Dancing with the Stars Season 23, THE FINALE (Night Two) – LIVE BLOG!!
As always…
Site rules in are effect – don’t hit refresh every 2 minutes, make sure you’re not posting one-liners, etc. Thank you. 🙂
I often like the Finale – but I often find it to be jammed with pointless filler while we wait an absurdly long time to find out who wins. Which way will it feel tonight? I bet wine would help….
So far, I’m seeing a lot of stuff that looks rehashed either from earlier this season, or last thanksgiving’s season. Cuz Mandy.
No Derek in the pro dance, not a surprise, I guess. He should have known the choreo from earlier this season. 🙂
James redoing my favorite dance of his…or one of them anyway. 🙂
After the obligatory VT of early season happenings, we have Andy Grammar singing while Allison and Keo do a dance that starts out kinda strange.
Next up, Calvin and Lindsay – great dance from them, as per usual. Marilu on All Access, in All Access Update.
I love Maureen with all the men, including Babyface and Ryan!! That was fun, the lucky woman.
A pro dance that starts out as a bump and grind – shocking right?? I do like the colorful leotards though.
Of course Laurie and Val pick the dance that’s all about Maks and Val as their favorite. I question if they really picked it…
Very nice that they went to the Children’s hospital.
All Access Update – watching the Grove cam and that floor they’re on is very slippery.
OMG….this song makes me freakin’ SOB every damn time. And this beautiful dance to go with it. Jenna’s dress was hot. Glad she didn’t the whole song and make my eyes hurt. 🙂
Love me some Babyface as well – so Smoooooth.
Rick Perry has gone insane in a wonderful, wonderful way. 🙂
Okay Calvin and James just MADE what I though was going to be a boring guy strip number. And Ryan was there too? Cool. that was fun.
Terra being hilarious on the Grove Cam on All Access. Marilu trying not to bust her ass on the slippery floor.
And we are getting NO Derek tonight. :::sigh::: At least I get him twice on Thanksgiving. I don’t mean that to sound dirty. 😉 Seriously, they need to move inside – that floor is dangerous.
Maks trying real hard not to be a hypocrite on All Access about Laurie being an Olympian. He’s failing, of course.
Sorry, I’m finding All Access more interesting than the actual show. Which I see we are exploiting Laurie’s grief again. Goodie.
Okay this has cool potential with Fikshun in it. Don’t get the Jenna love though. Oooo…the ladies in pink look lovely. Sugar plum fairies?
Gee, look at Maks dancing with the cool little girl that no one on this show has ever danced with before. :::snark:::
Wow, the DWTS Tour finally made it to Radio City? Wow, wonder if they sell it out. And what’s this about a “Major Cast Announcement?”
Yeah, the order they just announced them in doesn’t bode well for James. I’ve seen it too many times.
Beautiful fusion from James – lovely. Seemed like he had both elements in there.
Julianne’s dress looks beautiful, what I can see of it.
Fun dance from Calvin and Lindsay – but man, CAI is just an idiot. Shut up already!
Judges are not going to change the results, since Laurie can’t get higher than 10s. She’ll get a 40. Why watch?
Well, if the judges gush over that too much they’ll look ridiculous. Okay who am I kidding. The one lift was messy as hell, but they’ll completely ignore it.
And that’s it – Laurie’s gonna win. CAI is acting the moron and we know what that means.
But Len didn’t do his “You should win” to Laurie, so maybe there’s hope.
Geez, Jana sings just like she dances – kinda flat yet over wrought.
I’m thinking that the exploitation certainly helped her.
Now…for third place: Calvin and Lindsay
AND THE WINNER IS….Laurie and Val. Congrats to Laurie – she’s a cutie.
And that, ladies and gentlemen is why I can’t take Val. Always the attention hog. Laurie’s moment, dude. Just…STFU.
Someone said that Laurie was going to be on the tour. That’s cool, I also was looking at the Tour schedule and at the end of January there’s a stop in Windsor Ontario on my Birthday so if it goes well tonight I might just get a ticket, Chicago and then Indianapolis, Wouldn’t it be interesting if James was invited for a few dates?
@georgepennachio just confirmed that the running order for the fusion dance is James, Calvin and last Laurie. I’m kinda scared that they changed the running order, I’m getting Meryl teas. She didn’t dance last on the first night(Amy and Derek did) but then switch the running order once they saw that she had it in the bag. Please James pull thru. It will be very close but I’m afraid that James mistake on the foxtrot cost him the mirrorball because Laurie is 1 point ahead and that point can make a big difference.
i want james and sharna to win but i will be happy with either lauie or calvin to win. cain wait for andy grammer and vanila ice’s proformances
The opening number was really fun. The whole onesies thing in the little house made me laugh though.
I’m getting the vibe that Laurie is the winner. Disappointing to me but I know some people are going to be really happy so good for them. I just feel she didn’t really grow or have a story this season.
Andy is always a welcome sight..song is addicting. I’ve watched Ricks week one dance so many times becuase he was just so happy and I loved seeing him on the show. He was the biggest surprise to me.
Erin and the santas….kinda wish they post the dress Rehersal now lol. calvin killed that 🙂 . Maureen is just one of the happiest people ever…when she isn’t crying I guess lol. Nice touch to add Babyface and Ryan. The dress Rehersal reel…love love love love love. Maks and the ladies….could have loved without that.
Of course the Chmerkovskiy brothers show begins now…Too much Maks for me.Always need all the attention…
Why didn’t Amber dance with Maks during their dance instead they had a pro step in to do it. Did she cry about it being Tuesday and her having to have heels on?
Tom and Cheryl on that show….YES! Love it already becuase Betty White is on it so I’m all for this. Also, maks loves hogging a camera like nobody else….maybe Jenna actually lol. Loved vanilla and Rick. That’s my jam right there. Also love how that friendship was so unexpected. Sending the pros and stars to the children’s hospital Is amazing. I donate money every year (spare change that adds up and a dollar here and there) to charity every year from the infamous R2 D2 piggy bank and this year it’s going to the children’s ward at a local place that specializes in cancer care in the Bronx but they said toys would be preferable so me and my cousins and friends are going toys in tow in Santa and elf hats the day after thanksgiving so that just made my day.
Babyface did a great job with that song! Man is he good. Fun so far, really liked Calvin and Lindsay’s choice of Argentine tango. My favorite of theirs and one they got low balled on.
Flipping between Chopped Canada and DWTS. Thank you ladies for keeping me up to date!
Love that song but Calvin and James were my fav part of that. Ryan actually did pretty good too. That proposal never ceases to get me crying. That Argentine Tango…I get that a lot of people loved that one but still don’t get the big deal.
My gut says Laurie will win as much as I want James. 🙁
Why didn’t Amber do her Woman Up dance? Instead I had to sit through them trying to make Jenna happen again. *sigh*
And of all Laurie’s dances…they choose the trio? I would’ve done the Willy Wonka. I will say the improv part was one of the few times Chmerkovskiys doing humor worked for me though.
And Maks popping in for Anthony Anderson’s mom’s shout out. And for the Woman Up dance. And for the trio. And in the male pro dance. WHY SO MUCH?
Vanilla and Rick were fun as hell! I’ve missed Vanilla especially. 🙂
Is it weird that everytime I see James I feel so weirdly proud because he reminds me of Napolean Dynamite’s brother Kip and I feel like he has made it in life after the movie…Maybe it’s just me…All I ever see when I see him is Kip Dynamite and that’s adorable.
Terra and Marilu and Sasha but not Derek….what’s going on? Wasn’t feeling the Macy’s stars of dance one though. A bit too cheesey for my liking
Rick Perry on the turn table an drums tonight, priceless. Never get tired of Ice Ice Baby and the Vanilla/Perry bromance.
I loved the Macy’s number. All the cheese and feel-good fuzzies I love about the holiday season. And Maks was actually adorable in this one shockingly. Also Fikshun and Emma York are great as always.
OMG GIVE IT A REST WITH JENNA. Twitter seems to feel the same.
Omg, James and Sharna are making me emotional! Both the package and that GORGEOUS, GORGEOUS dance!
The words “James, sharna, and final time” is heartbreaking. Can we have him next season too…pretty please. Naturally he ends it with what I think was the best dance he’s done. Before this season My fav couple on the show ever was bindi and Derek and before them it was joey and kym but James and sharna now holds that title 🙂
Laurie looks beautiful. James is wonderful. Calvin makes my heart feel good.
It’s looking like Laurie won. I hope not, but sorry to see James go first. Maybe order has something to do with Laurie going on tour?
If James and Sharna don’t win, this will disappoint me more than any other season. They TRULY deserve it. He has grown so much. And I REALLY wanted this for Sharna too. This partnership is definitely the most special, next to maybe Noah. I really hope they get the MBT.
@marintx I’m curious to know how Laurie going on tour could affect the order?
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I mean, if Nyle danced second during the finals an won as opposed to the winner dancing last, maybe DWTS decided to switch it up completely?
Calvin is the star of this season for me. I don’t think he will win though. I would be okay with a Laurie win, just please not Sharna. They really need to stop trying to make her happen.
