Dancing With the Stars surprises with a double elimination

It’s only the second week for the current season of Dancing With the Stars, and the surprise host Tom Bergeron hinted at last week turned out not to be a pleasant one. Perhaps the surprise could have been that no one was going home after the first week, but noooooo! The surprise was the season’s first (and only?) double elimination. We hadn’t planned on doing a full post again this week, but something this major shook us all up so we had to discuss.

CHUCK: So, a double elimination?!?! Wow, way to shake everyone up before their second dance of the season. I thought it was a particularly cruel way to kick things off.

KIM: I almost spit my drink out when they said there was going to be a double elimination. I thought for sure they were going to say everyone was safe this week. And the Switch-Up is happening in two weeks? This is going to be a cruel season for sure.

CHUCK: Well at least they had the courtesy to break up the eliminations throughout the show instead of making everyone wait till the end. Drew & Cheryl got the news that they were safe right off the bat and then immediately had to dance. I don’t know how Drew even pulled that off, scoring a 21 for his Jive which was fun to watch but his kicks weren’t very sharp.

KIM: I think they should go back to the two-night format personally. It was better when everyone was relaxed and got to dance and ask for votes on night one, followed by the eliminations on night two. I didn’t mind all the “filler” material necessary to fill both shows. It seems like they keep running out of time and rattling everyone with this format. It sometimes makes it more painful to watch.

CHUCK: I also enjoyed the Results shows, because they were almost like old-time variety shows, minus the comedy skits. More dancing is not a bad thing, but at least the Macy’s Stars of Dance is coming back! Of course, the biggest shock of the night came when Tom announced that Billy Dee & Emma were safe! What?! The lowest judges scores and once again the fans keep someone around who really shouldn’t be there. This is really the one aspect of the show that I dislike. It’s a dance competition, Len even said the point was to do better and get better scores each week, but then the fans vote on someone just because they like them and someone who has potential to move forward and grow goes home.

KIM: I’m starting to agree with you on that, Chuck. Billy Dee looked so happy and relieved to still be there, but I really think (and hope) he’ll go home next week.

CHUCK: And, let’s face it, after Billy Dee’s, ahem, dance this week (which included two more female partners to distract everyone from his listlessness) he ended up with the same exact score as last week, 15, and in last place again. Please, for the love of all that’s decent, don’t keep voting for this man just because he’s Lando Calrissian!

KIM: These are not the dance droids you’re looking for. I’d rather see him exit before anyone else at this point. He seems like a really nice guy, but he just can’t compete at the same level as everyone else.

CHUCK: The next three couples to dance were Amy & Derek, Candace & Mark and Diana & Henry, but Diana & Henry were eliminated right then and there before anyone else danced. It was nice to see them get to do their last dance (and I do believe the viewers made the right choice with this one after seeing that dance), but you have to wonder if the shock of the elimination shook up the other two couples. I’m sure they were relieved, but you have to be rattled after seeing someone standing right next to you told they’re out of the competition.

KIM:  I felt bad for the way they told Diana & Henry they were going home – at least they gave them the option of dancing their dance they’d worked so hard on. If the others were rattled, I couldn’t tell by the way they danced. Candace & Mark’s dance gave me actual goosebumps. I was disappointed in their scores, but I’m not an expert on the technicalities. Amy and Derek were phenomenal as always. If there’s one couple I don’t want to see switched up, it’s definitely those two. I am so anti the Switch-Up, I don’t think I’m going to nominate anybody on Twitter.

CHUCK: I think the Switch-Up will be particularly bad for Amy because she has such specific needs. I’m definitely not participating in that voting. So the other safe couples for the week at this point are

• Danica and Val, whose steamy Samba earned tham a 24.
• Meryl & Maks, who earned a 25 for their energetic Swing Dance.
• Candace & Mark, who did a very un-romantic, too Contemporary Rumba and scored 21.
• Amy & Derek, who did an amazing swing dance that made Tom Bergeron nervous (after Amy kept saying her legs could fly off) and scored a 24 (and after all the glowing comments, should have gotten a 27).
• James & Peta, who scored a 25 mainly for his physique than his Salsa moves which were lacking.
• Charlie & Sharna, who did an amazing, powerful, sharp Tango, but only scored 25 because Len deducted probably two points for the break in the hold.

I have to say my favorite of this group for the men is Charlie. He nailed his Tango, got the emotion down with some help from Maks and even with the break in the hold, he should go very far in the competition. For the women, it’s a toss-up right now between Danica, Amy and Meryl. They’re all been stupendous both weeks and were within a point of each other this week. Who do you like from this group?

KIM: My heart still only beats for Charlie (haha). He is just so adorable in a curly-haired Hobbit kind of way and he is miles above the other male competitors in terms of natural dance talent and charisma. The women are really throwing me for a loop. I love Danica, Amy, Meryl and Candace. I’m having trouble deciding who is best, and I’m also having trouble casting my votes so far this season because I want to vote for everybody! If I have to pick just one, I’m probably Team Amy.