Dancing with the Stars Season 29, Week 1 – LIVE BLOG
Well, here we are once again. Lots of things to be curious about tonight. What will it be like without an audience?? Will Judge Derek be very similar to the Judge Derek we see on World of Dance – hope so, that dude is entertaining and KIND. But truthful. Is Tyra going to be a total camera and microphone hog or just a moderate one?? Are there so many couples that it will be hard to focus?? And which pros will be able to survive without backing dancers and huge sets?? π
I, for one, am going to blog like I normally do for DWTS – stream of consciousness, and not a blow by blow of every moment and score. I do that on WoD, but that show is only an hour. Anyway, t-minus 20 minutes!!
So I just posted an interview with Derek on PureDerekHough and he says/implies that he will be back on World of Dance, provided it’s picked up for season 5. Which it probably will be because it had decent ratings, for a summer show. So, either his NBC contract allows him to be on other networks and DWTS is desperate, or he is between contracts (although most are five years) and DWTS used that as an excuse. Who knows?
Here we go…and first shot is Tyra, of course. But then we get all the pros. Love Sharna’s hair so much better.
OG Pro Cheryl the first into the ballroom. I have to say, I like this bit with all the pros dancing alone.
That is a great dress on Tyra and I love the look of the ballroom, honestly. All the celebs looking great. Nice costuming…except Carole Baskin. WTF?
Confession…I got a little teary during the theme song. It’s been a shit year.
Tyra teases the possible appearance of Len. π Then the pairings.
AJ is up first. Couldn’t have a better pro in Cheryl Burke….if rumors are true. And they are. Jive is their dance.
Ouch. Hope he didn’t hurt himself with that jump. Bruno having trouble being so far from Derek already. π AJ just go hit by Cheryl’s hair. I thought that was a good dance, but very short.
Derek thinks it was a great start to the show, but he wants a bit more bounce. Bruno thought it was powerful and strong. CAI says that was exactly the way to start the show. She thinks he could dance a little more out. Especially this season.
He gets three 6’s, which seems a bit low to me, but I’m always more lenient on the first viewing.
Chrishell is so cute – I even watched the first episode of Selling Sunset out of curiosity. I like the Million Dollar Beach House show better. Chrishell is with Gleb, sadly for her.
Tango, lordy. She’s handling it quite well. And the choreography doesn’t totally suck. She has a bit of the model stiffness thing going on. But I thought that was good for a tango in week one.
Bruno says she has a long way to go, she went wrong in a few places and her posture was off. They had canned booing!!! Or was that the other celebs doing that? CAI agrees but says she has a lot of potential. Derek talks about her feet and working from the ground up, which seems like really good advice.
FOUR?!?!? Are you kidding Me?? Derek gives her a five, at least. Why didn’t they whip out the fours on Bobby fucking Bones???
The lighting guys can’t get it together for Vernon Davis. :::sigh::: He’s dancing with Peta because….Peta. He’s doing Foxtrot. Very handsome dude. Great smile. Oooo…I like that stop right in the middle. Very pretty and slightly sexy. As with most athletes, his arms need a bit of work.
CAI comments on the tenderness…she’s docking a point for a lift. Derek says he was so smooth, he was surprised, his frame was good but watch out for the arm. Bruno says he was sizzling he needs an “ice package”. He attempted rise and fall, and congrats on that.
He gets a 17 which is quite good so far tonight.
Anne Heche is up next. She makes me realize how old I am now. π She has Keo as a partner. And she starts stripping. π She’s entertaining for sure. She’s doing Cha Cha and I dig the outfit.
She’s surprisingly good, perhaps because she doesn’t take herself too seriously. I really enjoyed that dance. She has some kind of spark!
Derek seems to agree with me, he likes her, says so clean and so neat. Tells her to complete every move, but great first dance. Bruno thinks she’s a sparkling cracker. He says a bit more hip action. CAI says she’s incredible, she’s so precise, likes the tension between her and Keo.
I agree, that was really good, IMO.
