DWTS13 Week 9 Power Rankings
So I’m guessing the judges either got laid or did shots in between JR’s paso and Rob’s samba, because they rather inexplicably got very generous very quickly with the points šÆ Definite overscoring of some parties going on tonight, although I don’t think there was so much underscoring – I thought most of the scores were right-on or kinda cushy. Oh, and in case you didn’t know, tonight’s episode of DWTS was brought to you by the reused song (if I remember correctly, all but the pasos and the cha-cha relay song were repeats) and patterned tights š
1.) Ricki & Derek – Ricki was (quite literally, in her samba costume) the judges’ golden girl tonight, and managed to deliver 3 very clean, well-executed dances.Ā Can’t say that the choreo in any of the 3 was particularly genius, but I think Derek was probably smart to keep the steps much simpler than the usual fare we see from him. Ricki’s been struggling the past few weeks, and I think it was wise to give her simple choreo that she could do well than really try to wow the judges with complex stuff.Ā Their samba was cute, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much content it had – I think samba is my least favorite dance on DWTS, and even Derek’s choreo doesn’t usually impress me because he seems to do a lot of side-by-side, open work as opposed to real samba steps.Ā But this actually had plenty of real samba! I liked the mood & execution of their Argentine tango, but felt a little let down by the choreo – again, I guess I’m just used to seeing dynamite A. tangos from Derek, so this felt a little…light.Ā Their cha-cha, too, was rather simple; but compared to Hope & JR, who both looked rather sloppy to me, Ricki’s clean-and-simple cha-cha really worked tonight.Ā Thankfully, there is a pretty good-sized pointsĀ margin tonight, which should keep these two safe at the top of the leaderboard.Ā And I’m glad – I think they very much deserve a spot in the finale.Ā However, I don’t think they’re going to be able to go with “clean & simple” next week – with Rob busting major moves and JR likely on the road to recovery, they’re going to need to stand out.
2.) Rob & Cheryl – Gotta agree with some of you that the judges made it pretty clear tonight that they REALLY want Rob in the finale.Ā Some definite overscoring going on here – his samba, while cute, energetic, and much better than I was expecting out of him, was justĀ not 27-worthy.Ā 25? Maybe.Ā But I LOVED that he looked like he was having so much fun out there! I also give him an E for effort, for attempting a barrel roll – it was stiff, but he gave it the ol’ USC try.Ā I was a bit more torn on his A. tango – it’s a dance that definitely seems to suit him well, and he was a good leading man with clean footwork.Ā But I don’t think he had as much content as JR, and was maybe not quite as invested as JR, either.Ā I will say that I think he probably had the best combination of content & execution in his cha-cha – Ricki may have had the better technique, but I think her choreo was bound to look a bit simple & boring next to some of the flashier stuff Cheryl gave Rob.Ā In the end, though, overscoring or not – I do think Rob belongs in the finale, based on his dancing.Ā He’s still somewhat lacking in the performance department for me, so he’ll really need to hone in on that if he makes it through to next week – and I think he will, given the margin of points.
3.) JR & Karina – I really felt bad for JR tonight – he seemed like he was in a good deal of pain after each dance, and I do think it negatively affected his performances.Ā I’m afraid I set my hopes too high for his paso – I was so excited about him having that song, that I felt a bit let down when he really didn’t knock it out of the park.Ā He wasn’t 100% in the dance like he usually is, and I gotta say – the choreo felt a bit repetitive to me, too.Ā LOVED his Argentine tango – I do have to credit Karina with not going too easy on him due to his injury.Ā She gave him a lot of difficult footwork and lifts to do, and I think of the 4 A. tangos tonight, his probably had the highest level of difficulty and the most content.Ā And he handled it well, for the most part – caught him wincing in pain a few times, but he still managed to give a pretty damn good performance.Ā It was just sooo fluid – where Rob & Hope seemed to have a few stops and stutters in between steps, JR didn’t.Ā His cha-cha was just ok – I think by that point, he had soldiered through about as much painĀ as he could have, and was just tired.Ā It seemed a little stiff, but again, I’m thinking that had more to do with his ankle than any lack of ability in the cha-cha.Ā If he can knock the samba out of the park, he can handle the cha-cha, no problem.Ā When it comes down to it, I definitely think JR belongs in the finale – he’s been consistently good all season long, yet has still managed to improve a bit each week as well.Ā Knock on wood, I think his fans alone will keep him safe this week, and he may also get a few sympathy votes due to what looked like a pretty painful injury.Ā His biggest hurdle heading into the finale will simply be healing – right now, his injury seems to be the most inhibiting of the remaining contestants.Ā Hopefully this is something that he can shake in the next 24-48 hours!
4.) Hope & Maks – Well, tonight was unfortunatley an example of how overscoring a couple earlier in the competition can lead to a rude awakening later on when the judges decide to get serious.Ā Hope stuck out like a sore thumb for me tonight – all 3 of her dances paled in comparison to those of the other 3 remaining contestants.Ā Her paso doble seemed to take forever to get started, and once she started moving, she seemed to get wobbly in her turns and ended up on the floor for several counts while Maks danced around her…again.Ā Did it feel like the team paso all over again to anyone else? Her Argentine tango was a bit better than I expected, but man – those KNEES. They’re always bent, even when she’s mid-lift! At one point, my mom even asked “Are her legs supposed to look like that?” If she had been doing a lindy or a jitterbug, it could have looked cool and flapper-esque; but in her tango, it just looked awkward.Ā I thought she made a decent effort in her cha-cha, but once again, it looked like she powered through it so hard that it looked awkward – those arms could be lethal weapons, the way she flings them out when she finishes a turn! I think the judges were spot-on in scoring her – I have to think to myself “What score would this have gotten at an earlier stage in the competition?” Part of the problem a year ago with Bristol was that I think she thought by making it to the semifinals & finals, she automatically deserved to be getting 9’s & 10’s…and I’m of the opinion that just because it’s the semifinals, does not mean the judges should just be throwingĀ up the 9 & 10 paddles left & right. If it’s deserved? Absolutely.Ā But just because it’s a certain phase of the competition? No. Sorry Hope fans, but up against the 3 other couples tonight – Hope looked pretty amateurish to me, and it will only get worse in the finale.Ā She simply has not improved enough in 9 weeks to deserve a spot in the finale, IMO.Ā I want a finale that’s going to be as entertaining & competitive as possible – and for me, that’s going to be best achieved with Ricki, JR, & Rob as the finalists.
So we’re one step closer to the finale!!! Who do you guys want to see advancing this week? Who should go home? And is anyone else as excited about the Muppets as I am??? š
I think that’s why Derek has been so successful on the show – he makes his choreo work FOR his partner, where some get set on the choreo and try to make their partner do it. He can take dancers that others wouldn’t do as well with – like Joanna or Lil’ Kim – and make them look fantastic. It’s less ego.
I totally agree with your rankings, Courtney. I’m a little worried that Ricki will get lost in the shuffle though. Thank goodness she got some great scores tonight. Because of JR’s injury, I think he will get lots of votes to make sure he get to the finals (which he deserves!). Then there will be those who madly vote for their favourite to make the 3rd spot in the finals. Like I said, I hope Ricki and Derek still get tons of votes and people don’t just assume their safe.
I think I would like Jr, Ricki and Rob in the finals. Hope taking on Carrie Ann was not a bright move, although I think she figures she’s got nothing to lose, and she may be right.
Rob did well tonight although I still think he was overscored. Jr, fighting through an injury did well, as did Ricki, and for sure Derek choro’d around her Tomorrow night should be very interesting. The way TPTB have set it up is pitting JR against Hope? Fan base people. Vote, vote vote.
It looks like a real battle between JR and Hope’s supporters based on the close spread between their totals, with Rob and Rikki way above the other two. Hopefully JR will pull through based on his entire body of work for the season.
The best dance of the night was not the contestants, it was the performance delivered by Sandor and Paressa (sp?) in the pro Argentine Tango. My wife made me replay it twice – I think he spun 18 times with her over his head!
Absolutely fantastic!
Spot on, as usual, Courtney. I completely agree with your rankings.