What’s with TPTB’s infatuation with Jenna tonight. Must be because she’s the new pro that isn’t the most well received and they want to pump her up. Enough already. It isn’t helping her. It’s annoying.
Love Laurie’s gold dress. It looks exquisite with her coloring.
I’ll be happy no matter who wins, although I’m not a fan of Val.
FWIW, I thought that the dance assigned matters (specifically, tango goes to the expected winner), but even that doesn’t hold all the time (Rumer & Val didn’t have it).
Sick of Jenna, sick of Maks. I really want Calvin to win but I know that’s not going to happen. Sooo please let it be James. He really deserves it.
Well there goes my tour ticket…Laurie is going and I don’t care to go if they will just overshadow everyone else…Even if Calvin or James went it would still ruin it for me…Sounds like Tom let it slip that she was winning before the fusion dances they all got a 40 on…This show….. ?
#27 Sam – Meryl didn’t perform a Tango for her fusion dance either.
I got the impression that a camera man man have took a tumble prior to Jana’s set – since it appeared Val ran off the stage and with that quick view of the slippery floor.
That poor camera man! The slippery floor finally claims a victim.
Camera man down…yikes. Anyways, third place not a shocker…even though I disagree.
Sidenote, Laurie on the tour? Cool I guess since she is super fun to watch but I wish James was on it too.
I’m happy for her becuase she is a sweetheart but Val…not so much. I hope James knows how much America loves him becuase he killed it this season too.
*sigh* I was REALLY hoping for a James win in that he was the best imho and that I wanted Sharna to get a win.
But what can you do? At least Laurie is likeable.
That was Jameses’ Trophy… Laurie was not the better dancer…She had great movement but was NOT the better dancer.I can’t believe this and will probably be too in shock to watch the next season.I had to change the channel.T hat was a Riker Rumer Upset all over again.
Well, I’ve been a James and Sharna supporter since day one. I’m very disappointed, but extremely proud of my favorite team. Congrats to Laurie and Val, although I couldn’t have imagined a more predictable outcome :/
Thanks mods for all you do!!
Was there a reason Derek did not perform at all tonight? I thought I saw him in a snap or an IG photo but I could have been mistaken.
So disappointed in the results…James deserved that trophy SO much. So does Sharna…
Thrilled for that little angel.
And separately a let down because it was predetermined. Really thought it was obvious that James and Sharna earned that trophy in every way.
I agreed with Len when he said he’s old and needed to go to bed so they should hurry with the results. I was tired of watching the C-bros show anyway. What was up with them in almost every number. Really missing the Hough’s and Mark. Anyway congrats to Laurie on that win. I was hoping for James but what can you do.
What a difference from last year when Bindi and Derek won and everyone rushed to the dance floor to hug, congratulate and lift them up. This win felt so blah. This show is just as much about the journey as it is the dancing, and Laurie’s was nothing special. I had no idea who James was but I found myself rooting for him more and more. His dancing was awesome and he seems like a gem of a person.
I wanted to save this for tommorrow but given the fact I’m probably going to Be offline for awhile tommorrow, I’m just saying this now. Thank you mods for everything you do. Thank you for creating and running a site where dwts fans can come and make friends with people from all over the country and overseas. You guys are the best and I can tell wait for the cast rumors and next season ?
@Rosa: Agreed on James being the better dancer. He may not be the best male dancer ever, but I’d argue he might be the best showman they’ve ever had.
James was the best dancer this season, he had the best partnership with his pro, and he should have won. I am so sad.
Congrats to Laurie- she really was wonderful. I’m a little surprised (and very disappointed) James didn’t pull it out. I honestly thought he was pulling in more votes. I’m gutted for Sharna. I know its not about the pro but man did she earn this one.
On another note, I’ve slowly been pulling away from the show the last two seasons. I started watching in season 4 and I remember having no idea if Apolo or Joey would win. Over the last several seasons I can basically pick the winner from week 1. I applaud TPTB for making this show last so long, and maybe the reality/manipulation vibe plays into the longevity, but for me I think it might be time to move on. Nothing against this seasons winner- Laurie was deserving for sure- there just isn’t much intrigue anymore. And with the packages and some of the pros egos it’s too much.
Thank you ladies for such an awesome site. I’ve been reading since you guys started this and its been one of my favorite guilty pleasures.
Do you think Derek will post the reason for his absence? Was it contractual because of Hairspray? not having rehearsal time? I for one would like an explanation.
Laurie and Val wins. What a surprise ((slow clapping))
It was likely worked out between DWTS and Hairspray that he didn’t have to be there unless he made the final.
Great commentary as usual and thank you for all the entertaining, insighful, and fun posts!! I probably wouldn’t have been as engaged or into the show without you guys and the convos! 🙂
I actually watched All Access more than the actual show. I agree CAI’s comments to James and Sharna and then Laurie kinda made me think ok its Laurie’s. THen, when Tom announced her addition to the tour…I thought ok its gotta be her.
Kinda bummed for Sharna and James moreso for Sharna because she was a phenomenal pro this season…and made it about James. Kinda glad Val won…hopefully he’ll take off a season…or 2…or 3. 😛
Emma got it right on All Access. She said Laurie and Val will probably win…but she’d vote for someone else (I’m guessing James and Sharna).
Thanks Vin!
I do wonder what it’s going to take for some of the pros to start throwing shade Val’s way for having two trophies and always getting ringers….oh wait, the only pros who do that short of shit have the last name Chmerkovskiy.
Well, thank you for saving me the waste of time to watch the show.
Val and TPTB: you suck and are ruining DWTS. And I hate you for that.
But thanks to this site for bringing some joy back to the show. I’m always hopeful every season. I don’t blame Derek for not showing up. Here’s to Hairspray!
First of all, a big thank you to all the mods for another great season of insight to the show.
Not my desired results, but congratulations to Laurie. I hope that Calvin and James keep in touch because they are such great guys.
IMO, Laurie is doing a smart thing in doing the tour. She’s a young professional, and it doesn’t hurt to earn some money while having a good time(but working hard) before going back to the grind of training for gymnastics.
Thanks everyone for the kind words about us and the site. Now behave. I’m going to read a BOOK!! 🙂
Back tomorrow. 😉
Someone should talk to Jenna and Val about camera hogging. Val planned his little speech and Jenna, who I am really not liking much, busted in on James final comments. Oh well, the end of an obvious outcome season. I wanted James to win, but I knew it was going to be Laurie. What happened to Derek?
This felt like DejaVu from Season 21 with Lindsay coming in 3rd, Sharna being in 2nd, and the cutesy teenage girl winning the mirrorball.
Congrats to Laurie! Predictable, yet well-deserved! ^_^
How is it possible though that since the new producers took over in S19 the winner is always one who topped the leaderboard on premiere night and the only one of their gender in the Final 3: S19: Janel/Sadie/Alfonso, S20 Noah/Riker/Rumer, S21 Alek/Nick/Bindi, S22 Ginger/Paige/Nyle; S23 Calvin/James/Laurie. It was’t like that at all before the new producers took over, I don’t get it. Even when Meryl won, which was predictable, she didn’t top the leader board on premiere night & was in the final 3 with 2 other women.
One of the highlights for me with DWTS is finding this site. It’s been a real pleasure to be able to put my opinion out there with people who loved the show as much as me.
I might be done with the show, We’ll have to see. I just wanted to say that I really appreciate the care, attention and expertise you all have provided me.
Dance, in all it’s many and varied forms, has fueled my imagination and love for many years. It’s where the secret garden of my heart has grown and flourished. It nurtures and soothes my soul.
Thank you!
I think I’ve learned my lesson. I will never watch the show again if someone who dances I am so crazy about is a contestant. And it’s a double whammy when they deserved the win. Just my opinion. But James represented what DWTS is all about. It should not be about, “Lets bring in a ringer from the Olympics who just won America’s heart”. Sorry, but in my eyes James is the real winner. America now knows who I and many others already knew, he is a winner through and through. And if you look up class in the dictionary you will see a picture of him next to it. Congrats James on your winning over America’s heart. Not to mention your over the top dancing abilities. Thank you to the moderators for all your hard work. You too are winners to take the time out to do all you do for us. And then still take crap from some people.
oh wow…
James just got the same fate as Giles (I apologized if my saltiness towards Giles losing annoying to everyone)
I dont know why it took me so long to realized how manipulative the producers are. Laurie doesn’t need pimping, she need better choreographer. And James totally deserved this…
I probably done with the show, finger crossed no one I like on the next season, until maybe they have All Stars and James pair with Sharna again (or Lindsay).
PS: now, I know how’s Riker and Paige supporters feelings (I was rooting for Rumer and Nyle just because I love and know them before DWTS)
Im so sad james didnt win. Why did his gf look so sad the entire time though? I actually liked allison and keos dance but she dances a lot of the ballroom dances too fast.