She gets an 18 which is currently the number one position.
Jeannie Mai is up next after the commercial. OMG…the commercial with the dog going around to all the closed restaurants and then they’re open and they give him treats?? Awwww…..
Jeannie Mai is paired with Brandon. She’s talking about tricks already…we could be in trouble. π They’re doing Salsa and I dig the outfits.
Not enough hip action, by a mile but not too bad for night one. Great lift in the middle but it went on for too long.
Bruno says it was so energizing, so radiant. A bunch more stuff I don’t understand. She lost balance a bit. CAI says that was amazing, but her energy with her arms was uneven. Derek says the lift is great in week 1. Derek says to work on the turns as she tends to fall out of them a bit. Thank goodness for Derek because he was keeping it a bit more real, compared to Bruno and CAI who seemed over the top to me. I didn’t think it was that great.
She earns three 6s. Which is a bit mind boggling compared to hte earlier dances who I thought were better.
Jesse Metcalfe is up next with Sharna. He’s also making me realize how old I am. π
Love the outfits for their quickstep. He’s puling off so far. Quickstep is no joke and he seems to have the bulk of it. There are a few messy moments, but all in all, respectable. Better than expected!!
CAI welcomes back Sharna. She says that was a passionate quickstep, but they need to tame the beast. Needs more posture. Derek says it was great, he’s a leading man, but shoulders down. Bruno says Jesse got him into gardening. π Says he did well.
And they also get an 18. I think Chrishell got hosed.
Skai up next…she’s so cute. And my MacBook is pissing me off with the auto correct.
Love her outfit! So classy. She has Alan as a partner which will probably be good.
Another Tango in week 1! OMG, she’s going to be good. Excellent split. So sharp, clean. Great job by Alan. She threw her arm away there towards the end, but damn. This is a contender right here!
Derek loved the split, clean, strong, great posture. He would like more travel across the dance floor. Bruno says such a young girl gave such a mature performance, agrees with Derek. CAI agrees with Derek and Bruno, says it was beautiful and exciting.
Scores: 7,7,7 for a total of 21 which I agree with. This girl was on fire. I don’t know if she was that far ahead of the 18s, but I can’t complain too much.
I do wonder how the judges are so in sync with Derek…or how he’s in sync with them. It makes me wonder. Of if they just discuss a general strategy going in.
Kaitlyn at the top of the hour, not surprised. I figured first or top of the hour. I also think her bf is hot. π And she scores Artem. First choice was Derek, but Artem will work. π Cha Cha!!
She’s quite good, I think. No obvious mistakes except a throwaway arm early on. A little too “fake smile” except right in the middle when she seemed to cut loose.
Bruno says the foot placement was great, going on the toe on week one. Sharper finish would be good at times. CAI says a great first dance, needs a bit more pointing. Derek says a beautiful cha cha, the arms were beautiful, but a little safe, asks for more bite and attack.
She gets a 20 out of 30. Derek had to give her a 7 after she was all over social wanting to dance with him. π I seem to recall he met her years ago on GMA when they were both on GMA at the same time…didn’t they dance for a few seconds?? Derek fans??
Nev is up next….he’s cute. I always go for that type. Slightly nerdy but cute. He’s dancing with Jenna. Dancing foxtrot.
Love Jenna’s dress. God, I love this music. He’s handling it quite well. Needs to work on the arm. And as soon as I say that he nails it. I remember! Derek danced to this song with Laura Benanti on Broadway. LOVE it. He did great…Nev AND Derek.
CAI says that was uplifting and it took us back. She forgot what they could work on. Work on the rise and fall. Derek says he’s a great dancer, says he needs to pull in the butt and Derek likes the elbow down a bit so it doesn’t pull the shoulder up. Bruno seems to agree with Derek.
He gets a 20, with Bruno handing him a 6. I think Chrishell is the only score I disagree with so far.
LEN!!! I love him when he’s not being cranky judge.
Johnny is paired with Britt. I wonder how that worked out. He seems like a good get and she’s brand spanken’ new.
