PureDWTS Season 19, Week 10 – Power Rankings

Several things that make me go “hmmmm” this week: the scores very much in a close cluster headed into finale week (74, 75, 76, 78), Sadie back to being low-balled a bit; the sudden repetition of the phrases “momentum”, “going all the way”, and “contender” with reference to Janel; the decision to bring back Maks for a visit; and the fact that Alfonso seems to be in some serious pain.  All are things that make me wonder about the finale, in a variety of ways…you’ll see why.

Tommy, Tommy, Tommy – it was great run, buddy, and you very much went out on a high note (no pun intended…ok, maybe a little bit).  Thought that the Chonger actually gave two very respectable performances tonight, and his rumba in particular was a lovely illustration of just why I appreciated him so damn much this season: he let us see a softer side of Peta.  I don’t think I’ve EVER seen her so emotionally attached to a partner, and it made her a lot more human and relatable for me – plus Tommy was just so daggone charming, and seemed to really embrace the experience of being on DWTS.

1.) Alfonso & Witney – Injury aside, I think we saw something out of Alfonso tonight that we maybe hadn’t noticed as much when he wasn’t injured: heart.  I loved seeing the fighting side of Fonz tonight – his technique may not have been as on-point as we’ve seen from him in the past (though by no means was it shoddy – even injured, the guy is still a revelation), but I think it just made it more obvious how hard he was trying and how much he really wants to be here and do well – so I appreciated both of his performances tonight, as well as Witney’s choreography.  She has been a revelation this season – really loving how she’s able to showcase her partner.  Also worth noting, I think – just how many (and how diverse) a group of celebs showed up in Alfonso’s “flashback” package to wish him well.  Rick Schroeder, Emmitt Smith, most of the cast of Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and…Dan Quayle??? I like to think it just illustrates Fonz’s broad-spectrum appeal – and how beloved he is by so many because of both Carlton and Silver Spoons.   My only worry? That his injury may prevent his freestyle from being as truly epic as it could be, if his range of motion is limited – but I’m optimistic that he’s still going to wow us, and  he’s still got time to heal.  He’s still my pick to win 😉

2.) Sadie & Mark – Once again, we’re back to being a bit harder on Sadie than necessary – although at least it’s not by a huge margin of points this time.  I actually thought her quickstep was one of the better dances of the evening, and deserved at least one 10 – loved  how she just threw caution to the wind and really went for it.  Technique was pretty spot-on, too.  I liked her Argentine tango, but thought the guitar was a bit of a double-edged sword: it added an element of uniqueness to her routine, but at times, I did find it a bit distracting.  Thought her legs were just GORGEOUS, though, and she was extending them beautifully.  But the low-balling has me wondering if she is just charming viewers to death and is just running away with votes – hence, the bit of handicapping by the judges.  Seems like they can only give her the right scores on odd-numbered weeks, so with any luck, she’ll get the right scores next week…still think she & Alfonso will be the last two standing.

3.) Bethany & Derek – I think Bethany came out of her shell a bit more this week – I saw her more invested and at ease in both of her dances.  Thought the concept of her samba was adorable and funny, and she managed to nail the rhythm perfectly – on the flipside, I thought it took a bit too long to actually get started, and she was taking really wide steps with it.  But overall, still enjoyable.  Also appreciated the uniqueness of her contemporary – the picture frame was kind of a cool touch, and seemed to work a bit better than the guitar in Sadie’s dance, but was also, at times, a bit distracting for me.  But I did appreciate her vulnerability – we haven’t really gotten to see too much of that from her this season.

4.) Janel & Val – I actually really enjoyed Janel’s paso – she handled it well, and Val actually did some solid choreography in there.  Only complaints? Some of the arm lines seemed a bit wobbly, and she was pulling a few cheerleader faces – a bit to peppy in the face at times, instead of aggressive.  I had some issues with her Argentine tango – first of all, it was awfully similar to her paso! Whereas all of the other couples had two dances that were pretty vastly different from one another, I thought Janel’s two dances were a bit too similar…so her A. tango ended up feeling like a recycled version of her paso, I’m afraid. I also agreed with Carrie Ann that the transitions in and out of the lifts could have been smoother – found myself cringing a bit at a few of them.  But my biggest complaint is really just that she seems to be getting excessively hyped – when she’s not really any better than anyone else left in the competition. Why push Janel as the hot thing, when she’s not dancing any better than any of the other remaining couples this season? Just makes me nervous….especially since they do it so close to the  finale, and decide to bring back last season’s “reigning champion” to give them advice.  I still think best she can hope for is 3rd (maybe even 4th), but I think TPTB are going to do whatever they can to give her a helping hand next week.

So what are your thoughts on last night’s show? How does everyone  look headed into the finale?