Dancing With the Stars Season 27 Episode 10 Review

It's the semifinals of Dancing With the Stars, which means that the contestants now have to dance two individual dances. Hopefully, everyone has a great night, and they can give us an incredible night of dance.

Milo Manheim and Witney:

Milo's Argentine tango was definitely overshadowed by Juan Pablo's, but that doesn't mean it wasn't a solid dance in itself. It wasn't Milo's best dance, but it was fine. His second dance was better, though it also wasn't his best work. Semifinals night wasn't all that great for Milo, and he actually was kind of a middle-of-the-pack performer for the first time since premiere night. I'm still rooting for him, and he's still my favorite, but I was a little underwhelmed.
Argentine Tango Score: 9
Cha-Cha Score: 10

Evanna Lynch & Keo:

The Contemporary left me in tears, it was so beautifully choreographed and performed, and Evanna danced like an actual pro. It was my absolute favorite dance of hers so far and one of my favorite dances of the season. Her foxtrot was also greatly improved from her first attempt, but it wasn't as strong as the contemporary. Still, it was a great night for Evanna all-in-all and she definitely proved that she has what it takes to win this thing.
Contemporary Score: 10
Foxtrot Score: 9

Bobby Bones & Sharna:

Bobby has a pretty mediocre start to his night with a messy Salsa, but it got a little better with his reprise of the jive. His original jive was energetic to a fault, but this one was a lot cleaner and definitely was an improvement. He's still one of the weaker dancers on the show, but he really has improved greatly and that deserves to be noted
Salsa Score: 7
Jive Score: 8

Juan Pablo Di Pace & Cheryl:

Juan Pablo's Salsa was great, but that Argentine Tango was something else. It was, for sure, his best dance of the season and the night's best dance. You really couldn't even tell whether Juan Pablo or Cheryl was the pro, because he was just that good.
Argentine Tango Score: 10
Salsa Score: 10

Alexis Ren & Alan Bersten:

Alexis had a pretty good semifinals, though I do have to agree with Len that the Waltz didn't feel all that much like a waltz. It was still well done, but I didn't love it as a waltz. The jive, however, was loads of fun and, though not the best dance she's done, something that is insanely re-watchable.
Waltz Score: 9
Jive Score: 10

Grocery Store Dancer Joe Amabile & Jenna:

Joe has had an interesting journey on Dancing With the Stars. He's been a huge underdog all season, but he has progressed a lot so far and he's actually turned into a pretty decent dancer. He's far from the best on the show, but that really doesn't matter. The progress he's shown (especially in these past few weeks) has been incredible, and I'm actually pretty proud of him.
Contemporary Score: 8
Quickstep Score: 8

Superlatives:
Dancers of the Night: Juan Pablo & Cheryl - Argentine Tango
Honorable Mention: Evanna & Keo - Contemporary

Worst of the Night: Bobby & Sharna - Salsa
(Dis)Honorable Mention: Joe & Jenna - Contemporary

Rankings for the Week:

1- Juan Pablo & Cheryl - Argentine Tango
2- Evanna & Keo - Contemporary
3- Alexis & Alan - Jive
4- Juan Pablo & Cheryl - Salsa
5- Milo & Witney - Cha-Cha

6- Milo & Witney - Argentine Tango
7- Evanna & Keo - Foxtrot
8- Alexis & Alan - Waltz
9- Joe & Jenna - Quickstep
10- Bobby & Sharna - Jive
11- Joe & Jenna - Contemporary
12- Bobby & Sharna - Salsa

Wrap-Up:
This was a really fun episode, but man, that elimination really put a damper on things. No, not Joe's. Juan Pablo was never my favorite dancer, but he was an extremely talented one and he deserved to be in the finals, so his elimination is a travesty. However, this was still a great episode with a ton of wonderful dances.
Score: 8.5/10
Grade: B+

Dancing With the Stars Season 27 Episode 9 Review

This season of Dancing with the Stars has nearly reached its end, but luckily, we've still got a few weeks. This week is country week, which should make for a diverse variety of dances. Plus, the team dances return, presumably to help boost Joe's scores.