Cha Cha time and he’s predictably dramatic. A tiny bit off time. Britt is an amazing dancer – nice to see her as a pro. I do hate how some of these songs just don’t go with the music. He did very well.
Derek welcomes Britt. He says great first dance, when they’re in his zone he’s great, but as soon as he gets to cha cha he starts thinking. Bruno says great opening, wonderful lyrical quality, but needs to be sharper in Cha Cha. CAI feels like he should have been on the show years ago. Says they got a bit lost in the middle, they need to stay connected the whole way through.
He scores an 18 which ain’t too shabby. I agree with that.
Justina is up next…wasn’t she on Six Feet Under?? Highly recommend that show, if you haven’t seen it. Twisted but funny. π Yes!! She was on Six Feet Under.
Anyway, she’s dancing with Sasha. Two tiny people. π She’s going to be funny. Love her opening. Dang, she’s starting with a bang. Doing great. And she’s clearly loving it which makes me love it. I really enjoyed that!!
Bruno says she’s got the respect. Loved her confidence. CAI says it was to and starts gyrating. She was on fire. Derek says she oozes charisma, energy and power. He says to watch the turned in feet, but great dance.
And she scores a 21 out of 30. Well deserved.
Still thinking about Nev and Jenna’s foxtrot. I love a beautiful foxtrot – they were always my favorites of Derek’s and Jenna did a great job on that dance. And that music!!
Charles Oakley up next. He’s a silver fox an he’s dancing with Emma. Dancing Salsa.
I like his opening. Emma always opens with something that feels good to her partners. He’s not a great dancer, he needs a lot of work. Partly it’s that he’s so big and basketball players don’t do as well as footballers.
CAI seems to agree with me. He was ahead of the music a bit and fill the space. Derek says he’s a legend, but he was flatfooted but he (Derek) felt joy from watching it. Bruno says to get the timing right and a bunch more stuff.
Emma screams for fours. π That’s the way to approach it. Charles gets a 12. And that’s probably accurate, although I love him for some reason.
Monica is up next, partnered with Val, dancing foxtrot.
Love her dress! And her feet were WAY off the floor. This seems like a pretty standard foxtrot and she’s performing it quite well. I like he wife’s choreography much better, but this wasn’t bad. Just his usual thing.
Derek says it was beautiful and graceful, with a beautiful frame. Says her turns were a little stiff. Bruno says it was elegant and stylish. Be careful on the underarm turns. CAI was impressed – she loved that she went for it. Slow start, but went for it the second half. And she called out the lift.
Val needs to not try to be funny.
She gets a 19 out of 30, thanks to a 7 from Derek. Betcha a C-bro judge would never do that for Derek.
What was Tyra yammering about? Her mic was drowned out by fake audience applause. The sound guys aren’t much better than the camera guys. π
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I miss a little bit of fluff – not the massive amounts they used to have, but just a bit. This many dancers in two hours is kinda exhausting. Or maybe my blogging skills are rusty when it comes to two hours of a live show.
Nelly and Daniella up next. Can I repeat right now that Daniella is the best female dancer I’ve ever seen. I hope she does well. They’re dancing salsa.
He’s doing better than I expected. Daniella got him to do a great lift and she kept in all his swag. And a backflip. Len would have hated it, but I liked it!!
Bruno says it was a wonderful ride, there was a good connection and interplay. Says it was very grounded but be careful to not tighten up the shoulders. CAI liked the backflip, but he needs to be careful with the groove and he needs to open up. Derek is a big fan – comments on the footwear as it will help him with the footwork.
He scores a 16 out of 30 thanks to Bruno and his 6. I think he was a bit underscored, but I may be biased. (Note: “biased”…not “bias” which is how I constantly see it mis-used on twitter to the point it makes me crazy.) π
Carole already annoys me. But I should give her the benefit of the doubt, eh? She’s dancing with Pasha. His head is too small for that crown. π
Derek was wrong in his feeling that she might come out and kill it. She killed it, but not in a good way. I appreciate her passion for the cats. But she was on the struggle bus for sure.
