid past: besides dabbling in hallucinogens himself, he and his longtime lab partner, William Bell (Leonard Nimoy), conducted a series of illegal experiments on children — including none other than a young “Olive” Dunham. Now out of the madhouse, Walter’s always at the ready to perform a good scientific experiment, human test subject or not.

So far, the Fringe Division has investigated ghost networks, engineered parasites, man-made chimera, shape shifters and time travelers. Linking all of these events together appears to be Massive Dynamic, a global megacorporation founded by none other than Walter’s old lab buddy, William Bell. For much of season 1, Bell remained a mystery — even Massive Dynamic’s Chief Operating Officer, Nina Sharp, hadn’t seen him for months — but we soon learn that, years ago, the two scientists opened a hole into an alternate universe, discovering that there is more than one of everything. After much searching last season, Olivia finally found herself face-to-face with the enigmatic scientist.

Walter and Bell’s journeys into the alternate universe didn’t come without consequence. Their actions, it seems, inadvertently started what is known as “the Pattern,” a series of disturbing unexplained events happening around the world. They appear to be experiments set forth by beings from the other universe, treating the whole world around us as their lab. The plan, it appears, is for machine-human hybrids to carry out a war between the worlds.

Watching “the Pattern” unfold are mysterious figures, Observers (recognized by their dark suits and bald heads), who always seem to be lurking around when the unexplained takes place. Little does Peter know that he has a past with an Observer who once saved his and his father’s lives — and this benevolent watcher takes it upon himself to help Walter retrieve an essential missing device.

A little backstory: It turns out that Walter once lost something dear to him, and he had to retrieve it from the other reality — but he found a way to seal the portal so that beings from the alternate universe couldn’t follow him into this world. After Walter recounts this story, a giant clue tells us what he once lost and traveled through worlds to bring back: Peter, who apparently died in this world in 1985. But this was kept a closely guarded a secret until Olivia discovers her own long-lost special gift: as a result of the experiments once performed on her by Walter himself, she can detect things that hail from the alternate universe. In Olivia’s eyes, they have energy, a glimmer — and now she can see Walter’s secret.

Rebecca Harper (rebecca.harper@hulu.com)
Editor

We’ll go ahead and say it: 2009 was the year that musical collaborations got big on the small screen. These days, it seems that to build buzz around a TV show, producers are following what we’ll call the digital short method. Following the tried-and-true method of the pre-taped Saturday Night Live digital shorts, they’re creating the equivalent of TV music videos that can be shared online with a single click. The good news for those of us watching online? Since these bits are a chance for actors, writers and musical artists to stretch their creative wings, the majority of them are funny, and so, hot on the heels of Stephen Colbert’s hilariously suburban take on the Alicia Keys/Jay-Z hit “Empire State of Mind,” the Hulu team rounded up some of best musical collaborations to go viral 2009. — Rebecca Harper (rebecca.harper@hulu.com), Editor

1) Stephen Colbert/Alicia Keys – “Empire State of Mind (Part II)”
We already knew Comedy Central’s Stephen Colbert could sing (see his 2008 Christmas special for proof), but we were absolutely delighted to learn that the political satirist can rap, too. Last week on The Colbert Report, he busted in on Alicia Keys’ performance of “Empire State of Mind,” replacing Jay-Z to offer his own, pointedly suburban take on New York’s concrete jungle: “Hard Rock Cafe for the appetizer deal / M&M Store, Disney Store, I’m in heaven.”

2) Taylor Swift/T-Pain – “Thug Story”
At the June CMT Music Awards, Taylor Swift was well on her way to becoming 2009′s Entertainer of the Year, but it was her “Thug Story,” a pre-taped collaboration with T-Pain, that showed America that this country/pop singing sensation had a sense of humor, too. (It probably paved the way for her hosting/performing appearance on SNL earlier this fall, too.) In this squeaky-clean rap, Swift — aka “T-Swizzle” — proudly boasted “You can find me making cookies at night/You out clubbing? I just made caramel delights.” (This video isn’t available on Hulu, so we’ve embedded it from CMT.com below.)

3) Andy Samberg/T-Pain – “I’m On A Boat”
Sure, T-Pain was making hits well before he teamed up with Andy Samberg and the rest of The Lonely Island back in February. But with “I’m On A Boat,” a Saturday Night Live digital short, Auto-Tune became a mainstream phenomenon, with everyone from Diddy to Jimmy Fallon using the voice modulation tool to mimic the T-Pain sound. Heck, there’s even an app for that now, too.

4) Kristin Chenoweth/Matthew Morrison – “Alone”
When Kristin Chenoweth of the late, great Pushing Daisies guest starred on Glee as April Rhodes, a boozy former show choir sensation, we knew we were in for a treat. After all, Chenoweth is also a Broadway star. Her duet with the show’s Matthew Morrison (Mr. Schuester) delivered all that and more: Not only was it a karaoke cover of “Alone,” one Heart’s best ballads, but it was haunting and a whole lot of fun at the same time. Note to the producers: More April Rhodes in 2010! (This clip isn’t available at this time.)

