DWTS13 Finale Week Power Rankings – Who Will Win?
Gotta say – going into tonight, I couldn’t recall a time I was THIS EXCITED to see a finale since maybe season 10. Nor have I ever felt this invested in the outcome of a season of the show as I am in this one…seriously guys, I might lose my faith in humanity if JR does not win. Fair warning. 😉
Anywho – as much as I hoped this would be a good, clean, honest finale, there unfortunately seemed to be some shady business afoot. DEFINITE overscoring, and I think you all know who I’m referring to. Overall, the “last unlearned dance” round was pretty underwhelming & lackluster, and the freestyle round only slightly made up for it for me. But let’s get on with it, shall we? Gonna do things a little differently tonight – I’m gonna start with 3rd place and work my way up to the winner, and I’m going to try to guesstimate how things are going to pan out tomorrow night.
3rd place: Rob & Cheryl
As much as Rob may have endeared himself to me this season, methinks he wasn’t as good as his scores would lead us to believe this evening. The waltz was pleasant – if not a bit goofy. That whole “run towards one another and I’ll run around Cheryl as she spins” move made me chuckle a bit…my mom busted out laughing, and said “It looks like he’s going around the Maypole!” And I had to laugh too – because that’s exactly what it looked like. 😛 Some footwork & timing issues as well, but overall I wouldn’t say it was painful to watch…just…goofy. 🙂 Now the freestyle. *sigh* I liked the idea of it, I really did. And I thought it was smart of Cheryl to go with something that seemed to play on Rob’s strengths. But that was by no means a 30-worthy routine. Seemed like Cheryl did most of the tough stuff (it was like Gilles’ freestyle all over again), and it just took too long to really go anywhere. Rob did the best he could with what he was given – little imp. Got a bit scared when he was spinning around with Cheryl on his shoulders, though – thought I was gonna have to use my physics minor to calculate tangential velocity as she flew across the room. I think Rob really likes going around in circles, hehe. Cute idea & choreography – but it was just lacking in content for me, and I don’t think I’m completely alone. So why, then, did the judges give it a 30? *shrugs* Who knows. Part of me thinks they might be trying to shake up the top 2 by displacing Ricki or JR; part of me thinks this could have been a strange strategy for spurring Ricki & JR fans to vote even harder. I honestly can’t give you a theory that’s 100% sound or reasonable. But I am gonna put my faith in humanity (god help me) and say that Rob will probably get 3rd in the favorite dance round tomorrow, and won’t get the points to overcome JR or Ricki. But it’s been nice seeing Rob evolve from kind of a douchebaggy guy to a goofy but kinda lovable guy that managed to emerge from the shadow of his harpies-er, sisters. 😉
Runner-up: Ricki & Derek
Seemed like a bit of a strange night for Ricki – I wasn’t particularly wowed by either of her dances. Her cha-cha was clean, but felt kinda slow and a bit hesitant to me – then again, I thought the song was horrible for a cha-cha, and I’m not a huge fan of cha-cha, either. Now her freestyle had the potential to be great – I really liked her song, and I thought there was no way Derek could possibly get lower than a 28 on a freestyle. Wrongo-bongo, apparently – overall, Ricki’s felt kinda disjointed and slow to me. Heidi mentioned that Ricki “isn’t Nicole or Jennifer”, which I get, but at the same time, I still feel like this could have had more of a feeling of unity to it…which is funny, because Heidi also mentioned they omitted some parts of it, which could explain the random, unconnected feeling I got from it. And in the end – I didn’t really get how that freestyle embodied Ricki. Guess I was just left wanting more. Now as for tomorrow night – I will be surprised if Ricki does not win the favorite dance round. And since she & JR are tied (and from what I can tell, JR’s fans are doing a pretty good job of tying up the phone lines), I think they might both have the juice to surpass Rob and advance to the top 2. But let’s say, for the sake of speculation, that Rob is also slaying it in the votes department – I daresay he’s probably not besting JR, but I think he MIGHT be able to catch or even overcome Ricki. So if humanity decides to spite me tonight – I worry that it could be Ricki being cut tomorrow after the favorite dance round 🙁 But I’m gonna try to stay optimistic, because I do think she deserves to be in the top 2. But when it comes down to it, I’m 100% rooting for…
The winners: JR & Karina
If the energy in the ballroom after JR dances is any indicator of the national opinion of JR, then he’s already won in my mind 🙂 Seriously – everyone (including Maks, who looked pretty somber when Kirstie wasn’t cracking him up) seems to just beam after he dances. Even if he doesn’t knock it out of the park! Admittedly, his cha-cha was not so great – the song seemed painfully diluted & slow, and JR actually seemed to have trouble staying on time and moving around to his fullest ability. It was…odd. But I don’t think it deserved a 7…however, I also don’t think it deserved a 9, so I guess they cancelled each other out and he ended up with the right score. As for the freestyle – god bless Karina and her insistence on crazy lifts. This was the only freestyle of the night that actually got my blood pumping – and how awesome was the part on the platforms with the smoke??? They looked like J. Lo & Cris Judd up there…LOVED IT. And anyone that can CORRECTLY do Afro-cuban arm styling in salsa has mad respect from me (you listening, Mark?) 🙂 If Rob’s freestyle was 30-worthy, this should have gotten a 35, IMO. But alas, the scoring tops out at 30. So what will happen tomorrow night? I’m guessing the judges might have a change of heart about his jive, and he’ll get 2nd to Ricki’s first in the favorite dance round. The instant samba could be pretty close – but ultimately, I think JR’s fans will help him walk away with the MBT. 😀
Ooh wee…I don’t think I’ve ever been so determined to vote! And I encourage you guys to all do the same, regardless of who your favorite couple is. The only way to undo any underhanded scoring from the judges is to vote like there’s no tomorrow. But unfortunately, there is – who do you guys think will walk away with the MBT? And what do you think of the scoring? Even if you’re unhappy with how things panned out tonight, fear not: Carson is coming to your rescue tomorrow night! And he wants you to “let your body move to the music, and let your body go with the flow”…;-) Yes kids, brace yourself…for Carson Kressley’s “Vogue”. *fangirl squee* 😀
I was really afraid for JR after his first dance. He just didn’t nail and I thought he needed to, but Len giving him a 7 was wrong. I thought 8s across the board would have been about right.
Ricki seemed off and disjointed tonight and there’s no way that was Derek’s best free style ever.
Rob’s freestyle was good, but more deserving of 9s than 10s.
I am so glad JR came back and nailed the freestyle. Best freestyle of the night and yeah, he can sure get the audience going!
I’m going to stand my by original ranking of JR, Rob and Ricki though, unless the judges hate JR’s jive as much as they hated it the first time.
I really wish he’d picked another dance.
Hey Courtney, Heidi and voguerista.
ITS A DONE. Rikki wont win.