That was a load of BS once again. I just don’t know why I bother, except James was a fellow Canuck from my neck of the woods and damn he was impressive all season long. It doesn’t surprise me he was the only one to give a little momento to his pro. He is class all the way.But yeah, voter suppression made its mark in Trump’s Amerika. It is too bad the average Canadian just couldn’t pick up the phone like they have been doing since season 10. Oh, but the gymnast agreed to the Tour, you can’t have an Also ran as a headliner. Now the on to things that really matter, there’s a call for an Audit of the Presidential election in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan.
congrats to Laurie! but have to say her win was so obvious, she was already the declared winner before the season started and I rolled my eyes when they announced she will go on tour. I feel like everytime they have a tour, they pimp the pros and celebs who are available for it & a want a celeb to win who will go on tour…
and I noticed on twitter that many people were asking for Derek and missing him. if the producers don’t see what a treasure Derek is for the show, they must be more than stupid!
and I’m a bit suspicious – I can’t see how Derek could have been competing on DWTS until the finale while rehearsals were heating up for Hairspray Live! it sure came in handy that Marilu was eliminated just in time (not saying that she should have stayed longer but I do wonder if the producers gave him the oldest celeb on purpose…I think Marilu stayed way longer in the competition thanks to Derek than she would have with another pro and maybe tptb thought they would leave earlier than they eventually did).
and I’m glad this season is over, I was kinda over it weeks ago!
now we have the holiday specials with the Houghs to look forward to! and of course Hairspray Live!, the biggest deal of them all 🙂
Hope the Chmerkovskiy Bros are happy they’re catching up to the Hough’s! They have competed in a (combined) total of 26 seasons and have won three mirror balls! The Hough’s have competed on 22 seasons total and have 8… Not to mention multiple Emmy Nominations (and wins) and thriving acting careers.
(None of my anger/sarcasm is directed toward Laurie she’s a very sweet person)
Princess Heidi, Vogue, Courtney, John…
Thank you for everything you did to carry us through this season.
Because of your hard work and dedication, this site is a national treasure.
Glad for Laurie, not for Val.
Thanks to the class acts of James & Sharna and Calvin & Lindsay for providing us with two amazing FS and many memorable dance moments this season.
And thanks especially to the moderators for their outstanding work, insights and commentary all season. (You made me laugh & spill my coffee almost every morning!)
I missed Derek and Mark’s creative energy and spirit so much this evening…DWTS is not the same without them & sadly, after another season of manipulation by TPTB, I fear neither one will be inclined to rejoin the show.
I’m bummed. James was the better dancer and Sharne the better pro this season. Is there any way we could start a GoFundMe page and send them both a mirror ball from the fans?
It would help me feel better if they knew we do appreciate them.
(I wonder if Sharna will sleep in that onesy tonight… )
So happy Laurie won! She has such an infectious smile, also happy to see that she will be going on the dwts tour too.
Everything so predictable in the finale from start to finish except the poor cameraman getting hurt on that slippery stage. Hoping he’s OK!
That said, the best dancer won and her numbers were as good or better than any other pro in the history of the show.
James just helped garner a few more IndyCar fans, which is big due to the fact its TV ratings aren’t the best and plays second fiddle to NASCAR.
And how about Calvin?! My favorite of the season. He didn’t do this show for the money. He made close to $100 million in his NFL career, but did to expand his personal brand. And boy did he ever. We are going to see more of him and hopefully he pops on the tour for some shows
Prediction: Sharna wins next season and has the “ringer.” She is due and deserves a title.
Thanks again, moderators. Beyond appreciative of your work and this site! Happy holidays to you all!
I for one am going skip this tour. It really sucked hard to telegraph 15 minutes before the results to tell everyone that she’s going on tour. Well duh. There is absolutely nothing remarkable about her dancing that would compel me to pay money for that.
Derek was in the Opening number with all the couples, he & Marilu had a 5 seconds segment. He was there but just for that. He’s probably resting for his Hairspray Live commitments.
As PH said, Derek was likely only contracted to DWTS as long as he was in the competition & afterwards was free to fully commit to his Hairspray Live duties.
My favorite moment of the night? Erin’s gaffe when she referenced Emma and Sasha as their only two pros to get engaged, then corrected herself by specifying ‘on the show.’ Yes; true. Max has been engaged to two other pros-it just didn’t happen on the show ;). Not a bad finale, IMO, though I was rooting for James. It seemed during the episode retrospectives that Marilu was barely included in any footage, which seemed odd.
# Felysa
you cant compare this to Gilles Marini’s upset
Gilles was way better than Shawn . but James is not better than Laurie
this final was so closed between these three
all of them deserved to win & people are not mad about the result bcoz it was well deserved
I’m glad that Laurie and Val won because they were the best. I appreciate all the professional dancers and would love to see more of them dancing together. You can’t compare who has more mirror ball trophies because it depends on who they partner you with- Emma, Keo, Artem, and Sasha do not get good partners. It was also very enjoyable to watch so many high quality stars were dancing especially the last four. I watched every season and I think this was the best dancing with the troupe and pros. The last four were the best four ever. The top two are in the top four finishes IMO. Great season. Congratulations, Laurie and Val!
Oh for f**ks sake. Just woke up (I tried to stay up till 4am here in the UK but just fell asleep) How much more could James and Sharna do to have secured the MBT? So Val gets his second undeserved MBT. F**king fuming I am. DWTS is now The Val Show and we must make Val happen at the expense of decent people like James and Sharna. Laurie is a lovely girl and all but Val and his ego of his just about overshadows any positive attributes you have.
First of all, thank you mods for creating this amazing platform! You truly make the DWTS experience 100 times more enjoyable than it actually is.
This season left a pretty bad taste in my mouth. They had a likable cast, with amazing personalities, yet they still felt the need to manipulate the viewer. It was once my favorite show to watch, but now, I’m still debating whether I should bother watching next season or not.
I rooted for Calvin and Lindsay, but I knew they had no chance of winning, so I really hoped that James would manage to win. But alas, since the show is so freaking predictable, and the winner was decided since the cast was announced, Laurie and Val won. Nothing against Laurie, I think she is amazing, but as so many of you here have stated, she was certainly not challenged by her pro as the other two were. Never felt like she had a ‘journey’ on the show.
Hopefully the next season won’t be the same. Cause if it is, I won’t bother anymore. Thank you again for everything, and happy holidays everyone!!
Nico, Laurie repeatedly said Val was challenging her, but I agree he wasn’t pushing her the entire season. That said, she Took on some pretty intense, pro level choreography and executed it amazingly. Next season, you should listen to the commentary on All Access; it’s very enlightening to get an objective professional’s view.
I am so glad I didn’t waste my time watching last night! Once I saw the dance order, I knew Laurie was the winner (they just can’t help themselves)! I read a book instead and it had more surprises than the outcome of this show and it wasn’t even a mystery!
Each season over the past 6 or so, I watch less and less of the actual show, and I think Rob Wade may have finally killed my interest in tuning in next season. Why bother? Let’s see if I can predict it: Val gets a ringer, Emma gets shafted, most pro numbers are “bump and grind” by Mandy, Jenna camera hogs, Derek (if he’s foolish enough to return) gets treated like crap, and Val and Gleb will have a competition to see who can go shirtless more. Did I cover it all?
One thing, I will continue to turn in here for the honest, funny and snarky commentary even if I don’t watch live! Thanks again to Courtney, Princess Heidi and Vogue; you’re great!
Sigh…TPTB keep THIS crap up & they’re gonna lose viewers. We pretty much knew from Wk 1, that the MBT was Laurie’s. She’s a sweetie & good dancer.. as well an Olympic gold-medal Winning my women gymnast should be!! What makes the win unimpressive for me is that Val did not give her any challenging choreography whatsoever. She came into the competition knowing how to perform on the big stage and knowing how to memorize routines and knowing basic ballet type things.
So it’s almost a message to other pros “hey you get a ringer and you can phone it in every week and you’re gonna win regardless”! Especially if you are a male pro and you and your partner are gonna do the tour! She came into the competition knowing how to perform on the big stage and knowing how to memorize routines and knowing basic ballet type things. Plus she said on that GMA reveal show that she’s called little Shakira.
James & a few others gave her a run for her money so much so that TPTB had to manipulate things with bad packages, bad judges scores & nit-picky commentary. Even in the freestyle and redemption rounds Laurie had some minor bobbles in her routine. I didn’t notice any kind of bobbles from Bindi Irwin in her season. A girl who never danced before in her life and who I thought was going to be a real challenge for Derek given her Whip Nae-Nae clip before practice even began!
I wish there were a different point system like there was in all-Stars. LIke if there’s a lift, you get X amt of points deducted, Stricter rules. So there’s less manipulation. I’d also like them to get ALL new judges. Or at least replace CAI! She’s the least credible judge imho!
Happy for Laurie only because she is a terrific person, there was no doubt of the winner once they said she was going on tour. This is becoming a very hard show to win if you are not one of the “Fam” they get more showtime, better packages, the best running slots. So I would only assume Sharna is a lock for next season. I have nothing against her and she is definitely worthy of winning but let it be natural, not pimped. So much talent from so many pros, just treat them all fair. I can see why Derek wasn’t 100% in for the finale and sadly believe we won’t see this mega talent hit this dance floor again.
P.S.-Any more info on Mark & BC wedding? Have no real idea why I am so excited, but I am!