Milo Manheim and Witney:

This wasn't one of my favorite dances from Milo, but it was still great. It didn't seem quite as clean as his typical dance, but all of the elements were there and they were all perfect. Milo and Witney work so well together, and I'm very sad to see this partnership ending soon. Their dances are always a real treat, and this one was no different.
Score: 9

Evanna Lynch & Keo:

Evanna has really grown into a fantastic dancer, and that was especially apparent tonight. This was such a graceful and elegant number, and it was easily one of the night's best, not that that's much of a shock. Evanna is always one of the better dancers of a given night, and she's definitely one of the most improved of the season. This is my favorite dance of hers so far.
Score: 10

Bobby Bones & Sharna:

I have to give Bobby credit for always trying so hard, but it's pretty clear that he's not one of this season's better dancers. Despite this, this was a very admirable effort. It wasn't at all perfect, but it was it was his best effort so far and it really was enjoyable.
Score: 8

Juan Pablo Di Pace & Cheryl:

Juan Pablo has never been my favorite dancer on the show, but I thought this was a spectacular dance. It was an energetic and truly a fun number. The music given to them really didn't fit the Charleston all that well, but they made it work excellently and gave us a beautiful country-inspired Charleston with the flare of Nashville.
Score: 10

Alexis Ren & Alan Bersten:

This was a lot of fun. I don't think this was their best work so far, but it was the most enjoyable to watch for me so far. Also, they're totally my favorite couple on this season of the Bachelor. So sweet.
Score: 10

John Schneider & Emma:

Was this the most technically advanced dance? Obviously not. But I loved it. It was just so much fun, and it was definitely my favorite dance of John's so far from both an entertainment and technical standpoint. He had a great amount of energy and genuinely looked like he was enjoying himself. It was a pure delight.
Score: 9

Grocery Story Joe Amabile & Jenna:

I definitely wasn't expecting a knockout dance from Joe, because, well... However, I was a little disappointed in this dance. Last week showed great progress, but this one had some more issues. It was just a little sloppy, and it was certainly the weakest dance of the night. However, it was still one of Joe's better dances.
Score: 7

DeMarcus Ware & Lindsay:

Without a doubt, this was DeMarcus's best dance. He's fixed a lot of the issues I had with his dances previously and even though he's still in the middle of the pack, he's still a very strong dancer.
Score: 9


Team Joe-Down:

This was a very enjoyable dance, but there was something missing here. I can't really put my finger on it, but I didn't like this one nearly as much as the other team dance. It was still fun to watch for sure, but it could have been something more.
Score: 8

Team Hay Now:

This was such a spectacular number, because the entire team worked so well together. The other dance felt a bit disjointed to me, but this one had everyone, even the "weaker" dancers, working together as one. Obviously, some were more technically perfect than others, but everyone was great.
Score: 10

Superlatives:
Dancers of the Night: Juan Pablo & Cheryl
Honorable Mention: Evanna & Keo

Worst of the Night: Joe & Jenna
(Dis)Honorable Mention: Bobby & Sharna

Rankings for the Week:

1- Juan Pablo & Cheryl
2- Evanna & Keo

3- Team Hay Now

4- Alexis & Alan

5- Milo & Witney

6- John & Emma

7- DeMarcus & Lindsay

8- Team Joe-Down

9- Bobby & Sharna

10- Joe & Jenna

Wrap-Up:
This was another wonderful episode, filled with a ton of great dances. While I was again disappointed in the eliminations, the episode as a whole was great. I'm really looking forward to the Semi-Finals and the Finals, because it's really anyone's guess as to who will win this one.
Score: 9/10
Grade: A-

Dancing With the Stars Season 27 Episode 8 Review

I haven't been able to review Dancing With the Stars since the season 27 premiere, but I'm finally caught up on the show and I'm able to review it, just in time for one of my favorite weeks: Halloween week! I'm hoping for all the dances to be spooktacular, and not just downright scary.

