Dancing with the Stars 2, February 17: Down to the Wire

Thursday evening on Dancing with the Stars, Cheryl and Drew tied with Stacy and Tony for first place, and Anna and Jerry found themselves in last place. (Hey, this is almost identical to the previous week’s results!) Also on Thursday night, the Reality TV Hall of Shame inducted Master P for the way he acted on the show and his total lack of commitment to it. But now it’s time to move on from that, as another couple will be eliminated as we prepare for the finale.

Before we jump into the action, let’s talk about the power of this program. During the 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM hour last Thursday, Dancing with the Stars pulled in approximately 20 million viewers, which was slightly more than the 18.8 million viewers that Survivor: Panama – Exile Island attracted (according to USA Today). Hooray! It’s encouraging to know that people are still watching the show despite its extended format this season.

The show begins with the requisite welcome from Tom and Samantha. We then jump into a review of last night’s drama:

• Carrie Ann doesn’t understand why Stacy and Tony made angry faces during their second performance. Stacy tells us that Carrie Ann has had it in for her since the start of the competition. My eyes roll to the back of my head. (Side note: I was talking to several other viewers today and they made an excellent point about Stacy and Tony’s argument that the song’s lyrics dictated the angry face. In their opinion, the song is not angry, but rather inspirational and encouraging. There is life after a failed romance and sometimes, the person we have spent time crying over isn’t worth it. The woman in the song has finally come to that conclusion and can now breathe. Feel free to discuss.)
• Len didn’t like Cheryl and Drew’s rumba. In the confessional, Cheryl says it was full of passion. Drew explains that there are little blue pills Len can take to help with passion.
• Lisa has more in her, so she isn’t ready to go yet.
• Len tells Jerry that he is the worst of the remaining dancers. Jerry says he has already won since he gives the performances his all.

Whew!

Tom then reviews the current standings:

Next, Cheryl and Drew perform their rumba from the evening before as the encore dance; Tom says it is dedicated to Len. I still think their performance is romantic, although at times, the look on Drew’s face is extremely intense. Tom points out that they are getting a standing ovation… being led by Len.

Samantha speaks with the other couples backstage and we watch clips of their dances from the previous evening. She asks Stacy how she’s going to take more risks as Carrie Ann advised. Tony answers that he has some tricks up his sleeve. Next, she asks Lisa about how hard it is to go through the eliminations each week. Lisa says it’s hard every week and thanks the fans for keeping her in the competition for this long. Samantha then talks to Jerry about some of the comments that were made last night. In true form, he says that he still has love for the judges.

Heaven help me. I just realized that Louis has grown on me. He’s so cute… like a doll. I now feel so vulnerable.

Michael Bublé is set to sing "Moondance" while Andrea Hale and Nick Kosovich perform. It’s nice to see them dance since neither one remained in the competition for very long. Their performance is elegant and classy.

We now see clips of the judges giving their opinions of the stars. I’ll cut to the chase and provide you with the highlights:

• Len loves that Drew gives 100%, but sometimes, his techniques fail. Bruno feels his footwork is always on and sharp. Carrie Ann says that he doesn’t always finish his moves.
• Len feels that Stacy is a natural. Bruno thinks her legs are amazing. Carrie Ann says she doesn’t communicate with the audience.
• Len thinks that Jerry looks like a dancer. Carrie Ann says that he brings his football attitude to the competition (hardworking, dedicated, etc.). Bruno explains that Jerry has to work his feet more.
• Len says that Lisa has to keep her momentum going. Carrie Ann says that because she goes so far, she makes herself vulnerable. Bruno feels that Lisa is the most improved (and she may have a chance at a goober).