PureDWTS Season 25, The Finale Power Rankings – Who Will Win?
And just like that, there’s only one show left this season – and then we have to wait a whole 9 months for a regular season of DWTS to kick back up again. Lord knows what this spinoff, mini-season we’re getting in the spring is going to be like.
In what has become a regular struggle for me these days, I found myself not really wowed by the freestyles as a whole – it’s been several seasons since I last felt truly “blown away” by a freestyle, and the last time they really felt “special” or potentially game-changing was probably way back in season 11, prior to the days when you could include all manner of props/extra dancers/set pieces/etc in your regular weekly dances. I think at this point, a lot of the couples simply struggle to find a theme/tone for their freestyle that sets them apart from the other freestyles on a particular season – and I think each of the four couples last night achieved that distinction, to some degree, even if they maybe didn’t do it perfectly. The trend seemed to be upbeat vs. edgy – I think upbeat maybe had a slight leg up on edgy, as viewers seem to always enjoy a happy freestyle, while they only sometimes like an edgy or dark one.
As predicted, Drew came out in 4th place – probably quite a bit better than most of us predicted initially, and an admirable effort by both he & Emma this season. As has been the case pretty much all season long, they couldn’t really compete with the other three remaining couples on skill level, so they went with their usual brand of quirk – thought the pause in the middle of their freestyle was totally in-character, and I’ll credit Emma with throwing in something that has truly never been done before in a freestyle 😛 Paso was only marginally better than their first one (which I still maintain was not as bad as it was scored) – shaping got a bit better, but there were still bungled steps, and I didn’t see all this “vast improvement” the judges were gushing about. It was about that time that I got the feeling that Drew was for sure getting the goodbye kiss last night, so I didn’t fret too much over the scores with which he was being gifted.
3rd place: Frankie & Witney
My god, it’s sure been nice seeing a sparkle back in Witney’s eye that we haven’t really seen since Alfonso’s season. She seems like she’s genuinely having a great time with Frankie, and it’s even inspiring her choreographically. That foxtrot was some Bindi & Derek-esque magic – loved the theme, loved Frankie’s solo, loved the costumes, and loved how well they both sold it. Frankie really has come a long way since the premiere, and has become a confident, fully-realized version of his earlier-in-the-season self – and I adore how much he has enjoyed this experience, so I’m lightweight hoping he ends up being the tour celeb…guess we’ll find out tonight. As for their freestyle – as with all of the others, I appreciated what they were trying to do, even if it maybe missed the mark a bit. For those that didn’t get the backstory from me on Twitter – Frankie & Witney actually lost a full day of rehearsal time for their freestyle, because they were waffling back & forth over the music (“Run Boy Run” vs. “Yeah 3X” by Chris Brown). Production was really pressuring them to go with the latter, and Frankie thought that it might resonate better with fans – but Witney felt strongly that “Run Boy Run” inspired her more, so Frankie opted to defer to her (as we saw in the rehearsal package). I think the risk paid off, to a degree – it was definitely different than the other freestyles we saw, and there was some pretty cool choreo in there that I applaud Witney for. Part of me thinks it might have read better if it were treated as a paso doble/tango fusion, as opposed to a freestyle, but generally, I think it was enjoyable. It didn’t really get me out of my seat and clapping like Jordan’s did, but I appreciated it. I think that these two are probably resigned to taking 3rd, though, especially since the two powerhouse couples managed to get perfect scores for the evening, while Frankie came up 4 points short. But I’m happy that they got to make it to the finals, and have had a fun journey together 🙂
2nd place: Lindsey & Mark
Unpopular opinion: I’m not sure what’s happened to Mark these past two weeks, but the choreography we’ve seen is not up-to-snuff with the renaissance he gave us for the bulk of this season – I heard someone on Twitter mention “being on tour”? Not sure if they meant Lindsey’s tour (or Alexander Jean’s?), but both of Lindsey’s dances last night struck me as odd and out of character for different reasons. I actually thought their quickstep was uncharacteristically stiff – not actually all that bouncy, compared to their first quickstep, and the bit at the beginning with Lindsey talking was just odd. The dance wasn’t bad, on the whole, and Lindsey didn’t mess up, but it just felt…low-energy. And like neither one of them really wanted to be doing that dance. Especially following Jordan’s Charleston. As for the freestyle – here’s the thing: if you’re gonna go edgy, go full-on edgy, like Frankie & Witney did. The weirdest part about it for me was that it seemed to dance with being edgy, while at the same time being kind of…goofy? I know they were going for the whole “mad conductor” theme, but I think some of the steps bordered on silly/cheesy – Mark playing Lindsey’s leg like a violin? Lifting Lindsey up to the heavens for what seemed like forever, and her grinning the whole time? I may have audibly groaned and said “Mark, you’re better than this.” There were good parts – good reuse of their jive choreo, and incorporating her violin playing worked for the most part (there were a few spots where it looked a bit strained). I appreciate the fact that they were trying to go for a unique theme that still fit Lindsey – but I’m not sure all the pieces came together perfectly. I think Mark may have spoiled us in the front half of the season, what with the robot Argentine tango, the gorgeous Disney foxtrot, that jive…so many genius dances, and this one just felt…decent, but not fully-realized. And then there were a few more troubling things said during their packages – and I know I’m gonna catch flak for this, but it needs to be said. Once again, Lindsey brought up the fact that she’s the only female left that’s “not a professional dancer” – whether she meant it to shade Jordan, or just meant she’s the only female left in the competition that’s not one of the pros, or whether she even said it of her own volition, I don’t care – it just came across as desperate & unnecessary…like it did the few times it got said last week. And the whole “Mark’s been on this show 19 seasons and only won twice!” read to me as equating seniority with entitlement, on a show that already heavily favors male pros over female ones from the jump – so to basically hear “Mark needs a 3rd MBT because he’s been here a long time!” while some of the female pros (like Lindsay) have been busting their ass and doing amazing work and are always coming up just short of the MBT, doesn’t exactly make me sympathetic towards his plight. And that was really the tipping point for me with regards to who I voted for last night – don’t know if Lindsey herself said it, was baited into saying it, or said it without thinking, but it shed a light on one of my biggest issues with this show: despite what some of you think, the male and female pros are not afforded the same opportunities on this show.