For some moronic reason, the freestyle is the deciding factor 95% of the time except on Season 3 in, which even though Mario got a 30, and Emmith a 29 – Emmith won.
Rob impressed me, but his lackluster ok-ish first 6 weeks just dont make him deserve the throphy.
Last year Kristi managed to beat the less known Chelsea who has younger demographics, even though Chealsea scored an 89 compared to Kristi’s 84 – so I think JR can still squeak the win. ???? You ????
JR had the only freestyle I liked. I didn’t think rob deserved a 30. A 27 MAYBE! His freestyle looked awkward!
Wow!! what a freestyle by JR and Karina… Best of the night by far!! Hopefully his fans will pull him through for the win. Even Len got teary talking to Karina about winning… awwww.
Rob and Cheryl were good. But overscored tonight. Definitely better than Ricki.
Ricki and Derek, I didn’t care for this freestyle at all. Compared to the other two it was quite eventless. Disappointing.
thank you for posting so soon and being very descriptive. I am sitting here watching a football game and won’t see the show until tomorrow morning (I am not staying up until 1.30am to watch). Sounds like the judges are doing what they have been all season…at least they are consistent. UP to the viewers now.
By Kristi beating chelsea, i meant that Kristie was the runner up and chealsea 3rd place
Wowza, what a great night!! I am not disappointed in these first night of finals in the least!
My Rankings:
1: Cheryl and Rob – His first dance was smooth, graceful, and had all the fairytale moves and feel. I just loved it. 9 Their freestyle was just absolutely perfect in every way. He deserved every one of those tens. Excellent excellent choreography by Cheryl. 10
2. (tie) Karina and JR -I didn’t like their first dance. He was stiff and slow….the choreography just left me questioning everything. 8- 😯 But, wow, did they bring it in the freestyle that made up for everything. Mind blowing, powerful moves. I loved the stomping and the knee walks. Excellent choreography! Just perfect! 10
2. (tie) Ricki and Derek -Both dances were fun and cheeky and full of excellent choreography, but, I felt like Ricki had a hard time keeping up at times. She was a little stiff and felt lost. But, over all, she was still fantastic. 9 for both dances. PS: I loved that knee twisting thing she did with Derek during their freestyle. It looked almost “spider-like”. What the heck was that? 😯 Leave it to Derek once again to come up with a very clever signature move for one of his partners. He did that backwards head thing with her too which I just love!! Brilliant!
If I had to pick the best freestyle I’d pick JR and Karina’s!!!
Who else was swooning over Derek once again baring his waxed and polished boychest? It absolutely blinded me with its glossy perfection. And when he worked his signature crotch bob into the freestyle? Hotter than molten lava, true fact. Also, I loved when he asserted his manly authority by telling Ricki, “Just shut your face.” Derek should just be crowned the permanent mirrorball winner from this season onward. All hail Prince Derek.
LOL! I CAN NOT WAIT COURT!!!! WOO HOO!!!
Never mind, Adam, I changed my mind. When you can talk about the show and not us, you can post here.
Oooo….bitter Maks fan?? LOL. Nice try.
Adam has a mancrush on Rob and I’M the one that’s biased and soooo in love with Derek? *SMH* Is there a full moon or something? Is mercury in retrograde? Pretty sure I just spent an entire paragraph illustrating why I wasn’t wowed by Ricki & Derek tonight. *shrug* Oh well…
Yes, Vogue, I knew you’d be pumped when you heard that 😉 I can’t wait either!!!
Even though Robs dance wasn’t worth a 30 I gotta give it up for Cheryl for working the judges mainly CAI with that “booty shake”. Everyone needs to vote, no one knows how big or small their fanbases are since they havent been tested all season. Although I think JR may have the largest, I have no idea on Ricki’s and Rob’s. I was worried about JR’s freestyle because if the package but I pleasantly surprised best freestyle of the night. Ricki’s freestyle I honestly don’t remember anything about it other than what she wore.
LOL!!!!!!
Overall, I was pretty happy with tonight. Overall I enjoyed it at the least.
Rob/Cheryl-Rob did very well tonight, but I don’t think he deserves higher than 3rd at this point. His waltz was good and very beautiful, but like Len said, he lost his posture and the footwork got clunky. 25-27 sounds alright for this dance. I say 25 or 26. I don’t think his freestyle deserved a 30 to be honest. It was a great idea, but it was just lacking that last touch of BAM to make it a 30 worthy freestyle. Plus, Cheryl did most of the dancing. He did great and he’s really grown on me this season. I ended up really liking him and his dancing was very surprising.
Ricki/Derek-Ricki’s cha cha song was not great. But the dance was very fun, sassy, and clean. She was a little too tight at some points, but it was a great Cha cha. Her freestyle was very fun too. Not Derek’s best, but he and Ricki both did an awesome job overall. She had some trouble in the Quickstep part, but the rest was cool. This freestyle was very different, but I loved it. 27 for both dances sounds good to me. Really hoping she wins or gets 2nd. Ricki’s been my favorite this season and I loved watching her and Derek.
JR/Karina-JR was mixed for me. His cha cha was fun, and I liked it, but it wasn’t too great in the technique department. His upperbody was wonky and he lost timing several times. I thought he was underscored when I first saw it, but I just saw it again, and while 7 is harsh, 24 is good. His freestyle was fantastic! Best one of the night. I kinda wanna say that he looked a LITTLE clunky in two spots, but next to Karina who wouldn’t? LOL This freestyle was sizzling, exciting, executed beautifully, and…Karina is a sexy beast!! 😉 I’ll be ecstatic for JR if he wins tomorrow night. He did fantastic all this season, he deserves a win. So does Karina (I’d be very happy for her if she won her first trophy).
Imo, JR will pull this one out. Rob will come in 2nd and Ricki will finish 3rd. Imo again, JR has more people willing to vote for him. Total package. hero, fan favorite, wonderful dancer and a great personality.
As a JR fan, I’m hoping that his freestyle was the most fun/memorable for the casual viewer. Those are the votes that he needs to win, because hard-core fans already decided (as I think PH and Courtney have pointed out before). Kind of like swing states in an election I guess…
I haven’t seen the show yet, so don’t know what happened with JR’s cha-cha. Was it just poorly executed or did the choreography contribute to the problem?
I still think Ricki and Derek’s freestyle would have been much better in a Broadway style, oh well.
I definitely think JR deserves the win but I am still voting for Ricki and Derek because I just can’t let her get beat by a Kardashian. He is still just icky to me despite his growth.
Will’s been reading my twitter time line. JR’s freestyle is not likely to make it into my top ten of all time, but it was the best of the night. But that Cha Cha?? That was bad news.
It SHOULD be JR or Ricki in first and Rob in third, but I have no clue as to what will really happen.
I couldn’t watch a live stream so I just caught up on the clips.
For me, watching all 6 dances, the order is quite clear. JR first by a mile, surprisingly Rob in second and Ricki in turd.