1) Ricki/Derek – I also found some of their choreo to be a bit simple, but as you said, she performed it near-flawlessly. I loved their samba – it was fun, light and charming. Their AT was great – I loved the intensity, and I thought they did great in the cha-cha relay, considering she had the shortest amount of rest time between her last two dances.
2) Rob/Cheryl – I have to admit, I loved their samba! Rob did way better than I expected all night, and I thought the samba was “his” dance! Their AT was good too, but I’m just not a fan of Cheryl’s kicks in the AT. They’re a little to aggressive for my tastes, but that’s just me.
3) JR/Karina – JR had a rough night. It was obvious he was in pain, and to be honest, I thought his paso was his worst dance. I did like their AT quite a bit. It was actually probably my favorite of the night, and I thought it was the best of the night.
4) Hope/Maks – I’m afraid to say that Hope should go tomorrow night. During her paso, it seemed to be that Maks was doing all the work again, and her frame was non-existent. In the AT, Courtney, I said the same thing about her legs – too bent! She’s so tall and lithe that this really could have been a good dance for her, but it was just clumsy and awkward at times.
It’s clear to me that Hope is out of her league with the other three, and it’s hard for me to say that Rob did so well tonight. I came into the season planning to brush him off early on, but he’s impressed with his ability and his willingness to learn and enjoy himself. He did great tonight, and so did Ricki. JR earned his spot in the finals as the weeks have gone on, but unfortunately for me, Hope needs to go.
Wow, what a night! First of all, I couldn’t get enough of all the Argentine Tangos and the MUSIC too which was just perfect for them!! I’m tired of songs during theme weeks that don’t match the dance. Tonight, the songs matched. Yay
My rankings:
1. Ricki and Derek -Both dances were so superb. I couldn’t find a thing wrong with their first dance. It was totally fun, fast, and powerful. She lost a little steam by the end of their 2nd dance, but, they were show stopping and she “popped” just like Carrie Ann raved.
2. Rob and Cheryl – Surprise, these two were my second favorite couple of the night if not even my favorite. šÆ I love his story so much from what we all thought was just a conceited, spoiled kid at the beginning to a total fun, class act of a guy who ended up being entertaining, genuine, and full of heart (his sisters need to take a huge lesson from him). He may have had some slight stiff issues in just a few spots in his first dance, but, the “FUN” of it ruled the entire dance. He and Cheryl’s Argentine Tango couldn’t have been more perfect. I loved his foot work, pointed toes, and passion. His Dad would be so proud. I’m so glad he did DWTS for the amazing transformation he’s had and how he seems to have “found” himself after such a great loss in losing his dad so young. This is one major reason why I love this show so much.
3. JR and Karina -As much as I love him, his dancing wasn’t as good as the two above. His injury made him little stiff. But, I loved his strength and intensity. I liked the second dance better than the first.
4. Hope and Maks -I don’t know what to say? Hope’s legs were weak and misplaced a lot. It was hard to connect to them in their first dance. But, I liked their intensity in both dances. I especially loved her passion and the way she’d leave her head on Maks shoulder in the second dance. I liked all of their tricks too. They had my favorite costumes of the night, but, I think these two are going home and rightfully so technically.
The third dance was scored right by the judges in my opinion.
I can’t wait to hear everyone’s thoughts and to read Courtney’s.
Was totally NOT expecting Rob to do so well in the samba; what a pleasant surprise. He may not be as good as J.R. and Rikki, but he has worked hard and listened to/respected Cheryl, he’s improved every week and he has gotten to the point of seeming to truly enjoy what he is doing/not take himself so seriously….I love seeing that type of growth. Yes he still needs improvement….he’s not a great dancer nor do I think he ever will be, but he’s put forth such a great effort with a minimum of complaints/drama and I
think he really deserves to be in the finals along with Rikki and J.R. Should be interesting to see how it all plays out.
I didn’t see a 30 dance worth dance tonight. I didn’t enjoy Ricki’s Samba as much as the judges did. It had NO hips. Her AT was very good though. She has those sharp, clean movements that work well with AT.
Rob was solid in AT if a bit underwhelming performance wise but shined in the Samba with a big smile and good hips.
JR was really impacted by his injury so I won’t comment on the dancing. Well done to him, all things considered.
Hope was a mess. Doing flashy tricks with clumsy in and outs is a pet peeve- I hate those. The Paso was out of control. I didn’t enjoy either performance and I wished David was in her semi final place.
Based on tonight’s show, I would expect that it be Hope and Maks to head home tomorrow. And rightly so, I think. (Although I would wish it differently because Rob is definitely not my preferred cup of soup.)
I”m sure as I can be that JR will be right there in the finals. People love him! Did you hear/see the crowd? I hope his ankle is better next week because I want him to dance as fabulously as he can in the finals! He’s really a joy to watch. He’s the ONLY one I find joyful anymore. (And it KILLS me that Karina is his partner, but man… kudos to her!)
Cheryl Burke is an Argentine Tango BEAST! Man, she can dance! And she’s done wonders with Rob, I must admit if I’m being fair and objective. The thing is… I find Rob, bland. I don’t particularly like watching him.
And while Hope can’t dance terribly well (she has improved though, a lot) at least I enjoy watching her partner dance. š And while I have lots and lots of thoughts on this partnership of Hope and Maks, I think I’ll just say that she lasted far longer than I expected and I loved her light-hearted dances.
As for Ricki… I just wish I knew why she leaves me wanting more all the time, and not in a good way. She was terrific tonight, but not as terrific as I expected her to be. She doesn’t seem to be having enough fun? Maybe that’s it?
Anyway, I fully expect the final three to be JR, Ricki and Rob.
I am sorry but Rob was way overscored tonight in my opinion, he is so stiff and his samba did not deserve a 10 from Carrie Ann when J.R.’s a few weeks ago was much better. His Argentine Tango was better but still not amazing in my opinion. His Cha-Cha was the best.
J.R. is still my favorite has been all season, so I am going to vote non stop for him.
I am glad Ricki came out solid tonight. Voting like crazy over here!
And am I crazy or did Tom announce Derek and Anna as the DAD pros? I thought that was usually a surprise?
Carrie Ann makes me sick. How does Rob get a 10?
I felt so bad for JR, you can really see the pain on the dance floor : ( Hope he feels better soon. Karina was amazing in the dances, she hits such exquisite lines. I did like Hope and Maks AT, there were some cool moves, esp. the part where Maks leaned into her, you could see her strength. He paso was awful, however. Rob I thought did very well in his dances, and I enjoy watching him. Great job, Cheryl! I enjoyed the AT a lot, great chemistry. Ricki was very good, but the problem is we are so used to being wowed by Derek and his past partners that something is slightly lacking. I mean, great effort by her and I do enjoy them, it’s just that I think she’s good but not great(yet) but Derek is just so amazing.
YOu’re not crazy, Blake, they did announce that. From what I saw on twitter, I expected Karina or Lacey, but Anna makes me happy. And she and Derek have only danced together, briefly, once. Should be interesting to see what they do together. A new pairing.
As much as I like Hope and Maks i think it’s their time to go. She clearly can’t dance. In the final I’ll probably vote for Rob and Cheryl because I’m sick of “and the mirrorball goes to Derek & …!” and he made progress. I really like JR but Karina not so much. I know I should vote for the star not for the dancer but I just can’t. I don’t like her so they don’t get my votes. I know it’s silly but I can’t otherwise.
Thanks for conforming, Heidi! Very thankful over here that it’s not Lacey, that girl is just not a great ballroom dancer. That and the fact her strange unflattering costume choices really bother me. Kind of like Maks’ paso shirt tonight, WTF.
I absolutely adore Anna and I think they will be great together. I will always take up a chance to see Derek dance!
Still missing Jonathan and Anna’s dances together though. They are just breathtaking.
What an attitude Hope has. Paranoid too. Sorry honey, outside of your instant jive you simply haven’t been that good. The judges wanted you gone from week 1? Even when they were giving you 8’s for your mediocre dances? Not happy her fans subjected me to her nasty entitled attitude this entire season. She should have gone a long time ago. Hopefully tomorrow is her time.
Jr’s injury is a huge development. He was pretty underwhelming tonight because of it. I still think he is so popular he can win on fan votes alone but with Ricki getting great scores and Rob improving that’s not something you want to solely depend on.