Winners: Jordan & Lindsay
Unfounded claims of Jordan “being cocky” or “needing humble pie” notwithstanding, he won the night for me with both of his routines, and I think he’s been consistently fantastic all season – and Lindsay’s been consistently giving him great choreography (WHICH SHE HAS BEEN DOING HERSELF FOR THE PAST THREE SEASONS…the fact that I have to repeat this and still get people sticking their noses in the air and saying “Nuh-uh, she used Alan for their contemporary!” is just another way this show and its fandom sh*ts on female pros). That Charleston was proof that Lindsay is the go-to pro for fantastic Charleston choreography – it was chock full of content, was high-energy, and made good use of the floor. And as always – Jordan was flawless. Their freestyle was my favorite of the night – it fit Jordan’s journey well, and he and Lindsay both seemed to be having the time of their life out there. The flips and falls and catches actually reminded me a lot of the minstrel number from White Christmas – one of my favorites; and there were nice little homages to his jive, his salsa, his Charleston, and a few other dances. And when it comes to fully completing each movement and getting as much out of it as you can – Jordan can’t be beat. And I’m hoping that’s the case with the MBT, because my mind keeps going back to last season’s finale, with Emma tearfully confessing in a finale rehearsal package “I may never get this chance again!” with regards to having a shot at the MBT. And it’s a sad truth on this show: any given male pro will likely get at least 3-4 partners in his tenure as a pro that stand a decent shot of making the finals, right off the bat (unless you’re Keo, which is another problematic discussion); the average female pro is lucky to get 1-2 in her tenure that she could potentially make it to the finals with. Why? Because you’re more likely to find female celebs with previous dance experience to do the show than male ones, and the bulk of the predominantly-female audience of DWTS tends to fiercely support their favorite male pros (think about who the “big fanbases” have been the past 7 or so years – Derek, Mark, Maks, Val) while being passively-supportive to indifferent to most of the current female pros (until last season, the predominant opinion of Emma seemed to be “Awww, yeah, Emma’s great…with the old, bad dancers”.) And when the agenda of the season requires giving a certain pro (usually male) a boost, it’s often a female pro and her partner paying the price: in season 12, it was Ralph & Karina getting screwed to ensure Chelsea & Mark advanced; in season 18, it was Charlie & Sharna getting screwed to ensure that Meryl & Maks won without issue; in season 22, it was Wanya & Lindsay getting bumped out of the finale to make room for Ginger & Val. So with all that in mind – sorry, but I don’t feel as gung-ho about Mark getting a 3rd MBT as I do about Lindsay getting her first; and I’m not saying she only deserves it because she hasn’t won – because she has been nothing short of phenomenal this season (and so has Jordan!), and she’s been phenomenal ever since her return as a pro 2 years ago. “But Mark hasn’t won in a while!!!” is the excuse I keep hearing – to which I say “But he’s already won twice, which is better than most of the female pros can hope for during their time on this show.” I don’t know that the stars are ever going to align in this way again for Lindsay – so yeah, I’m hoping she & Jordan pull this off. Not sorry.
So how do you think things will shake out tonight? What do you think about the live voting? What returning couples are you excited to see?
“And the whole “Mark’s been on this show 19 seasons and only won twice!” read to me as equating seniority with entitlement…”
That is not what I took from that at all. What I took is that we’ve heard a great deal of talk from Jordan and Lindsay about Lindsay deserving her first mirror ball because she’s never won, so this was in effect a balancing of that. Lindsey didn’t go overboard with it. She didn’t say that Mark has gone longer without a trophy than Lindsay. She just suggested that Mark shouldn’t be discounted just because he’s won before.
Your opinion, Jason. I say “Why bring up tenure at all?” If Mark is so deserving, leave it at “Mark has worked so hard and been such a great teacher to me this season, I would love to win this for him.”
I agree with Frankie in 3rd. Wasn’t wowed by that FS to a song used 3 yrs ago with limited use of the troupe during the performance. Frankie was sometimes overshadowed by the troupe.
While I think that both Jordan and Lindsey were great, I’m seeing more people online/twitter/FB and even people I know IRL who are casual viewers that were WOWED by Lindsey and Mark’s freestyle with her playing the violin while dancing.
My mother for one. I’ve barely been invested in this season, tbh. We were texting this morning about Thanksgiving dinner and SHE brought up Lindsey’s FS with the violin and how could she vote for her on FB? Granted that’s just one person but I daresay my mother falls into the main demo who watches and votes for this show…older conservative women. We saw it in S16 with Kellie vs Zendaya, the Freestyle round pushed Kellie over the edge to the win. And I think the same thing happened last night. I hadn’t voted all season for anybody until last night and I gave all my votes to Lindsey and Mark.
