I really like this show and will watch even if I don’t care about the contestants. This season however, the cast is perfect. I know who they all are, am interested in many of them, and am blown away from the level of dancing right out of the gate. I don’t really get the need to move the judges to the other side of the stage. I don’t think moving the couples to the stage was needed. I believe Tom Bergeron is fantastic as the host, and I think Brooke Burke is not needed and not interesting. Shame when shows think they need to change things, but still, this show is great TV.
I may not blog about it each week because what there is not a lot to say, but I will be watching and tweeting and voting. Here is a breakdown of the cast, my two cents on their opening performance, who I pick to win, and who I think should go home first. Important to note that my 17 year old son does not watch this show, and mocks me when I cry while watching a dancing show, but he was glued to the TV for Bill Nye the Science Guy. Not only did he watch Bill, but he talked about it on social media and all of his friends were watching it too. It will be interesting to see how that plays out.
BRANT DAUGHERTY: I don’t watch his show, but this kid is adorable. When he shared the story of telling his mom he was on the show and she freaked out in Wal-Mart, I fell in love with him a little bit. He started off good, will only get better, but is not popular enough to make it to the end.
LEAH REMINI: Love her. She is funny and cute and there is something about her that I think is charming and relatable. She is quirky and entertaining and actually a good dancer. She will get better, people like her, she will have fancy friends in the audience and wills tick around.
CORBIN BLEU: He is a great guy and I understand his wanting to reboot his career, but he became famous through dance movies that were heavily choreographed, and learning the choreography is part of the challenge, so he has an unfair advantage. He'll be here for a while.
JACK OSBOURNE: What is not to love about this man? I think he is brave and adorable. I love his parents, and I want him to do well here. I was super surprised by his first time out. He is really very good. I cried when Sharon and Ozzy started to cry and I really hope Jack sticks around.
AMBER RILEY: This is a beautiful girl and I think her personality is cute. She is not a trained dancer but the girl can move. She was given 27 out of 30 on her first dance and I just don’t get it. She hardly did anything, so already the judging is not being fair. She’ll be in the finals.
ELIZABETH BERKLEY LAUREN: She looks great having just had a baby, but there is something about her personality that rubs me the wrong way. I don’t get her, am not invested in her, and think she can be the first to go even though she is a good dancer. She won’t stay long.
BILL NYE: I love this guy. When he says there is sexual tension with his partner I was laughing out loud. He is fantastic and while not a great first time out, he is super popular and he is going to stick around. He will get better but it does not matter because he is entertaining regardless.
KEYSHAWN JOHNSON: I thought he was cute, but also rude. He is a little full of himself and while athletes tend to do well here more often than not, I don’t care about him and he can go at any time as far as I’m concerned. He needs to be nicer to his partner and check his ego a little bit.
CHRISTINA MILIAN: She is pretty and I know her more from The Vice than her career, but she is sweet, a good dancer, and once the judges from the Voice stop by she will get better numbers. Not sure she can do it on her own. She gushing over JLo was the highlight of her performance.
BILL ENGVALL: He is funny. If this show were about being funny he could win, but it isn’t, so he will go quickly. Not sure he is popular enough, or good enough, to make it through to the halfway point. That said, he is a regular guy and we like when regular guys do good.
VALERIE HARPER: I cried from the moment she started talking to the moment she took her bow. I love her, think she is fantastic, an icon, and a hero. I want her to be there for as long as she is able. I know it’s about dancing, but it is also a popularity contest, and she is the best to me.
NICOLE SNOOKI POLOZZO: I love this girl. She is funny and cute and her personality has matured, but maintained the humor. She is a great dancer and I found her to be insanely likable here. I pick her to be in the finale and I am rooting for her. Waiting for a fist pump Snooks!
It was a great opening show and I for one am grateful they are only doing one night a week. I loved the dancing, loved that my kid watched part of it with me, loved that there is someone for everyone, and loved that in a sea of reality television crap, there is something truly worth watching. Even with some ridiculous scores from the judges, they are keeping it real.
