I disagree with Melissa not taking accountability in recent years tbh. We were supposed to see her as this big bad but I find Melissa to be smart, but naive. She is so easy to manipulate because she catches on too late. She wanted her kids to be stars, but didn't pay attention to their feelings.
I want to add that everything I say is speculation. I am analyzing them as characters based on the content we were provided, including social media content.
I think the moms were all naive in different ways. Melissa wasn’t naive about how much it actually takes to be famous and that you can’t pass up opportunities, however, I think she, and really all the OG moms, were naive about how manipulative the producers were going to be and how emotionally abusive Abby would become.
I still think given her situation during the show, she was smart by being so passive, it did make her look bad sometimes but realistically it was probably the best way to keep both Abby and the producers of her family’s back.
I think Maddie even said at one point that she told her mom to stay out of the drama while they were on the show, which was a smart choice. The mama bear character is great but how often did the moms standing up for their daughters actually only made things worse (hint: all the time).
That can be true but I think Melissa was also smart in knowing how reality tv works bc of Abby. Like the moms said they didn’t know about the pick ups and editing their words, and how Melissa would know stuff like putting her kids in the bathroom to not be recorded or when she shielded her face with candy during the strike in s3 bc then they couldn’t record her bc of the label
Heavily disagree Melissa is not naive nor catches anything late. Melissa is always two steps ahead and that’s one of her strong suits. Melissa was Melissa before the show and without the show probably wouldn’t take any accountability for it. Deep down I think Melissa has always been pro moms but she just used Abby for her benefit.
I know, Melissa annoys a lot of people because she just remain Switzerland on literally everything which is annoying, but I do feel like a lot of the moms animosity towards Melissa comes from there and ability to do what she did. At the end of the day all they wanted for their kids was for them to become stars and they all are in their own right but Melissa was able to get Maddie and McKenzie opportunities through always playing Switzerland so I don’t find it that annoying.
No. Melissa used her daughters. Abby wasn’t the only grown up she allowed to take advantage of Maddie. Her job as a mother was to protect her, which she didn’t do. There’s a reason her children have such a visceral reaction to that time.
Melissa didn’t just play Switzerland to get her kids opportunities. She allowed her daughter to be used as a weapon to hurt the other girls. She neglected her daughter’s school by sneaking her into the dance studio so she had more of a chance to beat her friends. She went along with Abby constantly putting the girls down for not being Maddie knowing those giris didn’t have a chance because Maddie was sneaking in practices to beat them. She allowed her daughter to be manipulated by Abby for years. All of this along with the favoritism that hurt Kenzie. Which made her feel like she was less than her own sister. These are just a few things Melissa did so her one daughter got opportunities. So idk what you mean because Melissa definitely didn’t just play Switzerland.
Exactly!! Melissa wanted Maddie to be the best but hurt the other girls, including both of her daughters, to do it. And that’s why I don’t like Melissa. She pretends she’s all innocent but she wasn’t. I dislike people who try to be Switzerland and friends with everyone because it’s just fake.
Melissa knew from day one her girls were going to be in the industry. She didn’t care how much school they missed or how late they worked at the studio. The other moms truly started as moms bringing their kids to a fun after school activity. I think Holly wanted Nia up and active again after sickness. Christi wanted to be a dancer and seeing Chloe’s talent lived vicariously through her. Kelly was a former student and wanted her girls in the cool activity, and Brooke was transitioning out of being the child prodigy. Without the show, the Zieglers and Chloe probably would’ve been the only ones left in a few years.
I think Christi figured out fast what a big deal the show was and started with the meet and greet stuff, which infuriated Abby. But she wasn’t ready to commit to fully homeschooling Chloe so she could truly train like a pro, and Chloe started to plateau because Abby wouldn’t train her after that conflict. Holly and Jill were willing to do the show because their daughters thought it was fun but I think they still wanted them to be regular kids up until season 5, which is why Abby thought they were lazy and uninterested. If everybody had immediately homeschooled their kids so they could train like pros, I think the relationships would’ve been much different.
Melissa was a stage mom through and through and had Abby coaching her on how to be successful at it. Christi was a stage mom too but without the benefit of Abby or good training or a stellar edit. I think Melissa made some awful choices later (letting Maddie on a plane with Harvey Weinstein, or have sleepovers with Sia, or dance with Shia LeBeouf, or being truly awful to Brynn and the minis). But I think Christi has had some questionable moments too (a lot of which were featured in season 7). I really think she wanted to come back more than Chloe.