CAI says all her dreams are coming true. She loved their connections. Says she didn’t hold back, said it was fantastic. Derek says she smashed it (CAI was handing out wacky tabacky) – he did have a few criticisms. Bruno says she didn’t kill the Paso, it was kind of sedate.
She scores an 11 thanks to Bruno’s 3 (?!?!?!). Okay, it was bad but a three is kind of uncalled for.
And that’s it. Tyra goes over time per my Tivo. That’s not going to be allowed every week. So, who’s your favorite? I’m having a hard time. I loved at least half the cast, maybe more. Right now – Anne, Nev, Justina…and many more. I’m sure it will change over the coming weeks. π
Considering Tyra has been front and center for every commercial and the one promo poster I’ve seen, I’m going with total attention hog. Probably a good thing there are social distancing protocols in place, otherwise she might be worse.
Very curious to see the women dance. I have an idea how the men will do, but not the ladies.
2020 has been a crazy year
Hi Heidi! Have fun tonight. Sadly since my work schedule changed I donβt stay up to watch anymore. Will look forward to watching in the morning especially seeing Derek judge. Also looks like you canβt vote after the show anymore which is a bummer. Guess if I find a couple I like Iβll vote at the beginning.
Time for my second season watching
THRILLED to see Derek but missing Tom and Len
I thought the dances might be longer, since there won’t be all the normal filler or having the sky box. Guess I was wrong. Decent dance by AJ, though I expected better. Excited Cheryl has a contender.
And please tell me Tyra doing constant wardrobe changes isn’t going to be a regular thing.
Chrishell is going to be screwed by Gleb.
Tyra seems right at home in the ballroom. Love it. Aj and Cheryl killed it. I would have said 7 but wasnβt too far off. Chris And gleb…..iffy on this one. Gut says 6 but brain says 5. She doesnβt seem to be having fun (maybe itβs just nerves?). Gorgeous dress though
Already I miss Tom’s humor. If Derek is bowlegged then I must be blind.
I feel like the judges are purposely scoring low, and not just because these couples are the first ones. I don’t remember couples in the past getting low scores right off the bat. I thought Vernon did as good a job as AJ (seriously with the lifts Carrie Ann?)
Vernon was really good albeit slightly underwhelming for me. I still love this guy already though and I know jack about football for the most part. Iβd say 6. Anne…..well well well. Someone is living for this experience. A firecracker of a personality too. Who would have thought?! Iβd say a 6. Keo has a contender!
Can we keep Derek as a judge? Itβs nice to have someone who knows what they are talking about and not entirely over the top.
Anne didnβt do too badly. I like her.
Jeannie up next.
He said he’s bow legged but obviously he has to work on it constantly – which was the point he was making.
They don’t have the normal filler, Kara, but they do have…15 couples? Which is as many as three more than typical.
Well, susan, just watch tomorrow and read the blog at the same time. It will be like being there. π
Seeing these NEON GREEN outfits
I loved Jeannie and Brandon. Super Energy meets Super energy lol. Best of the night so far for me. Iβd say a 7 easily. Also that green….wowza. Brandonβs got a contender too (so far thatβs Brandon, Cheryl, Peta, and keo that I think that about tonight…good sign for the season for me). I want their energy ????
Tyra has room to grow as a live host, but I am partial to Tom and miss him. Iβve already been surprised by a couple of dancers in a good way. The chemistry on set is odd with the social distancing. It feels like it lowers the energy in the ballroom quite a bit. Hopefully that evens out as it seems more normal and the cast has time to adapt.
Jeannie is my favorite so far. In all it hasn’t been a bad night. Anne was a nice surprise.
Since voting will take place next week, I’m curious what the order will be.
@Princess Heidi, I still thought the dances would be longer given the extra time, but I guess that makes sense.
I don’t know what was going on with Jesse’s facial expressions. Someone I thought would be a surprising ringer, but he needs work. Still love the guy, though. Nice to see Sharna back.