5) Andy Samberg/Rihanna – “Shy Ronnie”
You can stage a comeback with a candid TV interview by the likes of Diane Sawyer, but Rihanna’s team had an additional way for her to step back into the spotlight: a collaboration with Andy Samberg in an SNL digital short. The pop star did just that in early December as the pair introduced “Shy Ronnie” to the classroom (and the world). Not only did the track have a catchy hook, “like fire and ice,” but it proved that the “Umbrella” singer hadn’t lost her sense of humor.

6) Subtle Sexuality (Mindy Kaling/Ellie Kemper/B.J. Novak/Ed Helms) – “Male Prima Donna”
For fans of The Office, the roller-coaster love affair of Kelly and Ryan the temp (Mindy Kaling and B.J. Novak) isn’t news, but their relationship went viral this fall with the introduction of Subtle Sexuality, the spandex-laden girl group whose first Auto-Tuned single featured cameo appearances by Andy (Ed Helms) and the O.G. prima donna himself, Ryan.

7) Justin Timberlake/Susan Sarandon – “Motherlover”
Sure, “Motherlover,” the sequel to 2006′s “D**k in a Box,” is truly a collaboration between Andy Samberg (SNL) and Justin Timberlake, but when we look back on this viral sensation, it’s Timberlake’s onscreen romance with Susan Sarandon (as Samberg’s mother) that stands out in our minds:”I’m gonna be the syrup/She can be the waffle.” Sarandon showed off a cougar side that we haven’t seen since 1988′s Bull Durham — and we loved it. Talk about the perfect Mother’s Day gift.

8) Jimmy Fallon/The Roots – “Slow Jam the News”
One of the smartest things Jimmy Fallon did when he signed on as host of Late Night was to score The Roots as his house band. Not only has it been fun to see guests strut their stuff as the hip-hop ensemble played funked-up intros, but some of Fallon’s finest moments have come in the form of his “Slow Jam the News” segments. In bits like the one below, Fallon offered his take on the latest headlines as ?uestlove and Co. provide a sexy drumbeat and backup vocals. The news never sounded so good.

9) Donald Glover/Danny Pudi – “La Biblioteca”
Each week on Community, there’s something that makes us stick around through the end credits: the antics of Troy and Abed (Donald Glover and Danny Pudi). In this bit — our favorite of the year — the classmates beat-box it up, Spanish class-style. Of course, after hearing choice lyrics like “the goat’s mustache is Cameron Diaz,” we think these students should perhaps focus on their studies.

10) Ed Norton/Ty Burrell – “True”
In a brilliant move, ABC’s freshman comedy Modern Family cast Ed Norton — better known for starring roles in Fight Club and The Incredible Hulk — as aging Spandau Ballet bassist Izzy LaFontaine. It was a stunt that generated lots of buzz for the series, and Norton’s turn as La Fontaine lived up to all the hype as he appears as a one-of-a-kind anniversary gift from Claire (Julie Bowen) to Phil (Ty Burrell).

The Glee writers didn’t hold back in this week’s fall finale, “Sectionals“. The glee club was on their way to sectionals sans their head coach, Mr. Schuester; things finally came to a head with Finn and his pregnant girlfriend, Quinn; Emma Pillsbury postponed her wedding a few hours in order to go to Sectionals; and Mr. Shue finally got his comeuppance with Cheerios coach Sue Sylvester. Here’s a look back at the music (and just a little of the drama) from “Sectionals.” — Rebecca Harper (rebecca.harper@hulu.com), Editor

“And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going”
With Mr. Schuester out of the picture for sectionals, Miss Pillsbury filled in and gave Mercedes a chance to audition for a chance to perform a ballad solo. To show Rachel — the self-appointed ballad queen of New Directions — that she can hit the high notes, Mercedes tackled “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” the torch song originally performed by Jennifer Holliday in Dreamgirls (more recently made a Top 20 single by Jennifer Hudson). Needless to say, McKinley’s reigning diva knocked this one out of the park, and even Rachel had to admit Mercedes earned the right to the solo at sectionals.

“Don’t Rain On My Parade/Satisfaction”
Once McKinley High’s New Directions arrived at sectionals, the club received a rude awakening: The girls at Jane Adams got a sneak peek at their set list (thanks to Cheerios coach Sue Sylvester back in “Hairography“) and chose the same numbers, even performing “Proud Mary” in wheelchairs. Making things worse, the deaf choir from Havenhurst did a tear-jerking rendition of “Don’t Stop Believing.” On that note, our gleeks are in serious trouble.

Leave it to Finn to come up with a plan to save the day: he sent Rachel out to do “Don’t Rain on My Parade.” Originally sung by Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl, it’s a number Rachel had been practicing since she was 4 years old — and a chance for Lea Michele (“Rachel”) to show off what got her the lead in the Broadway musical Spring Awakening. As Rachel made her big finish, standing “O” and all, her teammates join her onstage to take on The Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction.”

