My observations from the GPF Ice Dancing competition:
Belbin and Agosto did not look fabulous during their original dance. I know Agosto is the one whose injury was supposed to have led to them dropping out of the free skate, but Belbin looked even slower/sloppier during OD. I didn't expect that they would look like that at this point in the season.
Italians Faiella and Scali were good (though not perfect) during the OD (But seriously, now much do I have to pay Faiella not to make those faces!?? AUGH). Their free skate was good but there are parts that appear rough around the edges, and I don't think it matched Davis and White's. I can also see why Faiella sometimes plays the "traditional" male role in spins and lifts - Scali is just super shaky!
Americans Davis and White made some obvious twizzle errors on their awesome "Happy Feet" Original dance, but they did a very nice job in their free skate. I wonder if they'd have had a chance for a higher medal without the mistakes in the OD. I love their Samson and Delilah program; my only complaint is with Davis's emoting. She reminds me a bit of the high school drama club, as in I'm not quite buying it. So glad they got onto the podium.
Russia's Domnina and Shabalin - I'm not sure I would have had them so high after the OD, but maybe I was influenced by the commentator. I also don't really get a feel for the time and place in that presentation. Didn't love it. I like their free skate overall. Kelli at State of the Skate thinks it's a lot of filler built around showcasing some ginormous lifts, and I can see that case made for the middle of the program, which I do think is weak. I think the lifts overshadow some of the other skating because they are so dramatic. But I do like the beginning of the program that is obviously leading up to a climax, which happens to be a lift. I think they lose a bit of substance in the middle and then come on strong again at the end.
Delobel and Schoenfelder of France deserved the win in my book. Their OD was not the best I've ever seen but their twizzles are done with such ease and they have such speed and fun - it even makes up for the dirty old man thing that I don't quite get. They have a very good (though not memorable) free skate, but it's got a lot of obvious difficulty and I can see why they were given the win.