I won’t be mad if Jordan takes it. Both are deserving.
Jordan and Lindsay didn’t really pull out the stops in their FS IMHO. I’ve seen that before, in S19 with Alfonso.
As you said, more women than men have had some sort of dance class in their lives. So yeah, in that way, the male pros are gonna have an easier time on the show… but we’ve seen Female pros who HAVE had males with a good amt of dance experience who couldn’t get their guy a win….I’m thinking Corbin and Karina in S19.
@KellyK – Corbin & Karina were up against Amber & Derek, at the height of his popularity. Karina never reached Derek levels of popularity, and the ringer stigma followed Corbin the same way it’s followed Jordan.
Fair warning; I’m sitting in the airport on my way north to bury my Dad, so if I seem disjointed that will probably be why.
I fully expected Drew to finish fourth and I’m fine with that. Frankly, I’m just so thrilled at the C bros free finale, nothing else mattered. While I voted for Lindsey and Mark, I honestly will be happy with any of the final three taking Home the MBT! (Jordan will probably win and that’s fine with me)
I don’t pay attention to what pros or celebs say in packages; they all talk smack at one time or another and with the exception of Maks and Val, I put little stock in it. I don’t care which pro has or hasn’t won, if ever, or how many times! I just wish people would support their favorite couple without trying to justify it by insulting someone; Jordan’s not my pick, but I give him props and I have loved some of his dances; no need to try and justify my choice by presuming negative things about him.
I will say I was underwhelmed by most of the dances, especially the freestyles as I felt like I had seen them before. But from a creativity viewpoint, Lindsey and Mark won that round as I felt it embodied Lindsey’s kookiness to a tee!
Respect your opinion but agree that is unpopular. I thought Lindsey’s freestyle was perfect for her it combined her incredible talent with the quirky personality. It wa perfect and one of the most imaginative freestyles I have ever seen. Jordan’s freestyle also fit his personality well it did not stand out to me only because it had the same vibe as his Charleston so we did not get to see his versatility.
I remember reading from Derek haters on the DWTS FB & Insta Pages (that I have long since unfollowed) at the beginning of the season before week 1, that it was about time Derek didn’t get a ringer and there was no way he was gonna win with a fat girl. I admit as an HUGE Derek fan, even I was skeptical of how Derek would fare with Amber. I watched Glee…what Amber did on Glee didn’t really constitute dancing, imho.
I didn’t see a big issue with what Lindsey said about wanting to win for Mark, especially since how many times has Jordan and even Lindsay herself talked about how she’s never won?
Well then I guess it’s good I’m not here to make friends, Penny.
I think Frankie may play spoiler to the least 2nd place. In my opinion, the folks that were voting for Drew are the type who love the underdog, so I can see all of Drew’s votes going to Frankie, so when combined with his obvious large voter pool,could help him win, or at least get out of third.
That being said, I will echo what I have seen written many,many times this season: this is the first time I remember liked all three finalists and their pro partners, so anyone could win and I’d be thrilled for them. I have liked how this season has not been “messed with” by TPTB as much as normal (after the married couple left, of course).
You clearly did not read or comprehend anything I wrote, then, Lawson.
I agree Court, I think Frankie will take 3rd place. I think he had one heck of a season and deserved to make the finale. Witney brought her A game this season and it paid off. I like that she went with her gut for the freestyle, it’s just too hard to compare it to Jordan or Lindsey’s because they were incredible while his was just great.
I’m going to flip Jordan and Lindsey with your rankings. I think Jordan was amazing last night and I very much enjoyed his enthusiasm and most definitely don’t think he’s cocky, he’s just confident. Lindsay has been incredible all season and stepped up her choreography season after season. The only problem I had with Jordan last night was he’s been perfect the past few weeks that last night wasn’t any different so it didn’t wow me like Lindsey did. I loved his freestyle, but I think he may have screwed himself in the package. By him saying how this freestyle was going to be something we never seen before on the show I had higher expectations. We have seen this type of freestyle a few times and it has been done just as great. So yes I loved his freestyle but I was left wanting something to make it a little more different than we’ve seen in the past.
Winner of the night goes to Lindsey and Mark. I disagree, I think their quickstep was high energy and she held frame the entire long dance. The beginning was great she was in character and I think her and Mark looked like they definitely enjoyed that routine. Their freestyle was different, exciting, and definitely wow factor. The past few weeks the judges were quite tough on her, but I think that helped give her an advantage because she had room to grow and last night she did. They showed up when they needed to the most.
It will definitely be between Jordan and Lindsey tonight, and while I have been thinking Jordan had this in the bag, I am thinking Lindsey can also win this thing. No matter who wins I am happy with all finalist and enjoyed season 25 and how refreshing the cast was.
Leigh, I’m very sorry for you loss. 🙁
I’m with you – Maks and Val are the only ones who really bother me with their packages (most of the time). It has something to do with their tone and how much of what they say just rings false. Jordan saying that Lindsay was the only one who hadn’t won yet was rather on par with Lindsey’s comment about Mark – I noted both, but I can’t say that either one bothered me. They are both more sincere than the C-boys generally seem.
