DWTS11 Week 7 Power Rankings
Phew! Ok, I’m very happy to admit that the 200th episode extravaganza was not nearly as big of a trainwreck as I was worried it would be (then again, anything is an improvement after rock week *shudder*) Overall I enjoyed tonight’s show, and didn’t think anyone really did terribly – although I think it will come down to who was memorable and who wasn’t. If Audrina’s elimination was any sort of reminder, it’s that you can really blow it and still have a decent chance of coming back the following week…but if you’re boring, you’re in trouble. As predicted, the guest judges were incredibly lovey-dovey with their scoring, and I was surprised to see the judges throw out every paddle lower than 7. But anyway…on with the rankings!
1.) Jennifer & Derek – Was glad to see these two knock this tango out of the park after such a rough week last week, and I think this was one of the routines that was actually an improvement on the original – I actually thought to myself while watching the snippet of Drew’s routine “Wow, that would not get a 30 these days!” The scoring has definitely gotten tougher, but luckily these two rose to the occasion and managed to pound out a strong, clean, dramatic tango. And for as run-down as Jennifer was looking in the rehearsals, I was also quite impressed with how well she was keeping up with Derek’s fast footwork in the Team Apolo cha-cha – she may have looked a little winded at a few moments, but she stayed in step! Speaking of Team Apolo – I’ve gotta say, they definitely were the team that was closer choreography-wise to true formation dancing, and they had the more interesting floor patterns and timing (loved the spins in sequential timing – was also a move they did in the Team Gaga cha-cha last season, which leads me to believe that Derek had a big role in choreographing this one). Anywho, I think Jen fans will rally after her slipup last week, and these two are memorable enough to remain this week.
2.) Brandy & Maks – These two were a very close 2nd to Jennifer & Derek, but I think the latter had the slight edge in having a comeback week. This foxtrot was RIDICULOUSLY HOT…I haven’t felt that kind of heat between those two since their Viennese waltz the first week (which I also found RIDICULOUSLY hot 
) Brandy finally seems to be figuring out what to do with her arms, and seemed to really nail the rhythm and the sensuality of the foxtrot. I actually didn’t see the mistake they allegedly made – I’ll have to go rewatch it and see what happened – but since I didn’t see it, it didn’t detract from the dance for me at all. Good job in the team cha-cha, aside from a few moments of wonky arms. I have only one complaint about Brandy this week (and it’s a real nitpickity one): when Brandy goes for the sexy/sensual face, she has a tendency to squint – and it makes me giggle a little, because it reminds me of the look I get on my face after about 3 glasses of champagne when I think I’m the hottest thing on the planet that no man can resist, when really, I’m just that tipsy girl at the bar who looks like she’s farsighted. 
Anywho, squinting aside, these two will be back for another round.
3.) Rick & Cheryl – Here’s my take on Rick these days: he does the very best he can with what he’s got, and what he’s got is a whole lot of height and a whole lot of heart I think his biggest problem is that he compensates for his height by moving smaller, which seems to slow him down a bit – and that’s exactly what I think happened in this quickstep. Watching Helio & Julianne’s version, the thing that stands out most to me is the speed of it…I didn’t get that sort of speed from Rick & Cheryl’s version. Granted, Rick looked like he was having the most fun of anyone out there tonight – biggest smile, all sorts of goofy faces, and just a really good energy – but I felt like he was reigning himself in a bit just due to his height difference with Cheryl. And that may be something that he’s just going to have to deal with for the duration of his time on the show. *sigh* it’s times like these I wish they had brought back Anna D., who could have easily partnered Rick with her height. But anyway – he did pretty well in the Team Kristi cha-cha for not having done cha-cha yet, although I still felt that same feeling of him “holding back” a bit due to his size. All that aside, though, I think these two had one of the more memorable dances tonight (and definitely one of the most high-energy!), and Rick is starting to show a lot more personality, which is an issue I’ve had with him so far. Nice to see him coming out of his shell – and I’m sure the female voting population agrees
4.) Kurt & Anna – Felt a little bit bad for these two, because I feel like they got stuck with the crappiest “iconic dance” to recreate – Emmitt’s iconically BAD tango. But hey, there’s nowhere to go but up, right? And up they did go – this tango was leaps & bounds better than his paso last week (as well as Emmitt’s original version), and he was the proverbial “lovable drunk uncle at a wedding” in the Team Apolo cha-cha – he stayed on-time and they seemed to give him choreography that hid his weaknesses while capitalizing on his goofiness. One more note on the tango (and this is another nitpickity thing I noticed tonight) – Kurt seems to struggle on simple moves like walks, where he has a tendency to kinda “mow over” Anna a bit; but he does great on dynamic moves like pivots and Viennese crosses, which come out really smooth. It’s a bit of a head-scratcher for me. Moving on…if there’s anything we learned about Kurt’s fanbase last week, it’s that it’s MASSIVE – they may not come out in huge numbers like they did last week to save him, but they’re there nonetheless, keeping him around. I think they’ll do it again this week.
5.) Kyle & Lacey – Definitely the strongest pair in Team Kristi (wise move putting this charismatic kid towards the end of it), and I feel like this was actually a bit of an improvement in terms of energy-level upon Mel B.’s original. However, this is the one routine of the night that felt for me more like pieces of the original glued together with some new steps. Gave me a bit of a disjointed feeling. Now while I think Kyle is actually improving week after week, I’m beginning to wonder if his impish charm is gonna help him beat out voting juggernauts like Kurt. I worry that these two may be running out of juice, and they could possibly be going home this week. I guess we’ll see…
6.) Bristol & Mark - Just you watch…I put them in the bottom, they’ll last another week just to spite me. Now while I don’t think these two necessarily did terribly this week, I do think they became a non-event – not great, not bad, no real breakthroughs…they just faded into the woodwork this week with a lethargic take on Kelly’s Viennese waltz. It definitely lacked the joy & whimsy of the original, and I did find it a bit telling that this was the only dance of the night that didn’t get a ten, either from a regular judge or a guest judge. As for the Team Kristi cha-cha – no big surprises. Bristol seemed to get a bit lost, and moved when Mark made her move. Not terrible – just a non-event. The more I think about it, the more I think these two may just be forgotten this week. And I don’t think there’s any arguing that she’s the weakest all-around dancer (in terms of both technique and performance quality) still left in the competition. And if America is as annoyed with Mark’s “Bristallion!” moniker for her as I am- they may just say screw it and wave bye-bye to her this week.