Freestyle round: JR blew it out of the water but I enjoyed Rob’s as well, it suited him perfectly. Ricki’s was underwhelming for me, I didn’t feel a connection between her personality and the dance.
Last required dance round: no one blew me away but I would again put JR just slightly in first because of the energy their cha-cha had. Rob’s Waltz was boring for me but I don’t like 90% of the Waltzes so I’m so not objective on that one. Ricki was good but I greatly miss seeing her hips move in the Latin dances.
Heidi??? Really I thought J.R’s was absolutely fantastic. 😀
Read what I wrote again, Zach. It’s not the top ten of all time, but best of the night. Top ten of all time is a tall order.
I’ve already forgotten Ricki’s first dance aside from the red dress. Her freestyle didn’t wow me either.
JR’s freestyle was just sick. I’m voting for the first time all season tonight and all for JR.
Wow. Just…wow. I was holding my breath during and cheering after JR and Karina’s freestyle. Nothing like TPTB bringing on the drama! I mean, really, seating Maks front and center in front of Karina? Honestly.
I was underwhelmed by Derek and Ricki. I found both dances disappointing. I think Ricki has beautiful lines and she is so crisp and clean in her steps, but she just doesn’t connect to the spirit of the cha cha. There is a lack of sassiness and fun. And I’ll admit, I had very high expectations for the freestyle. It’s Derek! It’s the final! But it seemed exactly like you said Courtney – disjointed. I think maybe Ricki’s nerves get the best of her.
I liked Rob and Cheryl! His confidence level on the dance floor is awesome to see. He has fun, he has technique…he has become a dancer. I thought Carrie Ann was crazy in the beginning when she said he had potential, but she was right! Who’d a thunk? I thought he was a big lug with no rhythm but now I really enjoy watching him and Cheryl. She has done a great job with him IMO.
I heart JR. The cha cha was disappointing – the energy level was so low. I think the band was too slow maybe, but my heart just sunk with that dance. Then the freestyle!! The energy! The connection! The lifts! I loved it!! I have never been a big fan of Karina’s, but I liked her with Ralph and I love her with JR. Her choreography has been inspired. Kudos to her. And him.
I can’t wait for tomorrow night.
Wow. Lackluster was right. JR and Karina’s lifts were spectacular but the dancing on the cubes was bleh and awkward looking. I wanted them OFF those cubes or at least do something nicely in sync. Rob and Cheryl at least gave it their all and I love Rob’s confident smile. He looks like a genuinely fun guy now instead of a doofus. Loved the wild overheard twirls with Cheryl likely holding her breath! It was hilarious! But Derek and Ricki’s FS and cha cha were boring and Derek never bores me. Did he tell her to “shut your face” in the package? Pls say he didn’t. JR will win now for sure UNLESS there’s a Rob upset with unexplained Kardashian sway (not to mention the cheesy Donnie O’s prediction). But Derek and Ricki won’t win. I didn’t get the impression they wanted or even tried to win. I have to say I was secretly hoping for a breathtaking performance by Drickilous. I got popcorn and everything. 🙁 Oh well it’s all about me. 🙂
I know everyone keeps saying this show is not about the dancing really, but at some point it should be with the Judges. And I thought it was going along pretty accurately until they got to Rob and then things began to smell funny. Jr. like all season, was shakey at times. Ricki, consistent and entertaining. I really felt she deserved the win this season overall, but thought she might get 2nd just based on the big PUSH for JR. But no way in Hades does she deserve 3rd, ESPECIALLY based on tonights dances. A real bad smell to this.
Well, maybe if the band was playing slower than JR/Karina expected or were used to, that might explain some of the timing issues too.
He did say “shut your face” – which actually came off as rather false to me, but he gets an A for effort. 🙂 Julianne said he was gonna get “a whoopin”. That is something I would actually like to see.
I’m conflicted. I want all three of them to win. 🙁
– I think Rob should win because he’s really grown over the season and it’s endearing to see how he’s stepped out of his sisters’ shadow.
However…
– I think Ricki should win because she’s shocked us all with her dancing ability. I loved seeing her become more comfortable with herself and get over her body issues. This show sure has made an impact on her body. She’s beautiful. 🙂
– I think JR should win because he’s obviously the best dancer this season. Alas, the best dancer does not always win. I’m hoping Karina can win her first trophy. 😀
Ugh, can’t they have three mini mirror ball trophies and declare them all as winners?!?!?!
@sasa “Ricki in turd” HILARIOUS! Love Tristan….
I’m with you Lola. 🙂
What was the freestyle song that JR and Karina danced to? I LOVED it!!!! They were awesome! He’s a class act and she’s so beautiful! But I have to know that song!!! FUN FUN!!!
It will be wrong for anyone but JR and Karina to take home the MBT!! I want to see him do that backflip from Len’s shoulders! I hope Rob comes in second. I think Ricki is good but it’s all too technical and not enough joie de vivre on the dancefloor.
I actually think he’s gonna kill it in the jive tomorrow. The second spot will all depend on Ricki bringing it tomorrow b/c it is a great dance. At this point its JR/Karina, Rob/Cheryl, Ricki/Derek for me.
@Laura – “Whine Up” by Kat DeLuna 🙂
Don’t know why but I was underwhelmed. Maybe all will look better on second viewing. But can’t wait to see Carson, Nancy, David and all back tomorrow. Go Carson, Go Carson.
Rob did not deserve that 30 for that freestyle. The overscoring was just ridiculous. Something tells me that Kardashian is going to win this thing. They totally set him up for the win. Ricki will come in 3rd because they set that up, too.
I am so hoping that JR’s fans will vote, vote, vote and vote some more.
The judges scores tonight were all over the place and have me worried, just a bit.
I was expecting JR to nail both dances, but his Cha Cha left me feeling just a little unsettled. But that was o.k., because I don’t feel any of the couples really nailed any of their dances.
Ricki was a little disappointing tonight, and seemed a little off her game too.
Rob seemed more relaxed than JR or Ricki, and I give him props for his dances tonight, however, JR and Karina stole the show with their Freestyle.
I have been supporting JR & Karina since the beginnning, and feel that they will walk off with MBT tomorrow night.
I noticed that Maks and Hope were in the audience tonight, so I guess that means that we’ll have to endure more of Hope tomorrow…..UUGGHHH!!!
Loved J.R. and Karina’s freestyle!! Voted more for them tonight than I ever have for anyone before. I hope it pays off…
And Derek’s “shut your face” comment kinda cracked me up because it seemed like as he was saying it he was already thinking twice about it, so it came off false, as Heidi said. Funny. 😛
JR’s freestyle was possibly my favorite if all time. If I were a judge, I’d write 1,000,000 on the paper , not caring about stopping at 10. If JR does not win, I’m going down to the studio and I will ask for the vote totals. If anyone truly beats JR, I will be stunned. Oh, and JR’s freestyle wasn’t the only good one, that went to Rob. JR’s freestyle was only SUPER FREAKIN AMAZING freestyle of the night!