Ricki was solid if not a little overscored. But I just loved Rob tonight. He’s not the best but I really enjoy watching him blossom this season. One of the bright spots for me. I thought he was a dead duck in the samba and he killed it. Solid Argentine Tango and than wins the relay. Who woulda thunk it?
I like late-in-the-season weeks where their are no crazy themes and the music is appropriate for the dances!
Glad to see Ricki & Derek do well tonight. I like that even this late in the competition, her technique is still improving. She has always had very nice lines and finish and I appreciate that. I was also impressed by the amount of samba content in the samba! Yes, the argentine didn’t stand out like Derek’s usual ATs, but Ricki is also good but not up to the standard of a Nicole or Jennifer. I appreciate how Derek did not outdance her this week but played to make her look good. I think they can step it up a little more for the finals too.
I felt so sorry for JR. I just felt sad because the injury noticeably took away his usual joy tonight and I seeing that each week. He certainly deserves to be in the finals and I hope he can rest up some and come back full force in a week. I really liked the AT. The paso wasn’t up to par but I liked some of Karina’s choreography. He was obviously not dancing up to par at all by the cha cha from the injury.
Rob really surprised me tonight, he improved even more. Except for the float, I really liked the samba. All of those worried about the 2 sambas this week worried for no reason….they were better than the pasos! His AT was also good. I am enjoying him more and more and Cheryl is really stepping up the choreography as he improves. I really hope he makes it to the finals!
Hope…well, like Courtney said, it is what happens when you over-score a couple a lot of the season and then bring it back to reality this late in the game. I do understand why that can be frustrating and confusing to the celeb. But her comment about being wanted off the show since day one?….really??? It just goes back to an attitude I feel her pro partner passes on to her and many of his other partners which makes them less likeable. He can’t take ANY criticism, even constructive criticism. He brushes off any pointers for improvement, acting like the judges are smoking crack and his celeb does no wrong and deserves 9s for every performance from day one. While all 3 of the other celebs left either keep their mouths shut if they disagree, politely disagree, or nod and agree when the judges point out what needs to be improve and work on it. I just don’t get why he doesn’t work to improve the issues she has had since day one. The knees, flailing, jerky movements, unfinished positions and lines have hardly improved at all! If those issues had been fixed or at least improved, she would look 10x better! It just doesn’t make sense. I don’t care about the drama of past weeks anymore. If they had never had any drama, and Maks had been a perfect gentlemen all season, I would still be saying the same thing about the dancing.
Gawsh Hope’s Paso was a mess. Was she high or something??? Bring Chynna back please! What do u mean it’s too late? š
Her Argentine Tango was better here are the scores I would of given.
Hope and Maks Paso: 21
J.R and Karina Paso: 25
Rob and Cheryl Samba: 28
Ricki and Derek Samba: 27
Hope and Maks AT: 24
J.R. and Karina AT: 29
Rob and Cheryl AT: 28
Ricki and Derek AT: 28
ROB WINS THE CHA CHA!! WOOHOO! Im so glad for him.
While im not even rooting for Hope I really would love for her to be in the finale just to make the judges mad! Rob was wayyyy overscored, Hope did good on the cha cha and in my opinion had more content than the guys who let the pros do all the work. My opinion! Also I can’t believe Carrie Ann said Maks couldn’t smile! But yet Derek smiled as he got his compliments from the judges! Maks maybe shouldn’t have said things this season but Carrie Ann has it out for them! Go Hope!!!!
Why is my comment awaiting moderation?
P.S. Im going back to an H at the end now. Still Zach number 1. š
I can’t wait for the dancing by the numbers post – it is always interesting when we get down to the final dancers…
I also want to add that while the judges said they don’t pity injuries they brought it up with Jr which leads me to believe they do consider it/think it! So what about Hopes shoulder? Yeah she isn’t the bet dancer but at least be fair!
Maks wasn’t smiling though, he had a look of distaste and attitude on his face suggesting he didn’t care what the judges were saying, because he can’t accept criticism. He and Hope are just such a childish pairing and I really have not cared for their attitudes or their dancing this season.
sasa- I thought some of the lifts were interesting but they didn’t fit the AT, almost more for freestyle, and they weren’t clean either.
Evaine- that was the only thing Ricki lacked the past few weeks was the really outgoing performance quality and joy she showed the first half of the season. I think she’s been concentrating a little more in the dances lately and her performance has suffered just a little.
Jcl- I think some of Ricki’s earlier dances had more wow factor but the double/triple dance weeks and her injury seemed to have made Derek dial back some choreo. And yes, she isn’t as good as some of the past partners and for some reason, it sticks out with Derek more than others. (Like I don’t sit there thinking that Rob isn’t Gilles.) But I do find myself remembering Derek’s past dances and partners more and comparing even though I really don’t want to because it isn’t fair to Ricki. I think it happens just because I am a Derek fan and remember a lot of his past dances.
Heidi- I was thrilled when Tom announced Anna, love her, and she deserves to be featured more! Derek and Anna is a rare pairing and I am excited to see what they will do! Anyone think that this is a result of her and Carson being such a loved pair this season?
Kim, that’s not what was said. Maks was making a face and CAI commented on it. And judging by what he said after the show, she was right on target. Arrogance in the extreme.
Anna and Derek! Called it! The dancing was ok tonight. I expect more in the semi finals. A few dances were really good(rob and Rickis sambas) and a few were not as good.(Hope). I agree with your rankings Courtney
Zach, due to high troll volume, we turned on comment moderation for the last week of the competition. It’s a pain in the ass but only me, Courtney and Vogue see the vileness that gets spewed. And the whole site is just a nicer place. š
Kenna – Carrie clearly said to “stop smiling”. Maks has had that look every season even when he had great partners!!!!
Just a thought, but I went and looked back at tall women that have been on this show (maks and Tony’s partners) and it seems they all look like their bending their knees weird! Ive always thought it was a height thing!
Worried for JR because 7 points isn’t an enormous cushion but may seem like that to a lot of viewers. No way to judge the size of his or Hope’s fan base, but I don’t think he can catch Rob or Ricki. I did my part but I am by no means a power voter. š
Like I said though maks always has had that look arrogant or not! Im not a maks fan and even I think she was being rude!!
I’m disappointed. This really didn’t feel like a semi-final to me, maybe because the best dancer (JR – in my opinion) just couldn’t bring it.
Ricki was the best on the night, but it felt a bit hollow when her competition was literally hobbled. That 30 was ridiculous. Rob was blatantly over-scored. Actually, everyone was (inlcuding JR who was getting sympathy votes) except Hope and Maks. You could say their scores were fair but when everyone else is being overscored, then you are being underscored. (Hope\Maks must be raking in the votes if so much distance has to be put between them and everyone else.)
I totally give Hope a pass for her comment about them wanting her off from day 1. They definitely wanted Hope\Maks off tonight, so her paranoia was on target for the evening. Plus, she showed her freaking commitment to the show by gettiog the shoulder injection. (That’s serious stuff. You can only take those injections so many times and – as Hope said – she had been trying to reserve it for the Olympics.) That package on Hope was the most interesting of all the packages too. I knew a little about her Dad being homeless but I didn’t realize he had kidnapped her and her brother and then disappeared for many years after going to jail. Serious stuff.
Actually, Kim, Carrie Ann’s exact quote was “…and you can smile like that, that’s fine, Maks….”
I would like to thank my Tivo for always being available for a quick rewind. š
Watching the west coast feed, so seeing all the dances that you’ve been talking about. I think I find it hardest when it gets to this point to judge only amongst the current ‘class’ – was Ricki and Derek’s Samba good? Yes. As good as his semi final dances with Jennifer? Not even close. As much as I love Derek, I just don’t see the ‘wow’ with RIcki. I voted again this week for Rob. Still can’t believe it, I voted for a Kardashian. I threw a few to JR too, as injury shouldn’t hold him out of the finals….
mmc, he doesn’t need to catch Ricki and Rob – he only needs to stay ahead of Hope. Eyes on the prize – they dance again next week. š And 7 points translates to nearly 30k votes.
This is what they’ve done for the last few seasons. And they did it to Nancy last week, yet I don’t remember anyone other than Tristan fans complaining about it. Hope has been overscored from day 1 – for her to imply they’ve wanted her gone from the beginning is just so ludicrous that it boggles my mind.