Alright masses – who had fun at the viewing party? And what did you guys conclude about this week? HOLLER! 
YES for Jenn and Derek! By and far my favorite couple, it was GREAT to see them come back so strong. My heart just about breaks to see Jennifer in such pain though, poor thing.
The viewing party was awesome; it was neat to see Vogue pop in, and I felt reassured in not being the only one with a less than warm reaction to Brandy. Sure, her technique and footwork are good, but there’s something about her personality that just doesn’t sit right.
Who was the girl that fainted during the judging in a past season?
I thought Rick’s dance was a mess and that kyle was better – but this is power rankings and I do think Rick is likely higher than Kyle or Kurt – both of whom had better dances, IMO.
Bristol – she didn’t actually move from the waist up. It bugs that they kissed her ass – although maybe that was a bit of reverse psychology.
I think Bristol should go home next, but I think Kyle will go tomorrow. I also think Kurt should go before Kyle, too, but if we’re looking at fan base, Bristol and the football player have it all over Kyle.
And as Heidi already knows, I think Rick’s dance was a mess, too. I referred to him as a big green lug, but I’m sure he will stick around for a few more weeks.
I wouldn’t be so sure about Kurt’s fanbase – yeah, he had to get a lot of votes to beat Audrina, but if she wasn’t getting many votes at all then it wouldn’t be that hard, would it?
True, Heidi, but that’s the same reason that I think that Kurt will stay longer than Kyle. I think Kyle and Audrina are/were in the same boat. They just aren’t well known enough to get a lot of votes/fan base.
Marie Osmond fainted in season 5.
Wow, what a night! I was impressed! Everything went down very nicely and I enjoyed the night very much (unlike I originally thought I would all this past week. I take back everything I said, lol). The judging was a lot better and more fair too …thank goodness.
For the team dances, I thought the second team was better. Jennifer and Derek put that on the map. They were a powerhouse out there. Excellent!
As for the couples, here is how I place them this week….
1. Jennifer and Derek – I agreed with Bruno. She was like a “Phoenix rising out of the ashes”. Perfect Tango!!! Strong, compassionate. Cool choreography at the end with them turning and weaving. 10 The best of the night!!!
2. Brandy and Maks – Impressive, stong, smooth, connected, and full of sexiness and steaminess. I just loved it. 10
3. Kyle and Lacy – I agreed with Bruno. Kyle was exactly like a “young Bull”.lol He brought total power and strength to the performance. Not once did he break character. He was energetic and having fun. Totally entertaining. His best dance of the Season. 9
4. Rick and Cheryl – This was a fun dance. He reminded me of Jim Carey too. I loved the fun and personality he showed. His best dance of the season thus far as well. Very cool. 9
5. Anna and Kurt – LOL to their rehearsal package. It was funny when he made her go play football to see how “easy” it was. As for their dance, he was much better than last week. He was full of class and charm. This was probably his best dance of the Season as well. 8
6. Bristol and Mark – Wow, she was so much better. We truly are seeing her blossom. She was more relaxed tonight that I’ve ever seen her. I agree with Carrie Anne though. She is still somewhat detached at times. But, I’m giving her an 8. Her best dance thus far as well. If she leaves tomorrow night, she should be proud of leaving with this dance.
Ok, I’m going to go read Courtney and all of your posts now.
Heidi (or anyone else who wants to chime in), am curious how you would have scored the couples. For example, it seems that Rick would have been lower on your score card.
I wonder if Kurt is better at the dynamic stuff because QBs have to move around and change course quickly. Walking in the pocket is the way to get mowed down yourself. His job didn’t lend itself to moving in a calm non-aggressive way.
I dunno, Meggie – Kyle has personality that Audrina really didn’t. Although, if a lot of people are getting as annoyed with him as I am, then yes, he could be in trouble.
So much better of an episode than last week’s episode.
I think it would have been fun to see the team captains dance with the teams. Not surprised Team Apolo won, they did deserve the victory. Good to see all the stars who returned. I have watched every season so….it’s fun to remember them sometimes.
I was so happy to see Jennifer & Derek do well again. Great tango. I hope she can make it through double dances and even more than that in the finale week. I hope they can enjoy it too, not just pull through.
This was actually one of the first dances I truly enjoyed of Brandy & Maks dances. She has improved and I do think she is a good dancer. If two couples are good dancers though, what decides who I like most is personality & choreography, and I just prefer J&D on both accounts so much more.
I thought Kyle & Lacey did a great job with that dance and that song. This was actually my next favorite dance of the night. He has improved. But I actually think he is going home tomorrow….due to lack of a fanbase (because somehow Bristol has one)..and the main demographic of the show probably doesn’t care for the goofiness that is He and Lacey. He also was the best of his team in the team dance and it’s a shame that score didn’t help his cause. If he would have been swapped with Kurt on the teams, Team Apolo really would have dominated.
Rick wasn’t bad but it lacked the speed and charisma of the original. He did well trying to be goofy and outgoing in his face but his face didn’t match his actual movement. It was actually the most noticeable downgrade performance from the original performance to me, even more so than Bristol’s VWaltz. I thought it was over-scored.
Kurt & Bristol just can’t keep up at this point- they were also over-scored to me. Kurt is very likable but he deserves to go before Kyle in my opinion. Bristol definitely should leave tomorrow but I don’t think she will.