Gee, a feature on JR on Nightline tonight isn’t going to help him at all. LOL – sometimes I wonder.
TBTB will not let a Kardashian beat a war hero. The ABC PR machine is doing all it can – and it’s funny, I don’t think JR even needs it….
Initially I was disappointed in the quality of the dancing tonight compared to prior seasons, but then I reminded myself that these three couples had to prepare much more than any couples in seasons past. Am I wrong, or is this the first season that the couples had to prepare four dances for the finale week. Added to that, they had to learn a new dance in addition to their freestyle and prepare for an instant samba, which can’t be easy. In past seasons, wasn’t it only three dances that they had to prepare for – their favorite dance, their redemption dance and the freestyle. With respect to their redemption dance, some of the couples in seasons past may only have had to polish and tweak their moves to improve the dance signficantly. Anyway, I hope TPTB return to the old format in upcoming seasons because I prefer quality over quantity.
oops, TPTB…
The final is about who steps up, and that would be Rob. Couple that with the Kardashian Twitter machine and Rob wins the mirror ball. I have been In Ricki’s corner all season, but Rob came to win tonight and I think he wii.
hi girls :
Why do you think Carrie ann is so biased towars Rob. more specifically every season, it seems that she chooses a guy whom she blatantly expreeses support for. Ughh ? Do you think that there is a possibilty Ricki might come in 3rd ?
JR had an amazing freestyle..I completely forgot about Ricki’s 10 seconds after it was done (and that dress made her look like the feather duster from Beauty and the Beast) and Rob’s was good but certainly not worthy of a 30.
I really liked Derek and Ricki’s Cha-Cha, I thought it was both relaxed and saucy, and very well put together. Their Freestyle was good and interesting and what I expect from a Freestyle.
Cheryl and Rob’s Waltz was just fine, but their Freestyle impressed me and I agree with the judges scores. Sure, it was quite understated which is not what I am used to seeing, but Rob performed quite well with the content he was given, and I enjoyed the precision in their side by side work.
Karina and JR lacked musicality in the first dance. I spent the dance trying to figure out exactly what was off and I think Carrie Ann nailed it when she mentioned the musicality. It almost seemed like the music they were dancing to wasn’t the music we were hearing! Of course their Freestyle was great and those crazy lifts blew me away. I voted 100% for Karina and JR tonight.
JR will win. They overscored Rob tonight so I’m pretty sure he’ll place above Ricki unless she’s perfect and he screws up big tomorrow night. I thought his waltz was lackluster and his freestyle good, but not good enough for tens. Cha cha isn’t Ricki’s forte and the freestyle didn’t suit her personality. I think a dance where she could showboat and tap dance would have suited her better. Even with a magnificent psycho tango, I don’t think she can catch Rob. Good news IMO, the last dance tomorrow is samba, and Rob can’t in any way, shape, or form samba like JR.
Entertaining final! I can’t choose!!!!!!! LOL
JR will probably win, but I guess I hope Ricki is in the final two with him.
Cheryl is SO GOOD, though. (even though Rob was overscored, imo)
I noticed Maks and Kirstie laughing and joking around behind Tom before Rob’s freestyle. Sitting beside Val not Maks was Hope, leaning waaaaaay away from Maks’ direction, pouting. It was an amazing shot.
I think based from tonight, Rob should win. Their freestyle wasn’t as energetic and mind blowing as Jr and Karina, but Cheryl had the hardest job of all the pros going into the finale. Rob obviously is not a dancer, and the only thing good about him is: He is a good learner, hardworker, and pretty much having Cheryl as a partner. Every week is a challenge for Cheryl and every dance is a challenge for Rob. And to see his progress and how far he’s come, i do think Rob deserve to get the win. I love Jr, but he’s been spectacular since day 1. And sad to say, just like Ricki is, both of them hasn’t shown any improvement. Except for Jr’s freestyle tonight, Rob has been the best dancer for the last 2 wks.
And you gotta give credit to Cheryl, becoz that Freestyle was very creative for someone like Rob who i think wouldn’t look good on anything other than what Cheryl choreographed for him.And that creativity alone deserves the perfect scores.
Rob is just what DWts is all about. Someone who’s never danced and cannot dance, and just learn everything while on the show.
But tomorrow night is another night, and i think the samba and the jive are definitely Jr’s dances, and i can see him take the lead back after those 2 dances.
I thought the first round of the unlearned dances definitely went to Ricki, but I didn’t think she let loose and really feel the dance. Rob has done well, but definitely overscored for the waltz and I felt it wasn’t smooth at all and a bit clunky on the footwork. At times I thought he was hitting the steps too hard. JR unfortunately lost timing more than I would’ve liked, but a 7 from Len was not necessary.
Freestyle round hands down went to JR. He was so energetic, the lifts were great and I think he really showed his personality and let loose. Rob was WAAAAAAAY overscored for his freestyle. all his turns or spinning looked out of control, like a little kid putting out his arms like and airplane and running around. It was not smooth, polished, and definitely did not warrant a 10. As for Ricki, I liked it better than Rob’s, but not Derek’s best work and she seemed hesitant at times and thought too much about technique and didn’t really let loose.
i’m using the mobile version of pure. it’s nice girls. congrats =]
Yeah, rob was overscored by a good bit. Some have complained about Derek over dancing ricki (incorrectly, IMO), but damn, Cheryl was doing ALL the work last night. That said, JR should still win – after that, who cares? I’m just glad my couple made it to the final where they obviously belong.
That was an interesting night. Not great unfortunately, but unpredictable.
Ricki’s cha cha was technically great, but lacked a bit of oomph. Thought the score was right, but in my view she won the first round – Rob was fine, but his footwork and his posture were not there – a 26 at most. Poor JR – his cha cha was a real disappointment and not quite sure what happened.
As to the freestyle round – JR won it hands down. His was the best of the night and I felt deserved the 30. I thought Cheryl had the right idea for Rob’s but have to say that it didn’t deserve to score the same as JR’s – maybe a 28? Not quite sure why Derek and Ricki’s didn’t quite connect. Thought that he had a good idea in keeping her more in hold and they integrated the lifts into the routine well, but agree there was just no real connection from her to the music so it some how didn’t gel. With them going first (anyone spot TPTB there!) they had to really excel to stay in people’s memories and they just didn’t.
The crowd and the buzz around show that most people want JR to win. I’d be really happy for him to do so. He’s the best dancer on instinct and Karina deserves her first trophy. Personally, I’ve spent the last two hours voting like crazy for Ricki and Derek, but I fear that it might not be enough. I really don’t think they deserve 3rd, but have to admit that they didn’t bring their A game tonight. Given that most undecided voters go on the freestyle, I think that JR should get the votes he needs to pass Rob. Will Ricki – I Just don’t know.