Mary Lou Retton & Sasha:

I've been a big fan of Mary Lou this season, but this was one of her weaker routines. While it was still fun to watch and wholly entertaining, it wasn't as technically excellent as her dances in the past two weeks.
Score: 8

Milo Manheim and Witney:

This was just pure, absolute perfection. I've never disliked any of Milo's dances, and he's always been really good, but this was his first dance that I would say is perfect. It was delightfully spooky, and definitely my favorite dance of the season so far.
Score: 10

Evanna Lynch & Keo:

Evanna has been underscored all season long, and she's finally getting the recognition she deserves, luckily. This dance was amazing, entertaining from start to finish and technically perfect. I've always enjoyed watching Evanna dancing, but this week's dance was definitely her best. Dancing for her own satisfaction and not for the judges worked wonders for her.
Score: 10

Bobby Bones & Sharna:

Bobby always seems so excited just to be on the show, and that really reflects in his dancing. He's a little sloppy on the dance floor, but he definitely is getting better, and he's starting to control that a bit. I still noticed it a little in this dance, but not as much as before, so I can easily say that this was his best dance so far.
Score: 8

Juan Pablo Di Pace & Cheryl:

Juan Pablo has been one of the better dancers of the season, and that held true this week. This was his best dance yet, and he did the jive justice this week with a fun, creepy routine that was a spectacular way to close out the night. Also, his costumers were on point.
Score: 10

Alexis Ren & Alan Bersten:

Alexis and Alan's chemistry continues to be off the charts, and she remains one of my favorites in the competition, but this was a small step down from Disney week's phenomenal Foxtrot. It was certainly a sweet little treat, but it wasn't one of the night's finest.
Score: 9

John Schneider & Emma:

I really have to disagree with the judges on their scores here, but I will agree with them that this was one of the night's weakest dances. It was far from being John's best dance (it was actually one of his weakest so far), but he still did an admirable job and the dance was still very entertaining. It fit the holiday very nicely, but it wasn't as refined as it should have been.
Score: 7

Grocery Story Joe Amabile & Jenna:

This was the night's biggest shock, and it's not even close. After the absolute dumpster fire that was his trio dance, he saw some moderate improvement last week that blossomed into a major improvement this week. The dance still wasn't phenomenal, but it actually wasn't the worst of the night for a change. Joe actually looked like he was enjoying himself for once, and that went a long way. Hopefully he enjoys himself next week, too.
Score: 7

DeMarcus Ware & Lindsay:

DeMarcus hasn't quite lived up to the potential he showed on premiere night, and I would call him a middle-of-the-pack performer thus far. However, this dance was definitely his best so far and it really showed me why I loved his first dance so much.
Score: 9

Superlatives:
Dancers of the Night: Milo & Witney
Honorable Mention: Juan Pablo & Cheryl

Worst of the Night: John & Emma
(Dis)Honorable Mention: Joe & Jenna

Rankings for the Week:

1- Milo & Witney

2- Juan Pablo & Cheryl

3- Evanna & Keo

4- Alexis & Alan

5- DeMarcus & Lindsay

6- Mary Lou & Sasha

7- Bobby & Sharna

8- Joe & Jenna

9- John & Emma

Wrap-Up:
While I was unhappy with the night's elimination (Mary Lou got robbed!!!), the night was a very fun one overall. There were a ton of excellent performances, and even some of the weaker ones were still wildly entertaining. I actually only planned on watching half of the episode the night it aired while saving the rest for another night, but it was so much fun that I watched it in its entirety. I'm glad that, after a somewhat-lackluster start to the season, the show is back to being a real treat.
Score: 8.5/10
Grade: B+

Dancing With the Stars Season 27 Premiere and Episode 2 Review

It's the first day of the fall season, which means that Dancing With the Stars is finally back! After the disaster that was the Athletes season, I'm happy to see it back in its original form. I'm a bit disappointed with the cast that they've assembled, but I still love the show and its cast of dancers, hosts, and judges, so I'm still glad to have it back. Let's hope that some great choreography and dancing ability can overcome a lack of household names.

Mary Lou Retton & Sasha:

Night 1: This was a really fun way to open the season. It wasn't necessarily the best opening dance I've seen, but it was a treat to watch. It was filled with energy and I couldn't really sense any nerves. Mary Lou seemed really confident on the stage and I'm actually surprised by how good she was.
Score: 7
Night 2:
I thought this was the best dance of the night. It was definitely an improvement on Monday's dance, and it really made me question why and how she's in the bottom 5. She deserved to advance based on Monday alone.
Score: 8

Milo Manheim and Witney:

This was another dance that wasn't technically the greatest, but was still fun to watch. While Milo has some areas to improve on (some of these moves looked a little awkward, unfortunately), I do have to commend him on delivering one of the night's better performances,
Score: 7

Evanna Lynch & Keo:

I don't think the Foxtrot is the right dance for Evanna, because something was off here. While there were moments of greatness here, it just didn't really come together. I wanted to love it, and I wanted it to be magical, but it wasn't. It was just okay and forgettable.
Score: 6

Danelle Umstead & Artem:

Night 1:
Was this dance technically incredibly? No. But it sure was inspirational. It took some real courage for someone who can't even see to get out there and dance. And luckily, Danelle danced very well, better than a lot of the night's contestants who can see. I look forward to her next dance, because I think she's a contender this year.
Score: 7
Night 2:
This was a pretty decent dance, but I didn't really see much improvement from Monday. So in that regard, I was a little disappointed. That doesn't mean I didn't like it, but I just didn't love it.
Score: 7

Bobby Bones & Sharna:

Well that certainly was energetic. Too energetic. While I appreciate Bobby's enthusiasm, and it certainly makes for a fun dance to watch, it also made this pretty messy. That's not to say it was bad, it was just different. It was a bit choppy and unclean and that's my only real complaint. If he can find a way to stay energetic while still refining some of his movements, he'll be set.
Score: 6

Juan Pablo Di Pace & Cheryl:

This was quite good, even if I am quite disappointed that his first dance wasn't to ABBA's Fernando (it just makes sense!). But beyond that, I think this was a very strong start and was definitely one of the night's better dances. And on top of being technically strong, it was also pretty enjoyable, if slightly unremarkable.
Score: 7

Nikki Glaser & Gleb Savchenko:

Night 1:
I actually do have to agree with the judges on this one. It was a pretty awkward dance. That doesn't mean it was horrible, but I sure was disappointed. It was a bit hard to watch, and Nikki looked pretty uncomfortable. I'm hoping it's just first-night jitters, because I think Nikki does have potential, but she has to find that really quick.
Score: 5
Night 2:
This was a slight improvement, but it still had a lot of issues. I don't know if the salsa is just not her dance or what, but she seems to have really struggled with it. Unfortunately, she won't get the chance to make another impression on us with a different dance, but I guess that's just how it goes sometimes.
Score: 6

Alexis Ren & Alan Bersten:

Night 1:
I thought this was a great start for Alexis. I wasn't really sure what to expect from her since I'd never heard of her before the cast announcement, but she made a great first impression on me tonight. She was probably my favorite of tonight, as her dance was energetic and fun, in addition to having a lot of great jive aspects. I'm expecting great things from her in the future.
Score: 7
Night 2:
Unlike the judges, I actually didn't like this one any more than her dance on Monday. I didn't like it less, but I also didn't see too much improvement. It was probably just me, but I wanted more from this and I didn't get it.
Score: 7

John Schneider & Emma:

I have to agree with Len on this. That makes me sad to say. But it's true. I thought this was a bit rough, and I didn't really like it all that much. It just felt off, and it was honestly a little boring. I hope he gets a chance to try again, because I think he can improve, but still, not a great first outing.
Score: 5

Tinashe & Brandon:

This was a very solid first dance, made even better by the fact that this is new pro Brandon's first-ever DWTS dance. He did a great job in his first attempt, and Tinashe executed his choreography very well. It wasn't perfect, and there are some issues that need to be resolved, but it's very promising for this pair's future on the show.
Score: 7

Nancy McKeon & Val:

Night 1:
I'm a huge fan of The Facts of Life, so Nancy is the star I was most excited for this season. I wasn't disappointed in what I found to be a thoroughly-enjoyable first dance. I wasn't sure what to expect, since she's one of the older competitors in this season, but she did a solid job this week.
Score: 7
Night 2:
This was a decent improvement on night one, even though I did enjoy Nancy's first dance. It wasn't an excellent dance, but it did its job. I hope to see some more improvement next week.
Score: 7

Grocery Story Joe Amabile & Jenna:

No comment.
Score: 4

DeMarcus Ware & Lindsay:

That's how you close out the night! Though I didn't enjoy this performance as much as the judges, it was undeniably fun, supremely energetic, and it was really a solid first dance. Lindsay may take home the mirrorball for the second year in a row. Just saying...
Score: 7

Wrap-Up:
Night One:
This was an entertaining season opener, but overall I wasn't too thrilled by any of the dances tonight. Sure, there were a lot of solid dances, but nothing really wowed me like in previous seasons. I'm sure that will come with time, but I was hoping for a little more tonight. This was filled with a ton of just-average dances, many of which didn't really leave a mark on me. I'm hoping for a better night of dancing on Tuesday.
Score: 7.5/10
Grade: B-

Night Two:
This was just a pointless episode. 80% filler and only 20% dancing never makes for an entertaining episode of this show, but tonight was especially painful. I actually regret even watching the episode, because I really feel like I wasted my time. I actually ended up skipping through much of this episode, because I was so bored. But at least there were a few solid dances.
Score: 4.5/10
Grade: D-

What did you think of the premiere of Dancing with the Stars? Who was your favorite dancer? Who are you rooting for? Let me know in the comments below!