I would have given Bristol two 7′s and an 8. I would have given Rick straight 8′s. Kurt? 8′s. I don’t see at all where Rick is a better dancer at this point than Rick. The way it is now, they have Rick equal with Brandy and Jennifer. NO WAY in hell is that the case. I love Rick – I think he’s hot and I think he’s charming as hell – but he is not Jennifer and Brandy’s equal, yet that’s basically how they’ve scored him.
That is just ridiculous. Maybe I’ll change my mind when I watch it again – but this was my initial reaction.
Great rankings Courtney!! ” As always
” Before I try to rank i just wanna say I think Mark is majorly crushing on her! BACK OFF MAN SHES MINE!!!!! LOL jk! I think this was the first night that no one danced bad. There were good dances and there were great dances, but after last week gosh idk NOone is safe. Period.
Brandy and Maks: Its official these two have earned the first 10 from Len this season, and one of the hottest Foxtrots EVER! Awesome awesome awesome, im just not sure how many people like her tho, alot of people are put off by her sso idk how that is affecting her voting wise. The Verdict: SAFE
! The Verdict: Not sure….Hmmmm
! The Verdict: Could be in the bottom two, I just dont think they’ll go home but WHO KNOWS! Im caught on this one…
Jennifer and Derek: Ive gotta give these two props, this was one great Tango, The Tango just seems to be a strong suit for her.I know she was in alot of pain so i deffantly give her major props! She just wines SO much. It gets on my nerves, Gosh i miss Audrina so much…..The Verdict: SAFE
Kyle and Lacey: First of all this was by the best Paso of the season, and it was HOT!!! These two had alot to live up to and they delivered!! All im worried about is that idk how many votes hes getting, So they deserve to stay. YES. But will they, IDK and because it apparently would kill the producers to reveal the REAL bottom two i dont even have a close idea. I probably have these two a little but this was MY favorite dance of the night!!!
Bristol and Mark: Highest scores yet for Bristol!!! Im so happy for them!! She i think has the Kelly Osbourne affect on alot of people and the Tea Party vote. This Waltz was beautifull, AWESOME footwork on Bristol’s part too
Rick and Cheryl: Ok so I liked the song, but for me this was not NEAR as good as Helio’s, Hes just so stinkin tall! Would it of killed them to bring back Anna D! ” I really hopw they do!! SHES AWESOME AND HOT ” i have NOTHING against Cheryl just that height diffrence makes it nearly impossible to have any chemistry and it seemed kinda slow. The Verdict: As much as i hate shock eliminations, I wouldnt care. At all. If these two were next to go but they are probably SAFE
Kurt and Anna: Ok so first of all, Kurt is awesome. BUT I thought this was the most undeserved ten of all seasons ” from Emmit ” It was not a bad Tango at all but it just didnt do much for me at all and hes riding on barrowed time. Running order didnt do him any favors either. The Verdict: Could be totally SAFE and i could be way off or it could be Red light time. We’ll have to say.
After last week no one is safe so we’ll have to wait and see!!
Since everyone else is talking about the dancing, I’ll bring up something that had me scratching my head. WTF was up with the low number of previous contestants in the audience? And NO one from season 6? (besides Kristi, of course) Carolla couldn’t make it? No Christian? Guttenberg is too busy? I was really looking forward to seeing more prior contestants tonight. Oh and dancing, of course.
I agree Heidi that Rick and Bristol were overscored. The scores seem way too close this season.
Was I the only one mad at Gilles? He is the only guest judge who didn’t give a higher score than the three permanent judges. Brandy and Maks performed fifth and it was clear by then that the other guests were just being polite. Ugh! I know Brandy and Maks are still tied for first, but it still bugs me.
As for team dances, I feel like they showed the picks just to prove it wasn’t rigged. Kristi really dropped the ball. I was happy to see Kyle did so well after being the last one picked. He deserved credit for being the strongest star on his team in that dance. I think the judges were so kind to Bristol in that cha cha. Does she do anything but shimmy? Team Apollo deserved the win although it wasn’t anything I’ll really remember.
Gilles basically just called out the other guest judges on twitter. Very not cool.
@ Amy R. No I was as well. That foxtrot was on POINT!! If Len is giving out a 10, then you REALLY had to do the dance great and I think Brandy and Maks did just that. So wen Gilles gave them a 9 after EVERY SINGLE pro gave out a 10 (except Kelly who gave Bristol a 9 smh) I was like is he serious?? She deserved another 10 for sure. That foxtrot was HOT!! BTW I didnt see the mess up they were talking about.
Jennifer and Derek- They were pretty awesome. Jennifer moves really well. They need to just put her and BRandy in th final 3 and make the rest duke it out. I hope her body keeps up though
Now for the rest.
In all honesty the other 4 kinda blended together. Kyle did not even compare to Mel B’s performance. Bristol was once again stiff as a board.
I honestly thought Rick’s performance was kinda blah. It just felt weird to me.
And Kurt, I think he did better than last week.
Team Apollo was definitely the better team, Team Kristi just seemed so off beat to me. No one moved at the same time in that group. And the moves were so simple. I mean Mark basically walked Bristol around the floor for their solo.
And the scores were so off. Clearly Jennifer and Brandy are the best. Why in the hell did Rick get the exact same score as them??
And Carrie Ann gave Kyle a 9?? And Jennifer a 9?? WTF??
And Ms Stiff Bristol, should have gotten like 7s or something. Why are the being so nice to this girl?
I didn’t see Brandy’s actual slip at the end, but I did see the horrified face she made towards the judges and I’m kinda thinking if she could have controlled that, she might have gotten another 10 out of the deal. Mind you, Len’s 10s are almost worth two. *g* As for Gilles’ scoring, I guess he took the point off like Carrie Anne and Bruno did.