Thanks for all the sweet comments, All. You are the best!xxx
@Liz The choreo was pretty basic from Val this season yet again. He had a superior student & played it safe. Derek gave Shawn VERY difficult choreo & she executed it perfectly. Laurie had some bobbles here & there plus needed producer interference in order to get the win. Like the ‘pros’ interviewed on All Access are gonna throw a fellow Pro under the bus? No, as PH said, only Pros whose name begins with C and ends in Y throw shade at the other Pros!
I’ve been mostly lurking this season but I do want to thank everyone involved with this site for at least bringing me some joy to the show. I not sure if it’s the manipulation or what but I’m growing a bit bored with it all.
So thank you mods for at least shining a bit of sunshine down on this somewhat predictable show. Without this site I probably wouldn’t be watching.
First off a huge thanks to the wonderful mods here for all they do!
Wellp, this is just a perfect cherry to end the crap-tastic year that 2016 has been. I can’t even compare this to Riker and Paige because I knew they didn’t stand a chance at beating the manipulation. But James I really thought could have done it. I truly thought that he could have squeaked it out and beaten TPTB’s games, but once I saw the running order I had a feeling it wouldn’t end well. I really don’t know if I can watch this show anymore. Since season 18 we’ve been able to pick out the winner week 1, and in my opinion only Alfonso and Bindi have truly 100% deserved it (Meryl deserved it, Maks did not.)
Cheers, 2016. You’ve really outdone yourself.
Couldn’t agree MORE @Jess!! 2016 has been pretty craptastic for me and my family. Hubby got laid off 1/8/16. This election cycle. Issues at work. Family issues….then THIS! At the end of the day, DWTS is just a silly dance show. But it’s losing ALL credibility when other reality talent competition shows are beating them in ratings, i.e. The Voice. I don’t see NEARLY the manipulation with The Voice as I do with DWTS. It’s really gotten worse since Rob Wade took over!! I’ll give S24 a chance. Especially if Mark Ballas or Derek return. OR there’s a celeb who I REALLY wanna see do DWTS–like John Stamos or Shaun Cassidy!
I’m not gonna deny Nyle his win last season..the guy is deaf and had that working against him. Peta did very well with him given his disability. I hope Peta doesn’t get jaded by the “The FAM” mentality…but I fear she already has given her Tweet from Monday…congratulating ‘the Fam(Val and Sharna) for being LIT in the Finals! Maks wasn’t too bad this season and even somewhat likable at times. If he never sees the ballroom floor again, I’m OK with that.
I REALLY hope Move Live on Tour 2017 with Derek and Julianne is a reality! I’ve loved both tours they already did. Had front row center in 2015! AH-MAY-ZING!!!!! totes worth the $525! Which is $78 cheaper than the Front Row Ultimate VIP seats for the DWTS Tour this winter :/ Ermmm no THANKS!
I don’t need to see the Val and Laurie show part 2 again!
Fraud is a crime and that’s what this season was…fraud. I am truly offended that the producers of this show demonstrated so much disrespect for the viewing audience and long-time fans of this show. There will be a payback, and it won’t be the one they expect, I’m sure. My money will not be spent supporting their tour and my precious time will be spent elsewhere, too. Looking forward, not only to Hough projects, but hoping that a few other genuine Pros (Sasha, Emma, Lindsey)are able to branch out and bring their own projects to us. I will be there to support them. I love watching them dance, and they bring such genuine creativity and joy to their dancing.
Also, I need to comment that Derek, the class act, congratulated both recipients of the trophy and acknowledged them by name. When Derek and Bindi won, Val congratulated Bindi only. (Social media)Another example of his (Val’s) many failings.
Happy Thanksgiving, All!
The local news was on right after the show and the local newscaster even said, “Yeah. I knew Laurie was going to win as soon as they announced the cast.” Sigh… Either way, James, Laurie and Calvin should all be quite proud of themselves. They were all fabulous right up to the end.
My favorite part of the night was the Macy’s dance. It was just so cute an innovative. Way better than that La La Land thing that Mandy Moore created for the night before.
And finally, thank you mods for keeping up this sight and giving it all you got every season. It is nice to wake up the next day and have a place to come and discuss the show. I hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving!
My random thoughts and venting from a baby boomer
1. Why introduce new dancers doing bumpers so late in season. It got so I did not know who was dancing.
2.judges comments are becoming overly dramatic. Do your part and judge the dance. Offer constructive remarks.
3.this season for me was to predictable. Never has there been a more popular betting favorite in week 1.
4.Val not a fan but not a hater however I think many pros would have won given his partner. I am sure he handled the pressure to win well, but has there every been a celeb with less one on one training because of her tour. It is time to give Val a less skilled partner to see how he fares.
5.Gleb I have great respect for how he handled the showmance. He made sure the public knew he was married with child.
6 most important. since Marilu followed Pure I learned not to make negative comments on social media. It may be OK to criticize a Pro but I do not think the celebs deserve the beating they take. Of course this may be a generation thing since I was taught not to say anything bad. I do know what is PC is different in today’s world.
@Joanne B. I noticed that too, that Derek took the time to post to Insta congrats to both Laurie AND Val. Seriously, the Fam would do better to emulate Derek’s behavior. I mean look at what Derek and Jules are doing! Derek was asked to choreograph Meryl Davis and Charlie White’s short dance for their 2014 Olympic run which helped them secure the FIRST Ice Dancing Gold Medal for the USA! Julianne has been in several movies. Derek did one movie. Derek’s already been on Broadway and will be again in 2017, I hope. He and Jules are hosting the Disney Thanksgiving special tomorrow. Derek already hosted the Disneyland Special last year. Jules did Grease Live to rave reviews. Derek is doing Hairspray Live. Derek and Julianne have Hollywood connections. BIG Hollywood Connections!
What do the C-bros have? DWTS. Their tour last summer wasn’t all that as in it didn’t sell out in every venue. I saw tix being sold on Groupon for certain locations. Sway is only in large cities and awfully pricey at that…like WAY more than Front row center Ultimate VIP at Move. And it likely won’t happen until late 2017, early 2018 again. I don’t see them touring again on their own, not with Maks and Peta having a newborn baby in January.
Then Maks and Peta are getting married in July 2017 (per my friend who is personal friends with Maks and Peta and was asked to be a bridesmaid after the engagement at the last Sway show in Miami) so that’ll also involve Val and Sharna who will probably be Best Man and Maid of Honor. Plus Tony, Artem, Keo, Henry & Jenna who will also likely be in the bridal party I’d think. That takes out a good part of the Our Way/Sway cast.
Anyhoo….if they want to be more successful on the Hollywood stage, they’d do well to model Hough behavior.
For the first time ever, I didn’t watch the GMA party this morning. Just didn’t feel like it ya know?
Hope everyone has a peaceful and happy Thansgiving. ?
I suggest you guys watch Strictly. Totally worth it for the dancing, not predictable, consistent judging, neutral packages, no manipulative storylines… I’m enjoying it a lot more than dwts this season, even though the production level is a bit lower, but when you have good dancing, you don’t need a lot of extra stuff…
Ok I believe Carol mentioned this above, about a go fund me page and buy a CLASSY MBT to give to James and Sharna as a token of appreciation from the fans. I for one would donate. And I think that not only would it be funnier than hell, but it would send a message loud and clear to TPTB. And there’s not a damn thing they could do about it either. I would like to see their reaction to this. I’ll gladly start one but need to know……who do I have behind me on this?????? For once we could stand up to TPTB and they CANNOT manipulate us! Plus, we would be doing our Canadian neighbors a favor since they got cheated by being barred from voting. That alone speaks volumes of how far they went to keep James from winning. I’m telling you Carol, brilliant idea!!!
As someone who usually works till 8 then has a half hour ride home I am truly grateful for this blog for filling me in on the half hour I missed. Thank you! Pretty predictable outcome which is disappointing, I really wanted James to come out of nowhere and take the MBT but congrats to Laurie anyway. I was flipping between channels because the C-Bro show was too blah for me. Once again thanks to everyone for filling me in!
I’ve also been mostly lurking this season but wanted to add my voice to those thanking our mods for all the great coverage, to me this site is the best part of the show. Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Someone on twitter said that Cheryl wasn’t at the finale either – true?
If true, I suspect that both Derek and Cheryl are now priced out of pro dances on the finale – that is their management got that out of their contracts. In addition to Derek having Hairpray. Why? Because they’re in more demand and can DO that sort of thing now.
You don’t REALLY believe that the pros on All Access are going to be brutally honest, do you Liz? If so, I’ve got some swamp land in florida.
Val may have challenged Laurie for what *VAL* (and many of the other pros on that show) is capable of – but we saw a MUCH higher level of dancing out of Derek and Shawn…hell, Derek and Nicole!
I don’t think the C bros will ever reach Derek, Julianne and Mark’s level of success. How long has Maks been on the show now? Longer than Derek. Yet Derek is the one who’s starred in movies, was on Broadway, on T.V., and the list keeps growing. Same for Julianne and Mark. They don’t try too hard. They let their talents speak for themselves. That’s the difference between Ballas Hough and The Fam.
Most associate Sharna with The Fam but I’d actually say she’s pretty neutral. Definitely doesn’t shove it in people’s faces like Val and Maks do. This season she REALLY deserved that MBT, and my heart hurts for her.