I also didn’t get “entitlement” from the comments about Mark not winning in a long time. I’m sure some of his fans gave that impression, but I didn’t get it from Lindsey. I do think she is easily goaded by producers, though, and that’s probably something Mark should have spent a bit more time warning her about.
Forgot to add – the touring reference is BOTH Lindsey and Alexander Jean – the latter is opening for the former. But, no excuses – I do wonder if neither of them thought they would make it to the finals.
Also forgot to mention, although I think it’s in the live blog…are they feeding us with the whole “let’s pressure Witney to go another route” or are they just getting really sloppy in the editing?? And think about it – they actually had to have a camera IN THE PRODUCERS office to get that shot of her suggesting Witney go a different way. What could possibly be their goal in doing that? Did they think Witney was going to fail and they wanted to get in an “I told you so” in advance?? How on earth does it benefit them to create their own storyline for producer manipulation?? I woke up this morning more than a little baffled by that whole thing. Combine that with Alfonso’s apology and his comments that he was heavily edited and taken out of context?? What the actual fuck is going on here?
Thanks P.H., it’s been a tough couple of months for me.
And I agree about Lindsey’s comments. I think TPTB baited the trap and she bit (more than once) and maybe Mark could have done a better job at giving her a heads up. Regardless, over the years I guess I’ve become impervious to the digs and comments about who does and doesn’t have a trophy or how many. I tune out I guess as I don’t care if they have none or six! ????I also agree about Maks and Val as there is usually an undercurrent of malice and or entitlement that I get from them when they have made similar comments).
I’ve got a bad feeling that it’ll be Mark and Lindsey in first place. I’d love to be proven wrong, but how they score everyone tonight could also put an impact on things. Very interesting that this is the first time they’re scoring TWO dances on the Finale night AND opening up voting… Things that make ya go hmmm….
Don’t get me wrong, I truly believe that each of the final 3 could win for their own reasons and I believe they each deserve to win for their own reasons. But at the end of the day I’m still a huge Lindsay fan and would love for her to get her much deserved MBT.
Wasn’t really blown away by any of the freestyles. I liked them all, but I was a bit distracted by the goofy faces in Lindsey & Marks, and Jordan & Lindsays just reminded me too much of Alfonso and Riker. For Jordan I was expecting something more along the lines of Rashad’s freestyle.
I did have to laugh at the fact that the only way the C-bros made it into the Finals was by being back up dancers 😛
Condolences, Leigh. You didn’t sound disjointed at all and articulated sentiments I share quite succinctly.
Man, what a season, and what a competitive finale!
I really appreciated Drew and Emma’s journey and how they did. He really did improve a lot (maybe not so much in his Paso, but as an overall dancer), and Emma did such an amazing job with him.
I have absolutely loved watching Frankie & Witney. Frankie’s determination and earnestness to learn and grow is golden for this show, and Witney did a very nice job guiding him and being a partner through his journey. Frankie’s foxtrot was actually one of my favorite dances from him (if not my favorite). It really shows how much he’s grown and become comfortable and capable with himself. It was absolutely lovely. It was so pleasant to watch and Frankie’s movements were smooth as butter. Yeah, his skill level is not quite up there with Lindsey and Jordan, but I don’t fault him on that, especially with Jordan’s experience. He and Witney both should be so proud of their journey. As for their freestyle? I was actually a little disappointed and it was my least favorite of the 4 freestyles. It had a very interesting and cool concept, and the choreography wasn’t bad and neither was the execution. However, it did not feel very “Frankie” at all. I honestly have to agree something else would’ve suited him better. I think their freestyle is unfortunately what’ll keep Frankie from being a big threat to Lindsey and Jordan. Honestly, if he would’ve nailed the freestyle, I could’ve definitely seen him taking the rug out from them out of nowhere. That being said, these two are lovely and I also hope Frankie is the tour celeb!
For Lindsey & Mark- I think Mark’s done an outstanding job with Lindsey and I’ve loved his choreography very much this season. Lindsey has just been an absolute joy. She has such a lovely, creative, unique, down to earth spirit that really shows in her dances with Mark. I think her Quickstep was a pretty significant improvement over her week 2 quickstep. Her frame was a big improvement and I did see a lot more naturalness and smoothness in her movements. The bit at the beginning was a smidge strange, but I think Lindsey sold it well that it didn’t end up being too bad. I think Mark went for an interesting choice with this Quickstep, making a lot of smooth movements and seamless patterns, making it pretty different to the usual fare we see with Quickstep on this show. I actually think while the choreography was a lot more subtle than we see with many Quicksteps, I think he and Lindsey did an awesome job keeping it interesting, quirky, and energetic all the same. It would’ve been interesting to see if they made it much bouncier though. She started a little rocky for the first few seconds, but once she got in the groove, it was clean, smooth, fun to watch, elegant, and quirky. Their freestyle was the best in my personal opinion. It felt truly special, interesting, and different (and it blows my mind that still can happen a bit even this late in the DWTS tenure). The execution was pretty flawless from what I saw. As for the atmosphere, I think it was very quirky, which I think may be why for some it maybe didn’t click. Lindsey and Mark both are VERY quirky people. It had an edgy and bad ass taste to it, but at the same time, Lindsey is a sweet, happy, bouncy, and goofy individual, and that all seemed to pocket into such a unique feeling this dance gave. The atmosphere, along with the choreography, were all PERFECT for Lindsey and were 100% her. Really, the only bit that I didn’t like as much as other parts was the leg playing too, but it was such a tiny piece it never bothered me much. It also had such a great mix of different dances in there that all fit in SO well. Don’t even get me started on the violin playing. Homegirl slayed playing the violin while in “hold” and even in a pretty tricky lift?? And I think it all looked rather effortless honestly. I will never forget this freestyle, and I’ve watched it 10 times already, so awesome.