Well Jesse is not playing around. That was really fun for week one since he seemingly had no nervousness whatsoever but his energy reminds me of lance bass meets Andy grammer when he is dancing, which is a good thing. Iβd give that a 6.
So happy Jesse is partnered with Sharna. Great job, I thought. Quickstep is a tough dance and must be especially so on week one. He will do well with Sharna.
Tyra is trying but I really miss Tom and even Erin.
I didnβt realize Skai was so tiny. Iβm surprised they didnβt give her to Sasha. Not surprised she did well, Disney stars donβt seem to do horribly on here.
Nice to see the judges have a paddle higher than 6.
Skai is a natural. Then again itβs not a surprise since she is a Disney kid and they always are great dancers. No nervousness to be seen and that is amazing. Iβd give that a 7 easily And new best of the night for me. Alan has a great shot at two for two if they keep this up because wow I wasnβt expecting it to be that good. Love her positive energy….it reminds me of bindi. Side note: βthis handy sneak peek might Claire it upβ ok that amused me. Then came the other Claire puns and that was annoying so good job abc writers for my first eye roll of the season.
When the DWTS gets cut out for hurricane coverage right when Kaitlyn and Artem was about to dance
Kaitlyn is a tough one for me. She did everything well. She also came across (at least to me) as a bit nervous. Iβd say a 6. Artem is very happy though and I am glad to see him back. Nev is the shock of shocks. He was better than I expected. Iβm a huge fan of his but will day his posture was a bit weird so it will be interesting to see how he progresses as he goes on. Iβd easily give that a 7. Easily.
So I guess weβre at the point of the show where the scores start going up a little bit. Much like Anne, Nev was a pleasant surprise.
Johnny is next. I thought for sure theyβd be saving him for the end.
No surprise Johnny was freaking fabulous (dare I say he looked more like the pro than Britt?) I have waited years for this man to show up on this show, and began thinking it was not going to happen. He remains my front runner to win.
Britt is amazing gorgeous and so talented You go girl!
I’m an hour behind you all, but, great show so far. It feels off a little with so many changes (especially Tyra ….not sure I’ll be able to stomach her all season), but, go Derek. He’s giving such great advise. He is fun, fresh, and is never disrespectful.
Johnny was a blast to watch. Iβd easily say a 7 but just me? I have high hopes for him this season. Britt killed it too. The ballroom is a place where he clearly feels at home.
I’ll say again I’m glad Derek is there. I liked Justina, though I’m not sure I thought it was as good as the judges. Her and Sasha will be a fun pair, though.
Also not sure I agree with the score, compared to some of the others.
Justina just owned that ballroom. My new fav of the night. Pure joy and energy with charisma times 100. I can already tell she is going to be a fan fav.
I’m actually shocked they didn’t give Charles to Peta. Usually she gets the taller guys. Emma’s my favorite so I’m sad she probably won’t be around for long this season. Charles seems like a nice guy, but that went about as bad as I expected. I don’t see how he isn’t a first boot.
Really really miss Tom & Erin!!!! Don’t understand why the network chg the host! Bring back Tom & Erin, they made the DWTS so enjoyable!
Charles Oakley must be protected at all costs
As a huge fan it pains me to say that Charles was not good. Personality is a ten the dance was a 5 because he was having a blast. Again it kills me to say.
Okay, now that the whole Tom/Erin thing is out of your system, Joanne, MOVE ON. I’m tired of hearing about it and it’s happened.
I’m gonna say that I haven’t missed the sky box or having a co-host, but I definitely miss Tom. I keep waiting for him to drop some one liner that he thought up on the spot. Though aside from the opening Tyra hasn’t been too bad so far. Still can’t use to her, though, and not sure I will. And the piping in of the theme song is kind of distracting. It just seems like it starts playing at the weirdest times.
Monica can dance BUT i wasnβt loving that foxtrot. And that is on the choreography which is all on Val (who looks happier and calmer than usual). Curious to see what else she can do.