Susan2, I actually didn’t feel like watching the after party this morning either. I’m giving up on this show, I really am. I know that they’ve made it so obvious but this season, I really had hope that it would change. Turns out that was pointless. I don’t know if Rob Wade reads this but he really should. He needs to know that we see right through his manipulations. We’re not stupid.
I really don’t know if I’ll watch next season. I may give it another chance but the second I start to sense some sort of manipulation I may very well stop. It really is not the same.
I am disappointed and did not want Laurie to win. I mean she stayed in a straight line this whole season. I can’t even remember any of her dances. James TRULY deserved it. His growth, his passion…he was probably one of the biggest surprises to ever be on this show. I don’t understand why the producers feel the need to manipulate. If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it! Enough with all of these gimmicks and stupid agendas!
Mods, thank you for this amazing site that you all work so hard to keep up on for us on and off season.
“her numbers were as good or better than any other *pro* in the history of the show” – that’s quite a freudian slip you made there, Catherine.
That said – Laurie’s good, but she doesn’t even come close to best ever on the show. That’s just plain delusional. Now, if she had a better choreographer/teacher, she might have gotten there.
I always thought it was Laurie’s to lose and I think James was elevated to make it appear someone other than Laurie had a chance. She’s a lovely girl and did everything that was asked of her. I think Val knew that he was given a gift this season, which is why he seemed to downplay it at times. Will be interesting to see how things go for this show because there is no anticipation. Even last season’s finale was a no brainer and the lowest rated finale in the show’s history. Who didn’t already know Nyle would win since week 2? It’s all about popularity of a celebrity and the size of their fan base. In spite of all the fancy production these days, it really has lost its luster.
In retrospect, it IS really interesting that *THIS* season is the one where they tightened up on the voting, cutting out the Canadians. I don’t really believe that Laurie just yesterday agreed to the tour.
I mean really, when you’re planning out a season and thinking about the next tour and who you want on the show – these producers aren’t THAT stupid that they wouldn’t look at Laurie and go “man, if she wins and does the DWTS tour – that’s MONEY.” They may be actually run by different people, but it’s all connected, obviously.
Big difference, Amanda, is that Bindi was NOT a dancer, nor an Olympian.
Blah, blah, blah….James was pimped….blah, blah, blah. Get over it, Rose1.
Rose1, I disagree. James was a good good dancer….and better than Laurie. He was elevated because fans loved and were voting for him. Geez Maleze.
Rose1, James didn’t win. Girl seriously, don’t be that person that never lets go while everyone around you is rolling their eyes.
Very few people thought Bindi was a contender from the start. She was that season’s surprise. Huge, huge difference.
As for Derek, he has more class in one finger than that whole fam combined, including the new Mrs Chmerkovsky who only found it fitting to congratulate her “brother” and BFF during the finals. Notice also how DWTS is using the Move tour as a model for their own. None of the fam or Wade for that matter had an inkling of the audiences out there willing to pay big money until Derek and Julianne led the way.
Susan2 Am I not allowed to my opinion even if it doesn’t agree with yours? I think I’ve made it very clear that my opinions are my own and I’ve never debased yours, thank you.
I am very happy for Laurie but as for Val? No comment! I really think he needs a different type of partner next go-round. In other words, he would benefit from coaching a Suzanne Somers or a Marilu Henner for example. I think his ego needs to be put in check and an older lady would be the cure for Large Ego Syndrome!I always remember Tommy Chong with Peta and how I really think she grew personally from that partnership (and the partnership made me like her for the first time). From my mouth to TPTB’s ears!!
Even though I’m happy for Laurie, I was still sad for James – I really think he had an excellent chance too. I’ve become a James fan and I am now interested in what’s going on in his life. Gee – I might even start watching an Indycar race because of him!
My personal favorite and the person I voted for like crazy was Calvin, however. I totally fell in love with him and I have a girl crush on Lindsay. I so want to see her win one day. Even though I knew he was’t going to win, I’m glad he beat out Jana for 3rd place. That to me was like winning. I just love that guy!
Anyway, congrats to Laurie! And thanks for all the recaps on this website. I appreciate all the hard work and all the hateful nonsense you all endure! I know I couldn’t do it! Special shout-out to Courtney – I just love her tweets! Thanks again all!
Rose1, you keep beating the same dead horse. I see people posting to Sharna & James that they were robbed of a win. I’ll give you that at first, Bindi’s win wasn’t obvious. Especially after seeing those Whip Nae Nae Promos last year. YIKES! Girl was bad!!! Then their 1st Dance? whoa!!! EVERYONE LOVED BINDI! Never saw judges rush the floor to congratulate her. Even Tony adored BINDI. It’s one thing to disagree with people but another to keep repeating YOUR truth while everyone else tells you otherwise. Game over. James didn’t win. So please move on.
Very disappointed with the outcome but happy to have had James and Calvin to enjoy and appreciate their journeys.
Bindi was truly exceptional and unexpected and thank goodness she had Derek as her Pro. James was to me like her in that he had no dance experience, radiated a positivity, and I couldn’t take my eyes off him when he danced.
Very tired of the show’s manipulations but have to say I was so happy to have had the pleasure of James and Calvin who are truly the winners to me.
*never saw judges rush the floor to congratulate the new Champ before* is what I meant.
I never felt James was pimped. His performance was certainly a surprise. Viewers fell in love with him. I didn’t even know who he was prior to S23. Same for Jana Kramer. Now THAT girl was pimped. Overinflated scores for mediocre dancing.
I’m happy for Laurie. She’s a sweet girl! Was disappointed that she wasn’t truly pushed to excellence! Marta Karolyi should be a DWTS judge! US Women Gymnastics Olympic & Worlds results greatly improved with her as the Head US Olympic Team Coach.
#95, I AM WITH YOU! It might make me feel better….a little.
I was so underwhelmed at the winner last night and the show for fixing it for her to win that I completely forgot about the GMA show this morning. And I have less than zero desire, nor will I, watch it.
Wanted to thank this site though for all they do every season. It’s really become the best part of the show.
And since TPTB have made the show so predictable with their agenda, then there is no point in voting, imo. i might tune in sporadically next season, might not. I just don’t care.
I totally agree that there’s no way Laurie just signed onto the tour last minute. They handed her and Val the mirrorball before she ever stepped foot on the floor.
James was what the show is all about and he was a novice and a great dancer. He had growth, an amazing personality, life & death comeback and a wonderful soul. Sharna’s concepts & choreography was innovative & fresh.
Not to take away from Laurie because I adore her & am happy for her. But as far as the show, she was the same the whole season. Val does nothing innovative or fresh. It’s the same damn dance every time. He has no new, creative ideas. When he got Laurie, he got a hall pass to phone it in more than usual & he was pretty cocky about it. Then when James began clearly winning the voters over, he did his poor man’s Rocky Balboa/On The Waterfront “I coulda been a contender” act. Because he can’t win on merit, he had to try & get people to feel sorry for him. He got a trophy this season, but when it clearly wasn’t earned on merit, what good is it.
James & Sharna won this season. That’s what I will remember.
Oh boy, I’m going to duck after making this post. I am probably the only person on the site that attended Maks and Val’s Our Way tour. And dropped some serious money doing so. But the meet and greet was totally worth it. I had second row center seats and I don’t think I ever stopped smiling. And here is the one major difference between their show and the DWTS tour. And it’s obvious – the backup dancers. And the music. I actually knew ALL the songs, ranging from In The Mood to Cake ByThe Ocean. And they worked with and truly spotlighted their backup dancers. It was really nothing like what you see of them on DWTS. Their story was very emotional and very touching. Especially for me. As my father in law was held captive by Hitler in two of the worst concentration camps. He survived somehow, came to America and was so discriminated against that they were forced to change their last name. However, my father in law became quite successful in buying real estate along the Gold Coast of Miami back in the 50’s. I was the last person who met them the night I went. Since I am disabled and suppose to be in a wheelchair I forced myself to go it alone. Their stage manager asked people to line up for the meet and greet. He came over to me since I didn’t get up and get in line and asked if I was alright. I explained my situation and said I will come and get you when it’s over and you can go last. That turned out to be a good situation for me. They took quite some time talking to me about my in laws and when it came time to leave, Val took me by the hand and said come with me. I’m going to escort you to your seat because we can bring you in a way where you don’t have to walk far. Obviously he didn’t have to do that, and didn’t do it for publicity.
Now with ALL that said, I still could not cheer for him over James. I take my racers seriously!! LOL. But my point is, they are real down to earth when not in front of the camera. The show was NOTHING like DWTS. And by having all non DWTS as back ups made it even better. Don’t take me wrong. I love the pros on the show. But for this particular show it served them well by using some really great back up dancers. Some of which have attended their dance school since it started. I don’t know what their choreo skills are like but there were a couple of them that could dance circles around some of the pros and the troupe.
Please do not think of me as “one of the C Bros crazy fans”. Yes I do love them, but I can see their faults plain and clear. I just wanted to share a little something to let you know they are not always what you see of them on the show.
Thank you for your time. I know it’s not one of your favorite topics, but I just wanted to put it out there. Happy Turkey Day to All!!!!!