Jordan/Lindsay- These two were absolutely outstanding as well, and I think it’ll be a close/hard fought battle between the two on who will get 1st, and I’m perfectly happy with that. I think Jordan took the redemption round for me. That Charleston was pretty darn great, and I would love to see Lindsay choreograph more of those. It was exciting, funky, SUPER clean. Just wonderful overall. My only gripes I had for it were pretty minor: A few parts felt rather hectic (like they threw everything they had and the kitchen sink into it). In a few parts I felt they tried TOO hard to show how good Jordan is, when I actually would’ve been more impressed if he let slightly more simplistic movements and his mastery of them do the talking. It made those parts kind of feel like a rush I’ll never really process or take in. Also, it didn’t really feel like a big improvement at all for me, mostly because Jordan was already so good before and what really made the difference this time is that they got a more Charleston appropriate song. For this dance, it just showed me Jordan can go even FASTER and more tricky with movements yet still be clean, and I do think he loosened up his body a decent amount, the full-body connection was overall better. But again, very minor complaints for an amazing Charleston. As for the freestyle? I have to honestly say I feel the opposite. Jordan’s freestyle was fantastic don’t get me wrong…but that’s almost I have to say about it. It honestly didn’t really feel different from many things they’ve done already, and I’ve seen very similar styles and setups in past freestyles. I still think Lindsay did great with the choreography overall and the execution was outstanding, but at the end of the day I know it won’t stick out to me. I watched it 4 times last night and found myself still needing to watch it again this morning because I forgot almost all of it. And about halfway through it…I felt like I’d seen enough of it, because the dancing seemed to feel a bit repetitive towards the end, the same Charleston/swing/Broadway-esque movements I’ve seen from them that I feel like I’ve seen a million times already. And the lift/dip/lift again trick they did was neat, but felt kind of awkwardly placed. Really, the only parts that’ll stick for me is the ending bit with everyone lifting Jordan, that was pretty awesome. That’s a heavy criticism for what I still think was a GREAT freestyle, but for me, it didn’t stack up against Lindsey’s in terms of uniqueness, memorability, or creativity. And when the competition is so close…I’ll criticize more lol.
At the end of the day, I totally agree, it WILL come down to Jordan v. Lindsey. For the assessment/interpretation on a couple of Lindsey’s statements?…I’ll just agree to disagree on that one and leave it there. What I do COMPLETELY agree with is how crappy the female pros are sometimes treated. Derek/Mark for me are very often worthy of the praise they get and I would never take that away from them. I can say the same for a couple other male pros too to an extent. But I, too, never quite see the female pros getting the kudos they deserve. Lindsay has been OUTSTANDING, and honestly, she just about matches Derek for me on how well she adapts to each of her partners and makes them shine in their own individual way. The lady is absolutely amazing and deserves so much praise and attention, more than she’s gotten. I also feel like Emma to an extent is the same way. Heck, Witney is great too, and really I think overall the female pros do not get the praise they deserve. If you ask me…I honestly don’t like the praise that’s handed to Val and Maks on a silver platter whether or not they’ve really earned it, when I feel like Lindsay and many of the ladies have to work their asses off to get even a fraction of that attention and praise. That’s a whole discussion, I’ll end there.
At the end of the day, I’m rooting for Lindsey/Mark. Lindsey isn’t just an outstanding dancer, but she had an outstanding and lovely spirit. She and Mark truly worked off of each other, fed off each other, and had an incredible journey. Lots of emotions of all different kinds, yet an incredible triumph overall. Jordan and Lindsay were phenomenal, but for me, the “it” factor that really sticks with you didn’t hit me quite as much. I loved watching them and I’ll remember them along with some of their routines (Proud Mary Jive? WOW), but I definitely did not attach to them and felt so engaged with them like I did Lindsey/Mark. However, I will be pretty happy overall whoever raises that trophy tomorrow. For me, both Lindsey and Jordan (and their AMAZING partners) have earned it.
…this is one of the rare seasons that where an argument could be made for any three of the remaining contestants winning, each with deserving pros. Heck, I even could’ve have lowkey gotten behind Emma’s MBTs playing house. 😀
Very sorry for your loss Leigh.
Leigh, I am so so sorry. Know we are all with you. Big hugssss
Well done, Court. I’m ok with either Jordan or Lindsey winning, but I love Lindsey and Mark a little more so I’m hoping they win. Plus, I loved their freestyle the most.
Am I the only one who got that ALL FOUR of the celebs were tasked with a solo portion in their redemption dance? 20 seconds, wasn’t it? And it appeared that all 4 pros threw it into the beginning. It worked a bit better for Frankie and Jordan than Lindsey, who seemed a bit uncomfortable.
I enjoyed all of the freestyles last night. Each was creative in their own way. Each was somewhat disappointing to me at home but all four teams should be really proud of themselves. And I’ve seen a lot of comments about Maks and Val being in Drew’s Freestyle. But Emma said, they would relive his season. The C Bros, plus Witney and their partners were on Drew “Team” on Halloween. He might have felt a bond. Or the producers wanted them included. But Emma is kind. She might have just been generous.