The favourite dance is suddenly looking really important – those few judges points could make all the difference, especially for second place.
I agree Rob was overscored…First in his waltz but how can his freestyle get the same scores as JR’s, thats beyond me. Cheryl did indeed all the work. I get that Rob has improved a lot but I still don’t think he’s dancing to the level of JR.
I wish JR and Ricki would be the top 2 with JR winning at the end but Im afraid Ricki’s gonna be turd.
[…] If you haven’t done so yet, be sure to tell us your thoughts and reviews in Courtney’s new Power Ranking Post. Stay tuned for a new Numbers post for who will win from Heidi as well shortly. In the mean time, […]
If I had to rank them based on last night it was pretty close.
3rd place: Rob and Cheryl: I liked his first dance but that freestyle was overscored.
2nd: Ricki and Derek: LOVED her cha cha cha but her freestyle deserved what it got as a score. It was good but didn’t blow me away.
1rst: jr and Karina: LOVED his cha cha. that scoring was bs. Freestyle was my fav of the three.
Idk, JR looked “off” all night to me, like he was favoring his ankle. I hated the free-style song they chose, too. The whole thing made me uncomfortable to watch.
I’ve been a big fan of Rikki’s the whole time too but last night her dances just didn’t move me. She got the scores she deserved – good but not great – and is anyone else sick of seeing Derek bending girl’s backwards and pumping them up and down by their necks? I give credit to Rikki for pulling it off but I guess I’m saying I was disappointed in the choreography.
Finally, there was Rob. His dances were charming and his free-style actually moved me. Not the greatest dancer we’ve ever seen on the show but, our choice for best, by default.
You know, while watching last night, Derek said something that had me just sit back and gasp…. It was my realization of something that Derek’s been saying for a couple weeks already, but hearing him say it DURING the competition last night, and not after the show, or in other interviews….
After their cha cha, Derek said that Ricki has already accomplished her goals, she’s lost weight and learned to dance, and everything else after that is a bonus. And it hit me that he doesn’t plan on winning.
Rob’s facial expressions while dancing should be bottled IMO.
Can someone explain that lift (or whatever it is) where JR slams into Karina (the one they had trouble with re her neck)? Does not look good – I’m guessing she used it because of the high level of difficulty?
Karina, whatever you think of her, has balls. To let an untrained person wing her around like that – remember the Situation and those lift attempts? Man, she’s brave. And looks great while being brave.
Oh well, that “Just shut your face” thing might have done some damage to Drickilous, i am afraid. I think Ricki got on D’s nerves, BIG TIME. Nevertheless, kind of unfortunate 🙁
Let me say my opinion about
the stars: jr is the best dancer and the best balance between tecnique and entertainment. ricki is very clear but I do miss more emotion from her on some dances. rob is that one who grew the most. at final he’s confident and good to watch.
pros: karina is the best choreographer this season. cheryl was the best teacher. as we say here in brazil, she take milk from stone. she found the diamond inside rob and never gave up on him. hands down (i wish other pros *cough maksim *cough used the same approach. derek was creative, specially on the psycho tango and the paso, but this season wasn’t his best IMO.
so, overall, jr and karina do deserve to win.
Derek ain’t no dummy. He can see that JR is the favorite just like anyone else. He’s not one to lie to himself or his partner, if you know what I mean. 🙂
I thought the “shut your face” thing was hilarious – so…12 years old. Really, when most of the pros (Derek included) have to be bleeped out from time to time – some more than others – the “shut your face” is so innocuous. I thought it wasn’t real – like he was trying too hard to be tough.
@Jay – It’s a salsa trick, but I can’t for the life of me I can’t remember what it’s called. But it can actually look really cool if done correctly – especially if the guy jumps from a good height and the girl can get aligned properly and just let herself fall…looks more dramatic that way. Here’s the best example I can think of – it’s from this summer, when the Miami All-Stars were on America’s Got Talent. 2:28 mark. I think it looks more dramatic from the front than from the side. Robert & Miranda also had one at the end of their jive on SYTYCD this summer – 1:30 mark. I think JR & Karina’s problem was that they didn’t have a good transition into it, so it ended up looking awkward. Could’ve probably looked better if JR had jumped off of the stage.
I have to say I was a bit disappointed in all of the freestyles, although JR’s was definitely the best.
Does anybody else find it a bit patronizing that doing lots of “lifts” is considered to be the pinnacle of dancing on this show? Do they make the dances more memorable? I don’t think so — remember, Jennifer Grey didn’t hardly do anything that involved a lift (other than waist-high tango moves) – and her dances were really memorable.
Last night, the lifts didn’t do any of them or the dance justice — ands I blame the pros for this:
Rob — there was very little dance in the routine — just throwing Cheryl around.
Ricki — she moves beautifully when her feet are on the ground — lifts are supposed to be light and airy looking — although Derek tries to make it look easy, the fact that Ricki didn’t look comfortable or balanced made them look clunky. Totally unnecessary.
JR — given the style of the dance, the lifts he and Karina did were appropriate (and there were only a couple), but given the practice montage, I couldn’t really enjoy watching them because all I could think of was poor Karina possibly breaking her neck. I think the producers think that watching that kind of angst/fear during the practice makes the dance more exciting, but it kind of ruins the surprise for me.
Hi All 🙂 First time poster, long time reader. Love the site.
I really enjoyed the finale. I know some have said it was boring or whatnot, but IMO it was exciting because for the first season in a long time it felt (to me) like it actually mattered how the final 3 danced, and not like it had been pre-determined by the outstanding front runner of the season. I know JR and Ricki have been front runners, but Rob has kind of snuck up on them and is IMO very popular in his own right.
Ricki and Derek: I wasn’t wowed by their dances, but I haven’t been wowed by Ricki all season, except for her tango and paso. Derek, on the other hand, is another story. Boy can rock it. He does a wonderful job of covering for her mistakes and making her look good, which is why (IMO) she has been in the lead a lot of the season. Dang, she looked great in that red dress though! Best she’s looked all season, IMO. I feel they should come in 3rd.
Rob & Cheryl: I really disliked Rob at the beginning of the season, mostly b/c of his family. He’s really grown and I thought their dances were beautiful, both of them. The freestyle was a bit slower, but I actually thought he kept up with Cheryl quite well. He was stiff in a few places, though. The one thing that bothers me with Rob is that he seemed like such a slacker/so rude the first week, then his edit changed and he’s come out smelling like roses in his packages ever since. It makes me wonder…however, based on his charm and joy and growth, I think he should place 2nd.
JR and Karina: I became a huge Karina fan last season, and I’m so happy that they might be getting the win tonight. I’ve loved JR from the beginning. I was really worried after their cha cha though. I thought he seemed sluggish and I was thinking that his ankle might still be bothering him. But man, he rocked that freestyle! He and Karina both seemed so into it and looked great. I did not notice if he missed any steps or if they fell out of sync because I was just so engrossed in the dance. I really hope they’re hoisting the mirrorball tonight.