That’s commendable Pj. So what about their real life actions? Like Val making fun of the disabled girl for being overweight? And then when he was asked to take it down at first he did not. Then the family of that girl sued him. Only then did he take the picture down. AFAIK, that lawsuit is still in deliberation.
Or the many times their dance with me Twitter account threw shade at Derek when he and Kellie Pickler beat Zendaya & Val in season 16? those are public incidents that The Cbros were involved in & nary an apology.
Thanks Heidi for mentioning the Canadian fans. We were not a small group, and since James is from the most heavily populated area of the country the Greater Toronto Area= Oakville he would have drawn more than a few. That continues to be the biggest complaint about the season from his base. Of course Laurie is on the Tour. The Tour won’t sell tickets unless the mirror ball winner is guesting. And that is definitely something I won’t waste my money on. I thought it was stopping in Canada and Indy maybe James would be there, but he’s not, they the way the show manipulated the outcome for weeks I’m not going anywhere near giving them a dime.
I’m happy that Laurie won, because I like her personality, & she is someone that i follow. However, if she thinks she was being pushed by Val, she’d be in for a rude awakening if she had been partnered with Derek. Even Sasha could have done a better job with her.
After Laurie’s grandmother package, I was fairly certain she’d win, even though James gave her a good run. When Val didn’t totally mess up her freestyle – it was cute, even if it wasn’t challenging (like so many of their dances) – I felt 95% sure that it was a done deal. She was just too likable and they were so invested in making Val look good and compassionate.
While I’m fine with Laurie winning, I definitely preferred Calvin and Lindsay’s routines by a long mile, and most of James and Sharna’s as well.
On to next season, I guess. But manipulation keeps making me less and less excited. Here’s hoping that if they desire it, Mark, Sasha, and Lindsay all return next season with likable partners.
Sorry Rose1 – but Susan2 has a point. Every single post you’ve said much the same thing. Get over it and move on – you’ve been singing it for weeks now and few agree.
Agreed Figamentation, I felt certain after the freestyle that Laurie was going to win. It wasn’t challenging, but it represented her really well.
I loved James’ freestyle don’t get me wrong, but I slightly wish Sharna went in a different direction with it. It didn’t perfectly sum up his personality and season for me. It would’ve been an amazing MMY dance though. Oh well.
I’m more content than I thought I would be. But am definitely getting less excited about upcoming seasons
Pretty obvious that Laurie would win, I once thought James had a shot when Laurie and/or Val weren’t doing that great and James basically exploded with amazing performances one after the next, but after last week and grandma drama, I gave up and even allowed myself to get spoiled last night because why not?, James wasn’t winning, so it wasn’t really a spoiler.
Val is a double winner, fine, he should’ve won with Zendaya and people like Elizabeth didn’t need to get voted off when they did, so I’ll just take it as payback, but the quality in Val’s choreo these last two seasons and the obvious wish of the producers and judges to make Laurie the winner really lowered my excitement for this season.
I will say though, not remembering Zendaya’s freestyle and 100% remembering Rumer’s underwhelming one and last season’s girl and her awful freestyle (can’t believe I forgot her name, something with a Z…), I honestly believe this was Val’s best freestyle in a while. It was very good, very joyful, very sweet for Laurie and she delivered. So at least there’s that. I think it was the best work Val and Laurie did all season. Wasn’t impressed at all with Calvin’s and James and Sharna did a great job too with their freestyle. I was never into Jana and Gleb, who can go back to wherever he was performing.
I didn’t watch the whole finale, I’ll watch it later. Hopefully we get back to seasons where there isn’t such an obvious winner and pimping…..(we won’t, of course).
Gee Kelly, thank you for your words of wisdom. Really made a difference. I can move on now 😉
PH, I loved the discourse here mainly because I’m a big Derek fan, but if I’m being told to shut up and move on, well, I will. Thanks though, it’s been fun!
Rose1, honestly having an opinion, as long as it doesn’t debase or hurt anyone, is fine. It’s when a person sprouts that particular opinion every single time they open their mouths that bothers me.
As an example, say a person hates the color orange. Everything they say, whether asked or unprompted is about how much they hate orange.
Somebody mentions they’re going to the grocery, the orange hater’s response is, “Grocery shopping is horrible for me because they sell oranges there and I HATE orange!”.
Somebody needs to go pick up an Rx at CVS, the orange hater screams ” I can’t believe CVS sells orange Tic-Tacs! Why it gotta be orange! I HATE orange!”.
Ya see what I mean? James is your orange. You have negative feelings about him. No problem. Say it every now and then if you want. It just gets very old and one note for most of us when we read it every single time.
This isn’t coming from a condescending or snarky manner from me at all. Just explaining why many are fed up. I think the Mods have almost bent over backward to let you have your say. They could easily delete you. It is after all their blog.
Honestly, if I’ve offended you, I apologize, but seriously, go walk with children in nature or something. Relax!
Yes, Laurie’s freestyle was definitely Val’s best one by a long ways, even if it wasn’t amazing, it was still cute and fun. Even though there were issues with manipulation this season and more of Val’s uninspired choreography, I feel 10000% better about her win than Rumer’s, which was even more manipulated from the get-go, to the substantial detriment of others.
I think Laurie would likely have won anyway, just because of her talent, fanbase, and personality. They just made certain it happened with that grandmother business.
Wonder if the outcome would have been different if Canadians had been able to vote as in the past.
# Pj (comment 95) YES please to GoFundMe for James and Sharna. Except not the Mirror Ball, but something more unique an personal, like a mirror chair (best use of a simple prop) … or the actual globe showing countries, with bedazzled Australia and Canada. Do a Fan Poll for what it should be, and I am sure people will come up with creative stuff – and contribute. I will (I am a lurker, not a poster, but this made me post!)
I would also suggest a special little trinket for TPTB that I think most people here could envision (cough), but that would not be classy.
:::rolls eyes::: Oh the drama. Everyone who beats a dead horse the way you have been, Rose1, is told to move on. That’s one of the rules here. You don’t get special treatment as a Derek fan.
I just think about what Laurie could have done with Derek or Mark and it makes me want to pull my hair out. That’s the whole point of why ringers are actually good for the show – you want some sort of guarantee that there’s going to be ONE amazing dancer. We were lucky this season and had quite a few – but dang, I want to see some AWESOME shit (think Knight Rider Bhangra or Shawn’s Mambo…or her quickstep) if we’re going to have someone tailor made to win from day 1. Val is NOT the guy to give us that – obviously.
And really, that’s the problem with “the Fam” – they are parochial, insular and family only to the point that they get exposed to nothing else. They don’t grow into their craft. Hell, look at Maks – doing the same stuff he’s done for the last 12 years, only difference is he’s happy with Peta. Take some freakin’ classes fer god’s sake. Even if all you want to do is a ballroom style, do what Cheryl did and go to Argentina and learn AT from the very best.
It’s aggravating – it looks like a whole lot of wasted potential. They could be as arrogant as they are, if they could truly back it up.
Is it possible to start “Emmy for Sharna” campaign? Her work has been exquisite (the freestyle was the only one I did not love, though I think I understand why she took this route). But people will be re-watching VW, AT, Jitterbug, and even the geeky foxtrot long after this season is over. And the fusion made me feel the way I had not felt in a very long time.
A note about the original focus of DWTS being teaching and learning. I did watch GMA, and there was a silly little dance-off competition. Of course they were all tired and they were all pretty awful, but the only contestant able to pull off something resembling dancing WITHOUT their pro doing all the work was James. The look on Sharna’s face was priceless.
First of all, thank you to the mods for posting and blogging for all of us this season and the seasons past, I really hope y’all keep doing it, it makes this hell show a lot more entertaining to watch. 🙂
I’m genuinely disappointed with James & Sharna not winning, personally. I’m very happy for Laurie and I could see the Calvin agenda being pushed until the very end, but Val makes Laurie winning a whole lot less pleasant for me. James had the whole package, he had talent, was likable, had a story to tell, and an amazing partner that suited him very well. It’s hard to keep getting partners who are genuinely talented and amazing like him, and it might be quite a while until Sharna gets another partner who may even be anywhere close to him. Congrats to Laurie, but I do hope that Sharna/James & Calvin/Lindsay keep their friendships for the rest of their lives. Thank you everyone for this season, and can’t wait to know what’s in store for the next.
I’m secretly hoping that Lindsay or Sharna get an Emmy nod. I think that Val’s issue is that none of his dances (this season too) particularly stand out choreographically or emotionally to me, and even if they are good from a technical standpoint, they are forgettable. Winner does not equal best dances and best choreo so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
Hopefully Val will take next season off. So tired of him being in the finale and his laser light beam pasos.
I have to agree with PH about Val and growing your craft. Just because your of a certain age or feel you are a champion doesn’t mean you don’t have room to develop or grow. If that was the case we’d be bored of Derek after a while, but he goes out and gains new inspiration.
I don’t think Val is THAT dumb that he didn’t know he’ll win with Laurie or at least be in 2nd place. I just wish he didn’t just do a bare minimum job to teach her. I wanted to be wowed…get some Emmy worthy dances from them.
I think the problem is if he doesn’t have an itch to win or knows he’ll probably win with Laurie or another partner…and feels no REAL competition or threat…he kinda phones it in.