Wow! Am the only who thought the cha-cha relay was weak? No one stood out except for Hope who did the worst IMO. I’m no Hope/Maks fan but what CAI was wrong, she seemed like she tried to start a fight with Maks. That being said I see no possible way for her to stay cause JR fans have always trumped Hopes fanbase. I feel like a broken record but I was less than enthused this week again.
It doesn’t seem fair to judge Ricki and Derek based on Derek’s former partners. If you’re going to do that you have to look at Rob and ask if he’s as good as Gilles – not even close. How about Hope?? Is she as good as Brandy or Erin or Mel B or even Kirstie?? Hardly. Karina is the only one who’s former partners hold up against JR – except maybe Mario. And really, that’s only because she hasn’t had anyone as good as JR in a very long time.
This sort of thinking is where I think having Derek as a partner can be a real liability – because people tend to hold him to a much higher standard than they hold anyone else. By MILES. I guess that’s somewhat understandable because many of the best dances ever to come out of this show have been his choreo.
Well, if being honest means starting a fight, maybe so, Trenta – but then Maks would supposedly know all about that, wouldn’t he??
Well, I need to retire. Unless my cohorts are up and approving posts, you won’t see anything until tomorrow morning. Keep posting them, and they’ll be approved as soon as one of us is up. Of course, Vogue might still be around….or John….
Yeah, sorry – I meant that if Hope manages to get enough votes to beat JR, I don’t think he can get past the other 2. That’s the way it sounded in my head, but my keyboard strangely didn’t read my mind. š 30k does take the worry factor down a notch. And it’s just a glittery sparkly dance show after all…
Simi’s over. Tomorrow, looking for a JR, Ricki and Rob final. Loved JR/Karina’s A Tango, imo best of the night!
Kim-I don’t think he has always been this bad..and if he has, then it’s still a problem. He and Hope seem to feed of of each other..if you are “smiling” when you are getting criticism, obviously it’s not because you should be and because everything is happy as Hope said..it’s because you think the criticism is laughable and you are being arrogant. Whether he has been like this every season or not, doesn’t excuse the arrogance. I say this as I have never had a problem with Maks in the past, I have kind of liked him…but this season it has gotten pretty cringe worthy, for me.
1. If Hope used as little hip action as Ricki did she would have recieved 6’s yet Derick’s girls never score lower than an 8 no matter what. The bobbles in the Tango were too strong to ignore.
It is past time for an all ringers show where the contestants are all previously trained dancers.
2. Rob did OK. A bit timid and would have scored much lower with if the judges were not so determined to sway the outcome.
3. JRs pain was so very evident, I hope that he heals quickly!
Hope and Maks…. I realy do not like the bias that these judges have shown. Hopes scores were not as bad as the others were way over scored. JR gets all of my votes but Hope gets my prayers and sympathy.
Sorry Heidi, I don’t have TiVo and thought it was rude no matter how exactly it was said! Maks always has that look! I don’t think hope was overscored from the beggining! I started liking hope when people (and judges) were praising chaz and even Nancy for “trying” yet they tell hope every week that she sucks (not saying she is a good dancer cause she’s not)…. at least give her things she can work on though!
I also agree that Carrie Ann was trying to pick a fight im glad im not aloneā¦ not only did I read that here but also on twitter! As a Jr fan a part of me wanted to pick up the phone and call for hope just for Carrie Ann being rude!!!
Lastly, I like rob at first but its clear some judged just “love” him and not his dancing. And lately Len even seems to be afraid to judge him! He might go deaf with all of robs family screaming at him. And we can’t have that, can we?!?!
I think its safe to say that Hope is a goner tomorrow night! And I will continue to root for JR.
I”m not holding Derek to a higher standard, I’m just saying Ricki doesn’t always hold my attention in her dances, whereas Derek has my complete attention : ) and Nicole and Jennifer were able to hold my attention when they danced with him.
Why are Hope/Maks fans still trying to justify their behavior?
Obviously we didn’t see what Carrie Ann saw because the camera was on her but after their Paso you could clearly see Hope or Maks brushing off the judges when they made VALID criticism of her. After ever judges feedback she gives this puss face like she can’t fathom how the judges are not falling over themselves to praise her dances. She has had that same dismissive face since about week 5.
If I am sick of their attitude than I can imagine the judges are too. I think all of their criticisms of Hopt not only tonight but this entire season have been spot on.
I also believe a big reason why someone like Ricki or Rob or JR tonight may have been “over scored” is because after seeing Hope “dance” it’s hard not to get a bit excited to see a couple that can actually dance and have fun with it.
Personally I missed the show as I fell asleep before it started. Long day…so I’m bummed but I love this blog – helps me keep up to date on what happened on the show.
One comment I would like to share is, I didn’t think Hope belonged on there at all after the 3rd dance. She and Chaz were both pretty bad and should have gone home pretty quickly. The irony is David Arquette someone who was improving went home before Hope which to me just didn’t seem right. Now people are upset at Hope not getting the marks. I hope people think she needs to earn them because I truly do not believe she has ever earned them in dance. She’s like dancing with a board – no sign of life. She just is emotionless and lifeless. I have had only one time where I could see some life and that was it…and she’s been very disappointing to me.
I’m hoping JR, Ricki and Rob all make it till the end. My fav is JR though. He may not have done well tonight but I’m hoping he makes it till final 3 and saves that energy for the final dance so he can wow everyone.
Forgot to comment about the Maks\CAI tiff. I’m totally off the Maks-loving train but I don’t think the judges should comment on either the pro or the dancer’s facial expressions. They can’t read people’s minds. I know people sometimes think I’m giving attitude when I’m not just because my neutral facial expression can read as “angry”. And even if Maks said something afterwards that seemed to confirm he has an attitude (big surprise), it’s not like CAI could see into the future to confirm that.
I’m not saying it’s impossible that Maks was making a face. In fact, it’s very likely all things considered. But, in order to be completely fair and unbiased (something they all have issues with), the judges should not judge either the pros or the dancers on what they think is going on in their heads. They should only judge the dance that’s presented to them and any comments – if there are any – directed at them.
Can I throw out a Cheesecake? Brooke-bot, after the announcement that Rob/Cheryl won the cha-cha relay, said with amazement that it left second place to Ricki and Derek and BOTH of them had 67 points. Um Brooke, they are partners, they usually have the same score…
Not sure if anyone else noticed it, but Hope also waved off Bruno’s comments after her Paso with her hand.
Just rewatched the Maks/CAI piece and I do agree that Maks and Hope were being arrogant but I still do feel like it was a bait from CAI. Im not a Maks/Hope fan by no means and Ive wanted them gone several weeks and good riddance it will more than welcoming from me but thats just how feel about it.
Adam, I completely agree with you. Hope is a total, classless, self-important pain. She realized that she wasn’t going to get the gold medal in this competition, and she basically threw a fit like a giant child! Her talent was way overrated in the beginning and now the judges have to heavily favor the other three (and rightly so), in order to get rid of her. They should be more careful when they impart heavy praise so early. Go J.R., go Ricki, go Rob!
Oh, and Hope can’t dance. She never could.
SueB: Brooke wasn’t wrong. Ricki and Derek didnget 2nd place… in the cha-cha-cha relay.
And they where 1st in combined scores with 67. Rob and Cheryl where 2nd in combined scores with 65
I would like to see Rob in the finals with Ricki and JR, but he’s not a favorite to win the mirror ball trophy. Finishing in the final 3-4 is perfectly honorable. Hope isn’t improving though. She’s here because she’s still a lot better than Nancy, but Maks is mostly carrying her around the floor. Rob has become a better dancer.
We’re almost at the end of the season again. I already can’t wait to see who will be in Season 14. Derek is coming back again, right? And Maks, I hope. Lacey has grown on me (how cool was it to meet her father?), and Anna T. is one of my favorite female pros. She takes on the more difficult male celebs with such grace. I’d like to see her paired with a season winner.
