'So You Think You Can Dance' Announces Format Change

It's been a tough summer for Nigel Lythgoe. First, following middling Season 12 ratings, the executive producer was cut from American Idol after over a decade with the Fox series. Then, this week, the So You Think You Can Dance judge fielded critiques for the dancing competition series' new format.

On Tuesday's live episode of So You Think You Can Dance — which, also thanks to ratings trouble, was cut down to one night a week — Lythgoe eliminated contestants Carlos Garland and Brittany Cherry from the competition at the beginning of the hour. There was little issue with the ousting... until the series asked Garland and Cherry to dance their planned routines for the rest of the episode, despite the fact that they were no longer competing.

Fans cried foul, claiming the move was both cruel and unnecessary for Garland and Cherry. And, on Thursday, Lythgoe responded to the critiques:

The tweet indicated a win for the few remaining fans of the series, who now will see their favorites booted only after they perform their planned routines. Still, the initial process marked a misstep for the series. But, then again, it also marked the first time So You Think You Can Dance invited buzz in years. How very clever, Nigel.

Image: Fox