I personally thought PetA and Mark both didn’t know if their partners had a strong enough voter base so we saw a REAL comp and awesome performances.
In addition to many others in this thread, I truly believe the mirrorball should’ve gone to James and Sharna. What unsettles me more than that is I feel like this season was the turning point for this show, and not in a good way. There has always been a reality show element to DWTS, but the core of the show was about the growth of the celebrities in learning ballroom dance. Sometimes we were lucky enough to see the celebs grow in character as well. This season, however, I felt like I was watching a reality show with the subtle and not so subtle manipulations.
I just really miss seeing the honest and magical moments this show once had because there were so many. Mark and Chelsea’s Harry Potter Viennese Waltz. Louis and Sabrina’s Quickstep, which IMO was the best Quickstep DWTS has ever had. Derek and Kelly’s Freestyle. Mark and Paige’s Jive. The only dance that had that kind of impact for me was James and Jenna’s Viennese Waltz with Sharna’s amazing choreography. I miss the days when DWTS used to be about the joy of the dance instead of the game playing that happens behind the scene and sometimes in front of the camera.
Wholeheartedly agree with the sentiments being expressed here. Went to work yesterday afternoon feeling so flat and disappointed, which is silly that it’s due to a dance show on another continent…
I do wonder if Jana had made it to the F3 ahead of Calvin, not that she ever should have, but could that have led to more votes going to James and then given them the win. Oh well.
Hope Val will realise this is as good as it gets for him, and takes at least the next season off. Here’s an idea – he should work on a sit-com set in a dance studio since he thinks he’s clearly got comedic talents ; each episode could end with some life lesson to inspire today’s youth (since he thinks he’s good at that too)…good luck on that Val!
But I think the tour will massage his ego too much, being the only MB winner among them, that he will think the show needs him, along with having fans singing his praises that he wouldn’t be able to give that up.
Very sad James and Sharna didn’t get the win. I kept voting and hoping even though I stopped actively participating in the season ages ago. DWTS has pretty much lost all its appeal for me.
PH, Vogue, Court and John: I’ve learned never to say never, but just in case this really is a parting of the ways for me and DWTS, I wanted to stop by once more to say Thank You! PureDWTS is the most amazing place; the passion you all have for this site, your work ethic, and your commitment to excellence is unparallelled. I’ve enjoyed every minute I’ve spent here over the years with you and all the wonderful regulars.
Peace, Love, and Best wishes to all.
Kelly I don’t want to comment on that photo of the girl Val posted. But CERTAINLY NOT because it was him. I worked for defense attorneys (civil, not criminal) for over 20 years. So my opinions on those types of lawsuits do not come across as the person I really am. And I certainly do not like some of their antics. The really ONLY thing I like about them is THEIR dancing. Especially Maks. You either love them or hate them. I just happen to love their dancing. I grew up in Southern Indiana so not only is racing a religion, but so is basketball. And I grew up LOVING probably the most controversial basketball coach of all time, Bobby Knight. But as my parents always told me, there’s three things you never talk about with someone and that is politics and religion. With the third being IU basketball because it and racing are a religion in Indiana. So heck I don’t know, I’m just drawn to controversy I guess. LOL. But PLEASE know I myself am not a cruel, closed minded bitch. Unless you’re a member of TPTB. Then turn me loose!!!!!
As for the DWTS tour not including James in Indy may cause a riot. When Helio won with Julianne they danced at half time of a Pacers game. And then for the Month of May they made them Grand Marshalls of the Indy 500 Parade. Which is 2nd only to the Rose Bowl Parade for attendance and tv viewing. Indy loves James and I would be surprised if they don’t include him. I will be watching for ticket sales to lag. I’m wondering if Indy put up huge billboards around the city to vote for James, as they did that for Helio. I need to find that out. Because even after Helio won, or had just scored a perfect 10 and was telling people to vote, and he was thanking fans, one of the first people he thanked was the City of Indianapolis. It was so precious. I’ll bet he’s not a happy camper today. Happy Thanksgiving to ALL. Hmmm……wonder if karma will get some of TPTB and they choke on a turkey bone. JUST KIDDING (kind of) LOLOLOLOL.
Fig 127 – completely agree! Val’s first win (so important a win to those producers) was a much worse manipulated business, much more negativity in that season and in my feelings toward that season. I like Laurie more than Rumer personality wise so that also helps this season. But, I will also say, I was more invested in James winning than Riker or Noah, so I was more disappointed this time than season 20.
PH 131 – Seriously! Maks’ choreo was at an all-time low this season. He gave Amber terrible routines, way worse than Val’s. I don’t think he cares though; I never see publicly any desire from the C bros to grow in their craft…just keep doing the same ole same ole for paychecks and keep teaching prob the same ole thing at their dance school without going and also learning more themselves.
EmnEm 135 – Agreed! And would LOVE to see just one season with no C bros. But why would Val take a season off? What else would he be doing with his time?…
Kikki 137 – I think you might be right that no Calvin in the final 3 could have helped give James the win….but Calvin deserved to be top 3 (he was my personal number 2) so I am glad he was there.
If you take out the bad way they treated Marilu and Derek and Val not pushing Laurie to great heights, it was actually a pretty enjoyable season with a likeable cast. Loved watching James and Sharna’s and Calvin and Lindsay’s partnerships and routines. Loved getting to know Terra and really love Terra when I was super skeptical of how a little person would work on the show when I saw the cast announcement. Love that Sasha got a chance to go far in the season as a pro too.
Hope to see Mark back next season since we won’t get Derek, see Gleb with a less whiny partner to see what else he might be capable of, and see Val get a partner he really will have to work hard to make into a dancer to see how he handles it.
Didn’t have much time to post this season, such a busy fall, but was reading here and there. Thank you to all the mods for all the wonderful coverage! Court, I hope you don’t decide to quit blogging, but of course definitely understand if you do!
Cidra, do come back next season lol! I loved reading your posts in the past! 🙂
I think one of the best things I saw last night was seeing Sharna and James react when their names weren’t called. They immediately smiled and congratulated Laurie and Val without even the slightest hesitation. I’m sure that was a bitter pill to swallow hearing that they didn’t win (especially given some of the circumstances this season), but they really showed their true colors when they were immediately kind and gracious. I think some others could learn from their attitudes…
As far as Val not congratulating Derek on his season 21 win, I’m actually even more annoyed at the people who congratulated Val and not Laurie last night (actually, Peta was one of the ones who did this, and she did it to both Laurie and James). I feel that DWTS is supposed to be much more about the celebrity’s journey than the pro’s, so I don’t think they should ever ignore the celebrity in favor of the pro. I think if people are going to err toward one side, it should be ignoring the pro. Don’t get me wrong, I totally see that Val’s failure to congratulate Derek was almost certainly a shot at Derek rather than an attempt to make sure Bindi really got the spotlight. It just pisses me off even more to see Laurie once again treated as a nameless, faceless prop that was used to elevate Val and the Fam. Laurie is the only part of that partnership that is likable, and I’d really prefer to see the emphasis on her.
Which brings me to the annoying situation that was GMA this morning. Why did Maks talk for far longer than Laurie did? Maks was not a finalist. I want to hear from the finalists (and preferably the celebrities), not Maks.
Val did congratulate Derek for the win with Bindi, but only on twitter. I just checked Derek’s likes and it’s there – he even said it was ‘well deserved’ which was gracious of him. Bindi truly has some magic that brings out the best in people.
Ringer was crowned before the show even started. Silver lining to that, the show is so predictable I stopped watching the minute I started feeling invested approx around James and Sharna’s rumba.
That was all thanks to bindi, if true, Kikki. There have been so many times when a congrats would have been warranted (a few previous MBTs included) yet Val couldn’t even be civil (not doing the press line springs to mind, along with very nasty comments by “the fam” on the DWT twitter), so no slack from me for one good moment.
Why was Maks even AT GMA?? He wasn’t a finalist, he’s not an A-lister…he’s a fame whore.
Emmy isn’t something influenced by the general public, Lucy.
And honestly, as good as some of the work was on the show this season (Lindsay more than Sharna, IMO), I didn’t see anything particularly emmy worth that wasn’t a pro dance.
@Princess Heidi I was wondering the same thing! Why did he need to be there? Why were we all given the great privilege of hearing him and Val brag about all of their amazing accomplishments while Laurie just sat there smiling? The GMA people made some comment about how sweet it was that Laurie was smiling the whole time he talked, and I thought: “Yeah she is pretty sweet for not looking disinterested as we all fawn over Maks instead of the actual finalists…”
I previously wrote a rather wordy message, but forgot to put this into it. I was FURIOUS that this year, as a Canadian, I was unable to vote via Facebook, my only outlet, as the phone lines are never free. I’m very invested in this show, love it immensely. I’m a Derek fan, and this year, was so excited to see a fellow Canadian competing, let alone have it be one of our real national treasures, James!! Don’t want to believe that all of a sudden Canadians couldn’t vote was some sort of manipulation, but I KNOW how popular the show is here, and therefore, the outcome may have been different had we been able to fully participate. ” Just sayin’ “.
