Perhaps we could replace mw-datatable to tpl-blanktable on the important articles first.

OK, so right now, we've gotten rid of the mw-datatable style with no suitable replacement to it?

I think that mw-datatable is a useful feature, especially for larger tables with row highlighting. And I do agree with @Timeshifter. It's not hurting anything. So, I believe that this style should be kept until a suitable replacement for it is made available.