I donβt know how much I can take Tyra. Bring back Tom and Erin
So excited Daniella is a pro. Nelly needs work, but I enjoyed that. Definitely a couple I’m rooting for.
Those who said Carole was going last called it. And yeah, since we are in the last few minutes, guess they really couldn’t squeeze in longer dances.
In my opinion, Tyra has been like a breath of fresh air. Yes, it’s sad that Tom has gone, but I think it was about time. The show really needed a switch up after Bones and Spicer, and Tyra and Derek have both really impressed so far. It truly is a privilege to have Derek back in the ballroom.
Nelly was fun. Iβd give him a 6. A lot of stuff to work on but that was so much fun to watch that it didnβt bother me at all. Curious to see him do a quickstep or a tango. He seems like a ballroom guy vs a Latin dance guy
After tonight, I’m going to delete comments whining about Tom and Erin. People have been whining for weeks now. If you want to complain about Tyra, go for it…but the incessant Tom and Erin whining is just OLD.
It’s quite obvious that Jenna was helping Val with his choreography…because it’s obvious when she can’t. π That didn’t suck, but it didn’t shine either.
Not a fan of Tyra. A lot came back to her.
Love Daniella as a pro – she’s got spunk and moves. Emma made a great dance with what she could. Carole actually didn’t seem like the worst to me even though she scored it. I feel like there’s 1-2 standout stars that can dance, 1-2 weak spots, but otherwise I feel they’re all pretty on par at the same level.
I’m rooting for AJ because I love the BSB, and Jesse because of Sharna.
Well Carole really tried. Thatβs the good news. The bad news…..well It was definitely weird to watch. I agreed with the 4
My favorites of the night were Johnny, Skai (my two front runners), Nelly, Justina, Jeannie, and Jesse. Also Nev and Anne, who were my two biggest surprises of the night.
Tonight’s show felt very different. I know a lot of it is due to COVID, but it will take getting use to. I do think it’s a solid group of celebs, but I felt that way last season, and ended up not enjoying the season as much in the end.
And did Tyra say the show is on next Tuesday? I heard her say that more than once.
Well, some things haven’t changed much since the last time I watched this show. Val’s choreography is still kind of blah, but his partner danced well in spite of it. Loved Sasha and Justina and Artem seemed so genuinely happy to be back.
The show has such a different feel in this era of social distance and Covid. Missing the live audience, but really nice to see Derek again. Did I detect a little nervousness (or haughtiness?) from Val when he received his critique from Derek?
I was actually surprised that Carole got the lowest score. I’m not saying it wasn’t deserved, but I thought she’d at least tie with Charles. I do think she’s going to stick around longer than she should. She got lucky with a paso, because if she had a cha cha or salsa like some of the others, she would have been worse. The look on Pasha’s face when she walked in was priceless. I guess they figure he can handle her better than some of the other pros.
I was kind of surprised at Derek’s comment to Carol. It was a play on a song about her that goes Carol Baskin…She killed her husband, she whacked him. Not Derek’s usual style
I doubt most people got it, Jodi. I sure didn’t. I had no clue until I looked at twitter. I’m actually glad to know he didn’t really think she danced great.
Joanne, someone on twitter just commented that Derek hooked “his boy Val” up with a better score than…I think it was Johnny. Which is just fucking hilarious and so out of touch. I bet Val would be REALLY surprised to find out that he’s Derek’s boy. LOL.
I am extremely happy that this show is on again even though I’m not a fan of the new host. I am thrilled to see Derek on the show again in a different capacity. I love Bruno’s silver hair and I am thrilled that Artem and Sharna are back. I’m also sick and tired of CAI (some things never change!). I really wish there was a live audience – it just isn’t the same without them. It just feels like a dress rehearsal and not the “main event”. I guess I just need to get over it! Screw 2020!!!