As for Alfonso’s comments, he said something similar earlier in the season at least once. And he’s team Frankie. I honestly think he’s just embarrassed after the fact because he was called out so harshly for the blurb.
Agree 100% what you said about Lindsay. She’s been so amazing since she took that short time off. I was pulling for her when she had Wanya. Even more so now. She’s become one of my favorite female pros. Really hope she and Jordan are the winners tonight. And hopefully Jordan joins the tour???????? Lol
Re: Mark advising Lindsey against any previous dancer bait, I suspect in fear of them otherwise being unfairly undermined, he actually seems to have done the opposite. Following Frankie’s VW package insinuated Jordan & (from context, presumably though not definitely pro not celeb) Lindsay have their routine down by day 2 rehearsal, Mark went on a twitter rant dispelling such ringerism of HIS Lindsey and thus the clarification of it in the two subsequent weeks. Not sure I’d personally belabor such a response, but that does seem to be from where it stemmed.
I will join you in the minority Courtney. Completely agree with your post except the comments from Lindsey or Jordan for that matter about wanting it for their pros (for whatever reason) don’t bother me, particularly when their body of work for the season can back up leading to a win. The treatment of male vs female pros at times has bothered me and especially in every instance of the show you listed above! Sharna isn’t even my favorite but she’s gotten hosed on several occasions at the expense of producer agendas for male pros (with Charlie, James and even to a degree this season with Derek).
I also loved Mark’s work more in the first half of the season than second half. I did love how the theme of the freestyle was tailored to Lindsey but I wasn’t blown away by all of the choices, including facials and some of the dancing was a little sloppy to me. Just not as cohesive and polished as their AT, Jive, Foxtrot, Waltz etc. which I adored. But I do love them and am happy they got two great scores and did well last night and made an impact. My opinion is just their night wasn’t far and away above Jordan & Lindsay at all. While when I think back on this season, I will remember routines that Mark, Lindsay and Witney produced, I think Lindsay did the most top notch work through the season. Freestyles, for me, just aren’t a decide-all factor for the final placements. My favorite dances of the season are hardly ever freestyles anymore. With the producing quality of the show now, a jazz number or a cool trio or a concept that that should never have worked for the given style of dance but did is often better than all of the week 10 freestyles to me.
I have enjoyed this season but I am ready for it to end by the time week 10 rolls around. I get so tired of the fans of one team increasingly as the season goes on having to pump up their team by being so negative towards other teams. Or the constant looking for any reason to pick at the other teams to say they deserve to finish lower than their favorite. Especially when the reasons are not even true at all, ie: “There wasn’t enough Charleston in their Charleston!” etc.
Packages were a bit weird last night. I hear ya PH, not sure what the goal was with Frankie & Witneys package; maybe they thought their freestyle would be more of a showstopper than it was?? Alfonso clip edited negatively by the show was completely unnecessary in a feel-good finale where the couples are all so positive.
I too an concerned Lindsay might never get this opportunity to win again or produce these caliber of dances again. If the show goes down to once a year it will be that much harder for the female pros to get a shot and get good partners that can compete with the rabid fanbases of the male pros. I am one of them who loves Derek and Mark; I’m certainly not anti-male pro, but I feel for the female pros at times. I want it for Lindsay really bad this time but not just because it’s her first, but because she was also the most standout pro to me this season.
I hope your rankings are correct but I definitely am prepared for any outcome. Thank you to the 3 final couples for making this season one of the most entertaining in awhile!
Well I thought i would come in here and have a lot of Lindsey and Mark love, but I am very heartened by the fact that the power rankings put Jordan and Lindsay on top.
I have to agree I was not wowed by that Quickstep in fact I thought she regressed a little, so stiff on her upper carriage and the footwork was certainly not Blackpool. Her Freestyle was fun, but it felt more like her tour choreography which I guess suited her but it felt a little clunky.
Jordan had a great great Charleston. By incorporating the modern swag it just fit him like a glove and you just know they loved performing it.
I thought the nerves were getting to him on the Freestyle especially with the hat and cane part but he pulled it out. Man were those dancers going full out for him…Robert Rodan was smokin it..But, I would have liked something different for the Freestyle, because even though it was amazing, it felt similar in tempo and tone to the Charleston. However, I loved his solo, the formation work and the last lift. I know Lindsay was not going to go for gimmicks because she has such a great dancer with her this season, but the moving sidewalk with Calvin was all kinds of fun. With great dancing a little hook is sometimes all it takes. With Lindsey she air played her violin. That was the takeaway.
I thought Frankie was not served well. Yes he can act intense, but to remind us of his poor posture and poor shaping it fell flat for me.
I thought Drew was served better, but I did not think the gimmick of stopping and starting was particularly good for this contestant. Also the showboating of the C Bros is getting a little tiresome.
So I hope my favorite wins, but Lindsey and Mark are going to make this a horse race. And who knows…maybe Frankie fans are a devoted bunch.
Reading the comments, @Leigh very sorry for your loss. The one thing this silly show does it take away heartache for a little while.
@PH yeah what was up with the Producers pounding on Witney. Ouch. I guess she had a vision, and well it did not work I think for Frankie, but it is the pro that has to put it all together. And Alfonsos comments are out of frustration I guess but the timing was bad, even Tom tried to clean it up – apparently Alfonso got dragged for the comments and apologized on instagram.