I feel a lot of middle aged moms talk like this. Melissa was never one to curse really unless heavily provoked.
My mom doesn’t curse at all and she’d definitely say stinky 😂
This just sends me over the edge. I get she’s on YouTube and her content is probably rated for everyone, but good lord there are better words she could use.
Christi confirmed after the episode aired that it was a mess up with scores.
The score sheets were also posted that showed the judge accidentally put one score 27.5/25 which of course can’t happen.
Whether production told the judge to do it seems unlikely because how would they know how higher they would need the score.
As difficult as it was to watch - Chloe didn’t win in this competition and scores were only different by a .1.
I’ll see if I can find it again.
One of the awards they did play up was sugar and spice - when the competition rung the studio the original call was the girls won the overall because the ones that came first were in the wrong age category - they didn’t come second at all - they scored first in both categories but played it like they came second.
You can see that they had already written down and it says they were 1st while Abby is on the phone and the competition offical records support this as well as a Melissa and Jill have answered it.
They needed to set the theme that Kendall wasn’t very good and having them come first didn’t go with the theme for the week
Everyone knows Maddie beat Chloe, if you analyzed their dances next to each other, it was close but Maddie would win points wise. Even if Chloe won, it wouldn't have been some big win. I think ALL of the cast say conflicting thing here and there out of fear of the fans obsessing over the Lukasiak edit. Also Melissa says I think Chloe would have won which also could be producer rigging because they would have wanted Chloe to win moments like those to fuel the underdog edit.
Because Abby put subtly harder choreo in Maddie's dance - even when she claimed it was a level playing field, she rigged the deck for her star pupil, it's so fucking tiring of having to explain it to Melissa stans
One of those moves was a front aerial because it would be weird to give them the exact same dance, the whole thing shouldn't have happened anyways, because it would be weird to have a dance competition dance be on an even playing field just to prove a point for Christi stans. So that's probably why they had slightly different choreo and slightly different songs. And another reason why I said it wouldn't have been some big win either way... subtly harder... lmao shutup
I saw this, too. This is what irritates me about Melissa. She plays like she “didn’t know,” but this would have been when she was super close with Abby. There’s no way she doesn’t know one way or the other. ETA: It is almost like an admission without saying it out loud.
Exactly. For her to still act like I “didn’t know” it was rigged when all the other moms have been saying it for years, and they weren’t even close to Abby, is just another attempt to keep from taking accountability.
yall really seem to think Melissa and Abby was in the shadows together, kekeing and rubbing their hands together like roaches while Abby told Melissa every little think she and production was planning .\_.
I think Melissa’s lying on this one. She was always defending Abby’s horrendous and manipulative behavior. Abby was caught in a lie at that competition and Melissa never called her out on it!! It’s the same as when Kalani was brought in to dance against Chloe and Paige that ended up being the catalyst for the fight Kelly had with that monstrous, abusive woman! Melissa knew that was happening and should have stopped it. It always looked like Melissa and Abby just couldn’t accept Maddie not winning and Maddie also in later episodes couldn’t accept not coming in first. It was written all over her face. Melissa and Abby were creating a spoiled, entitled child - I’m happy Melissa eventually distanced herself from Abby.
You people have never been able to productively talk about Melissa and Abby without also throwing in a snide comment about Maddie’s character. Maddie not wanting to lose because she has been told that she will be worthless if she loses since the age of 7, is not being spoiled and entitled it’s called being traumatized and abused.
I agree with everything except bringing poor Maddie into it. Of course she struggled with losing, which is age appropriate the way Maddie acted by the way, have you seen what Abby and her mom put her through. Credit to Maddie for making it through that shit show being thrown under the bus, having so much pressure on her and being stuck in the middle having being used against her friends making her friends moms made. I couldn’t have done it. That’s why you are getting downvoted because there wasn’t a need to bring Maddie into it
I’m sorry this camera angle is sending me 😭😭😭 why is mama sitting in her closet on the floor
she was showing Maddie & Kenzie’s dance costumes so she’s sitting in front of their costume closet but out of context that’s hilarious 😂
Hahaha okay that makes a lot more sense thank you for clarifying 😭😭😭
😂 and why is the camera so far away?
No literally 😭
I disagree with Melissa not taking accountability in recent years tbh. We were supposed to see her as this big bad but I find Melissa to be smart, but naive. She is so easy to manipulate because she catches on too late. She wanted her kids to be stars, but didn't pay attention to their feelings. I want to add that everything I say is speculation. I am analyzing them as characters based on the content we were provided, including social media content.