Please, in all seriousness, I’m not a dancer –CAN ANYONE HERE EXPLAIN THAT MOVE by Karina and JR ????? — the one where it looks like JR jumps forward and jams his crotch into Karina’s face snapping her neck back? WHAT WAS THE POINT OF THAT MOVE???? They were showing how many problems they were having with that during the practice sessions (repeatedly showing his crotch slamming her in the face — real classy) — and then when they actually performed it, I wasn’t even sure they did it right. Was that SUPPOSED to be a sexy move? If not, was it supposed to be a “different” kind of move? If so, if failed on both fronts: It just looked like it hurt and quite frankly, bordered on porn.
@Aidamaria – See my explanation above. I wouldn’t say it’s pornographic – it’s more meant to look dangerous and dramatic than sexy and suggestive. So if you found yourself cringing because it looked so treacherous, it was done right 🙂
Thanks Courtney — Ok, I can live with “dangerous and dramatic” and damn, I can certainly live with sexy and suggestive (shout out to Derek!) — but the way they were doing it, it just looked painful — but is the purpose of that move to slam your face in the crotch? I thought at one point I heard them say it was a “neck hook” or something. How is it SUPPOSED to look? (that is, are they supposed to make contact? thigh to neck?????)
@#66 Violet — I agree 100% WITH EVERY WORD in your post! We must be soul sisters. One of the reasons I liked Ricki more than some of the others has been because of her genuine interest and work on child and maternal health issues. I know, it has nothing to do with dancing, but it makes her seem less superficial and grounded. Also, she has really bright and beautiful eyes and seemed to be happy to be on the show.
Also, none of the “big bird” costumes (the ones with the fluffy short skirts) they put her in were flattering! I was disappointed to see yet another one in the freestyle. The cha cha dress suited her perfectly.
Nice to have an undramatic episode for once this season:)
I did feel that the scores were right for Ricki & Derek, they were good but not wow. But I do think Rob was overscored. I think a lot of people are riding the Rob underdog train, and while I do admire his journey (this is what a season long journey should be like, Maks, in reference to the fact he says that a lot of people would vote for he and Hope due to their journey) he isn’t good enough a dancer to win the trophy IMO.
Ricki won the first set of dances to me. I disagree that she hasn’t improved. To me, she has surpassed JR in terms of who has the best lines and technique. They haven’t improved leaps and bounds like Rob, but they have improved, where JR hasn’t technique-wise IMO. JR has kept his energy level up though where Ricki has had a more careful or muted performance level over the last few weeks which explains some of the lack of excitement for her dances.
Anyway, Rob’s first dance was just ok, I would have had it between Ricki and JR. I was fine with JRs first round scores, he totally screwed up unfortunately and I thought the Karina’s choreography was actually really weak here.
Didn’t LOVE any of the freestyles, but if any was 10 worthy it was JRs. I would have given Rickis a 9 and Robs a 9 not a 10. I wasn’t feeling it, though I understand why Cheryl chose the concept, and he just didn’t do enough in it to me.
I would have had JR and Ricki tied for first with 54 and Rob slightly behind with 52/53. But the scores are so close it doesn’t likely matter in the final outcome! I would love to see JR win and Karina to win her first trophy! I really hope Ricki is second because her technique is great and she has done so well all season and they have had some of the most memorable dances this season, just not in the home stretch. I actually remember a lot of her dances, where as Rob I remember for his journey but I couldn’t tell you much about him having truly memorable dances, except for the samba….for the rainbow float prop.
The fix is definately in for Rob. It became blatantly obvious last week in the semi finals. To me Rob is a turd…..oops…I mean he is third, IMO. Voted JR all the way. Class act, that one.
I definitely think JR will make the next cut. Although I loved Rob’s transformation, I hope Ricki also makes it through — I think she and JR will be able to both do exciting instant sambas.
If Rob makes it to the instant samba round (he probably will), all he has to do is shake his booty and he’ll get 10s. The judges seem to love that. Especially Carrie Ann.
I really respect how Derek handles himself on the show but comments about how they don’t need to win and just the air of not really going for it left me a bit puzzled.
I’m not going to say the lack of competitive drive was what made Ricki’s performances muted for the last two weeks but I’m also not dismissing the possibility. After all, she did stress from the beginning that she’s a very competitive person. It didn’t at all show in their attitude.
I’m torn on this one. On one hand I get acknowledging that JR is more talented and keeping it real but on the other hand I feel like the pro should always believe that it’s possible to win, for their partner’s sake. Give them that extra edge and attack.
I feel like if Rob had done JR’s cha cha the judges, and especially CAI would have been swooning, oh, look at you move those hips, look how cool and relaxed and club your are…wow, you have become the suave man from a boy…
I’m trying really hard to stay positive and happily supportive of who ever wins, but I just don’t get the elevating Rob above the other 2 so much.
They ALL had to learn to dance, just Ricki and JR were able to learn the basics more quickly so early on they looked good… so now the story is how much Rob has grown starting at zero. They ALL started at zero. All 3 pros had to be very good teachers to get the performances out of their celebs. Maybe JR has more rhythm, but with a lesser teacher or choreographer he might not have shined as often as he did. Ricki has grace and lines and ability to perform but with a different teacher, she also might not have had so many of those showstopping dances.
First, thanks for this site… I’ve watched every season and love coming here for info and comments. Now, my 2 cents..
I am a Derek, Max, Anna fan… I watch for the dancing not the drama.. having said that I’m pulling for JR this year. His choreography is much more detailed and complex – same goes for Ricki… Rob has improved, but Cheryl keeps it very, very simple for him and he still has distracting hand and arm gestures. They all did fine last nite, didn’t measure up to many of the previous seasons, but good. Did anyone deserve 10’s?? Not too sure. I’ve been very disappointed the past few years at some of the “celebrities” they’ve chosen to have on the show, but it is a show and they are trying to appeal to a wide and varied audience, so I can live with it. I don’t like the over/under scoring crap that goes on. Looking forward to all the dancers/dances tonight. I stopped voting the year they brought that “Kate ?” on,the one with the kids and a reality show.. now I just watch and enjoy the dancers I like and fast forward if they stink.
Oh, Derek and Ricki both are all over twitter telling their fans to vote – and that is RARE for Derek. He usually doesn’t ask for stuff like that. I think he’s just keeping it real – I mean, I love Ricki, but I don’t think she’s going to win. That doesn’t mean I don’t want her to and it doesn’t mean that I didn’t vote my fingers off. Derek is also similar to me in that I like to manage expectations to a degree.