A much better night. I’m getting a bit tired of Carrie Ann’s crush on Rob, buuuut I did think his samba was pretty damn good and made me think he was finalist worthy out of the people left. I feel bad for JR, I thought some of his lines in paso weren’t as bad as they were saying, but sometimes his shoulders were bit awkward and hunched. I think he was underscored for his Argentine Tango, because I thought it was the best out of the 4. I actually think Rob was overscored for his Argentine Tango, didn’t deserve the same score as JR, and I thought the 10 for his samba was a bit ridiculous. Ricki I thought had a good night and I liked her samba, Argentine was ok, a bit too stiff in the neck look. Unfortunately there was a lot of harsh words and scoring for Hope, though I feel for her. Cha Cha relay, based on what Len said, I felt he was going to put Rob as number 1, though he had a nice mix of steps and not bad technique. I think he got lucky since JR and Ricki haven’t done the cha cha before and Hope was not that great overall and that’s how he won the relay.
J.R needs total rest in order for the ankle to heal. They could keep taping it up all they want (I know I sprained my ankle, hurts like hell)! If he’s in the final (and I am sure he will be) he shouldn’t be doing any leeps or jumps, it will never heal.
Remember they start rehearsals right away, its probably blown up like a balloon!
Heidi, what did Maks say after the show?
Thank you Heidi, Courtney, Vogue and John for keeping the vileness away from the rest of us. I really appreciate it! I know it must be tons of work for all of you! š
YW Meggie!! š
Zach, still missing Chynna? Atleast you won’t have to wait much longer to see her and Tony dance again.
Evaine, you said it for Cheryl. I love her Argentine Tangos. When her and Rob first started rehearsing and she told him how important this dance was to her, I didn’t think he could pull it off. But, WOW!! He did everything she taught him and then some. I have to go watch that dance again today. š
Maksim Chmerkovskiy has a 4 letter word for Carrie Ann
Heh. Back on the ringer talk again no matter how totally silly and ridiculous it sounds at this point in a season where Maks chose his own partner….by the way, my ringer series isn’t done yet and I think Maks fans will be in for a rude shock when I do post the final part. When the season is over. Saw someone bragging on twitter today how many times Maks has been to the final – ummm, yeah, that’s because he’s had GREAT partners. š
I have to agree with Maks’ idea that CA has an issue. I mean come on….giving Rob a 10??? I don’t know what she was going on about when she said, “You can smile like that Maks….”
If Hope leaves tonight, all of my votes will go to Ricki/Derek. It’s too bad that Chyna was booted so early. IMO, she was the better dancer out of all of these people.
Back to Hope. If she had Derek as her partner, I think many people would be cheering for her right now. She would be doing a lot better because Derek could take someone with two left feet and turn them into an awesome dancer.
Wow! I’m speechless! Just read Maks’ comments. It’s all been said a million times on this board, so I won’t go there, except to say, ‘Classless! Both of them!”
I wonder if Hope and Maks ever go back and watch the tape of their performances. If they did, they would not be so surprised at the critiques they receive! I thought Hope sounded so obnoxious when she said that “they’ve wanted me off the show since the first week” (not sure if that quote is exact). I think the judges WANTED to like her dancing, but it is impossible. I can’t even watch her and Maks dance because they look so awkward to me.
Heidi, that is sad. IMO, Rob deserved that “10” in every way and then some.
While watching last night I kept thinking, “I hope they post thoughts on the scoring because I am confused.” Thank you for this. But, if as you say the judges got laid/altered OR decided to judge more accurately at this point, it’s really no fun to sit through their manipulations.
MUPPETS! Yay! ANNA and Derek! Yay! OK, twist my arm and I’ll watch tonight.
For the first dances:
1) Ricki and Derek: LOVED IT
2) rob and Cheryl: Loved It
3) JR and Karina: LOVED IT
4) Hope and maks: It was ok.
For the Arg. Tangos:
1) JR and Karina
2) Ricki and Derek
3) Rob and Cheryl
4) Hope and Maks
The Cha Cha showdown:
1) Rob and Cheryl
2) JR and Karina
3) Ricki and derek
4) Hope and Maks
Saying that, I think its going to be hope’s turn to leave.
Boy is Hope just the most awkward dancer or what? I had nothing against her going into the competition, and I like Maks usually…but this partnership has been such a dud. It is telling when Buttercup (our insider!) has no kind words for them either – so I don’t buy that it’s just “creative editing”. Is it creative editing when they are live on the show and perform badly and roll their eyes like crazy? I’m not saying that there’s not good things about her or that she’s the anitchrist or anything, but it sure doesn’t show for the most part while in the ballroom. I’ve been saying it for weeks, but put them out of their misery. Rob is definitely a better dancer than her, and he is enjoying himself immensely. While I would have preferred David over him, Rob has improved a lot and has been the biggest surprise besides Nancy for me this season.
Poor JR. Boy he looked like he was in pain. But their AT still rocked. Compared with Hope’s, which was so…weird with their transitions and lack of good technique (although not as bad as their paso). I’ve never seen a female with such stomperiffic feet make it this far. Looks ghastly.
I actually LOVED Rob’s Samba. It was so much better than I thought it was going to be. The AT was good, but I have to admit the coloring of their costumes and all that make me compare it to the best AT tango ever – Gilles. Ricki’s was also pretty good. If JR remains injured this finale could be a little more interesting than we expected. But I really hope that people rally around him so that he doesn’t go out just like Ralph did last season.
Looking forward to Anna and Derek tonight – she totally deserves it! Part of me is glad it is Derek, part of me wanted someone else. But I know it’ll be good with him in it, so no biggie š
Anyway, y’all know that I don’t vote so I don’t have a true horse in the race, but that’s how I feel, and of course I develop my preferences for who I want to see come back and who I want to see GTFO. For me, that’s been Hope for weeks and weeks.
I can understand people thinking Rob was overscored by getting a “10”, but I thoroughly enjoyed that dance and for all of his improvement.. I think he deserved at least one before season’s end.
On the other hand, I was a little surprised at first that Ricki got a perfect score for their Samba. After watching Rob’s, it seemed a bit lackluster (trying to find the right word). But then I realized I was judging the “wow” factor and not the technique. God help me if I’m turning into Carrie Ann or Bruno!
I seriously didn’t think JR deserved a “7” for his Paso. Hope got 3 sevens and JR was better – even if it wasn’t his best dance.
The one thing I missed most on last night’s show, was JR’s smile and joy. I feel so bad for him being injured and hope he can pull through.
Maybe Carrie Ann’s problem with Maks is what Maks wrote about her in his blog awhile back… he basically put into print her resume and made it clear she has no ballroom history to be judging ballroom dancing.
Or.. her problem could just simply be Maks. Who knows.
Btw — did anyone else notice how Cheryl and Rob’s outfits for their AT resembled hers with Gilles? More recycling going on last night than just the music.
My apologies… someone else posted about Cheryl and Rob’s outfits while I was typing.
I’m glad I was the only one who noticed!
*WASN’T the only one who noticed.
Geez, I need someone to proofread for me.
Courtney, as always you are spot on with the rankings.
1. Ricki and Derek – i had a feeling that the fighter in Ricki will come back with a vengeance. loved her and her performances. Derek has had so much success on DWTS because he always choreographs the most suited routine for his partner…he knows when to keep it simple and clean, when to have some fun with it or when to take all the way. This is where his geniality comes in handy. Their dances were clean, fresh and enjoyable. They must be in the final, and i voted my fingers off to be sure they get there.
2. Rob and Cheryl – Rob is definitely the most improved. i think he represents the best of what the Kardashians have to offer and i am glad that he has come so far. he really is the surprise for me. he made a (Rob) believer out of me. he deserves to be in the final.
3. JR and Karina – i agree the Paso does not suit JR very good but it was a nice performance. i am sorry to see him in such pains and i am sure he would have done much better if it was not for that ankle. i hope that their fans will get them into the final. they deserve to be there.
4. Hope and Maks – the Paso was a mess…half of the dance she was in chains, the other half … they repeated the choreo from Team Paso. no control, no passion, no finesse …just a lot of attitude. the AT – the lifts…oh god…they looked bad…very very bad…the knees …the endings … nothing worked for me. BUT i got to say i LMAO when Maks did the ” happy” bounces, the thank you s and finally the kissing of Brooke… priceless.