Court, I agree with your rankings.
The thing that bothered me about Lindsey’s freestyle was how it was an intense dance but their gigantic grins felt out of place in the routine. I liked the part where she played the violin, bu wasn’t a fan of the rest.
Jordan’s Charleston was the dance of the night. It had the energy, the swag, and the actual Charleston. I voted for Jordan because he’s been bringing it all season, and last night was no exception.
Frankie’s freestyle wasn’t bad, but it fell flat to me. Part of it may have to do with the cover used, but it didn’t feel as intense as it should have. However, his foxtrot was FANTASTIC. That was my second favorite dance of the night.
All my votes went to Jordan but I think he did the best last night to be honest. Lindsay did equally as great. My doppelganger/twin/look-alike lol did good too but I agree he is def coming in 3rd.
Thought Lindsey/Mark freestyle was perfect for her and one of the best freestyles we’ve had in some time. The only dance this season that really got me off my feet. I loved how it started slow and the momentum built throughout. It allowed the audience to really get into it and those two were definitely meant to work with one another lol.
I find it interesting that a good portion of the support for Jordan on SM is actually support for Lindsay and the fact that she has never won, as she has mentioned over and over, yet Lindsey is being called out for making one quick comment about Mark.
Frankie fell flat for me after the Bruno Mars number and Jordan is great, but I get a been there, done that feel from all his dances. I did really enjoy his first Charleston though.
I hope this is one season where the freestyle is an indication of the mirror ball winner. I know they still have tonight which could tilt things though so I’m remaining realistic.
Unlike any other season I can recall, tonight’s outcome feels like a total toss-up! Personally, I’m rooting for Jordan and Lindsay. Both very deserving and their dances leave me with “wow!” However, Frankie and Witney are both so joyful and grateful plus talented and entertaining. If his fan base is voting, he just might be a big spoiler. And I wouldn’t complain (much)! Of course, I love Mark and I think his partnership with Lindsey has been perfect. They are kindred artistic and creative souls. But in comparison to Jordan, her dancing falls a bit short. Something about her legs and elbows. That’s just my own observation and opinions. Looking forward to a great finale!
@Courtney I totally get the female pros not getting the recognition they deserve. Do they even get paid the same… I mean senority is one thing, gender is another. Lindsay and Witney are young and young females in particular tend to be ignored, even while they are vital to the shows success.
Then there is the issue of females with dance experience vs. males without. An absolute beginner is a chore just to get him to be presentable. So I appreciate all the remedial work that they have to do just to get him to be show worthy, so being in the trenches for so long nobody really sees the struggle.
So when you are handed a gem you want the best to not only take them all the way but to get your choreography recognized. It is very interesting that Lindsay got slagged for so long about having choreography help, when Maks Derek Val and Mark have had help but it is rarely mentioned. Seems to me there is a double standard at play and I do not know if it is senority or gender that perpetuates it. I am also tired of the dumb blond assignments they give Lindsay and Witney on this show. Maybe they are naive but they are damn good pros. When people like Val have foot in mouth disease, and some of the guys are not the sharpest tacks, it seems unfair to film gotcha topics and put the dumb mantle solely around their necks.
Cari, in another minority opinion, completely agree with you! My favorite dance of the whole show was Jordan’s Charleston and 2nd was Frankie’s Foxtrot.
You could be right, Wynn. He’s likely seen how the “previous dance experience” has been used against both him and Derek in the past, seemingly effectively at times – even when it’s not technically TRUE.
You do realize, Casanova, that the power rankings are just one person’s opinion, right? Try not to insult everyone else here who might hold a different opinion or who doesn’t think it’s so clear cut.
Particularly when you’ve been the extreme example all season long of the tearing down of other competitors (to the point of picking on their appearance) just to build Jordan up.
I voted for Jordan/Lindsay. But I think Lindsey/Mark will win and I’m good with that.
I’m SO glad for the final 4 this year, I think these 4 pros all did a really great job with their celebs.
I loved that little time out Emma put in their freestyle. That might be the thing I remember most about the night. 🙂
I don’t think Lindsey’s comment about Mark only winning twice meant anything other than, she’d like to help him win this season because of how hard they’ve worked and their journey. 🙂
Overall, I like Mark and Lindsey best of the remaining couples (because Mark is a favorite pro and I’m SO glad he’s back this season), but I don’t mind seeing any of them win. In fact, Lindsay is another favorite pro, so seeing her win a MBT would be so fun. 🙂
From what I was told, the producers tried to talk Witney out of “Run Boy Run” multiple times, mostly off-camera – really wanted them to use “Yeah 3X”. If I had to guess what the motivation was, I think the producers were afraid “Run Boy Run” would really flop…and if my gut is correct and Frankie is the tour celeb, maybe they were afraid it was going to leave a bad taste in viewers’ mouths?
Frankies appearance… you mean his eyes. Well see here is the thing, IMO Witney tried for intensity on the Freestyle because those eyes were essentially the best part of his dancing or acting. Jury is out on whether that worked again.
And thank you I happen to agree with the power rankings.
Yeah 3X … man using Chris Brown is offensive for a lot of reasons. Witney was right to go with her gut
Condolences to Leigh.
#19 wynn – I agree that a case could be made for all three.