Well said, Jess. I saw one person saying that Rob is the only person to come into the show (that’s still in the final) and actually learn how to dance. That’s simply not true. Both Ricki and JR had to learn how to dance, neither has any kind of training. And if someone says Ricki has training, my response is – yeah, so do I from all my years of club dancing, and I was actually better at it than Ricki was in Hairspray. 🙂
I just don’t agree that the growth angle is the only reason someone should win. I think it’s a crock, actually. It’s a valid reason, sure – but it’s not the ONLY reason.
Sasa- In Derek’s recent interviews, he has stressed that he prepares his partners for all possible scenarios. He never wanted to give Ricki a sense of entitlement just because she has been top of the leaderboard most of the season. He prepares his partners for the worst and hopes for the best.
But being a huge Derek fan, I had also wondered about some of their comments … but face the facts, JR is clearly the people’s favorite and he is usually the best or 2nd best dancer every week and then there is Rob who is like Carrie Ann said the ‘Cinderella’ story of the season and with his sister’s campaign tactics, could potentially have a huge fanbase voting for him.
I think Derek also let go of the pressure of his perfect finals record so that he wouldn’t let it get to him or Ricki because that could be very daunting.
Anyways, in the end it is an entertainment show and it’s what will create the most buzz/ratings for the show… so I can see how things have shaken out in the last few weeks.
I hope JR wins if Ricki doesn’t!!! JR is the best male celeb on the show this season and I would love to see Karina win her first MBT!
Thank you jess #76- I’m tired of people discounting JR and Ricki’s growth by saying that Rob is the only star to have grown as a dancer and he is what this show is all about and therefore he is the one who should win the mirror ball. Well if we’re really going to go off what this show is all about in determining the winner then lets review the title of the show. In reality Rob should never have been on the show (and various others this season and in past seasons) as he isn’t really what I would call a “star” hahaha. All that to say, I really do like Rob but if he wins because of this crock that he is the only one of the three demonstrating growth, I’m going to be pretty pissed.
The only explanation I can think of for elevating Rob to a level he doesn’t deserve is that they’ve attracted a younger demographic that they want to hold onto.
Couldn’t agree more Heidi, everyone grows on this show… I always like the seasons when the one with the most growth, best technique and joy of dance is the winner… we lose a lot of really good dancers early every season due to lack of fan base (Chelsea, Kristen, Chynna), so we don’t always get the “best” dancers to vote for in the finale
No, Katarina, last I looked they were still failing badly in the key demo. No movement at all. Which might not bode well for Rob, now that I think about it. Of course, that was a couple weeks ago.
It is no contest, JR is easily going to win tonight & the marks for the last dance will let us know that cause here is my prediction……..
Ricki gets 10 10 10…..for the Tango cause they know she is too far back with viewer votes anyway.
Rob gets 9 9 9……for his Foxtrot cause they know he is very close in viewer votes to JR & they want JR to win.
JR gets 10 10 10…..for the Jive cause they know Rob is close to him & they realize that this little bump ahead of Rob in the final dance will be all JR needs to win.
It as clear as a blue sky that the show wants JR to win & this is how they will do it.
I think Derek has played it ‘safer’ the last few weeks in the choreo because it is what Ricki is comfortable with considering the multiple dances. He has said stamina has been an issue of hers and I think he wanted her to feel like she looked good out there, and throwing complex and daring choreography at her with 3 and 4 dances would probably not have worked. I appreciate the clean dancing. Maybe he could have been a little bit more creative in some parts, but overall, I think he handled his celeb very well, it just wasn’t knock-it-out-of-the-park that we are used to with Derek. But remember, when he has been in the finals before, he had the BEST dancer in the competition hands down in Brooke, Nicole and Jennifer and they all generally performed with more flair than Ricki, so wowing us was probably an easier task with them.
Ricki still did go for some not-so-easy lifts yesterday and that was a win for her. I think they have done a great job this season.
I prefer who has the best combo of technique/personality and choreography to win the trophy. Growth is cool, but I agree it isn’t fair to say Rob is the only one who has grown. I do think he has improved the MOST so if we are ranking by improvement, it would be Rob, Ricki, JR IMO. But they all have improved and they all truly started from zero. And I do like Rob, but I actually think he danced better last week and I just don’t think he is strong enough a dancer to justify a win here.
Looking forward to the repeat dances, hopefully JR and Ricki instant samba, and seeing Carson & Anna again!
I remember my mom and I going “Really?” after Carrie Ann’s comment about Rob’s Freestyle. And the spin thing? I even said aloud “Don’t drop her Rob!” It was fun, lighthearted, but no where near deserving of a perfect score. I felt so bad for J.R. after his cha-cha. I was thought Karina could have put a little more in there, and did seem REALLY slow. His freestyle on the other hand? Blew. Me. Away. I think going back to J.R.’s Latin roots was the best idea for Karina to go for the freestyle. It’s not often do we see a freestyle with so much emphasis on Latin-American dancing. And he did it well. I was a bit worried when I saw you guys post the song, but boy did he kill it. He’s the winner in my book.
I know I mentioned Rob had “growth”, so I don’t know if it’s me you guys are all mad at, but I never said he was the ONLY one with growth. I do agree that JR and Ricki had to learn dancing as well, but I also think it came a little more naturally to them (especially JR) than it did to Rob. However, I also never said I wanted Rob to win. Also, the reason I had him listed as my preferred second placer was based on more than how much he has grown as a dancer (and person), though that did figure into it.
Anyway, hope this is all for naught and I’m not the one everyone is mad at! 🙂
@Joe Mag – the Head Holding Pro is more Max than Derek – he’s done it with Brandy, Kirstie, and Hope from recent memory – it really does not do much for their routies, but when Ricki did it, this was more for her, to show off her balance ability more than anything else.
@Lisa – Only one problem with your theory, dear – they aren’t scoring the favorite dances regularly. They’re ranking them – so the best will get 30, the 2nd best will get 28, and the 3rd will get 26.
@Violet – No worries, I don’t think anyone’s directing that at you – I think people are more referring to some people in general trying to claim that Rob is the ONLY contestant that showed growth. I agree that he showed growth – but Ricki & JR did as well. I get a bit irritated when some try to claim that the show “is all about growth & progress” – really? Find me somewhere that states officially that that’s what the show about. To me, it’s an entertainment show – if growth happens, it’s just a coincidence, because the main objective of it is to entertain. I don’t think exhibiting dramatic growth is a requisite for the MBT – I think you can be a consistently good dancer (like JR & Ricki) and still deserve to win.
Someone up above regarding Rob said, “all his turns or spinning looked out of control, like a little kid putting out his arms like and airplane and running around.”
Could not agree more! That ‘s what I thought when I saw him. When they gave him a perfect score, I nearly fell off my chair.
IMO, Ricki and JR are the best dancers and have been all season. They both deserve to be in the final 2. Are the Kardashians paying off the judges and producers to let whittle Robbie win or what?
Courtney, totally agree!
