DWTS13 Week 1 Power Rankings
So ends the first night of competition in season 13 š I must say, tonight was…interesting, as far as premieres go. On the downside, the bad performances seemed to outweigh the good ones; on the upside, even some of the bad ones were still pretty entertaining! The judges are still under the influence, the new stage still looks like a tripping hazard, and Brooke…is still the same old ditzy Brooke, just with a fancy new hyphenated last name. But on with the rankings!
1.) JR & Karina ā I know I had already pegged this guy as the one to win this season, but man ā I still got a little slack-jawed (and misty-eyed) watching him tonightĀ š Heās extraordinarily fluid in his movements ā he was the only one I saw who really finished his lines tonight ā and wasnāt in a hurry to do so.Ā Everything felt like a piece of cake to him, while the level of difficulty impressive.Ā And Carrie Ann was right ā JR was one of the few tonight that managed to connect both with the dance AND their partner/the audience.Ā I find that highly impressive at this stage of the competition, when so many celebs can only either dance or connect, and not do both.Ā He did seem to get a bit thrown off by some of the fancier turns, but considering how fluid the rest of the dance was, itās not a huge deal.Ā Personality-wise, I can honestly say Iām inspired by how positive and grateful JR is in his attitude towards life ā in a society where we place so much emphasis on looks, itās incredibly refreshing to see someone who can be secure (and even crack jokes!) about a very traumatic and disfiguring injury.Ā Not only do I feel inspired, but Karina seems inspired as well ā itās nice to see the smile she had with Ralph last season, back again even brighter this seasonĀ š I think these two have a long, hard, gorgeous journey ahead of them on the showā¦which I canāt wait to see!
2.) Ricki & Derek ā Another couple who I still found myself very impressed with, even if I had already expected them to do well.Ā Ricki, like JR, was very fluid and had an unexpected finesse to her movement ā granted, her lines werenāt quite as pretty as his, but Ricki is also quite a bit smaller, and with less limb length to extend.Ā Iām honestly a little puzzled that these two actually scored a point less than Hope & Maks ā I found the latter to lack some of the ease that made Rickiās dance so appealing to me.Ā Personality-wise, I think Rickiās got the right approach to this season ā sheās competitive, of course, but underneath that I think sheās really here to prove to herself that she can do this, and to improve herself both physically and emotionally.Ā Derek seems a bit more reserved this season, but I donāt think thatās necessarily a bad thing and Iām sure heāll pull out his inner goofball for the jive next weekĀ š I think these two had a pretty good advantage in going 2nd to last, and being only 1 of 4 couples (yikes) to actually break into the 20ās tonight.Ā Barring any huge disaster, I can see them sticking around while we separate the wheat from the chaff.
3) Chynna & Tony ā I must admit ā I was surprised at how well Chynna moves.Ā Not that I thought she was going to be bad, per se, but I more worried that she was going to be a non-event ā and I think I was justified in that worry, to some degree.Ā It was a lovely, airy performance ā it felt like a leisurely stroll in the park and nothing really seemed to hinder Chynna.Ā She & Tony seem well-matched, both in personality and appearance.Ā However, Iām still concerned that theyāre going to struggle with really standing out in the crowd this season.Ā Chynna had the same ease of movement that made Ricki & JR standāouts tonight; however, while they also managed to nail the emotional connection of the dance, Chynna seemed to keep a smile pasted on her face throughout her dance ā as if she was completely connected to the movement, but not necessarily the feel of the dance.Ā The overall result was quite pleasant to watch ā but not as impactful as others.Ā Iām having flashbacks of Audrina at this time last year ā a pretty good dancer, who failed to really make an emotional impact in her performances.Ā Iām actually hoping to be proved wrong ā I really wanna see Chynna knock the jive out of the park next week and show me sheās got some attitude. As I said before, sheās probably safe for now, while we get rid of some of the less skilled dancersā¦but sooner or later, sheās gonna have to come out of her shell.
4.) Hope & Maks ā Not the worst performance of the night, but man ā I think Maks has got his work cut out for him this season.Ā Hope was pretty much what I feared sheād be ā a very athletic, muscled woman who really seems to struggle with more refined, graceful movement.Ā I actually found myself cringing a few times during this waltz ā she just looked like she was pushing through each step with such force, it appeared as though she was trying to lead Maks, rather than the other way around.Ā Maybe the precise movements of the jive will really force her to focus on the detail of her steps, rather than the power behind them.Ā Personality-wise, she seems fairly pleasant; she does have a certain bravado that most female athletes seem to possess to a certain degree, but I didnāt necessarily find if off-putting ā yet. š It may start to grate on my nerves after awhile ā weāll see.Ā Maks seems to have retained a bit of Kirstieās humor from last season, which is good; however, a bit of the intensity from season 11 seems to have crept back in, so hopefully it wonāt result in any major blow-ups between them.Ā Again, another couple likely safe while the weaker couples get weeded outā¦but thereās work to be done, and I really hope Hope (hehe) can tap into her more feminine side.