“My Life Would Suck Without You”
Back at the school, following sectionals, Mr. Schue took Sue’s nefarious dealings to the principal’s office and got the Cheerios coach kicked out of the program. Principal Figgins had Will reinstated as glee club director, but on her way out, Sue warned Will that he had woken a sleeping giant: “prepare to be crushed.” Arriving back at the rehearsal room — just in time to learn how the team did at sectionals — he’s treated to a song the kids put together in his honor, Kelly Clarkson’s “My Life Would Suck Without You,” to pay homage to all of this season’s performances. (Spoiler alert: this clip contains major spoilers if you missed last night’s episode.)

This episode contained hits from the 1960s, ’70s, ’80s and 2000s. Which one was your favorite?

We had to wait three weeks for the latest episode of Glee, so the question is — was “Wheels” worth the wait? We saw a kinder, gentler side of the usually merciless Sue (courtesy of some cheerleader tryouts); plus the glee-ks got a taste of life Artie-style when Mr. Schuester forced the singers to spend three hours a day in wheelchairs. On the pregnancy front, an expecting Quinn laid down the lawn with Finn, telling him he needed to pay up if he’s going to be a father; meanwhile, the true baby-daddy, Puck, came up with a get-rich-quick scheme to prove that he’s the responsible one and help the entire glee club get to sectionals on the same bus. And finally, there was a diva-off when Kurt set his sights on taking the lead — from Rachel, no less — with a rendition of “Defying Gravity” from the Broadway musical “Wicked.” But enough of the plot, here are the winning numbers from last night’s Glee. — Rebecca Harper (rebecca.harper@hulu.com), Editor

“Dancing With Myself”
When we think of the 1981 Billy Idol hit “Dancing with Myself,” we don’t think acoustic guitar. (Fun fact: Billy Idol originally released this song as a member of the band Generation X; he went on to hit the jackpot when he released a pop version as a solo artist.) But wheelchair-bound Artie sang us a sensitive version as he rolled through the halls of McKinley High and cast wistful eyes at stuttering Tina in the cafeteria.

“Defying Gravity”
Mr. Schue got Kurt’s attention when he told the club the had to go a more traditional route and sing “Defying Gravity” from Wicked. After all, Kurt has an iPod playlist dedicated exclusively to songs from the Broadway show. But coach had Rachel in mind — and good thing, because it’s her go-to shower song and ringtone — and wouldn’t budge until Kurt’s dad got involved, claiming his son was being discriminated against because of his gender. The only way to settle things? A diva-off, where Kurt and Rachel sang for the rest of the club. Whomever hit the High F and won their fellow glee-ks’ votes would get the lead. Listening to this clip, it’s clear one of them threw the competition.

“Proud Mary”
This one’s for Artie: the grand “Proud Mary” finale made full use of the wheelchairs Mr. Schue picked up for a song (pun intended) at the St. Ignatius thrift store. The glee-ks bopped and rolled across the stage in an upbeat rendition of the Creedence Clearwater Revival/Tina Turner classic, giving due respect to their “handicapable” friend.

See the full episode here and tell us what you think: did “Wheels” deliver? Which musical number was your favorite?

In the eighth week of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars,” the remaining contestants tackled two full-length dances each: one ballroom, one Latin. The twist? The Latin number was either a trip back in time (’60s jive, ’70s and ’90s samba, ’80s paso doble) or a look ahead with a crazy futuristic paso doble. It ended up being yet another week of whacked-out hair styles, too, courtesy of Donny Osmond and Kym Johnson‘s wild ’80s ‘dos and Joanna Krupa and Derek Hough‘s Blade Runner-meets-The Fifth Element wacked-out bob and fauxhawk. But fashion aside, the real stunner this week was a sudden change in judge Len Goodman’s stance on Mya and her partner, Dmitry Chaplin. Here’s a look at the week’s most buzz-worthy performances, including the latest celebrity to be cut from the show. — Rebecca Harper (rebecca.harper@hulu.com) for the Yahoo! TV Blog

Impeccable Quickstep: Mya
While most of the stars faltered a bit during the ballroom round, one of them really shined: R&B star Mya, whose quickstep seemed impeccable to our eyes. In fact, Len gave Mya a bit of a scare following her performance, telling her that he was disappointed — but not for the reasons she expected. (Turns out, the cranky old judge was upset he had nothing to criticize for once.) No surprise that Bruno Tonioli was the most enthusiastic of the judges, telling Mya and her partner Dmitry that “this quickstep is like vintage Champagne. After you taste it, nothing else will do.” Their scores: a pair of tens from Bruno and (surprise!) Len; a nine from Carrie Ann Inaba.