I’m looking forward to seeing Nikki. She’s the reason I tuned in this season after last season’s debacle. And I think she did great. Her neck injury has put her in a place where she can’t really go full throttle with WWE anymore, plus she’s a hard worker who’s already been building a brand, so she’s branching out, and I’d bet she made a really good impression on a lot of people. I also think she was given a wonderful opportunity to introduce music from the new Disney pic.
Dear jesus, not the choreographic help bullshit AGAIN. And equating Derek and Mark in with the rest is never going to work. Give it up already.
Come on Casanova – you’ve made multiple comments about not just his eyes, but various other factors. Appearance is the last bastion of the desperate, IMO.
Wow, I didn’t know that the producers preferred to have Frankie dance to a Chris Brown song. Like Jeff Garlin says, “that is a whole bowl full of wrong.”
Out of all the returning celebs, I am most excited to see Debbie Gibson singing her old holiday hit, “Sleigh Ride!” Nikki is also growing on me to the point where I might start watching her show.
Frankie: the house was chanting his name after his freestyle! He seems to touch people personally in ways none of the others have. Tearing up talking about what Whitney & the show have done for him as a person in his pkg didn’t hurt. I love his obvious joy in the dancing. And as many have said, Witney is equally obviously happy.
Jordan: his ongoing praise for Lindsay, & saying she’s made him a better artist both reflects well on him & gives articulate, pithy compliments that should help buttress her reputation on & off the show. I hope that his connections now & over time give rise to more opportunities for her over time. Their work together has been great, & their personalities seem so well matched. Linsanity is a real thing.
Lindsey. I’ve said it before & it’s still true: I can’t take my eyes off them while they’re dancing. They have a star quality I find very compelling. In some ways it creates a focus on the dance over the dancers, without losing the dancers in the process. (There must be better ways to describe it.) And it’s been good to see Mark having such fun again. His sense of theatre is extraordinary, I’ve so enjoyed having him back on the show – & that the show has used Alexander Jean’s music a couple times.
Drew. Drew’s been such fun, I’m sorry to see him go even recognizing that someone would. He brought a playfulness that Emma built on, & another great partnership. Enjoy how he doesn’t seem to take himself too seriously, while bringing a strong work ethic. They’ve had a heck of a schedule all season.
The teams overall seemed better matches this season than the last few. Kudos to the casting directors.
And I hope that the producers are taking note that 3 of the 4 pros in the finals are women, & looking at their roster a bit differently.
My favorite dance of the night was Frankie&Witney’s Foxtrot. It was snazzy, classy, fizzy and fun.
I wasn’t such a fan of their Freestyle. It was a little too intense for me and also too dark. Dark music, dark lighting, dark costumes. I would have been completely happy with just Witney&Frankie dancing in the FS. Those two have such amazing chemistry that no one else is needed.
However I bet the show pushes the troupe to be in FS.
My favorite Freestyle was Lindsay&Jordan’s. Part of making a dance with hard steps look good is making it look easy, a skill which Jordan is blessed with. He also fills out every step and every note. He has superb musicality, something you can’t be taught, you either have it or you don’t.
We say this every season, but Lindsay has done a tremendous job. She’s the Porsche of Pros.
I really enjoyed Lindsey&Mark’s Freestyle. Some really clever steps and staging. I did feel like it was a slight bit messy in parts, especially by Lindsey, but that was some fast choreography.
I know everyone has their favorite and own opinion but I was totally wowed by Lindsey and Mark’s freestyle. I thought it was brilliant, so much so that you almost get irrational, and you can’t understand how someone else doesn’t see it that way. It’s like seeing the best pair of boots or the most gorgeous pair of earrings and your best friend says “They’re alright” and you’re like, you can’t be serious! This is all fun and they all worked so hard, so each deserve to win, but please let it be Lindsey & Mark. I also don’t think anything wrong with it being pointed out by either side that Lindsay never won or 8 years since Mark did, it’s just facts.
As far as the Alfonso comment, I think Princess Heidi is right, it makes Jordan’s fan want to vote more to prove him wrong. I personally think that was why it was said, to give Jordan voters a shot in the rear and get them voting.
Leigh, I’m sorry for your loss. I lost my father earlier this year, also. Sending you hugs.
I tend to agree with #25 wynn and #35 PH. I believe it was here where I first learned that there are viewers who don’t watch the show until the semi-finals and finals; so I really didn’t mind Lindsey and Mark mentioning the fact that she’s not a trained dancer. I expect the way the showrunners sandbagged Paige in her semi-finals edit is still fresh in Mark’s mind; so I don’t blame him for wanting to get that knowledge out there for the latecomers. I also didn’t get an entitlement vibe from Lindsey’s comment about Mark. I saw her show last week in NYC; and from the way she spoke there, and from her relatively few interviews that have been DWTS related, she just seems very grateful to be doing the show and she is so happy to have been paired with Mark. She’s been very supportive of the whole cast on social media; and I just don’t see shading anybody or a sense of entitlement in her at all.
I’ve enjoyed watching all of the couples this season; but I’m rooting for Lindsey and Mark. She’s had me since that Week 1 Cha-Cha; and all my votes have gone to her. I’ve enjoyed her partnership with Mark immensely; and between watching her journey on DWTS and seeing her show last week, I’m finally seeing a bit of brightness in what has been a very dismal year for me, personally. I never assume anything; but I’ll hold out a bit of hope for Lindsey to take the MBT.