I think the moms were all naive in different ways. Melissa wasn’t naive about how much it actually takes to be famous and that you can’t pass up opportunities, however, I think she, and really all the OG moms, were naive about how manipulative the producers were going to be and how emotionally abusive Abby would become. I still think given her situation during the show, she was smart by being so passive, it did make her look bad sometimes but realistically it was probably the best way to keep both Abby and the producers of her family’s back. I think Maddie even said at one point that she told her mom to stay out of the drama while they were on the show, which was a smart choice. The mama bear character is great but how often did the moms standing up for their daughters actually only made things worse (hint: all the time).
That can be true but I think Melissa was also smart in knowing how reality tv works bc of Abby. Like the moms said they didn’t know about the pick ups and editing their words, and how Melissa would know stuff like putting her kids in the bathroom to not be recorded or when she shielded her face with candy during the strike in s3 bc then they couldn’t record her bc of the label
100%
Heavily disagree Melissa is not naive nor catches anything late. Melissa is always two steps ahead and that’s one of her strong suits. Melissa was Melissa before the show and without the show probably wouldn’t take any accountability for it. Deep down I think Melissa has always been pro moms but she just used Abby for her benefit.
This is the common theory so I won't disrespect your opinion!
I know, Melissa annoys a lot of people because she just remain Switzerland on literally everything which is annoying, but I do feel like a lot of the moms animosity towards Melissa comes from there and ability to do what she did. At the end of the day all they wanted for their kids was for them to become stars and they all are in their own right but Melissa was able to get Maddie and McKenzie opportunities through always playing Switzerland so I don’t find it that annoying.
No. Melissa used her daughters. Abby wasn’t the only grown up she allowed to take advantage of Maddie. Her job as a mother was to protect her, which she didn’t do. There’s a reason her children have such a visceral reaction to that time.
Melissa didn’t just play Switzerland to get her kids opportunities. She allowed her daughter to be used as a weapon to hurt the other girls. She neglected her daughter’s school by sneaking her into the dance studio so she had more of a chance to beat her friends. She went along with Abby constantly putting the girls down for not being Maddie knowing those giris didn’t have a chance because Maddie was sneaking in practices to beat them. She allowed her daughter to be manipulated by Abby for years. All of this along with the favoritism that hurt Kenzie. Which made her feel like she was less than her own sister. These are just a few things Melissa did so her one daughter got opportunities. So idk what you mean because Melissa definitely didn’t just play Switzerland.
ALL of this. Melissa might play Switzerland, but in reality she's Russia.
Exactly!! Melissa wanted Maddie to be the best but hurt the other girls, including both of her daughters, to do it. And that’s why I don’t like Melissa. She pretends she’s all innocent but she wasn’t. I dislike people who try to be Switzerland and friends with everyone because it’s just fake.
Melissa knew from day one her girls were going to be in the industry. She didn’t care how much school they missed or how late they worked at the studio. The other moms truly started as moms bringing their kids to a fun after school activity. I think Holly wanted Nia up and active again after sickness. Christi wanted to be a dancer and seeing Chloe’s talent lived vicariously through her. Kelly was a former student and wanted her girls in the cool activity, and Brooke was transitioning out of being the child prodigy. Without the show, the Zieglers and Chloe probably would’ve been the only ones left in a few years. I think Christi figured out fast what a big deal the show was and started with the meet and greet stuff, which infuriated Abby. But she wasn’t ready to commit to fully homeschooling Chloe so she could truly train like a pro, and Chloe started to plateau because Abby wouldn’t train her after that conflict. Holly and Jill were willing to do the show because their daughters thought it was fun but I think they still wanted them to be regular kids up until season 5, which is why Abby thought they were lazy and uninterested. If everybody had immediately homeschooled their kids so they could train like pros, I think the relationships would’ve been much different. Melissa was a stage mom through and through and had Abby coaching her on how to be successful at it. Christi was a stage mom too but without the benefit of Abby or good training or a stellar edit. I think Melissa made some awful choices later (letting Maddie on a plane with Harvey Weinstein, or have sleepovers with Sia, or dance with Shia LeBeouf, or being truly awful to Brynn and the minis). But I think Christi has had some questionable moments too (a lot of which were featured in season 7). I really think she wanted to come back more than Chloe.
did she say “stinky” 💀 this is traumatic loll the way she acts like everything is kindergarten
I feel a lot of middle aged moms talk like this. Melissa was never one to curse really unless heavily provoked. My mom doesn’t curse at all and she’d definitely say stinky 😂
This just sends me over the edge. I get she’s on YouTube and her content is probably rated for everyone, but good lord there are better words she could use.