My only comment is that Carrie Ann’s crush on Rob was very obvious. She probably wants to change her name to Karrie Ann and then she’d totally fit in with the Kardashian Klan.
Watch out….she’s pushing Rob for the MBT.
Wow I love the Argentine Tango…
My biggest surprise of the night was Rob. He proved tonight that he deserves to be in the finals. I have warmed up to him this season, no drama, just the desire to work hard and do well. Ricki and JR better be in top form next week. Rob could the upset for one of them.
Ricki and Derek – Beautiful dancing. Loved the yellow on Ricki. Just a tad overscoring maybe 1 point. But all in all, a great night. Their AT was not a great as JRs, but still good.
JR and Karina – What a trooper! Or should I say, What a soldier! He really was in pain last night and it showed. His Paso was painful to watch, but their AT was hands down the best of the night. I do think the others will have to be at their best next week. If JR is mended, he will come out “All guns blazing”…
Hope and Maks – As Figamentation said above, This partnership has been such a dud… I couldn’t have said it better myself….
Carrie Ann vs Maks just plain confused me in general. I don’t ususally defend Maks but I think he was just smiling because he knew what the judges were gonna say and was bracing himelf for it. Thats just natural human tenedancy to mask frustration with a smile most of the time. She jsut wanted to annoy him last night and my guess is succeded in that odd endeavor.
Also, the outfit/costuming choices last night were very good w the exception of Ricki’s samaba outfit. Looked like someobdy killed big bird and made him into a dress lol. Lastly, thinking it over, the float at the begining of Rob’s dance was a good call. I orginally was like ugh this is so tacky but I think Cheryl made a good choice w that one. Reminded me of an odd version of the feris bueller scene without the lip synching lol
@Winter: I think that everyone didn’t expect Rob to be good and every season carrie Ann roots for theu nderdog and people who have improved over time. Wasn’t a big shock to me. to be quite honest, I voted for rob last night. The dude has a likeabilty factor that is awesome. He is the kind of person that doesn’t take hismelf too seriously and is just normal. Compared to the rest of the family (minus Bruce of course) thats a good trait to have inherited from one of his parents (assuming his dad since his mother has no humility it seems).
Ok I know I said I wouldn’t post again, but I can’t resist jumping into the discussion. Call it low will power š
I am unabashedly a fan of Hope. I honestly have no opinion on Maks. That being said, I think they were probably scored fairly. Hope has done much better in the past, and I think her scores from earlier in the competition were pretty accurate, in my opinion. I don’t know if it was the three dances, the shoulder injury, or what, that got to her, but she just didn’t do too great last night, and she probably deserves to go home based on technique.
That being said, I didn’t really appreciate the total transparency of the judges on who they wanted in the final. Rob was better last night, I admit it, but a “10” from Carrie Ann? Really? I’m not a dancer, but compared to the other “10s” in the season, I just didn’t see it.
I think after Hope’s comment to CAI, it was clear she was going to get the “4” from the relay, even if she was better than someone else (although I’m not necessarily saying I think she was).
If the final is JR, Ricki and Rob, I think that it would be good. Although I wouldn’t count out the power voters. Honestly, though, as a Hope fan, although I voted for her, I kind of want her to go home. I think she gave it the ol college try and did a great job promoting women’s soccer, but if DWTS is supposed to be a true dancing competition (which I actually have my doubts about), I (sorrowfully) admit Hope should go.
I’m looking forward to the Dancing by the Numbers post because I am concerned that Maks and Hope’s huge fan base and power voters could overcome JR’s numbers.
The judges made it clear they want Ricki and Rob in the finals but they could have thrown JR to the wolves here.
I don’t think Carrie Ann needed to make that comment to Maks, but Hope’s comment and then Maks’s after the show were totally out of line.
I honestly don’t believe that Hope has some massive fanbase of power voters – not more than Bristol Palin. And Bristol didn’t have to overcome 30,000 votes to beat a war hero.
Vin your description of Ricki’s samba dress made me laugh. Poor big bird!
I hope the shove that Hope received in the dress rehearsal didn’t aggravate her shoulder injury. that was a long needle. š
@Marlene – I’m thinking (and hoping) JR ought to be ok. I think you’ll see he has a decent cushion from the points spread, and as for Hope & Maks’ “power voters” – if there’s one thing I’ve learned this week, it’s that just because someone is screaming the loudest, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re representative of the majority š And really, the “power voters” of any of the couples aren’t representative of the majority, either – most voters are the casual, “Oh that was good, I’ll dial in a few votes for so-and-so” or “Poor so-and-so, I’d better give them a few votes to help out” type, and likely won’t spend hours on end posted at their computers, trying to set up upteen-million verified accounts to vote for [insert pro or celeb here]. So then the question becomes “Who is the casual viewer most likely to vote for?” The demographics of the viewing audience (predominantly middle-aged women) point to either JR or Ricki – and I honestly think JR is probably getting the bulk of the popular vote, based on his soap career and his military service. You also have to take into account the sympathy vote – those celebs with bad enough injuries can often sway some votes in their favor. Jane Doe voter may have regularly voted for Ricki, but perhaps is fond enough of JR (and worried about him sticking around) that she kicks a few votes his way that she normally would have reserved for Ricki. I think Ralph benefitted heavily from the sympathy vote last season – he overcome a huge vote margin to stick around for the semifinal, even though his dancing was mediocre, due to his knee injury.
I actually think that a lot of the Hope & Maks “power voters” may have kinda said “f*ck it” and given up last night, judging from some of the defeated-sounding tweets I was seeing. I think a lot of them seemed to think “What’s the point? The show is rigged!!!” And may not have voted with their usual fervor. Then again, there were also those who were pissed off beyond belief at how things shook out, and were planning on voting harder than ever before. š Will be interesting to see if they were able to overcome the gap.
I managed to fire off about 180 votes for JR between last night & this morning. Hopefully that helps! š
@Thank You Courtney for all the JR votes… š
Just curious, are the trolls still out there? I probably shouldn’t ask, as it might give them some attention, but I am wondering if they got the hint and went to play somewhere else (hopefully). š
If they’re still around, Courtney has been handling them. I haven’t see any and if they are posting under other names, it’s obvious they’re playing nice – which is all we’ve ever wanted anyway.
Wow, I can’t believe we will soon be down to three!
OK, Rob and Cheryl were actually my favorites of the night! Rob has become a dancer! He had fun last night and it is so surprising and refreshing to see that. Loved, loved, loved the samba and I was so pleasantly surprised by the A Tango.
Ricki and Derek were good as usual. I did not enjoy the samba as much as Rob’s – I didn’t think she was loose enough or something. But it was good and the A Tango was sharp.
JR and Karina. I felt so bad for him. Even at half strength, their A Tango was awesome. I wish I could see it performed when he was in top shape! The Paso was rough, and I didn’t like the choreo that much. I am worried about them with the lower scores – hope, hope, hope they make it through.
Hope and Maks. I really thought the Paso could be her dance, but it wasn’t. She is just too unpolished, her lines are not graceful or pretty. She is all fire and combativeness and most of the time it just doesn’t work on the dancefloor. I don’t think she has ever picked up the basics! And I think that is Maks’ fault – for not working on her follow-through and her legs.
Plus I am over the attitude. And I don’t think I am the only one. At the end of the show, after all the cha-cha scores were given, all the other couples were hugging and Maks and Hope were just standing there. They repel people. It’s weird.
Okay, finished voting…..been at it since the show started :)….I hope my 4 hour nap doesn’t ruin JR’s chances LOL š
Just a note but that interview from Maks about CAI that supposedly happened after the show is most likely recycled from earlier in the season. Maks and Hope skipped the press line last night and didn’t talk to any media. Not trying to be rude or anything but just thought I’d put that out there.
I personally thought last night was a bit lackluster. It didn’t really feel like a semi final. Rob was good but I don’t think he was good enough to get a 10. I felt bad for JR having to dance with that pain but man he is a fighter! If Hope/Maks don’t make it to the final I’m definitely voting for him. I think Hope will more than likely go but I have seen quite a few people voting. I can’t wait to see the numbers post you guys do. I just hope that next season the judges favoritism isn’t so blatantly obvious.