Dancing With the Stars: Athletes Finale Review

It's hard to believe it's already finale of Dancing With the Stars: Athletes! I know I say that every season, but I literally can not believe it this time. That's mostly because of the moronic decision for this season to only be four weeks long. And with a super-short finale to boot! I could rant forever about my disdain for this poorly-planned season, but let's focus on the dancing, shall we?

Tonya Harding & Sasha Farber:

I've enjoyed watching Tonya's journey this season more than anyone else, because she really has grown. It's pretty strange to say that considering that this season has only lasted four weeks, but I've really noticed a lot of growth here. Her Viennese Waltz was beautiful, but her freestyle was one of the most fun things I've ever seen on DWTS. Watching it was pure joy, and I loved every last second of it. That's the dance of a champion in my eyes.
Score (Viennese Waltz): 9
Score (Freestyle): 10

Josh Norman & Sharna Burgess:

Josh hasn't been my favorite dancer this season, but I can't deny that he's had a lot of great dances. While his Foxtrot was enjoyable, his Freestyle overshadowed it in just about every way. Sharna's choreography was amazing, and Josh executed it perfectly. I'm so impressed and he has officially won me over.
Score (Foxtrot): 9
Score (Freestyle): 10

Adam Rippon & Jenna Johnson:

Adam has dominated the competition so far, so I was expecting a dominating final two performances. Instead, I only got one dominating finale performance. His Jazz dance, while not the night's best (or his personal best, in my opinion), was very strong and very enjoyable. His freestyle was a huge letdown. It wasn't that bad, but I really was unimpressed and so let down by it. It was honestly one of my least favorite freestyles of recent memory, I just didn't really enjoy it. I was left wanted so much more, especially since I know he's capable of so much more. I was expecting an incredible, breathtaking freestyle and I just didn't get it. I wish I did.
Score (Jazz): 10
Score (Freestyle): 8

Superlatives:
Dance of the Night: Tonya & Sasha's Freestyle
Honorable Mention: Josh & Sharna's Freestyle

Rankings for the Week:
1- Tonya & Sasha's Freestyle
2- Josh & Sharna's Freestyle
3- Adam & Jenna's Jazz
4- Tonya & Sasha's Viennese Waltz
5- Josh & Sharna's Foxtrot
6- Adam & Jenna's Freestyle


Wrap-Up:
Well, that was a letdown. There were some great dances, and some not-so-great dances, but the issues with this episode and the season as a whole cut so much deeper than the dancing ability of its stars. The short length of this season left it without any of the traditional DWTS magic. There wasn't a themed week to be found, which is an essential part of the DWTS experience. We also barely even got to meet the stars, and the season is already done. It's absolutely ridiculous. I'm so disappointed with how rushed the season felt, and that all culminated in this barely-existing season finale. With a skimpy one-hour runtime, the finale perfectly illustrated the problems with the season. It was still enjoyable, but there was so much wrong with it. I love a good ole' fashioned DWTS finale, one that features returns from the eliminated contestants and one that gives us enough time to reflect on the season that preceded it.

And all of that disdain I have for the season is before it ended disappointingly. While I can't deny that Adam was a great dancer throughout the season, but I really can't get past him freestyle. I've been pulling for Tonya all season long, and I would have loved to see her pull off the win, because she's been a very consistently strong dancer, even if she hasn't always been the best. But I also think Josh was a more deserving winner, because he also delivered strong dances season-long. I can't say that I'm upset with the result, but I do feel like there were more deserving winners here.

Also, thanks to ABC for only giving DWTS an hour-long finale while the filler-packed American Idol finale got a full two hours. Great choice! Really made for a great DWTS finale!

Score: 6/10
Grade: C-