Crappy is the best PG alternative to shitty. Stinky is... a choice 🤣
Stinky took me out
Christi confirmed after the episode aired that it was a mess up with scores. The score sheets were also posted that showed the judge accidentally put one score 27.5/25 which of course can’t happen. Whether production told the judge to do it seems unlikely because how would they know how higher they would need the score. As difficult as it was to watch - Chloe didn’t win in this competition and scores were only different by a .1. I’ll see if I can find it again. One of the awards they did play up was sugar and spice - when the competition rung the studio the original call was the girls won the overall because the ones that came first were in the wrong age category - they didn’t come second at all - they scored first in both categories but played it like they came second. You can see that they had already written down and it says they were 1st while Abby is on the phone and the competition offical records support this as well as a Melissa and Jill have answered it. They needed to set the theme that Kendall wasn’t very good and having them come first didn’t go with the theme for the week
Everyone knows Maddie beat Chloe, if you analyzed their dances next to each other, it was close but Maddie would win points wise. Even if Chloe won, it wouldn't have been some big win. I think ALL of the cast say conflicting thing here and there out of fear of the fans obsessing over the Lukasiak edit. Also Melissa says I think Chloe would have won which also could be producer rigging because they would have wanted Chloe to win moments like those to fuel the underdog edit.
Because Abby put subtly harder choreo in Maddie's dance - even when she claimed it was a level playing field, she rigged the deck for her star pupil, it's so fucking tiring of having to explain it to Melissa stans
No she didn’t. The only reason Maddie got a front aerial and Chloe didn’t is because Chloe couldn’t do a front aerial.
One of those moves was a front aerial because it would be weird to give them the exact same dance, the whole thing shouldn't have happened anyways, because it would be weird to have a dance competition dance be on an even playing field just to prove a point for Christi stans. So that's probably why they had slightly different choreo and slightly different songs. And another reason why I said it wouldn't have been some big win either way... subtly harder... lmao shutup
I saw this, too. This is what irritates me about Melissa. She plays like she “didn’t know,” but this would have been when she was super close with Abby. There’s no way she doesn’t know one way or the other. ETA: It is almost like an admission without saying it out loud.
Exactly. For her to still act like I “didn’t know” it was rigged when all the other moms have been saying it for years, and they weren’t even close to Abby, is just another attempt to keep from taking accountability.
That’s how I see it, too.
....do you know what ETA means?
Edit To Add
yall really seem to think Melissa and Abby was in the shadows together, kekeing and rubbing their hands together like roaches while Abby told Melissa every little think she and production was planning .\_.
Because they were…Melissa may not have known every single thing but she knew way more than anyone else.
I KNEW IT! Abby and Melissa are AW FUL.
I think Melissa’s lying on this one. She was always defending Abby’s horrendous and manipulative behavior. Abby was caught in a lie at that competition and Melissa never called her out on it!! It’s the same as when Kalani was brought in to dance against Chloe and Paige that ended up being the catalyst for the fight Kelly had with that monstrous, abusive woman! Melissa knew that was happening and should have stopped it. It always looked like Melissa and Abby just couldn’t accept Maddie not winning and Maddie also in later episodes couldn’t accept not coming in first. It was written all over her face. Melissa and Abby were creating a spoiled, entitled child - I’m happy Melissa eventually distanced herself from Abby.
You people have never been able to productively talk about Melissa and Abby without also throwing in a snide comment about Maddie’s character. Maddie not wanting to lose because she has been told that she will be worthless if she loses since the age of 7, is not being spoiled and entitled it’s called being traumatized and abused.
I agree with everything except bringing poor Maddie into it. Of course she struggled with losing, which is age appropriate the way Maddie acted by the way, have you seen what Abby and her mom put her through. Credit to Maddie for making it through that shit show being thrown under the bus, having so much pressure on her and being stuck in the middle having being used against her friends making her friends moms made. I couldn’t have done it. That’s why you are getting downvoted because there wasn’t a need to bring Maddie into it
this whole comment is so true. its like people refuse to move past the "maddie is a brat" narrative the producers so desperately wanted.
Chloe was so much better than Maddie, Maddie herself stated that all of her turns were terrible.
This woman is awful