Yep, I used all my umpteen e-mail accounts I’d created for Tristan and Nancy for JR & Karina last night. Phone/Texted for Rob K and Ricki. For me, those were the three best dancers last night, regardless of any backstage “drama.” They deserve to be in the finals.
I would LOVE to know the vote numbers – just how many votes are actually cast. Is it like Idol, in the 20 millions near the end of the season? Is it much less because the viewership doesn’t have a huge volume of teenage girls watching? Curious, that’s me. *g* I have a HUGE list of ‘I want to know” questions.
@Meggie, I think the infamous shove was to the other shoulder – and I also believe that the whole show process probably aggravated an existing condition.
LOL Magnolia š š
I used my umpteen accts that I had from Hines last season š
Happy to report that I have only encountered 1 troll comment since instituting the universal comment moderation š And I think that unfortunate soul was feeling so glib that they somehow thought they could circumvent our new moderation set-up – HA. Guess we sucked the joy out of trolling for them by making sure their comments never see the light of day! š
And speaking of “trolls” – I’m beginning to think it was more like singular, “troll”. Just one particularly bitter soul with nothing better to do than to spew venom under multiple names. I’m finding that most Hope & Maks fans (even very fervent ones) are far more mature than that and have better things to do with their time (i.e. create more accounts to vote with) than birddog a site that doesn’t necessarily adore Maks. Sucks that a few fringe fans have kinda created a bad rep for them.
I don’t buy the Hollywood Reporter article at all. I doubt Maks even spoke to them. That publication has a history of making up stories and fabricating conversations. We’ve seen that again and again. I get the impression Maks was trying to finish without anymore drama this season and it would seem pretty unlikely that he would skip over most of the video press just to talk to a Hollywood Reporter blogger. Also, as a point of correction, he spoke to ETonline and there is a video clip of him and Hope.
@Evaine and @Meggie, yes, Hope’s shoulder injury was a preexisting condition. She had surgery on it in 2010 and is still going through extensive physical therapy/rehab to get it back to decent. She lives/plays with a lot of pain, hence the injections you saw her getting last night. I honestly can’t believe she started the injections back up for DWTS. I could be wrong, but I think she hadn’t had any since the World Cup, and like she said she was going to save them for the Olympics. Can’t knock the girl’s dedication!!
And yes, the shove was to her left shoulder, and she had surgery on the right one. I think if Maks hit her right shoulder, some soccer hooligans would’ve busted down his door š
Thanks, Courtney! Good news!
Thanks, Evaine, for the shoulder info. I didn’t envy her that needle.
Carrie Ann was a bit out of line to say anything about Maks and Hope smiling. What’s wrong with smiling? But that woman was clearly scoring with her hormones tonight and not with her brain (well, wait she does that every week so…). Carrie Ann’s had an issue with Maks for a while now, this isn’t anything new. As a fan, I know good and well that there is a strong chance they will be eliminated tonight. I accepted it last night, and even though I would’ve loved to see them in the finale..the truth is that they would look a little amateur next to some of the others. If Maks should ever win this show, I want it to be on his and his partner’s talents and their skills as a partnership..not from screwy voting and things like that. Let the show return to the way it used to be.
Rob’s samba was good, but it did not deserve a 10. A 9? Maybe. Compared to other dances which also got 10s, I just didn’t quite dig it…but maybe I was so distracted by the Rio float and the bright rainbow colors. I don’t know. And am I the only one who thought Ricki looked a little like Big Bird in her costume last night?
And wow, J.R…practically limping to the finish line (no pun or insult intended since he looked like he was in a great deal of pain last night. I felt bad for him last night because we all know how good of a dancer he really is. I thought he’d be a shoe-in for the finale, but after last night..I’m not quite so sure. Sure, he has a 7 point cushion over Hope, but this show is full of surprises so we’ll see..
But, Allie, how could the article be recycled when they quote Hope saying backstage, ‘They’ve wanted me off the show since week one” ? I’ve never heard her say that before last night.
Pretty decent semi…unfortunately, our DVR somehow didn’t record the first half (we watched most of it live, but I missed R&D’s samba). I’m a Rikki/JR fan, but have to say Rob was really impressive last night, too. I know this show isn’t for kids, but I have to say, I am thrilled at the role model JR has presented for my kiddos this season, and thankful for the conversations he has prompted us to have (keeping a positive attitude, never giving up, always giving life your best, etc).
PS–thanks for moderating–so nice to read a post with many comments without having to sort through the negative/responding ones š
I have kept up with this blog all season, and I understand that people here have a certain common group of opinions, but these comments I have seen about Hope are really unwarranted.
Hope is not the stereotypical female, or even the stereotypical female athlete. It seems that, because she does not fit into your standards, you make her a target. Well, let me tell you ‘princesses’ and dance enthusiasts, she came to this show solely to promote her sport and prove that all women can be beautiful, no matter their muscle mass, height, or weight (which she has publicly announced). She never came to the show claiming she could dance, but she tried. Effort is something that all other contestants have been given credit for, I can hardly say the same for Hope (last night the differences between this with her and JR were obvious. JR simply sprained his ankle, Hope has been dealing with pain from what is called the ‘Drew Brees surgery’ for years. This is a surgery that puts about 99% of athletes out of their sport for good. Brees and Solo have been the exceptions). But I digress, this is not about the production of the show or the judges, it is about the comments I have seen here.
Whichever way you look at it, Hope HAS accomplished her goals, and she has stood up for herself and her partner in the process. It seems that CAI has been intent on attacking Hope’s own class of beauty and femininity, and that you all as a group have blindly jumped on CAI’s bandwagon here. But Hope will not let that bring her down. I am a proud fan of her attitude and believe that any young girl should look up to her (just as Nancy Grace is allowing her young daughter to do). It takes someone with guts like her to challenge the norms.
Dear outsider – you were doing very well until the last two lines of your comment here, which I deleted since they were personal attacks. I’m leaving the rest of your comment because it doesn’t break the rules, but this is your ONE CHANCE. Anyone who has been reading this blog should know by now that we do have people with different opinions posting here, but we will not allow personal attacks – we work too hard on this blog to have to deal with crap people like you dish out just because you don’t like OUR opinions. You want to be able to express yours, but call us names when we do the same. Grow up and deal with the fact that if YOU want to be able to express your opinion, we get to express ours as well, without the name calling. Simple concept, really, for reasonably intelligent people. The rest of you planning posts like this one with personal attacks added at the end?? Will go straight to the trash. This is an example. Heidi
Megan, I don’t know if this means anything or not but USA Today has the Maks cursing story too, not just Hollywood Reporter.
Courtney and Heidi, I will defer to your experience with the voting and will hope JR makes it through. Although with his ankle, rehearsing could be a problem.
I can’t believe there’s only one week left then no dancing again till when, January?
@Meggie: LOL I’m glad u enjoyed my big bird comment š I said that in one of my classes when speaking to one of my classmates who also watches the show and she somehow got offended and said I shouldn’t make fun of big bird lol.
March, Marlene – a very long dry spell. š
I just realized something: If we end up with a JR, Ricki, and Cheryl final then Karina would be the only pro there without a mirrorball trophy. I hope she gets it this time around.
Am I just so stupid that I can understand this or is something wrong with CAI? What’s wrong with smiling? I think she shouldn’t be a judge on this show. She has nothing to do with ballroom dancing! I would be glad if somebody else took her place.
Sorry for mistakes!
Next season is in March š I was hoping fro Jan, since I will be in LA and wanted to go.
On to last night. Was it just me or was JR looking more and more annoyed with Brooke’s questions about his ankle? At the end when she asked if it would stop him next week (assuming he made in there) and he gave the emphatic no, in my head I was going “Brooke the man got blown up by a landmine a sprained ankle won’t stop him”. Not that I am trivializing a sprained ankle, I know full well how much they hurt (clumsy yet fearless child = I have owned crutches since I was 7 and have permanent damage in my right ankle), but given what he’s been through I can’t see this stopping him.
Rob – WOW Kim & Khloe who??
Ricki – needs to find another level if she wants to win it, she looked timid last night. Of course that could be because she was nervous about the lifts. I hope seeing that old footage made her realize she is no longer heavy, as I think that was holding her back.
Can’t wait for tonight and the D.A.D.