Violet, I certainly wasn’t directing anything at you and no one is mad for you stating your opinion! I was stating my opinion in reference to the general thought going around that Rob is the only one who has grown, because even the show itself, let alone the fans, seem to be pushing that a lot.
To Violet, I’m sorry if it felt like I was mad at you, not at all, I’ liked your post. I’m mad at what appears to be grading on the curve from the judges and the way the packages, media, Cheryl…have positioned him as the
“ideal” dwts contestant, boy grows up…and in truth, Rob has finally grown on me and I don’t want to be mad at him for it all either, nor really even Cheryl since it’s her job to get her celeb the win no matter what and she’s just playing the game she’s payed to play. Please don’t go away or stop posting. 🙂
Thanks for the reassurance, Courtney. I agree, DWTS is an entertainment show. I do hate when better dancers go out early due to their popularity, or not so good dancers make it deep into the competition b/c of their fanbase, but what can I do about it? A big fat nothing, so why worry myself? 🙂 I’m just here to watch the glitter! dancing! fun! Plus, my kiddos love it…they are only 2 and 3, but they get so excited when they get to watch “the dancing show”. My 3 year old was trying to mimic Rob and Cheryl while they were waltzing last night, though her favorites were Chaz and Lacey. (take that One Million Moms…this Mama was not upset one iota when her daughter proclaimed Chaz was “her favorite dancing man, Mommy he’s AWESOME” lol) She is taking ballet, tap, jazz but she told me last night she wanted to “dance like the people living in the tv”)
🙂
Awww, look at everyone playing nice 🙂 *sniff* Makes me proud, and glad we decided to moderate all the comments – I wanna protect all my PureDWTS babies from the nasty trolls! Even with the wacky scoring of last night, I think everyone is for the most part very calm & happy headed into the finale. Good place to be 😀
@Jo – Lol, Rob did look like he was out-of-control on those spins – but man, his facial expressions were cracking me up! He looked like a little kid on the merry-go-round – wish I could have put a speech bubble above his head that just said “Wheeeee!” It was sort of adorable, even if I thought his freestyle was overscored. 😛 Such a goofball.
Hines was pretty consistent last year and he won, so I don’t think it is or should be about who has the most “growth” I want to see the best dancer win!
Can Heidi even do a dancing with the numbers post since the fans don’t get to vote tonight?
Thanks you guys!!
And Courtney, you CAN give him a little speech bubble and say “wheeeee” ….in the LOLz !! 🙂
Well if they rank them 1 2 3 & it’s 30, 28 & 26 points then my theory still holds, they will mark JR first & Rob last giving JR a 4 point advantage, which will be enough to push him past Rob when all is added together.
You’re right, Courtney, it was sort of goofy. Rob did look like a little out there on the playground.
As far as Derek’s “shut your face” comment goes, I thought he was doing it in jest. He didn’t seem serious about it. As soon as he said it though, I thought, “Oh, great the Derek haters are going to jump on that one!”
It’s going to pain me to see Chyna again tonight. She was so wonderful and it would have been nice to see her in the finals.
Exactly, Marlene. And if the winner of this show was indeed chosen based on how much they improved during the course of the competition – then Romeo should have won last season. 🙂
And yes, Heidi still did run some numbers for tonight, illustrating the possible scenarios that could play out. She’s putting the finishing touches on it now – should be up within the hour. It’s good stuff, I took a peek at it 😉
That’s right! I do have the lolz 😉
I often wonder if the reason more “celebs” don’t do this show is precisely what happened to Chynna and even David Hasselhoff (who I didn’t think was all that great). It’s not because they worry about having to learn difficult dancing, or invest the time, or even the cheese factor. Let’s face it, it comes down to #1 having a fan base going in, OR #2 a compelling story once you’re in OR #3 a really charismatic personality OR #4 being assigned to a popular pro so that you have a chance to advance and try to develop #1, #2 and #3 along the way. I think it would have to be daunting to put yourself out there only to find out that you’re not so popular after all. Chynna didn’t get eliminated because of her “errors,” but because she didn’t meet any of the 3 things I mentioned. Yes, she was beautiful, gracious and interesting . . . but not enough so to get more votes.
brookeburke Brooke Burke-Charvet
@Karina_Smirnoff great job tonight! I’m so proud of you. Your first mirror ball could be coming…..
14 hours ago
Sounds like Brooke is pulling for JR and Karina.
I actually didn’t think Derek made his comments in jest, and I’m not a “Derek Hater”. I don’t really have a favorite on the male pro side, they all get on my nerves every now and then 🙂
But, I didn’t think he was being ugly about it either, like, I didn’t think he was bullying Ricki or anything. I kind of just thought he seemed…I don’t know…fed up maybe? When his last two partners were Nicole and Jennifer, who were phenomenal, I can see where he could get frustrated with Ricki. He’s done a dang good job of being patient with her though.
But then again, I don’t know what he meant by it. Nobody does, except Derek. I would certainly hope it wouldn’t get him labeled as “mean” or a “bully” though. That would just be nonsense.
Unless there is some mistakes tonight I think the judges will rank the dances like this:
30: Ricki and Derek
28: J.R. and Karina
26: Rob and Cheryl
Maybe J.R. and Rob will be switched around. It depends on if Karina modified the jive. (takes out the lift and some of the lindy moves)
So how does this work tonight? Is it the stars favorite dance than elimination than sanba showdown/smackdown thing or are all three in the samba showdown?
@vin – All 3 will do their favorite dance, and get either 30, 28, or 26 points. Then they’ll eliminate the 3rd place finisher, and the remaining 2 will do an instant samba. Not sure of the scoring on that one.
I’m nervous already. I’m going to need some wine tonight! My mom voted for JR using her phone and my sister’s phone. She then went online and used a few different e-mail accounts to vote for him. She has NEVER done this and she’s been watching DWTS since the beginning! In fact, she’s never really voted much before this season.
Thanks 🙂 Hopefully we see a JR vs Ricki instant samba 🙂 That would be great! Nothing against Rob but he seems like a nice dude and the best of that odd odd family but i hope its ricki in second and jr as the winner (in my eyes its all about consistancy)
Abridged thoughts on last night’s show:
Ricki – The girl has worked her tail feathers off (literally!) and been a solid dancer since day 1. However, my feeling is that she’s plateaued a bit and hasn’t had the same impact to the last few weeks that Rob or JR have.
Rob: Scored high, but I rather liked the simplicity of his dancers even if that’s likely because he’s not as competent a dancer, it made for a refreshingly less busy FS that played to his strengths (bonus points to Cheryl for bravery in that last lift). He’s a strong guy, has shown noticeable improvement, enthusiasm, momentum, and likely has the fanbase to overcome at least Ricki if not JR as well.
JR: His movement still seemed a bit off to me even a bit in the Freestyle but that was one ambitious routine! Factoring in Tuesday’s dances, he’s my pick to hoist to mirror ball when all is said and done!