5.) Chaz & Lacey ā Were they the most skilled couple of the night? Of course not.Ā But the fact that Chaz was out there, unafraid to have fun and somehow keeping up with Lacey? WOOHOO!!! It was just the right performance to end the show with ā light, fluffy, and carefreeĀ š Not to say that Chaz doesnāt have a lot of work ahead of him ā heās got some definite issues with range of motion & stamina, which hopefully will get better as the weeks wear on and heās able to get comfortable really moving his body; however, the fact that he was out there, comfortable in his skin, and fearlessly moving with Lacey? That speaks volumes, and could give him a real edge this season.Ā Lacey seems uncharacteristically calm & centered this season, which is a pleasant surprise ā and the rapport she has with Chaz seems very genuine and strong.Ā They may not have the scores to go tete-a-tete with Ricki, JR, or Hope, but they do have heart, and a decent portion of viewers that want to see them do well.Ā I think theyāre gonna stick around longer than expected š
6.) Carson & Anna ā This dance, for me, was like an English Bulldog: so ugly that itās adorable. š Honestly, I canāt think of another dance in the history of the show that was so comically bad that it was actually quite entertaining ā and the best part? Carson & Anna were fully aware of how ridiculous they looked ā and they EMBRACED it.Ā Itās like some movies: if itās bad but takes itself seriously, itās REALLY bad; but if itās bad and it knows it, it can end up kind ofā¦good.Ā And yes, I know the further I progress through these rankings, the less sense I will likely makeĀ š Long day at the office, kids.Ā Anywho! Carson is exactly what I predicted him to be: an extraordinarily awkward mover that relies wholly on personality to carry him through ā and it works.Ā And Anna looks like sheās having a ball ā I think they both realize that thereās no way theyāre going to walk away with the trophy this season, so theyāve just said āF*ck it, weāre gonna have fun!ā The problem: how is Carson going to be able to carry the over-the-top personality into very subtle dances, such as the rumba or waltz? Heās gonna have to pull something else out of his bag of tricks for those dances.Ā I could see these two probably lasting until the midpoint of the season, but beyond that? I donāt think theyāve got the skills to keep up with some of the couples above.Ā But hey, letās enjoy the ride while it lasts š
7.) David & Kym ā This was a very odd one for me: it wasnāt terrible, and it wasnāt great, but David seemed to rush through it with a sort of frantic desperation that left me kindaā¦I donāt know, skeptical? The guy really seems to be trying (and sort of succeeding), Iāll give him that.Ā But he seems to be trying so hard that itās a little off-putting ā itās exactly the same problem I had with Brandy a year ago: so desperate to win that it actually turns you off a bit.Ā I worry that David will suffer the same fate, and be completely devastated if he doesnāt make the finals.Ā I saw some real potential in his movement ā he seems to do really well in-hold, and has a nice long stride to help him move through the ballroom dances; but he seemed to kinda fall apart when doing open work, and really rush through the parts he wasnāt good at.Ā Iāll chalk it up to nerves this week, but if he continues to get ahead of the music in the coming weeks, I think Kym is gonna have a serious problem on her hands ā because homeboy has got some timing issues.Ā Iām not writing these two off just yet, but I think Davidās going to really have to bring some intense focus to the jive next week in order for me to believe heās a contender.
8.) Kristin & Mark ā Maybe it was the fact that they danced so early in the show, maybe it was the fact that Mark seemed quieter than normal, but these two really got lost in the shuffle for me tonight ā which kinda stinks for them, since I really didnāt think Kristin was terrible.Ā Yes, she moved like a lot of the other young, pretty reality types weāve had on the show, but she didnāt seem quite as timid and at least mastered the Pam Anderson hair flipĀ š Mark actually seemed to reign in the jimmy legs a tiny bit this week, although the omnipresent spats still shouted āLook at me!ā next to Kristinās ballroom shoes.Ā Kristin seems like a fairly agreeable individual who wonāt butt heads with Mark too much ā although Iām still kinda scratching my head at the āIām not a bitch!ā comment.Ā Overall, I think this was a decent first week effort for them ā but they, like Chynna & Tony, seem like they may struggle with fading into the woodwork if they donāt step up their excitement factor.