Smokin’ Samba: Mya
Dmitry’s ridiculous moustache aside, Mya’s ’70s disco-inspired samba tore up the dance floor, and the crowd ate it up. “Your hips were hypnotic,” Len told her. “You have produced tonight two dances of the highest standard, with no gimmicks.” As far as the judges were concerned, Mya’s hips don’t lie: they earned the team the first perfect score of the season. We’ll let Bruno speak — er, screech — for himself in the clip below.

Futuristic Paso Doble: Joanna Krupa
In the future, fashion will come with lights, women will wear blue lipstick, and men will use lots of hair gel — if this performance is any indication of life in the 2020s, anyway. And though swimsuit model Joanna Krupa called it her hardest week so far (evidenced by her quickstep in the ballroom round), she and Derek really came together for a synchronized reinvention of the paso doble. A slight wobble by Joanna cost the team a point in an otherwise perfect routine: they earned a nine from Carrie Ann and two 10s from Len and Bruno.

Last Dance: Aaron Carter
Though Aaron Carter didn’t exactly shine during his ballroom number, his ’90s samba earned him triple nines from the judges. A tribute to his childhood days as a pop star, his dance evoked all of the great boy bands of that era. He looked completely at ease on the dance floor, and although Carrie Ann said “I thought you were hittin’ it,” the voters didn’t necessarily agree. The samba was Aaron and Karina Smirnoff’s last dance in the competition. Anyone have a Kleenex? Aaron’s sure to be shedding some tears over his departure.

Do you think the voters were right to send Aaron home? Of the four stars advancing to the semifinals — Joanna Krupa, Mya, Kelly Osbourne and Donny Osmond — who’s your pick to win?

One of the undisputed breakout hits of the fall TV season has been ABC’s Modern Family, a mockumentary-style comedy that skewers the all-American sitcom family. For starters, patriarch Jay (played by Ed O’Neill from Married … with Children) is a divorcee recently remarried to Gloria (Sofia Vergara), the hot Colombian mother of Manny, a smarter-than-his-years 10-year-old. Jay’s daughter, Claire (Julie Bowen), is a no-nonsense mother of three whose husband, Phil (Ty Burrell), is desperate to be cool. Meanwhile, Jay’s son, Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) just adopted a Vietnamese baby with his partner, Cameron (Eric Songstreet). The Pritchett-Dunphys are not your typical TV family, but their quirks and idiosyncrasies make us feel right at home. Below, we share some of the most awkward moments we’ve seen on Modern Family. — Rebecca Harper (rebecca.harper@hulu.com) for the Yahoo! TV Blog

Good Parents Always Offer Their Two Cents
In the season opener, Mitchell and Cameron have a daunting task ahead of them: the gay couple needs to tell the rest of the family about their newly adopted baby. But Mitchell’s family isn’t known for keeping their opinions to themselves. As he’s about to break the news, Jay interrupts to share his thoughts on the subject of Mitchell and Cameron’s relationship. As a result, Cameron misses his cue and makes his dramatic entrance — with baby in tow — a few beats too soon.

Good Parents Teach Life Lessons
When Claire and Phil’s son, Luke, shoots his sister with a BB gun, they decide it’s time to teach Luke an important lesson: retaliation. As punishment for his actions, Luke must get shot with a BB gun himself, and so Phil takes his son to the backyard, where (as expected) nothing seems to go according to plan. Lesson learned? Who knows, but we’re sure Phil will never look at a gun the same.

Good Parents Give Older Boyfriends a Chance
Claire’s eldest daughter, Haley has a new boyfriend — a high school senior — and mom and dad aren’t so sure about their daughter dating an older boy. But when Dylan shows surprising insight during a volatile family moment, they decide to give him a chance. All that changes, though, when he performs a completely inappropriate but surprisingly catchy song he wrote for his sweetheart in front of the entire family.

Good Parents Want their Kids to Excel
Some of our favorite “Family” moments involve Mitchell and Cameron. In this scene, Mitchell shows his competitive side at baby play group, while Cameron — the diva of the bunch — shows off his dance moves.

Good Dads Enjoy Time with the Family
Hapless son-in-law Phil is always trying to bond with Claire’s dad, but Jay isn’t so tolerant of Phil. That said, Phil convinces his father-in-law to take him out to fly his model plane, and Jay reluctantly agrees — but never gives Phil the chance to take the controls. Instead, he decides to show Phil one of his favorite tricks, one that requires Phil to cross the air field and stand far, far away from Jay.

Good Parents are “Cool”
“Modern Family” fans know that Phil’s desperate to seem cool to his kids, and he goes to great lengths to show his kids how “with it” he can be. Unfortunately for Phil, his attempts at being hip usually miss the mark, as seen here, when he tries to impress — and intimidate — Haley’s boyfriend Dylan.