One thing I wanted to mention is about Jennifer. That woman is EXHAUSTED. Bone-tired. Believe me, when you’re our age (yes, I’m almost 54) and the tired gets in your bones, it’s damned hard to get rid of. I want Derek to me more aware of her limitations, I want him to take better care of her. In the package for the group dance, I found him rather callous towards her needing a break. Dude, she’s not 25! She can’t just “power through it” as Drew later suggested. Please, please, tailor your choreography with that in mind, because she really is a lovely dancer when she’s not scared she might collapse.
I think everyone did a stellar job tonight, Brandy and Maks edging out Jen and Derek by just a little. By all rights, Bristol should be packing her bags, but we know what the voting is like, right? If indeed someone was to go home tomorrow (yes, I still have a few doubts. *LOL*) I think it could very well be Kurt. But it could be Kyle… or Rick… or maybe even Bristol… yeah, I have no clue. *LOL*
Yeah, Derek admitted that he keeps forgetting that she’s 50. Hell, *I* keep forgetting she’s 50 because she looks and moves amazing. But 50 she is. I think lots of people forget that and give her a hard time for whining. Look at it this way – when she was Brandy’s age Bristol hadn’t even been born yet. That she is keeping up with Derek (and Brandy) as well as she is is a testament to HER and no one else. Derek is well known as the one with the more difficult choreography and that has to be exhausting. I think he did tame it a bit this week – the problem is, with the crack these judges are smoking, they will mark her down if Derek slows it too much. I mean, in what freakin’ universe does Rick and Kyle get the same score from Carrie Ann that Jennifer and Brandy did? WTF?? That beyotch is the one that needs to “calm down”. Ridiculous. If Brandy or Jen goes home before the final I’ll lay it at CAI’s feet.
You know what, Heidi? I think Derek’s a good enough choreographer that he can deal with toning it down and finding a way to make it just as exciting and memorable. I have that confidence in him. (And I’m not a big Derek fan, but I do recognise his talent). I have to say, every time Jen has to do one of those head snaps, I worry about her neck an awful lot. And I’ll definitely agree with you that Rick and Kyle shouldn’t have had the same paddle from Carrie Anne that Jen and Brandy did, but I guess she emphasizes the showmanship over technique in their case as opposed to the ladies. I would love to be a fly on the wall in their production meetings. *g*
Gilles is an Arrogant a$$whole! Not cool. The other judges made the show fun. I felt when he was up there is was a complete downer. Brandy and Maks had the best dance of the night IMO with Jen a close second! Carrie Ann is saying Rick is just as good as the two ladies is ludicrous. She thinks with her lower half when scoring the Android Rick.
Lol Gilles erased his tweet about the scoring.
@dancelover51 Hey, I know it was a shame Brandy didn’t get a perfect or at least more 10′s but please don’t take it out only on Gilles. He was only judging what he saw, and Brandy did unfortunately slip right in front of the judges. The same criticism could be directed at the other celebrity judges, who overscored the other couples. As much as I like Kurt, Kyle, and Rick, they didn’t deserve 10′s. Regardless of how the leaderboard ended up, at least you and all Brandy’s fans know who danced the best tonight.
Ummm…not understanding all the excitement over Brandy’s dance. Yes, she moves well, and is gorgeous. But I sense either an awkwardness or arrogance (really not sure which) that makes her dances seem less than authentic to me. Yes, she made lots of sexy faces during the dance,but I sincerely didn’t sense any of the chemistry between she and Maks that was popping between Cheryl and Gilles in the original dance. C and G’s dance left me needing a cold shower. Brandy and Maks’ version=meh.
abc.com is hawking me off! It refuses to vote for anyone! It keeps asking for my email/password and then acts like I never signed in. It is so weird! But, I have given my Team Bran DMC a healthy amount of votes so if they go home tomorrow, because of my three email accounts that didn’t go through, I will BE TICKED!!!!!
I still have a hard time watching Rick. His face is always too intense for me – he looks manic. Either too stern, too happy, too SOMETHING. It really takes me out of the dance. Plus his movements are too small, but I guess that’s him being so tall. It just isn’t enjoyable to watch someone that big move around.
I really, really loved Maks’ choreography for their foxtrot. Brandy wasn’t perfect, but he looked amazing and she looked really good. I know that’s not what we are supposed to be paying attention to, but I just can’t get over how well that dance suited him, and for the most part, was very flattering to Brandy’s strengths.
As much as I liked Jennifer and Derek’s tango, I think for such a dramatic person and actress I am missing the intensity that she is supposedly putting forth. I felt the same thing out of their Argentine tango, although I did love that dance.
Kyle and Kurt are both enjoyable to watch. I hope Kyle doesn’t go home, as I think he deserves to be around more than Bristol. She totally lacked the star quality that Kelly had in that V Waltz, which is definitely the best dance that Kelly had (and probably one of the best that Louis has done too). Her foot placement is great but her upper body sucks so bad.
First I’d like to say I totally agree with Ren. That’s not because all the guest judges overscored the dances (9 for Bristol, come on !!) that Gilles should be hanged for having given them an honorable score. And Len wouldn’t have given them a 10 if all the judges had given right scores from the beginning and not 8 to 10 for everyone.
Here’s my ranking.
1. Brandy & Maks, my favorite dance of the night and probably of this season but it wasn’t perfect and didn’t deserve a 10 (I haven’t seen this season any dance that deserves a 10 anyway)
2. Jennifer & Derek, it was a great classical tango, but I agree with Figamentation, it lacks intensity, she really looked exhausted.
3. Kyle & Lacey, I like their paso, it was his best dance for sure
4. Rick & Cheryl, good couple dance but totally overscored, he did good in the team dance though
5. Kurt & Anna, he did good in the team dance but his tango was really not good
6. Bristol & Mark, she is making progress, but she is still the weakest dancer and she messed up the team dance.
And for once, I like Brooke’s dress and hairstyle.
In terms of Derek bias and comeback I understand Jennifer and Derek being first on your website. But Brandy and Masks all the way for me. Incredible performance! And I love technical Len showing the other judges what is what lol. Almost flawless, who knew Brandy could have that grace from her week one performance! Such an improvement!
