(DWTS logo from wdtvpress.com)
Each week, Watermark writer Kirk Hartlage provides a recap of the latest episode of “Dancing With The Stars.” If you missed last week’s recap, go here.
Poor ABC.
The Alphabet Network lost whatever drama they’d manufactured for what was to be tonight’s Double Elimination night on “Dancing With The Stars” when Jeannie Mai announced Nov. 2 she’d be leaving the show. The host of “The Real” and “Holey Moley” was diagnosed with an inflammatory condition of the throat that can cause swelling to the lungs. In a post-surgery video, Jeannie’s doctor tells her that had she waited one more day, her throat would have closed, cutting off her ability to breathe. Thankfully, the doctor also assures her that she’s out of danger. Unfortunately, the personal health set-back has caused her to withdraw from the competition.
Now down to eight couples, tonight we’ll see only one couple sent home.
We start with a pre-taped intro featuring the competition’s remaining stars encouraging viewers to vote in the national election. Chrishell Stause gets saddled with the unfortunate task of making the bit humorous by imploring fans to vote in the election AND to vote for her on the show, but more of the latter. By night’s end, we’ll see if Chrishell’s plea works in her favor or not. (Spoiler Alert – It does not.)
Standing out tonight is not just what host Tyra Banks has chosen to wear, but for how long. As has become her custom she wears a total of two dresses on this evening’s show, and both are a solid yellow, because … non-partisan?
Somewhere, a roll of toilet paper sitting atop the back of some grandmother’s toilet tank is missing it’s covering because it’s been appropriated to serve as Tyra’s first outfit tonight. A closer view at the dress’ top also resembles fanned-out uncooked angel hair pasta when it’s first placed into a pot of boiling water. It also appears to be a wardrobe malfunction bound to happen, which may be why Tyra wears the dress for less than four minutes. By the time the night’s first couple has danced, Tyra has already changed into her second outfit, a fluorescent yellow highlighter-hued explosion of tulle.
ABOVE: By the time you’ve looked at both of these pictures and read this caption, host Tyra Banks will already have changed into her second outfit of the evening.
Like Tyra, tonight’s couples will also need to be ready for a quick change of their own as each will perform two dances by the show’s end.
Speaking of dancing, let’s get to it!
• Kaitlyn Bristowe’s dances the last few weeks have all been a bit lackluster; sadly, tonight is not much different. Her Jive with Artem Chigvintsev is spirited enough, but she certainly looks as if she’s ready for all of this to be over with. Maybe she’s disappointed she’s not the brightest Bachelorette in ABC’s universe right now, thanks to the drama provided by Clare Crawley, who’s in the Bachelor Nation spotlight for all the wrong reasons this season. (Seriously, WTF is going on over there? Did Clare have a pre-existing relationship with Dale? Was that game of Strip Dodgeball solely her idea? Tune in Thursday this week to find out!)
• Nev Schulman performs a slightly choppy Viennese Waltz with Jenna Johnson to “Stuck with U” by Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber. The song selection doesn’t do the dance style any favors with its R&B undertones. Overall, the music used so far this season has certainly skewed “newer” and “fresher,”all chosen no doubt to appeal to a younger audience. Nev and Jenna’s waltz is adequate enough to certainly see them through to next week.
• It’s another Latin dance for Justina Machado and Sasha Farber! While the actress does well enough in traditional ballroom styles, it’s the Latin disciplines where she truly shines. Her Samba to the Sergio Mendes classic “Magalenha” is dedicated to her “One Day At A Time” co-star Rita Moreno. (Seriously, if you haven’t yet caught this Latinx reboot, do it!Ándale!)Though it’s a slightly downtempo dance, it’s also a joyful, active, and exhausting one. Despite his being a pro, it’s intriguing – and borderline man-splaining – to hear Derek Hough, a white Mormon from Utah, explain how dancing to “Magalenha” is “sacred to the Latin community.”
• If Kaitlyn appeared as if she was seemingly done with her time spent on “DWTS,” rapper Nelly looks even less interested in carrying on with the competition. His ho-hum and near-motionless Rumba with partner Daniella Karagach provides scores that put him in last place.
• Chrishell Stause is one of the most beautiful women to ever grace the “DWTS” dance floor. And props to partner Gleb Savchenko who’s done a fantastic job of choreographing routines that highlight her strengths, even if tonight that includes using the actress at one point as a Swiffer. Tonight’s Viennese Waltz to “Love on the Brain” by Rihanna displays the couple’s chemistry – no one portrays passion quite like a seasoned soap opera actress.
ABOVE: Chrishell Stause wonders at the beginning and end of her routine if she should have let “DWTS” producers talk her into taking the comedy role in tonight’s show-opening “Vote” montage.
• Pro Alan Bersten has taken at least some of the lyrics to heart in choreographing a Salsa to Missy Elliott’s “Work It.” He indeed puts his thing down, flips it, and reverses it – and that thing is partner Skai Jackson, as he lifts her off the floor no less than half a dozen times during their routine. The song has a memorable late-night BET down-and-dirty groove to it, usingonomatopoeia such as “ra-ta-ta-ta” and “buboomp buboomp boomp” to refer to sexual bodily moves. (Thanks Wikipedia.) The couple instead opt for an early-evening Disney Channel family-friendly fun vibe, which includes full-teeth-bared smiling throughout their performance.But no matter the dance, the style, or the music, I’m sure in the end Shai will turn out to be just fine. Those child-star actors always do.
• Johnny Weir is as eager to Foxtrot to a Shawn Mendes song as he is to Foxtrot with Shawn Mendes. That won’t be happening tonight, at least, as the former pro skater is partnered with pro dancer Britt Stewart. The couple have developed one of the closest bonds ever in Johnny’s life, he says, and their partnership translates well to the dance floor. His sleeveless tux jacket and high-water pants work both for and against his extensions, showcasing elegant arm placements but also highlighting broken leg lines.
• During rehearsals AJ McClean and Cheryl Burke bond over their shared sobriety. Though their Rumba means to tell that story, something gets lost a bit in translation along the way. Still, Derek gives AJ props for doing a routine that was just for him, and this was it.
What’s meant to be a game-changing second dance for the night, the so-called “Relay Round,” instead becomes an excuse to not-so-randomly award additional points to the stronger couples and minimal bonus points to those who are lacking. (Insert your own political joke here.) The couples have been divided into three groups of three (pre-Jeannie withdraw) and each group will perform the same style, one couple after the other. What should have been ranked scores awarded within each group gives way to arbitrarily assigned bonuses of either two or three points. For this new mini-competition within the competition, we award “DWTS” a zero.
With judges’ scores and Relay Round bonuses factored in, Nelly is in last place, three points behind the next closest competitor, Chrishell. Nelly must have quite the fan base as viewer votes save him from the bottom two. When his is the first name called as “safe” to return, you could almost hear the rapper’s sigh of exhaustion and desperation through the TV.
Instead Chrishell and Skai are up for elimination, and in a 3-0 vote, Chrishell is sent home.
Next week is “Icons Night,” which means the couples will perform routines inspired by some of the biggest names in music. Tyra adds that both she and the judges will be dressed as different icons as well and she can’t wait for us to see it. The former Top Model has already channeled Whitney Houston and Tina Turner in various outfits this season. Who do we think she’ll represent?
Tune in next Monday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC or check back here the following day to find out!
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