It was a flu-ridden week of Dancing with the Stars, but that’s not all that went wrong as the 10 remaining celebrities took to the dance floor. First there were the hairstyles: Host Samantha Harris channeled the ’80s with a ‘do straight from “Dynasty,” while professional dancer Lacey Schwimmer went for something straight out of an early ’90s heavy metal video. Meanwhile, Kelly Osbourne suffered a sprained ankle during a fierce Paso Doble, Joanna Krupa faltered a bit during her Argentine Tango, and the voters at home delivered a surprising blow to one of the show’s rising stars, Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin, who was sent home after a respectable (though not incredibly passionate) Paso Doble. Below, the Hulu team recaps some of the night’s most buzz-worthy performances. – Rebecca Harper (rebecca.harper@hulu.com), Editor

The Leading Man: Donny Osmond
Poor Donny Osmond’s working like a dog these days, trying to balance a busy Vegas act (you can see him and Marie four nights a week) and master two new dances for the competition. But hard work suits him: he and partner Kym Johnson delivered an intimate Argentine Tango that actually seemed sexy — that’s right, Donny Osmond and “sexy” in the same sentence! Judge Carrie Ann Inaba agreed, too, exclaiming “The Argentine Tango loves Donny Osmond! … I just fell in love with you. There’s a whole new side of you tonight … it was so darn sexy!” The intensity between Donny and Kym led Bruno Toniolo to compare the squeaky clean entertainer to Donnie Darko — “broody, moody, dangerous and sharp as a blade.” While Len Goodman was a little more reserved, giving Donny a 9, Carrie Ann and Bruno each gave Donny 10′s, for the highest score of the night.

Drama Delivered: Mark Decascos
While Iron Chef chairman Mark Decascos errs on the side of cheesy more often than we like, he toned down the cheese and embraced his macho bullfighter side this week. But really, his Paso Doble with partner Lacey Schwimmer was all about her crazy, frizzed-out, banana-clipped hair. That aside, Mark delivered a dramatic Flamenco opening that managed to show off his sexier side. While Len Goodman commended Mark on his mastery of the “three P’s” — posture, passion, performance — Bruno focused on something else: “You’re turning into Mephisto, the devil. You were on it!” Lacey took a risk giving Mark a solo, but it paid off, earning the duo their highest scores so far.

Chemistry Experiment: Joanna Krupa
PETA activist/swimsuit model Joanna Krupa suffered two major blows this week, but she managed to dance her way through to another round. Not only did she have a costly stumble in the middle of her routine, but her partner Derek Hough was sidelined with the flu. Fortunately, the producers had a stand-in at the ready: the recently eliminated Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who just happens to be a Ukrainian Latin Ballroom dance champion. Lucky for Joanna, she and Maks managed to spark some chemistry after just a few days of practice. (Some partners — Melissa and Mark, Natalie and Alec — just never seem to come together.) Joanna and Maks started off strong, but Joanna’s misstep threw off the rest of the routine. “I was living my fantasies up until that stumble. Up until then, you could have had anything you wanted,” Bruno told them. Because of the change in partners, we suspect the judges were lenient with Joanna and Maks, granting them triple 8′s for the night.

Daddy’s Little Girl: Kelly Osbourne
Ozzy’s little girl found confidence doing the Charleston last week, but could she master the decidedly serious Paso Doble this time around? Faced with that challenge, Kelly did what any daughter would do: She gave herself a Sharon Osbourne ‘do while her partner, Louis van Amstel, channeled his inner goth with a lot of eyeliner, and together they danced to Ozzy’s “Crazy Train.” Her goal was to be as fierce as possible, but Kelly went off the rails from time to time. “You’ve got to learn the routine, but that’s just the start. You’ve then got to work on getting into the character,” Len told her. It wasn’t played up during the night of dancing, but it turns out Kelly actually sprained her foot and suffered a contusion (fancy doctor-speak for a bruise) during her routine, though she should be fine to dance next week.

Wooden Nickel Award: Michael Irvin
Last week, former Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin was crushed by the judges’ critique of his Bolero, but the voters gave him a second chance by keeping him in the game. Of all the stars on “Dancing” this season, he seems to be having the most fun, and he worked hard to master the Paso Doble. The secret, it seems, came from his partner, Ann Demidova, who told him to walk like he had a coin between his butt cheeks. And so, what did this self-respecting football star do? He stuck a nickel between his cheeks and marched and swirled his cape around like a master bullfighter. While it’s clear Michael isn’t a natural dancer, he showed improvement as far as the judges were concerned. “Finally, somebody put their game face on!” Carrie Ann told him. “It’s my favorite dance so far… the intensity was there.” Len like his posture, expressiveness and the haughty way he walked the floor. As for the always eloquent Bruno, we’ll let him speak for himself.

Swan Song: Natalie Coughlin
To our admittedly untrained eyes, Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin always seemed a beat behind as she did the Paso Doble to “American Woman,” but there’s no doubt that she looked strong and powerful. In fact, this dance, which mimics the movements of a Spanish bullfight, seemed to play to her strengths: a long, lean swimmer’s body and an aggressive, competitive side. The judges all agreed that she performed a very clean, precise dance, but she needed to develop a character and show more chemistry with her partner. And while Bruno, Len and Carrie Ann looked forward to seeing Natalie’s progression, the voters didn’t agree. Much to the shock of everyone in the “Dancing” studio, she was sent packing with tears in her eyes.