Jennifer was good technically, lacking in emotion for me. From the rehearsal video all her emotions seem to have been devoted there instead of the dance.
Team Apolo was awesome! Team Kristi did a great job too.
So what exactly did Gilles’s tweet say? I just did a search on Twitter and all I can gather is that it was something about the other guest judges not having integrity and “fake” scores.
Also I love the caption for this pic, “Maksim Survivors”… hahaha.
http://twitpic.com/335dzf
I agree with everyone who said they should have brought back Anna D. to dance with Rick. Cheryl may be superior as far as choreo and dance expression go, but watching them together is getting a bit ridiculous. They still haven’t conquered the height difference and Cheryl is still mentioning it every week. What’s the point is having them dance together if it just hinders them in the end?
Jen and Derek werre amazing! thye deserved all 10s. Brandy was great too. Rick was good but once again not really that memeorable. Kyle was good but odds r he is in the bottom two or going home. as for Bristol, best costume of the night and she was very good but I feel like its taking longer 4 her 2 progress than the others. its either bristol or Kyle going home. The team dances were great though. I loved team kristi and team apollo was fun too.
I still can’t get over Jennifer and Derek last night in BOTH dances. And did you see those splits she did? How many of them did she do last night? I know atleast TWO!
Love everyone’s reveiws and thoughts on this!!!!
Nathan I had trouble on the phone voting again. I don’t think I got 3 votes in. It makes me mad. That better not effect the voting.
I see your points about Jennifer being 50 and still bringing it; she’s an amazing dancer for her age…but also, since she’ 50 she should not like she’s 12 and whine all the time!! If it’s that painful, don’t do it…it can’t be worth it!! I have never seen a contestant at that age act so childish. She’s turned me off completely.
I guess I can see how people would be mad at Gilles for giving Brandy & Maks a 9, but the way I look at it, they still got one 10, just like every other couple (except Bristol) – theirs was just from another judge. Am I the only one that thinks it a bit odd that every couple got a 10 except Bristol? I mean, clearly, she didn’t deserve one (but then again, I don’t think some of the other couples did, either), but with all the guest judge love being spread around, you’d think they’d want to maintain some consistency…and I think that’s what happened with Brandy & Maks. All the guest judges were expected to be all sunshine and rainbows, and maybe Gilles actually took his role seriously and opted to give them a 9 due to Brandy’s mistake (which, upon second watching, was made glaringly apparent by the horrified look on her face), which made Len adjust his score in order to level up the playing field. It just seemed really out of character for Len to decide to overlook an error and throw out a 10. As for Bristol – I think they realized it would have looked really fishy if Kelly had given that dance a ten, so they gave her a 9 instead. But I will say – if Gilles was calling out the other guest judges on Twitter, that is a pretty dick move…what exactly did he say?
Other observations upon second viewing: Rick’s quickstep was an even hotter mess than I initially thought, Kyle’s paso doble seemed to be more about Lacey than it was about him, and I really think Rick would be improving more quickly if he had Anna D. to partner with…couldn’t agree more, sasa. The height difference seems to be getting more difficult for them to overcome each week, and it’s getting a bit painful to watch.
I have to agree with you Vin, Jen and Derek were amazing. She pulled through great. She just needs to hang in there for 3 more week as she can do it. She just needs to believe in herself she can. Brandy did great, but I still have a hard time rooting for her. I think Rick and Cheryl had their best dance, but preferred Helio and Julianne’s version. Kyle has such great personality, but I think the odds are against him as he may be sent home tonight depending on how many pull through for Bristol.
The show was entertaining – started off with a bang and kept moving – thank goodness! Just some random thoughts. The judging was whack (shout out to Whitney). Can’t understand why the producers invite controversey with stunts like this
. Maybe it will all be a wash but it felt off. Carrie Ann was hard for me to watch. Brooke’s dress was bangin but her interviewing was also hard to watch. I agree the size difference with Rick and Cheryl is tough to get past. Lord help me but I’m also having more trouble with Bristol and Mark – he looks like he’d get flattened if she fell his way.
I thought last night was the best episode of the season–everyone danced well.
I agree that it seemed disproportionate how some seasons seemed to have a full cast in the audience whereas others only had 1-2 people. Where was the reigning champion Nicole Scherzinger? I realize they can’t introduce everyone but it would have been nice for them to introduce all 10 past champions and have them there live. Also, maybe a dance or two from past contestants or a long highlight reel. There was enough filler in last night’s episode where they could have pulled this off.
As for the current couples, I was never sold on Rick/Cheryl and the height difference still bothers me. Plus they had some really funky camera angles–I felt like I kept looking at Cheryl’s back. That’s the kind of angle you see on a talk show where they don’t camera block first. I’m fine if they go.
As for Brandy, great dance but her attitude really turns me off now. It was more obvious to me this week than in past weeks. I think in the end that is what may do her in. I am wondering if the producers are manipulating her packages now to highlight this. I felt they did this last season too with Evan and Anna’s final package to make it look like he made Anna cry–I think that caused undecideds to vote for Nicole in part.
Again I thought everyone did well overall. The team dance results were not a surprise and Team Apolo did do the better of the 2.
I haven’t a clue about tonight–just know I’m excited to watch! As a New Yorker and a Disney buff, I encourage you all to watch the Mary Poppins performance. By far, one of the best shows on Broadway so you will be entertained I hope:)
I’m worried about jennifer and her comments. I hope she doesn’t have to go home due to injury or something. it looked like a done decision to me. She said I want to go with a bang. Now I want Audrina back more than ever. Who’s gonna give brandy a run for her trophy? I like Maks but she’s annoying. WOW! This season is starting to SUCK.
One more thing…. If Derek tone it down then he’ll be called a bad choreographer by some who don’t understand. Choreographing for someone who’s 50 y/o is not easy. Judges and public would have told to step it up.