#95, Pj Not sure the GoFundMe idea will get traction if it’s not flying here. One thought, tho’ if we only have a limited budget- how about a MB keychain for both?
Small enough to keep in the car somewhere for a daily reminder….
PH, Even tho’ it had an oops, I loved Jame’s Quickstep and his VW that went viral. No hope?
Variety is saying the show finale down 25% over last year. Well when you lock out Canada, who had been an audience of 2 million that may account for some of it.
#haya
I never said that James is better than Laurie let alone Giles (Giles is my number one contestant both male and female) what I’m trying to say by ‘the same fate’ was for me James should win the competition (again not because he’s better than Laurie) because of his journey and how no one expecting him to excel on the dance floor and how in several dances that he actually leading the pro (I’m not so good at his but I actually notice how it looks like he’s leading Sharna)
I love Laurie, she’s cute and likeable but I don’t find her dance was that memorable, as how I am unable to forget James VW, Quickstep and AT, Calvin’s AT, Giles AT, Samba and Paso, Mel B’s Paso, Kellie’s Freestyle, Stacy’s Samba, Nick’s Jive, Nyle’s VW, Zendaya’s contemporary, Noah’s contemporary, Riker’s paso and VW, Meryl’s foxtrot, Paige’s salsa and so on
But this is just my opinion on this season though 🙂
I am going to be controversial and say I didn’t love Laurie. I didn’t even like her as a contestant. Sorry but a giggly immature kid did not impress me in the ballroom. Cute, sure. But her dancing made me cringe a lot of the time. Early on she had a few good dances, but when it came to anything romantic or intense we got one note, and not good dancing, and that’s because of point one. She is immature. This show is all about the interaction between male and female partners, and to have such a disparity in ages does not endear me to her. The fact is very young girls getting partnered with men twice their age is unsettling for a lot of reasons, just as partnering young female pros with men old enough to be their grandfather is problematic. However, if you have reached the age of maturity there is at least the knowledge that you have at least got to the point of understanding. The horrific mess about the grandparent and the exploitation, saying she needed to be with family before telling her.. so why wasn’t a parent with her at all times? Just so Val can act as a surrogate and tell the world he knew before she did just is not appropriate. Period. This is the unfeeling world of Disney where we know a lot of kids who are in that franchise have gone off the rails. Selena Gomez, and Mylie Cyrus, Britney Spears to name a few in which where the hell are the parents? Come to mind. So no, the next time Disney wants to shove another giggly kid in front of me I won’t be watching.
I did not even watch the finals when I read it here that Laurie won. What is the point? She was chosen from day one of the season, I just feel sorry for Sharna, Lindsay and the rest who worked their butt off for nothing. And I am with you people that very few dances that laurie did impress me. No offense but like Casanova said, a giggly teen is not one I enjoy watching on this show.
And I really do not want to hear from the C-bros anything more about Derek always having a ringer w/ Val winning 2 of them w/ ringers. And you should read Maks’ blog at EW. He is stills ending shade at Derek. I just can not stand this guy. I feel sorry for Peta who I am beginning to like after last season.
#148 Jacqueline, I also think the outcome would’ve been different if Canadians were allowed to vote via Facebook. I just read an article where it discussed how DWTS changed the voting rules this season. The article states DWTS implemented the new rule this season quietly and for undisclose reasons. Hopefully, this link will work if anyone who is interested in reading the article.
http://us.blastingnews.com/showbiz-tv/2016/09/dancing-with-the-stars-season-23-excludes-international-voters-fans-react-001118441.html
If DWTS is going to continue having celebrities who are not from America like Bindi and James, then the show owes it to their audience to (at the very least) explain why international votes via Facebook are no longer allowed. It should’ve been explained before the first episode of this season aired. If DWTS cannot explain this change in rules, then maybe the voting method shouldn’t have been changed in the first place.
If my posting this link has violated any rules, then I apologize in advance. To those who celebrate, have a very Happy Thanksgiving.
I don’t think so, Carol. Keep in mind that the Emmys are NOT favorable to Ballroom dances unless that are just mindblowingly amazing. Especially since SYTYCD is still on the air and cranking out contemporary and other non-ballroom styles. But hey, if you get nominated up against SYTYCD you know you’re doing something right. But this year, once again, if DWTS snags it’s one nomination, it’s going to be Derek’s pro dance or one of Mandy’s two dances that were good – like the snow one on the finale, and then there was one a couple weeks ago that I remember thinking it was better than Mandy’s usual. But Mandy hasn’t had a lot of success with Noms on DWTS – she tends to get beat out by Derek. We’ll see. But as long as Derek is choreographing on the show, and SYTYCD is on the air, the other pros don’t have much of a chance.
What have they done (Maks and Val), exactly, that hasn’t been done before (and better) by someone else? Seriously. Well, except steal the limelight and facetime from the WINNER Of the show, Laurie – that they do better than anyone else.
First off, I’m an Indycar fan and never watched the show before. I’m probably one of the few who didn’t know who Sharna was but knew Hinch. Thank you Sharna for showing the world why we love Hinch. If you all miss him, just YouTube him and you’ll kill an hour.
Second, Laurie is great; but she was not challenged. I was underwhelmed by their routines. I expected more. What annoyed me was the cute and innocent display week after week. It wore off after week 3.
Lastly, the manipulation by the show was terrible. Again, I never watched this show before; and I won’t be back unless they have another driver. It was not just between the top two. They definitely had an agenda over the course of the season with different couples. I think it clicked for the producers around week 5 that the ringer had a serious threat. As for the international voting, yes, it is suspect but no one knew Hinch would that good. I really wished he won so Sharna could get that monkey off her back. Their chemistry was amazing.
I couldn’t be any prouder as a racing fan. He was a great ambassador for Indycar, and I think we gained a few fans too. If Hinch does return, it better be with Sharna. I hope to see her at the track this coming season.
Also, thank you mods for the info over this season.
Linda comment #136. 100% agree, and very saddened. While there had been manipulation, pimping, ringers, phony showmance, and other unsettling behaviors in prior seasons (Rumer; Meryl; Ginger in the finale; and of course the C-bros with them), I’ve never been as sad as this time. My analysis: PTPB had been trying to attract the younger audience for a while now. They sort of succeeded, though not really, with several unsettling side effects. Bullet points on what makes me sad about this season (and where the culture is going in general):
Mass voting without viewing. Teen celebs, semi-celebs, and random kids send 2-minute videos (of team Valaur) and voting links to everyone connected to them with messages “LAURIES THE BEST VOTE VOTE VOTE”. Sure, during prior seasons people asked friends and neighbors to call and used co-workers’ phones, but that never reached such proportions as this time. This time, people (mostly kids) voted without knowing who else is in the running, or even what the show is all about.
And not knowing what this is all about is the second tragic loss. Social media is littered with LAURIE FOR THE WINNNN SHES’ THE BESSTTT FROM THE START!!!!! Of course the assumption here is that being the best from the start is actually a good thing. The idea of growing and developing is getting lost – just give me the win because I show up with certain skills. Laurie herself (re-watch Wk. 1) stated that DWTS is her “congratulations jog” after the Olympics (to Tom after her dance), and her first words to Val were “So, we are gonna like win this thing, right?” (in the package).
The show is trying to appeal to the tastes of masses (which is way easier than educating the masses) with much gyration and increasing departure from the ballroom (with the Titanic pro number as a beautiful exception). Sophistication, depth, subtlety and artistry are sacrificed to appeal to masses with unnecessarily dialed-up in-your-face intensity or plain exaggeration (Gleb, seriously). Even the more mature and sophisticated pros have fallen victim to some forms of this virus (so sorry, Sharna. You redeemed yourself with me in the fusion, and I voted because I said I will, but still, darn).
So, trying to appeal to the masses rather than educating them + mass ignorance + technology = not good
Thank you for listening and for this site. I’ve been a wreak. Now back to trying to do what I can about educating at least some people.
@Casanova
I still think Laurie would have been best matched with Sasha. He is very youthful which would have made the age difference less apparent. Val acted like he was Laurie’s babysitter most of the time and like she was 6 and not 16. Even 14 year old Willow & Mark seemed more evenly matched. There have been loads of teenagers on the show by now and never before have I felt like I’m watching an uncle dancing with their kid niece.
I am still bitter, and I guess I am really sad for Hinch who went into this hoping he would have the support since he got a huge outpouring of love from Canada. But what REALLY irks is that ABC chose this season to shakedown the Canadian network for voting rights.
He said this in the Toronto Sun
What’s the biggest takeaway from the DWTS experience?
You really can do anything you set your mind to. It’s tough to explain just how reluctant I was at first to do the show because I was so inexperienced at dance and I really did not think I’d have any interest or ability.
As the lone Canadian star on DWTS this season, did the feel the love of entire country?
It was huge. It was unfortunate for the first time Canadians weren’t allowed to vote. I wish that they had been. I think that it could have been a big boost because all the response on social media was so positive. I definitely felt a lot of love from back home.
Why couldn’t Canadians vote?
It had something to do with the level of rights that the network bought for the show. I guess to have the right to be involved in the voting is an extra charge. While the networks at home were willing to pay to air it, they weren’t willing to pay to play so to speak.