Tell us what you think: Were you surprised to see Natalie go home this week?

In “Throwdown” this week on Glee, the kids were split into two groups as Mr. Schuester and Sue Sylvester battled it out for creative control of the singing club. The narcissistic cheerleading coach-turned-glee director played the race card to win over the minorities and undermine her rival, while Mr. Schuester struggled to stand up to Sue’s overbearing approach. Meanwhile, McKinley High’s blogger threatened to break the news of Quinn’s pregnancy, forcing Rachel to give up some of her most personal belongings in order to keep him quiet, all in the name of protecting her crush, Finn. Every pregnancy on Glee has its secrets, and as we wait to hear how the stories play out, we have the music to tide us over. A quick look at the top 100 downloads on iTunes this afternoon reveals that two of the songs — “Keep Holding On” and “No Air” — made the top 20, while two other new tracks are at Nos. 30 and 60. Here’s a look at last night’s gleeful musical numbers. — Rebecca Harper (rebecca.harper@hulu.com), Editor for the Yahoo! Music Blog

“Hate on Me”
When she hears that the minority glee clubbers felt ignored by Mr. Schuester and the rest of the club, Sue realizes she’d found her “chink in the armor.” Her plan: “Sue’s Kids,” an opportunity for the minority singers to have their voices heard. To curry their favor, she brings along her own brass section to accompany a contemporary R&B song: Jill Scott’s “Hate On Me.” It’s a chance for the soulful Mercedes to really let loose and for Mike to pop-and-lock as much as he wants.

“No Air”
As for Mr. Schuester, he focuses on getting his kids ready for sectionals, pairing Rachel and Finn for a cover of Jordin Sparks’/Chris Brown’s “No Air.” As the two tear up the rehearsal hall, you can see Quinn become more and more jealous of the chemistry blossoming between the two leads.

“You Keep Me Hangin’ On”
The tension between Finn’s two love interests — Broadway wannabe Rachel and the pregnant cheerleader Quinn — comes to a head following a stairway run-in, giving Quinn the chance to prove that she’s got pipes, too. Accompanied by the rest of the Cheerios, she tackles The Supremes’ “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” on the football field. Is it just us, or do we see overtones of an early Britney Spears in this production?

“Keep Holding On”
For the episode’s grand finale the Glee producers went for a show-stopping reinvention of Avril Lavigne’s “Keep Holding On.” This time, all the kids are on stage (yay!) as all of Quinn’s emotions rise to the surface.

Bonus Track: “Ride With Me”
In the midst of the Sue vs. Mr. Schuester infighting, the glee kids came together for a covert jam session, Nelly’s “Ride Wit Me.” Though the single didn’t make it onto iTunes, it’s one of the least produced numbers we’ve seen on Glee — and we loved it. What did you think?

Which number was your favorite this week?

The ladies burned up the dance floor this week on Dancing with the Stars as the celebrities took on the bolero, the lambada, the Charleston and the country two-step. The campy kitsch of the Charleston gave the week’s rising stars, Melissa Joan Hart and Kelly Osbourne, the confidence they were missing in previous weeks, while the forbidden dance, the lambada, got the judges all worked up. The duds of the night were the bolero — a sultry dance which proved so difficult, only Natalie Coughlin and Michael Irvin attempted it — and, the guys’ favorite, the country two-step. Yeehaw! Here’s a look at some of the Hulu team’s favorite acts of Week 4, as well as a final tip of the hat to Chuck Liddell, the Ultimate Fighting Champion whose lumbering two-step didn’t do much to win over the judges — or the voting audience. — Rebecca Harper (rebecca.harper@hulu.com), Editor

Comeback Kid: Melissa Joan Hart
Trend alert! Thanks in part to Melissa’s campy performance with partner Mark Ballas, we see a flapper revival on the horizon. “The Charleston is all about the three E’s: energy, excitement and entertainment,” judge Len Goodman said. “You ticked off all the boxes.” The former “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch” star finally found her dancing rhythm as a 1920s starlet, a character which allowed her to be silly, have fun and show off her personality as she enthusiastically shuffled in tandem with Mark.

“Cabaret” Queen: Kelly Osbourne
For the first time since she wowed us with her Viennese waltz at the start of Season 9, Kelly Osbourne came out confident as she and partner Louis van Amstel paid tribute to Liza Minelli and “Cabaret” with their Charleston. It turns out Kelly had tried out for the role of Roxie in another Broadway musical, “Chicago,” and was relegated to play Mama Morton because she couldn’t dance. With this performance, Osbourne showed she has plenty of moxie to play Roxie. “Watching you is like watching a little birdie find their wings and learn to fly,” judge Carrie Ann Inaba told her.