Nathan – next time that voting issue happens, close your browser, clear your cookies/cache and then start over. Happens to me all the time.
“And for once, I like Brooke’s dress and hairstyle” Agreed. Makes me think a bit of Faye Dunaway.
Spoken like a true teenager, Teresa. LOL.
Courtney, I really wish I had screen capped it because it actually shocked me coming from him. Very defensive saying that he had integrity unlike the other judges and couldn’t give that dance a 10. I think I gasped, because Gilles has never screamed “dick” to me before like he did last night.
Guest, I think she was very afraid this would be her last week since they had her in “Jeopardy” two weeks in a row (and Audrina went home) – and she wants to go out strong, not because she’s 50 and tired. Derek will adjust, I think – she looked more scared than anything in most of the packages. Maybe now that she pulled off two dances she’ll come back strong. I think Apolo’s comments were fantastic, about how he was so tired and how it’s a mental game.
Yep, Jennifer appears more scared than whiny to me too. But you have to remember that “whiny” is what the producers want us to see. Out of all the footage they would have out of the week, those clips are the ones they chose to show in both the team dance practice and with Derek. Can we all say,”Drama!” I sure hope it doesn’t hurt Jennifer though, because I can see how it could be a turn off and, believe me, I am no teenager!!
I have a hard time watching Jennifer now – like one of the other commenters, I worry whenever she snaps her head. The producers need to lay off this angle of making her appear so delicate. We all know what she’s been through and how old she is (although it is hard to believe she is 50), but playing it up every week is not helping her, in my opinion. As I was watching their tango last night I kept thinking at spots that she looked tired and that move or this move must have been painful…and because of that I did not enjoy the dance as much as I would have if the producers didn’t keep announcing every week that she is 50 and frail.
As for Brandy, I like her. I think she is a beautiful dancer and I loved their tango. Gilles is a twit, but he felt bad later about the 9 (or maybe about all the grief he got after giving a 9). Codebear posted the George backstage interview with Brandy and Maks and Gilles was there explaining himself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy0TPsVFmsw
I thought Bristol was a joke in the team dance – cannot understand why the judges fawn over her. And I thought she was overscored in their waltz.
Rick, Kurt, Kyle…just didn’t stand out for me in a positive way this week. I HATED Rick’s costume – just fugly. And Kyle is just not sexy enough for latin dances. He’s got more personality than anyone on the show, but I giggle when he tries to do sexy.
Hmmmm…you’re right Heidi, seems like very un-Gilles behavior, but hey, you never know what could unleash the inner bitch in someone – maybe he was getting a lot of flak and was trying to explain why he gave the 9 and just went about it the wrong way. Regardless, the guest judges scores basically mean nothing this week, since everyone got a ten except Bristol (and with as many points as were given out this week, getting a 9 instead of a 10 basically means nothing in terms of the spread). It all cancels out, so hopefully people won’t harp on this Gilles thing for too long.
Jennifer doesn’t seem like she’s having fun and that’s a shame. And I think she IS overdoing it with crying, pains, self-doubt and such. Pace yourself woman. There were far older, less capable, in worse shape people competing on DWTS. You really have everything going for you so just enjoy it damn it.
But sasa, did any of those people have two screws put in their neck and cancer less than a year ago? And did they make it this far in the competition?
The producers form a narrative every season – all the celebs and pros (except Maks apparently
) know this. Maks/Erin was showmance, Nicole cried far more often than Jennifer did and was often shown in a bad light, Maks and Brandy started off as fighting….the list goes on. They want drama, that’s for sure. Whether it actually as an impact, who knows? It didn’t seem to on Nicole.
I can’t comment on Nicole because I wasn’t into her dancing at all. Sorry, I know she was amazing and extremely capable and everything, but I had 2 major problems with her. First, she was execellent already on week 1 which made it hard for me to root for her and second, when someone has that kind of ability from the get-go, then I expect them to explore the passion and emotion in the dance even more and with Nicole and Derek I mostly just felt like they were 2 people dancing side-by-side and showing of their talent. So I didn’t really watch all the packages and I don’t know how much she cried. Maks/Erin made me kinda pissed because I bought into it (wasn’t a rabid fan, but I thought there was something going on). I don’t think it stemmed from the producers though, I think it was those two who perpetuated the idea and producers just went along. I think the producers influence is over-rated. And there’s nothing producer induced in Jennifer talking to the camera while crying. She chooses to do it. As for the ailments, I think it’s silly to compare such things because for many people we didn’t even know about their problems. I know Donny had some back issues also, but he still grit his teeth in reherseal and had fun on the dance floor.
Jane Seymour made it week 7. She was 56 y/o and had a disk removed or something… not to mention she had a severe foot injury when she was a ballerina. Susan Lucci was 60 + y/o old and made it week 6 with a injured foot and traveling east/west coast and working full time.
I do think Derek is being a little “careless” when it comes to choreography with her…. but I can’t blame him for that. I hope for the best.
I wish Mark had toned it down a bit in the team dance. Once again he was out dancing his partner (and everyone one else). I couldn’t follow how Bristol did with his flailing around. And he was SO over the top, it seemed to make everyone else (even the other pros) seem slow.
Just my opinion, feel free to disagree.
LisaC, I agree. He overdid it.
Bristol needs to go. Yes she’s improved with her technique but she and Mark lack chemistry. I’m not too fond of Rick and Cheryl although he has great posture. I was getting annoyed at Kyle but last night he cracked me up channeling Maks and I do hope he and Lacey make it to the finals for comedy relief.
Bristol needs to go. Yes she’s improved with her technique but she and Mark lack chemistry. I’m not too fond of Rick and Cheryl although he has great posture. I was getting annoyed at Kyle but last night he cracked me up channeling Maks and I do hope he and Lacey make it to the finals for entertainment purposes.
But in less than a year, Guest?? That’s the question. And they weren’t good dancers either who were challenged by their choreography.