I really enjoyed Anne (I think she has lots of potential) and I loved Skai and Alan. I loved Kaitlyn with Artem and I’m a huge fan of Johnny’s. I also unexpectedly loved Jenna and Nev (I too love that era and the beautiful music). Everyone entertained me except for Carole. She was totally clueless! At least she tried…
Anyway – looking forward to next week! Thanks Heidi for blogging!
Well, that was a lot more fun than I expected. The nostalgia of it was welcome right now, plus so many of the dancers (many of whom I donβt know) were way better than I expected. Loved Justina, Skai, and Vernon. Carole and Charles are really the only bad dancers, imo, which I think highlights how much Chrishelle was underscored. Really miss Tom, and while I donβt love Tyra, she was better/not as attention pulling as I had thought.
FYI, per my teen, Derek was mimicking a Carole Baskin parody thatβs been floating around (to the song βSavageβ) with his opening comments to her ????. Hilarious! He was a great addition.
My favorites were Justina, Jesse, and Skai. I was actually underwhelmed by Johnny, and surprisingly so. I would expect Johnny to kill the foxtrot, waltz, and quickstep especially if they give him music by a Russian composer!
I didn’t get it either but my kids were immediately like…oooooohhhh savage. They had to explain
Given the many changes this season, especially with no audience, the premiere is not as bad as I thought it would. I think everyone is doing really well but.. I am still a bit confused why they scored Chrishell so low. I don’t think she was the best, but she wasn’t horrible to receive all 4’s, compared to some others getting all 6’s.
But anyways, I love seeing Derek as a judge and love him giving feedback that can help the celeb in the long run.
The premiere was not as bad as I thought! Tyra did get annoying at times but I think she can really grow as a host. Very glad to see Derek in the ballroom as a judge. No couple really stood out to me but it is week one overall it wasnt bad!
I’m just past Skai’s dance on the West Coast. So far I’m most surprised by: Jeannie’s joyful & adventurous spirit, Anne reminds me of when Molly Shannon does that “I can kick, stretch, and kick. I’m fifty!” character, and the fashion is actually pretty good. Like the clothes still look like DWTS costumes but in a more modern way.
So glad that Dancing is finally back, Derek is an amazing addition to the judges panel!! Loved Skai and Nev was a big surprise!! Will Courtney still do power rankings? Would love to hear her thoughts and miss her live tweets!!
It’s difficult to watch live when you live in a time zone that’s 13 hours ahead. I will definitely look for videos of the premiere night. Thank you for blogging, Princess H!
Love Anne Heche and Jesse Metcalfe!!
@R2M – They’re coming π
[…] were fun and entertaining. I really likeed Derek at the judges table as well. Be sure to see Miss Heidi’s recap. It’s excellent as always. The comment section is fun too…don’t miss weighing in. […]
I think it was a good first episode – lots of celebs with potential this season. Will be interesting to see who falls into the middle of the pack vs the top once the nerves are worked out for some people. Right now my favs are Skai, Justina, Johnny and Jesse (I so want her to get a win that’s not BB). Carole and Charles look like the first 2 out right now. No audience was weird – noticed Bruno turning around a few times to an audience that wasn’t there. Derek was great as a judge – good balance of positive and constructive criticism. Derek is VERY active on TikTok so I wasn’t surprised at a reference. Tyra was alright – with all the covid changes it worked for me. I watched her and her mom on Celebrity Watch Party and my only wish is for her mom to be in the audience because she’s amazing.
I was pleasantly surprised at how many entertaining couples with promise there are this season. I’m really looking forward to watching them progress. I understand why so many people were concerned that Tyra would overpower as host, but I thought she did well for her first show and filling very popular shoes. I think she will grow into this role. My biggest complaint (and I have it every year) is having the loud audience noise while the host is talking. They have GOT to get the mix right! All in all – good first show of the season!
Happy to see Derek Hough handface back in the ballroom. Breath of fresh air as he knows knows what takes to win and the effort that goes in it from the pros/celebs prospective. Excellent choice DWTS!! I know he’s going to get from behind that desk at some point in the season-lol
Favorite couples so far:
Skai/Alan Surprise – They were awesome. Love her confidence and Alan is an awesome choreographer.