Hot Stuff: Joanna Krupa
Following “Dancing” contestant Aaron Carter‘s lackluster lambada, which prompted Carrie Ann to warn him, “You have to chill out. You’re trying too hard. You need to turn it off. You’re turning people off,” the crowd was in dire need of a sexy rendition of the so-called “forbidden dance.” Peta spokeswoman/swimsuit model Joanna Krupa and her partner, a shirtless Derek Hough, delivered, turning up the heat as they spun and ground up against each other with palpable passion. “I hope that the children are in bed,” Carrie Ann said. It had the raunchiness that Len was looking for and then some.

The Frontrunner: Mya
Thanks to her R&B background, Mya’s always been a frontrunner on “Dancing,” but this week she really pulled ahead of the pack. (Sure, she and Melissa both earned 28′s, but the judges rewarded Melissa’s improvement this week.) Mya and partner Dmitry Chaplin collaborated on a sophisticated lambada number in hopes of simplifying things to appease Len, who had complained that Dmitry’s choreography was often too complicated. Carrie Ann and Bruno ate it up, calling it classy and erotic, but Len, always a stickler, was more reserved, wanting a bit more from the duo. Some dancers just can’t win!

Ultimate Champion No More: Chuck Liddell
Of all the frou-frou costumes the “Dancing” team forced upon Ultimate Fighting Champion Chuck Liddell (remember last week’s ruffled sleeves?), Monday night’s jeans and cowboy boots seemed most appropriate for our heavyweight dancer. Outfit aside, though, the grinning Ice Man never seemed to warm up to the “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” with judge Bruno Tonioli saying that Chuck brings “carnage and mayhem to everything you do.” Despite the lumbering steps, Len admitted that Chuck is still entertaining to watch — but that wasn’t enough to keep him in the game. He may have been ranked No. 3 (ahead of football star Michael Irvin and snowboarder Louie Vito) by the judges, but it was a surprise to all when Chuck and Aaron Carter ended up in the bottom two after audience voting, with the UFC star getting the final knockout punch.

Which performances were on top this week? Do you think judge Len Goodman is being too tough on Mya and Dmitry? Share your opinions in the comments.

There were plenty of missteps in the second week of Dancing with the Stars. Last week’s golden girl, Kelly Osbourne stumbled her way through the tango, Iron Chef chairman Mark Dacascos faltered at the beginning of his quickstep, former House majority leader Tom DeLay nearly dropped his partner at the finish of his otherwise respectable tango, and Sports Illustrated swimsuit veteran Kathy Ireland seemed stiff with an old-fashioned quickstep — so flat, in fact, she was unable to garner enough votes to stick around another week. Despite the fumbles, there were plenty of standouts this week. R&B singer Mya won over the judges with a sassy jive, singer Aaron Carter stood out with a zany quickstep, and entertainer Donny Osmond slipped on a velour suit to deliver a shagadelic jive set to “Secret Agent Man.” Here’s a look at some of the Hulu Team’s favorite performances of the week, plus a look at Kathy Ireland’s last dance. — Rebecca Harper (rebecca.harper@hulu.com) for the Yahoo! TV blog

Judges’ Favorite: Mya
Mya‘s partner, Dmitry Chaplin, donned geeky glasses and a tie and danced as a foil to Mya’s sexy flapper seductress in a sassy routine. She looked confident and on top of her game as she kicked and rock-stepped her way across the dance floor.

Quirkiest Quickstep: Aaron Carter
We knew we were in for something wacky when the Muppets’ Animal made an appearance before Aaron Carter‘s quickstep. Carter, dressed in Kermit-the-Frog green, pulled off a spectacular performance, though. He and partner Karina Smirnoff (his Miss Piggy, we presume) worked their way through an animated dance, leading judge Bruno Tonioli to exclaim “Spectacular!”

Best Recovery: Mark Dacascos
Seconds into his own quickstep, Mark Dacascos faltered a bit. But like a true competitor — he’s trained in martial arts — he powered through the rest of the dance, using his face almost as much as his feet. Dacascos may fly under the radar for a bit, but we think he has some staying power.

Scariest Moment: Tom DeLay
The night’s most frightful moment might have been UFC Ultimate Fighting Champion Chuck Liddell doing a fierce tango (to the White Stripes, no less), but then Tom DeLay nearly dropped partner Cheryl Burke to the floor at the end of their own tango. He’s been nursing an ankle injury, and it appeared as though Burke added a little too much “oomph” to their final move.

Eliminated: Kathy Ireland
Though former model Kathy Ireland looks fantastic in her ballroom costumes, the judges felt she was still too reserved in the second week of competition, that she was holding back. The voters at home agreed, because they ended up sending her home this week.