Sasa, of course the producers don’t make it up – I get on Maks for his whining about the packages all the time because he should know that by now. But we are only seeing 60 seconds out of a whole week. I guess I just sympathize with someone who is having a hard time in a given moment. I can’t imagine doing what she’s doing – I couldn’t likely do it NOW, let alone at 50. Instead of heaping scorn on her for crying once in a while (and no, you can’t say she does it all the time because you don’t know), I actually think what she’s doing is pretty amazing. Last week their package was a great deal of fun, the week before they had a fight…and before that I don’t even remember, so I guess I don’t get where this “crying all the time” is really coming from. Compared to Nicole, she hasn’t been shown crying much at all. Thank god.
LisaC, that’s the problem I always have with Mark’s choreo – it looks okay with a Kristi, but it’s just plain odd with a Bristol.
sasa, the producers choose what footage to show. They have hours of it and they put together a narrative that lasts all of 2 minutes. To what extent the couples control that narrative I don’t know. I do think that the Erin/Maks showmance was controlled to a degree by Erin though.
I think that the things that make entertainers so successful are also the things that drive people nuts. The drama, the competitive drive, the emotions and behavior. In fairness to Jennifer, this is her industry and she’s under pressure to look good against youngsters. Last I checked she’s not selling commercial real estate or teaching creative writing. She’s basically a theater geek who wants the starring role. Looking at her (and the other entertainers) in this light makes them more sympathetic to me. I remember an interview wherein Bette Midler said actors are the most insecure people on earth, always looking for approval. Now couple that with a camera on you at every rehearsal. Eeesh.
Guest- adding to what Heidi said as I agree with her, Jennifer and Derek are a team. If there is something she is unable or can’t do, Derek would change it up immediately as he does not want her to get seriously hurt. He is not being a “little careless” as you said. He is pushing and challenging her since he know she has what it takes to win and so far she has knocked it out of the park with the exception of last week.
I agree about Rick and Cheryl’s height diffrence. Shoulda brough back Anna D…
Ditto Zach. And I think they had a 2nd chance when Edyta left. There were rumors that she had been paired with Rick, so bringing in Anna D wouldn’t have required anyone else to change partners. Seems like they opted for a more seasoned pro instead (or that Anna D had made other commitments by then).
wow… so much written and noted… I know we all have opinions on this show and this is what this blog is about but the comments about Jennifer are sad to me primarily because we are talking about her health and welfare. So to that, I’ll say this “don’t judge others til you’ve walked a mile in their shoes” I hope we all will think of a time when we’ve been judged unfairly. Despite if she’s 50 or 25, none of us have any idea what it is like to be diagnosed, have such evasive surgery and then enter into grueling 6-7 hour/day practices under intense public spotlight. Sure you can argue this any way you’d like but my point still remains that it turns into a personal attack to which I think is extemely sad.
Ok so Learntodance.com ” Which I tend not to believe but who knows ” Has Rick, Jen, and Bristol leading in votes with Kyle at the bottom. What do you guys make of this?
I didn’t mean careless like literally careless. i meant he’s pushing her maybe a little too much coz he wants her to do very well.
on another note…I wonder why Derek was reminiscing about Jennifer’s past performances on his tweeter? Now i’m worried…
@DAY… Jennifer/Producers opened that can of worms when they made it part of her rehearsal clip.
Well, if you listen to Maks, the couples have NO control over the packages – and it makes sense that they wouldn’t. And they aren’t allowed to rehearse when the cameras aren’t there. Why do you think Derek and Nicole made up that song “the camera’s really on me now?” Just for plain old geeky fun? Most likely Derek coached Nicole that they will gladly use any dramatic material you give them. It’s on them to remember that – that’s why I get so yanked off at Maks when he complains to the media about their packages. OTOH, you see Derek and Jennifer both comment that those moments are the producers “gold” and they both accept that, recognize that and don’t complain about it. It is what it is.
But what I don’t get is why people are so unsympathetic to someone like Jennifer – rather heartless even. Nicole – I could understand her getting on people’s nerves. But Jennifer? It makes me kinda sad, actually, that people can be so lacking in compassion to someone who is pretty darn brave, in my book. The 2 screws in the neck/cancer combo would have put a lot of people in bed for a year, I think.
@ GUEST they may have opened that “can of worms” but it’s our choice as to what we say about it…..
Not to belittle Jennifer’s complaints – I actually LIKE her and I think she and Derek are a great team, from the results on the dance floor – I have been through similar types of health problems (thyroid cancer and I have about 40 screws and six metal plates in my face and neck due to radical surgery two years ago) and I think they sometimes rag on it way too much. Thyroid cancer is THE most treatable form of cancer (through surgery and/or RAI treatment). She isn’t recovering from chemo, and the radiation treatments don’t affect the rest of her body because only the thyroid absorbs the radioactive iodine. A year removed from surgery and she should be doing pretty good – maybe not 100%, but to talk about it constantly is a bit irritating. She is in TREMENDOUS shape and I just think that the producers have chosen to beat it into our brain that she’s a “cancer survivor” and all that stuff. Again, not trying to be insensitive – we all have our battles to overcome, and walk a mile in someone else’s shoes, etc., et all. But I think DWTS has chosen to spotlight that in their packages, where I would much rather get more of her personality and training time with Derek. My boyfriend and I have taken to eyerolls during their packages, which is a shame. I hope they can show us more of “who she is” rather than “what she’s been through”. Not blaming her, as I think it’s all the show’s spin – it’s just annoying.
Well, Fig, I think the basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma’s are probably more treatable than thyroid – but that’s picking nits.
I had basal cell carcinoma and when you hear the word cancer…well, you know. Your heart stops. Even after they assure you that they see it all the time and that it’s easy to fix, no big deal, blah blah blah – that first 15 minutes are like, WTF??