Wow, that is a long dry spell. Oh well, my husband will be happy to have dinner served at a reasonable time now on Mondays and Tuesdays for a few months anyway.
The numbers post reassured me, but I’ll still hold my breath a little bit until the show is over tonight.
First time poster over here! I enjoy the site and comments š I like that people are talking critically about the show WITH everyone else, and not AGAINST. Having said that, I kinda wanted to share a couple of things…if that’s okie dokie…
In terms of Hope’s Paso….gotta agree. Really sloppy. I kept repeating my self when I was watching “omg it’s got to be sharper…she’s KILLING me.” My boyfriend gave me funny looks. Needless to say, on dance alone Hope should be gone. Then there’s the secondary issue of attitude. I’ll be honest….when Maks first blew up at the judges a few weeks ago I understood why other people would be against it but I sort of agreed. Then something about the unfortunate forced feeling of happiness from him the past couple of weeks, and Hope’s attitude souring really made me change my mind about this couple.
The CRAZY thing she said in her squeaky “they’ve wanted me off the show since day one…” eh….not really?? but, OK. psh. After the “we CAN smile” comment I concluded that I could no longer tolerate the two of them on the show. Seriously. I understand feeling under-appreciated, but honestly either suck it up or pack it up. DONE.
As to the comments on Ricky’s Big Bird costume…YUP. Pretty, but agreed. I’ve noticed she’s been wearing those dressed with the orange netting (wtf is it called??) lately. She did great. 30 great? nah.
Gilles. I miss Gilles. Best. Argentine. Tango. Ever. And Cheryl is thebombdotcom when it comes to that dance. ::sigh:: Gilles.
I’m a huge JR fan…and RIGHT BEFORE they went on for the Argentine Tango my local news decided it was important to break in with a Tornado warning for a county far enough away that I DIDN’T CARE ABOUT IT. So….I missed it. Sadness. : /
I was super surprised at Rob. Hate his family. Starting to appreciate him more. Thought the Samba was cool!!
Hope’s dances were pretty sloppy and deserves to get booted. A semi-final showing is fair enough.
JR is still my pick to win despite his injury. Rob impressed me alot and I would choose him over Ricki for second because of the vast improvement he has shown.
Hope and Maks did some press last night. You can see them being led over during JR and Karina’s interview and Maks is standing there next to JR for awhile. I wonder if the producers put a stop to them doing any more press after Maks’s F you comment?
Maybe one of you can clear this up, I read through the comments, but I may have missed this. Are lifts required for the AT? Hope said they were in one of her packages, and I didn’t think they were.
They aren’t “required” Mo, but many pros seem to think that the dance needs to have lots of them to be impressive. I don’t actually find a dance that is all lifts to be enjoyable. I think most of them were fine in number last night. It’s kinda like the freestyle – there seems to be this prevailing thought that you have to have a lot of lifts or it’s no good.
Oh okay, thanks. That’s what I thought, but I figured I’d ask anyways.
When hope said, “THEY wanted me off the show since day 1,” could the THEY be the audience and not the judges? Just throwing that out there. She has received a lot of negativity on the Internet with people calling her a dude, saying she has a penis, and other horrible things.
And I don’t get CA’s crush on Rob. I don’t see him as good looking AT ALL.
Yay, JR finally tweeted some news, Ankle x-ray negative.. woohoo!…
Jo – I’ve rewatched that moment, and I’m also not convinced any longer Hope meant the judges when she said “they wanted me off the show since day one”. Maybe tonight’s episode will clear it up? When Hope said that, she was answering Brooke’s generic question about defying the odds, not anything pointedly about the judges. Hope answered with a smile on her face and to me it could have been more like a “they knock me down, but I get back up,” kind of boast where the “they” who “wanted her off the show” is just anyone who wanted to get her down that she was going to defy. (There was a Hollywood Reporter article that said Hope was referring to the judges, but they were probably interpreting her words like everybody else.)
I did notice that the audience cheered loudly after Hope said that, so they did not seem to be shocked or upset. Either they’re really over the judges too or they also interpreted her statement differently.
Maybe Brooke will prove useful for once tonight and ask a follow-up question?
Well, it’s worth what you paid for it, but here’s my two cents on this week:
Ricki: Not quite 10 dances in my book but fine. Something with her still seems a bit off to me these last few weeks. Her story didnāt pull at the heartstrings quite so much, but I think will be relatable to the main at-home audience demographic. Couple that with a significant margin in the points and loyal Derekists and I doubt sheās going anywhere but the finals.
Rob: Who IS this guy?!? Expected the Argentine Tango would be good to him, but honestly thought that the Cha-Cha, and especially the Samba, would be the kiss of elim for him. But instead, better feet, hips, musicality and energy and just smoother and suaver all around. I think it was his night honestly though not quite 10 worthy. Anyway his attitude, steady improvement, solid 2nd scoring and oodles of fans should safely see him to the finals.
JR: A soldier true and through. A valiant effort despite his obvious pain. Thereās such passion around this man that I think his fans will only work all the harder to make sure he takes that final spot heās earned. More concerned about a defection (that was a BAD ankle roll) than him not making the final, but ANYTHING can happen.
Hope: Awful and ackward all-around. Was she dancing Argentine Tango or playing on a jungle gym? Ugh. Maksā ambitious choreography does her no favors when she canāt even use her legs properly. But will she get sympathy votes for the injury, sad story and those mean judges? My head tells me itāll be these two departing tonight but somehow canāt quite shake the feeling weāre in for a shockā¦Prepare for the worst, Hope for the best, which at this point, would be an unhindered JR, Ricki and Rob all duking it in the final!
To the “outsider” (comment #105). I’m sorry that I was harsh on Hope. However, that being said, if Hope as you say was there to promote her sport, why isn’t she doing just that. What I mean is part of the sport is team spirit and being glad when anyone on the team wins and showing good sportsmanship. I haven’t seen that from Hope at all. I haven’t seen it from Maks either but Maks is not a soccer player as you say promoting his sport.
Personally on the judges, I never have liked the personal comments, however, they’ve done it every season so why is this season so special.
Really feel the “Pro” which is Maks in this case had a responsibility to his partner in Hope to not share his frustrations with the show and to rather instill good comradery with the rest.
Leaves me wondering if Hope has connected with anyone this season on that show or been standoffish because she didn’t get herway like a spoiled child. If she’s that great of a sportswoman, where is her sportsmanship? Because to me thats just as important. Nancy Grace as bad as a dancer as people say and I loved her, honestly I loved her spirit , her fun, her laughing at herself. She had sportsmanship. She didn’t lay down and quit. Quitting isn’t part of a sport that I know of either.
I’m sorry this season was not as Hope would have liked. I wish the best for all…sometimes I lose my way as I did with Maks and Hope after his comments and I’m sorry. However, I think you have to earn things in life whether its respect, love, joy, happiness, a mirror ball trophy. Nothing comes easy in life and to me she just didn’t put in the work as much as she and Maks put in the attitude.
I personally as much as I liked Maks in previous seasons, I hope they fire him after this season and end the drama. For me, I watch the show for relaxation and entertainment not drama. I have enough of that in real life. Don’t need to be watching or supporting it.
Guess thats my 2 cents. Again Heidi and the rest I haven’t met, sorry I was kindof rude about Hope earlier. Will behave better and feel free to tell me when I don’t…but these are my thoughts after reading comment #105.
Oh forgot to mention…who makes their costumes. I love them all even yes the big bird costume people keep mentioning…I love them all…
Now that netting underneath Ricki’s (red stuff), I didn’t care for but I loved the yellow feather stuff…loved it.
I could be so lucky to have someone in my life who could sew like that! ha
Jeannie, thanks for your apology. It’s ok , let’s move on from it, and enjoy this last week of the season. Plus, stay tuned. We’re planning to do a costumer post shortly. š
Please include Hope’s sweet tweets and her interview with Tony Dovoloni somewhere. It made me cry. It’s under Extra “Hope’s Emotional Farewell.” It’s a lovely interview and Tony is a peach in it. Can you upload the video cause I think everyone would love to see it.
I think the 3 finalist are the best dancers .Some good dancers were eliminated early, but we have the best of the rest in the finals. The voting public did a good job !!!
The interview with Tony is in the Part 1 Interview post that we put up today!!