9.) Nancy & Tristan ā I had a feeling that Courtroom Nancy & Ballroom Nancy would be two very different individuals ā and I was rightĀ š While this dance may not have been a huge success for Nancy, I daresay she did manage to show the viewers that there is more to her than just a fierce mommy-type with a law degree and a set of brass balls ā she came across as positive, upbeat, and excited, and ready to really learn how to dance.Ā As for her actual dancing ā what she did do wasnāt terrible, although she seemed to forget quite a bit of her choreo; but I was impressed with the fact that, even when she totally blanked on her choreo, she never once had that ādeer in the headlightsā look on her face.Ā She just kept smiling and shaking her bonbonsĀ š She, like Chaz, may have an advantage in being able to look calm & carefree in the face of humiliation.Ā Tristan, as always, is such a delight; that accent could keep me entertained for hours, and he doesnāt seem like the type that gets all bent out of shape over a few mediocre scores.Ā I donāt think weāve seen the last of these two yet ā hopefully the quickstep will give Nancy a chance to get through an entire routine without looking like sheās forgotten her routine, at the very least.Ā And if nothing else ā those two could just keep smiling and probably stick around anyway š
10.) Rob & Cheryl ā To be quite honest, I actually think this was tied with Ron for worst performance of the night; however, the judges seemed to heap some unnecessary praise on Rob that they didnāt on Ron, despite them being roughly equal in performance, IMO. Rob, just as I suspected, seems pretty disinterested in being on the show; he has one expression that I can see, and that expression is some sort of strange composite of bored/sheepish/apathetic/hungry.Ā There really wasnāt much technique here ā his feet were gadawful & shuffly, and I think Robās frame is about as solid as a wet noodle.Ā Honestly ā Iām missing all this āpotentialā Carrie Ann apparently sees, because in my eyes potential only matters if you actually have the drive to cultivate it ā which Rob does not appear to possess. Honestly, I would say these two are going home, but I think those damn Kardashians (combined with Cherylās fans) might just have enough juice to save Rob this week.Ā But unless he does some miraculous 180 in the next 7 daysā¦he could be gone next week.
11.) Elisabetta & Val ā The minute I saw shirtless Val coming down the stairs ā I knew there was trouble in paradise with this seasonās prettiest couple.Ā Iām sorry, but this routine was a mess from start to finish ā due mainly to the fact that Elisabetta seemed to completely forget her choreo AND let it show on her face.Ā Complete deer in the headlights.Ā The parts that she did remember seemed pretty awkward & flaily ā I was actually seeing shades of Denise Richards there for a minute, as awkwardly as she was flinging her arms & legs around.Ā Valiant effort by Val for trying to shape her into a dancer, but Val,ā tsk tskā on the bed, dude.Ā Maks surely mustāve warned you that āmucking about with propsā is not Lenās ācup of teaā.Ā I know he likely didnāt have a whole lot to work with, but resigning yourselves to using props so early in the competition? Yikes.Ā So when we get down to brass tacks, Elisabettaās US fanbase is next to non-existent, and ValĀ is likely still contending with some degree of vote-splitting with big bro ā although Val did encourage his Twitter followers not to split votes between he & Maks, and just give the votes to Maks ā such a valiant little bro š And with the points spread being so close, itās very possible these two could go home over Ron & Peta ā Ron doesnāt need a ton of votes to stick around over Elisabetta.Ā But Iām gonna put my faith in the fact that Maks fans may have tossed enough votes in Valās direction to keep him around for another weekā¦hopefully to redeem himself :-/
12.) Ron & Peta ā Ummmā¦.wow.Ā I really donāt have the words to describe this cha-chaā¦if you could really call it that.Ā It was special, thatās for sure ā and bizarre.Ā I understand now why they had Ron go first ā complete trainwreck appeal.Ā Heās kooky, heās weird, heās outspokenā¦and heās blonde now, apparently.Ā Maybe thatās what I really had a hard time wrapping my brain around ā the fact that the blonde facial hair made him look like an old man, and the blonde hair on his head was reminiscent of Dennis Rodman.Ā Iām gonna give Peta the benefit of the doubt and assume she just did not have a whole lot to work with ā both in terms of music (which sucked) AND her partner ā so she just kinda winged it with the choreo.Ā Regardless of the motivations behind this āinterpretive cha-chaā, Iām guessing thereās a good chance these two could go home tomorrow ā especially if Ron has alienated enough viewers.Ā Elisabetta may not have Ronās fanbase, but sheās also not batshit crazy like he is š Sorry to see Peta go so early, but then again, maybe itās for the best this time :-/
So who do you guys think will be the first to head home? And who do you think has the juice to go all the way? I wanna hear it! š