I don’t mind so much that the producers do it, just that some people (not you) seem to lack any kind of feeling about it at all – like they equate her with the younger, never had any health issues, folks on the show. And I could go into a long rant about the failings of society etc etc etc – but I’ll save that for a different blog.
Guest, he had a tweet right before that that puts it more in context (I hope) – he said something about he and Jen being out of the funk they seemed to be in, or something like that. And she said she’s not going down without a fight – so he could be worried about elimination (after two weeks in jeopardy and Audrina leaving), but she’s not going to quit.
I’m sorry if I sound insensitive towards Jennifer and I am sorry that she had health issues but I don’t think DWTS is the place to discuss them. She wouldn’t have signed up if she thought she couldn’t do it. Is it her or is the producers doing playing that card is hard to tell, but she definitely is not holding back talking about it. Considering Derek knows they will show the most dramatic parts in packages and presumably warned her about it makes it even more strange. She is so reluctant to talk about so many things and is so “all about the dancing”, but on the other hand she is not shy to share about her health and age. As far as how much drama there was, if I remember correctly only last week was drama-free, or maybe one more early on. It just bugs me. It wouldn’t bug me nearly as much if she was a very open person in general but she strikes me as pretty reserved apart from talking about her fears etc.
@ Figamentation I totally agree with you about how the show has harped on it… I am ready for them to move on from it as well… I was a Tony/Audrina fan and have moved to a Maks/Brandy fan but I do wish Jennifer well. I did worry last night that all the negativity might actually sway voters to not vote for Jennifer due to her comments whether it be due to not wanting to vote for her because of viewpoints of her “whining” or due to thinking she’s tired and needs to not be on there anymore… but then there might be those who give the “sympathy vote” either way I never have liked it when I feel like a show is trying to play to my emotions…. it just makes me angry….. you are right, we all have stories. I’m sure some of the other dancers are thinking the same thing. I agree, the show does need to move on and stop diverting the attention elsewhere and back to where it needs to be which is on the dancing….. (all the best with your own recovery!)
Princess Heidi…..being from that “wise sec” =) I look forward to that blog…….. ;~)
I don’t think anyone is in a position to judge how Jennifer feels honestly. Everyone reacts to surgery and/or treatments differently. I’m in my early 30s and had open heart surgery 2 years ago and I’ was fortunate enough to get back to work within 6 weeks. However, I know others in my age range who took close to a year or even longer to recover.
I do agree though that the show is over-using this topic. I’d like to learn more about her life and career as we haven’t seen her in the public eye in so long.
I second that. For god’s sakes she is Baby from Dirty dancing! We want to know what has she been up to, what are her plans, maybe some nice stories from shooting DD…
I did want to add that what may be affecting her the most is that her thyroid may be underactive now as a result of the surgeries. Even if she is taking hormonal supplements, people with hypothyroidism get extremely exhausted due to physical exertion. I know that the same level of exertion is now so much more difficult because I get so tired. Like I said, I know she’s probably not 100% – I just think there’s a lot more to her story, and herself, than just this illness though. This is true for a lot of DWTS packages though, but I think hers are the least enjoyable for me in a long time (considering she’s with Derek, a well known goofball).
Sorry, sasa, but she talked about DD in the first episode and people trashed her for that too. Basically called her a liar.
And we don’t know that she hasn’t been sharing all that and more with Derek and we don’t get to see it. I saw a video last week where you see Derek and Stella doing a little fist bump – he’s clearly well acquainted with her, and yet you’d never know it from the show. Why don’t we get to see THAT?? Clearly there is a lot more going on.
She didn’t share nice stories about DD week 1, she got emotional over Patrick. And I didn’t blame her for that one bit but it’s an entirely different thing. She doesn’t have to talk about Patrick, she could talk about what dance moves was she learning, which were the hardest, who was teaching her.. that sort of thing.
The producers have always boxed people into these neat little categories and that’s all they choose to show of them. I feel like people are even MORE pigeonholed than they have been in previous seasons – but I can’t attest to the veracity of that, as it could be just my perception. Regardless, it’s been my only beef with the show – that the producers choose to take such routes – and I feel like Jennifer’s has been rather unflattering. There’s gotta be a thousand things they could show instead of what they do. However, with the number of contestants diminishing there will be more time for filler so hopefully we can see more of each of the stars.
I hope Kyle isn’t gone tonight but there’s a good chance that’s the case. Hopefully Bristol’s tea-party supporters are just out there voting to ruin our country rather than ruin another week of the show (kidding).
I had to chuckle at that last comment, Fig…. I really would like to see Bristol gone…. I’m tired of her tiredness…. does anyone else feel like Mark seems to be just trying to “carry” her through…I felt like last night he was more over exuberant trying to fill in for her lack of exuberance…. yes I did see her try a few times but geez how many more chances does she get… and I don’t know, is anyone else getting tired of Lacey? I feel bad for Kyle. I know he’s young but sometimes I feel like she’s just not “with” him…. while I’m on this string… I wonder the same about Cheryl…. has anyone else gotten this vibe or am I just reading too much in to that??
Lol @ Fig. Thats funny. Bristol should really be gone already. Like seriously. Lets just say she survives to next week. Then she has to do 2 dances next week. Thats twice the stiffness and twice the awkwardness. Who wants to watch that?? And I am still tripping over the fact that Bristol has gotten 8s. If you look at previous seasons, someone like Bristol would have gotten 6s or 7s for some of her performances. I mean she totally forgot the steps to that jive and she got decent scores. Like wtf?? This time last season we had pretty good dancers left. I think Pam Anderson left this time last season. Its Bristol’s time to go. Like everyone else is either decent or REALLY good.
I think Rick looked more like a giant green bean.
Repuclicans managed to get Bristol another week on DWTS and The House LOL! Not bad! Lol jk
I think that the viewers of DWTS had better wise up and vote for best dancers instead of favorite celebrities. If Kyle, Kurt, or especially Bristol win this competition I may stop watching it. That would be a travesty that even a dedicated fan couldn’t stand!!