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).

Back at the live show, the judges explain who impressed them the most the previous evening. Carrie Ann says that Drew is her pick; she saw different sides of him. Len talks about Jerry’s football days and gives him props for what he has done on the dance floor. Bruno selects Lisa as the dancer who wowed him.

Hold on to your butts, friends; Tom is going to perform the quickstep with Ashly. We see clips of them practicing and of course, Tom jokes the whole time. He explains though that he’s taking this very seriously; he respects what the professionals and celebrities do. Ashly can’t believe he chose the quickstep.

As the performance begins, it’s obvious that it is going to be comical. Don’t worry though; it’s supposed to be. Ashly looks stunning in a red gown and Tom actually does a decent job. His feet seem a bit heavy, but hey… he’s only been practicing for three weeks.

After the performance, Tom mentions that Samantha is in training and will perform at the finale. I’m starting to think I could get a gig on this show.

It’s now time for Michael to sing “Save the Last Dance for Me” as Edyta Sliwinska and Alec Mazo dance. They perform some incredible moves and even use a hat as a prop. George lives on! The cameraman shows a close-up of Edyta’s shoes and I think of how amazing it is that these women can dance in heels; I can’t even walk in my bare feet without falling.

Next, clips of the stars’ families and friends are shown. Of course, nobody can believe that the stars wanted to do this. Drew’s wife Lea says that he TiVos the show so that he can re-watch his performances. Jackie Rice says that her husband will take her hand in the kitchen and dance with her; it has added oomph to their marriage. Prrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Despite being nervous initially, Harry Hamlin calms down after his wife Lisa begins to dance. Hulk Hogan is pleased with what Stacy has done. Her parents also talk about how proud they are of her and her dad chokes up. Awwwww.

At 8:50 PM, it’s finally time to reveal two couples that are moving on to the finale. The first couple is… Cheryl and Drew. As you might expect, they are thrilled.

The next couple is… Anna and Jerry. Whoa! My jaw just hit the floor. They are blown away by the news. I love the guy, but I have to say I’m surprised. Wait… no I’m not. Len probably guaranteed quite a few votes for Jerry last night when he was blatantly rude to him. I just hope that Jerry steps it up and shows that he deserves this.

Lisa looks like she knows it is the end for her and Louis. I have a feeling she’s right.

After a break, it’s time to announce who has been eliminated from the competition. The couple that is out this evening is… Lisa and Louis. That means Stacy and Tony are advancing. Lisa and Louis embrace and look downright crushed.

Lisa tells us that she has had the most amazing experience. Tom wants to make her cry some more, so clips of her “journey” are shown. We see the judges praising her and Louis talking about how wonderful she is. He then says he will miss dancing with her and that she is his favorite student. While this is going on, we can see a live shot of her in the corner of the screen; she begins to cry as she listens to Louis. She then hugs him and he starts to cry too. Tom then asks what they mean to each other. She says that Louis is her soul mate. He says that he can’t speak.

Tom then tells the couple to prepare for their last televised dance. I think he uses the word “televised” because anyone who has watched the two of them know they have developed a friendship that will last forever and that they will certainly dance again in the future.

As the show comes to an end, Tom mentions that while the final performance show is still on Thursday, the big finale is on Sunday, February 26. Mark your calendars.

Lisa and Louis dance while the others join them. As you can imagine, there are a lot of hugs and tears… and that’s just in my house between Yoko and me. I haven’t cried like this over reality TV since Andy asked Shannon to marry him on Temptation Island. Good times.

No matter what, Lisa should continue dancing. She loved it and it loved her. I’m heartbroken for her though. She was passionate about the competition and threw herself into it 100%. I hope she knows what an impact she has had on viewers. She was a complete joy to watch and her appreciation for dance was beautiful.

The stage is set for the finale. How will you be celebrating this momentous event? Drop me a note to let me know if your plans include goobers or trifles. In any case, tune in next week for the final dance-off and results show, and the always-yummy recap at RealityNewsOnline.

Jill is an east coast mama who loves sharks, zombie movies, and reality television. She welcomes your comments about these and other subjects, and can be reached at jilljones@verizon.net.

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