Johnny/Britt – They nailed it. So Happy for Britt and she’s an awesome choreographer too.
Vernon & Peta – He was sexy/smooth – Peta looks like old Hollywood-Glamourous
Nev/Jenna – Smooth!
Power rankings are up, for those who asked: https://www.puredwts.com/2020/09/15/puredwts-season-29-week-1-power-rankings/
Wow, had a difficult time posting then the copy with typos posts-lol
Generally just meant to say, so nice to see Derek return to the ballroom even if it is as a judge. Good energy.
I did miss Tom I will admit. A natural feeling I suppose. Tyra did have a pretty grand entrance though. Would have loved to have seen the judges walk in as well. Hopefully the fans can endear to her as the season continues.
Having a hard time posting here. I guess its been a long time-LOL Sorry for the typos above. Meant to type “handsome face”.
Generally just nice to see Derek return to the ballroom. His positive energy is welcoming in these difficult times.
I will admit though that I did miss Tom, especially at the beginning of the show. Did think Tyra’s entrance was pretty awesome though. Wish the judges could have walked in as well. DWTS fans are a tough group so its going to take some time for them to endure her-lol.
Nice to see DWTS again!
They sure weren’t kidding about the social distancing! CAI way over on the left side of the screen and Bruno way over on the right side of the screen! I may need a bigger TV screen. LOL. Kidding! I kinda like it. Like Bruno’s new silver do, too. Good to see Derek again. π
Just what I thought about Tyra. Still don’t like her and not only because she replaced Tom but because she’s so into herself! “Ohhh wheeee! Look at me, I’m finally on DWTS, been wanting to be here since Day 1, how do ya like my dreeeeesss??” God, get over yourself! This is Dancing With The Stars, not Dancing with Tyra Banks and I don’t care if she’s a celebrity, she ain’t a dancing star on this show!
I don’t have anything special to say about each star. But what the heck is that about with all those 18s?? I particularly liked Cheryl’s hair. She’s sure matured a lot since she started. Hey, if I’m not wrong, I believe the last time she had a boy band member, she won. Hmm. π AJ did well. A bit underscored for me, I think.
Did anyone catch Gleb say “damn” when Bruno gave his score? LOL
Skai sure is short! Not sure how tall she is. Some places I read she’s 5’2 and others, I read she’s 4’11 so I don’t know. They did well. Alan could have a chance to defend his title if this keeps up!
I wish Artem would at least trim his beard or shave!
Anne danced pretty good for her age. But I can’t warm up to her. I don’t like the fact that she, like other gay people, say “I’m gay” then switch off to straight. Gives people the impression that being gay is a choice. But that’s another story.
Justina can work it! I hope we have Latin week. She could top the leaderboard then. Of course, if she keeps up the way she did last night, she could bring it on to the finals! I actually like Justina. So I’m rooting for her.
Brandon needs a haircut.
Nice to see Sharna again but not into her as much as I used to be. Ever since she won with Bobby, I think she let her win get into her head. I didn’t like her attitude on her youtube video she made like a day or two after she won. I know she was excited and happy but just don’t let it get to your head and be a diva. It’s a turn off for me and I saw a different Sharna. Plus, I liked her red hair better. However, she and Jesse should probably last a while. Not to ship them because I’m not but wonder where their chemistry will go. I think Sharna likes guys with full beards and tattoos. He’s got both! And he’s single.
Nelly was underscored. I’m surprised. He deserved a better score. Daniella is another blonde, lots of blondes on this show!
I don’t know how Carole Baskin will do. I saw something about her on TV this morning regarding her first husband and I don’t know if that’s going to hurt her or not. I don’t know if I should post more but there was something about her husband and his family airing a commercial during DWTS last night. I could post a link to show what I’m talking about but I don’t know if links are allowed here. You can always just google it.
I don’t really have anything else to say but I’ll look forward to next Tuesday. Too bad we have to wait til then instead of Monday. Darn football!