As the Saturday Night Live writers and producers pulled together the series’ 35th season premiere, they must have had one rule in mind: keep it sexy. With Megan Fox hosting, it wasn’t too much of a struggle, and every sketch featuring the ‘Transformers’ star made good use of her looks, starting off with a monologue that poked fun of the fake nude photos of her scattered across the Internet. We saw the 23-year as a blonde bombshell flight attendant in one sketch; a red-headed Russian bride in another. When the spotlight wasn’t on Fox, world politics came to the forefront. To open the show, Fred Armisen donned a brown robe and did his best Omar Gadhafi, blaming a computer crash for the Libyan president’s rambling U.N. speech. In an otherwise flat week, the week’s standout was newcomer Jenny Slate — who dropped an F-bomb in the live feed (it was fixed for the West Coast) — and Kenan Thompson. His Grady Wilson impression was one of the funniest bits of the night (dip the ladle!), and his Jean K. Jean report on Weekend Update upstaged Kristen Wiig’s Judy Grimes. Only time will tell if Thompson’s this season’s breakout star, but in the meantime, check out some of this weekend’s SNL highlights below. — Rebecca Harper (rebecca.harper@hulu.com), Editor

Which sketches do you think stood out this week?

The celebrities turned out in full force this week, but not just to see Neil Patrick Harris host the Emmys. This week marked the return of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, where an assortment of boldface names (some more notable than others) stepped onto the dance floor to have their moves critiqued by a trio of judges and America alike. With a lineup that includes everyone from former Dallas Cowboy Michael Irvin and Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin to Ultimate Fighting Champion Chuck Liddell and supermodel Kathy Ireland, this hodgepodge of talent led to some memorable moments, including the opportunity to see former House majority leader Tom DeLay do the cha-cha to “Wild Thing.” But in this first week of Dancing, the real standouts were the ladies. Below, the Hulu team wraps up three of our favorites, gives honorable mention to a newcomer with surprising potential, and says goodbye to the two stars who didn’t make the cut. — Rebecca Harper (rebecca.harper@hulu.com), Editor

Surprise of the Week: Kelly Osbourne
Last we noticed, Kelly Osbourne was a foul-mouthed teen living in her parents’ chaotic household. (Remember all those dogs?) This week, we were treated to a kinder, gentler side of Osbourne as she performed the Viennese Waltz — one of the most ladylike dances of all — to a astonished panel of judges. She and partner Louis van Amstel turned and changed their way across the dance floor, moving her mother, Sharon, to tears and getting a “You did good,” from her proud father, Ozzy. It was enough to get judge Bruno Tonioli to exclaim, “The wild-child rock princess transformed into a vision of grace and elegance with a waltz of impeccable style.”

Controversy of the Week: Mya
To the untrained eye, R&B star Mya’s performance looked polished, elegant and effortless. But that wasn’t enough for judge Len Goodman, who called out her partner/choreographer, Dmitry Chaplin, on a technical detail: it wasn’t a true Viennese Waltz because incorporated the “American Smooth” style, instead. That said, he called Mya a fantastic dancer, and Carrie Ann Inaba praised her gorgeous lines. Despite the scandal, Mya’s tap-dancing past (not to mention all those music videos) really paid off. We think she’ll be one to watch this season.

Outlandish Costume of the Week: Joanna Krupa
One thing we’ve learned from “Dancing” is that these ballroom pros have closets full of memorable fashion. This week, it took a swimsuit model to make an outfit that seemed more Big Bird than salsa seem sexy. Decked out in fringed yellow pants, PETA spokesmodel Joanna Krupa mastered the hip shimmy and shake to get the crowd on its feet. “At last, we’ve seen a hot, smoking salsa,” declared Len Goodman — and he was right. Krupa was on fire, and another one to watch.

Best Effort of the Week: Louie Vito
A snowboard champion who’s currently training for the 2010 Olympics, Louie Vito doesn’t seem a natural fit for the “Dancing” spotlight — and he’d be the first to admit it, given his lack of dance experience. (In fact, he’d never seen the show before.) But his partner, Chelsie Hightower, worked with him to keep his shoulders straight and back, his toes pointed so that he’d look respectable on the floor. “That was a little surprise,” Inaba said. “You obviously have not danced before, but you respected the dance with an honest effort.” Goodman and Tonioli we’re quite so kind, however, dinging Vito for his shaggy hair. “So cute, like watching a little dancing Hobbit!”Tonioli exclaimed. While we don’t expect to see Vito in the finals, it will be fun to watch him progress with more practice.

Eliminations of the Week: Ashley Hamilton and Macy Gray
Ashley Hamilton (son of the perpetually tanned George Hamilton) and singer Macy Gray did their best, but neither mustered enough call-in votes to advance to the second week of competition. Hamilton seemed stiff and more focused on counting his steps, but needed finesse. Meanwhile, Gray, always a little off-kilter when she performs on stage, managed to show off some sass when called for, but the overall effect was more than a little unbalanced, like a tipsy aunt at a wedding. The judges were more kind, complimenting Gray on her genuine appeal and charm. “It was like watching a child take his first steps into a scary new world,” Tonioli said. “You touch people’s hearts, now you’ve got to start working on technique.”

Which performances do you think stole the show this week?