‘Dancing With the Stars’ recap: Movie Night and the end for Couture
Movie Night brought lights, cameras and lots of sparkling ballroom action on the third week of “Dancing With the Stars.â€
Actor, comedian and honorary sequin Kevin Hart filled in for an absent Len Goodman as guest judge. Despite his ignorance on anything relating to diaphragms and heel leads, Hart and his positive, infectious sparkle were a natural and welcome fit in this glitterverse, participating in group dances with raucous abandon, presenting each paddle score with rampant enthusiasm (“EIGHTTT!â€) and charming the fringe off his fellow judges, dancers and audience alike.
But now that we’re back to the one-day-a-week format, Movie Night concluded with a not-so-happy ending, as we also had to say goodbye to a shining, glittering star -- former UFC fighter Randy Couture and his pro partner Karina Smirnoff.
Perhaps it was inevitable. The mixed-martial arts fighter had come out of the “DWTS†gate strong but had been on a steady slide since, receiving the lowest scores of the night with his less-than-intense paso doble (this, despite Karina’s attempt to get her star partner to hip thrust with “Rockyâ€-like vigor, saying, “Half the people in that row should get pregnantâ€).
And while Kevin Hart feared the wrath of Randy (“It wasn’t me. I’m your friendâ€), this gentle giant did not get punchy with his KO, instead accepting his elimination with a genuine show of his perfectly capped teeth. “I’m happy,†Randy said graciously. “It’s been a great experience, I put myself out there and did something new.â€
The remaining 11 couples danced to big songs from the big screen. We went back in time. Saw some archery action. An uplifting Pixar piece. And not one but two perfect scores!
Hello, Janel Parrish! The “Pretty Little Liars†actress came out with guns ablazing and all but brought the house down for what Bruno called a “star-making turn†of a jazz extravaganza with Val Chmerkovskiy. But this triumphant number did not come without its drama. Earlier in the week, producers alerted that legal reasons prevented Janel and Val from using any of the iconic “West Side Story†dance moves for their “America†performance. But the American dream is all about reinvention, and Val turned this hurdle into a creative firework spectacular that Janel all but ran away with, to awesome effect. “I felt I was watching a full on Broadway show,†Julianne exclaimed. “Honestly, that wasn’t just a good dance … that was perfecto.†“That was insane,†Carrie Ann said. “You turned that bleep out!†With acclaim like that, of course Janel and Val got not just the first 10 of the season, but 10s across the board. Total: 40 out of 40.
The second perfect 40 of the night went to Bethany Mota and Derek Hough, though this may have been a sentimental honor to Derek’s pitch-perfect homage to idol Gene Kelly more than anything. It was great seeing the pro regard Gene Kelly with so much reverence (need we mention that adorable video of a 4-year-old Derek with his umbrella?), and genuine awe when Gene’s wife Patricia Kelly came to visit during rehearsal. Though as an avowed Gene Kelly (and “Rainâ€) fan myself, I can understand the sentiment riding behind this dance – this routine hit on many levels. “It’s amazing when you pay homage to someone you admire,†Kevin Hart said. “I saw how much respect you have and to bring this dance to justice just now.†“Gene Kelly is smiling on you, kid,†Bruno said. And we got rain in Los Angeles! Hollywood couldn’t have scripted it better. Total: 40.
Tommy Chong took command of Peta Murgatroyd and turned out an effortlessly elegant Argentine tango from “Scent of a Woman†that had everyone saying boo-ya. Peta was in crimson red lipstick, a lacy headpiece, the whole backside was missing from her dress, but she was pretty much putty in Tommy’s hands. Bruno called it “Unforced, languid, sensual.†Carrie Ann likened Tommy’s life experience as being in the presence of Yoda. “It was like enlightening and so ethereal and so authentic.†“That’s how you follow pressure,†Kevin said, before handing Tommy his first 10. “You respond to pressure with poise.†“Peta is a fierce woman, so anybody who can lead that woman is excellent,†Julianne said. “You were flawless.†Fun fact: Peta revealed that was the first time she and Tommy got through the whole routine. Total: 34.
Alfonso Ribeiro wanted to take a page out of Austin Powers’ “Goldmember†with a “Yeah baby!†routine. But the fact that there was no room for shagadelic moves outside the trailers during his and Witney Carson’s quickstep forced the “Fresh Prince of Bel Air†star to work on his frame in hold, and his stamina. Though there was the added treat of Alfonso’s mini me, Anthony, who showcased a winning combination of facial hair and no front teeth. “Mwahhahaha! Dr. Evil is pleased!†Bruno crowed, though he told Alfonso to use his diaphragm to support his shoulder. “I’m gonna use my diaphragm to say you murdered that, brother,†Kevin Hart said. “You don’t put a black man in a velvet suit and tell him to dance, [but] you did it amazingly.†Total: 32.
Sadie Robertson and Mark Ballas needed a lift after getting a critical drubbing from last week’s odd duck of a country jazz routine. And they got it with balloons in a perfectly charming and “darn sweet†Viennese waltz to the theme song from Disney/Pixar’s “Up.†Carrie Ann called it “so sweet and so pristine†and her “favorite dance†so far that night. Julianne praised square-framed Mark’s uplifting choreography. “I’m right up there with you up in the clouds,†Bruno praised. “Totally and utterly charmed.†Total: 32.
Jonathan Bennett and Allison Holker rebounded from their too-edgy cha-cha with a deliciously moody tango set to “Back to Black†from Baz Lurhmann’s “The Great Gatsby.†The routine nailed what Bruno called the “intense melancholy†of Daisy and Gatsby’s story to terrific, absorbing effect. Kevin loved the fact that they owned the song: “I was wrapped into the moment.†Julianne said Jonathan needed to work on his frame a bit (which sent the “Mean Girls†actor down a spiral of “elbow-hatredâ€) but said “You guys are awesome together.†Total: 32.
Lea Thompson went “Back to the Future†with Artem Chigvintsev to try and retain their Week 2 lead with a “Power of Love†cha cha. And the entrance to the movie’s prom (Enchantment Under the Sea lives!) in the DeLorean was very cute, though Lea and Artem suffered a small hand slip midway through the routine. Kevin Hart felt “like it was prom all over again.†Julianne and Bruno loved Lea’s versatility, but Carrie Ann thought this ride did not have the 1.21 gigawatts to take the actress and her pro partner to the next level, saying Lea was “very uncertain on your feet†and “your head was a little too far forward.†“Lorraine McFly is my favorite character, so it was really fun to revisit her in a cha cha skirt,†Lea said. Total: 31.
Betsey Johnson built on the “miracle I needed from the week before†in her contemporary “Ghost†dance with Tony Dovolani. While the fashion designer described it as “the skydiving I never wanted to do†she played the role of Demi Moore pining after her long lost Patrick Swayze perfectly. And the Gem and the Hologram routine was a box-office hit with the studio audience. Carrie Ann said at times Betsey’s “beautiful extensions†was pro quality. “You have courage beyond believe, but you do have to point your toes a little bit more.†For Kevin Hart, the routine was out of this world, “You tell that 21-year-old girl I saw just now I have the hots for her,†he said, before saying she “dropped it like it’s hot†and gave her a resounding 9. (Julianne quickly flipped it and “dropped it like it was cold†with a 6 paddle.) Total: 29.
Antonio Sabato Jr. dug out his Walkman for a “Guardians of the Galaxy†foxtrot to “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.†But Cheryl Burke had no idea what a Walkman is! Is she that young? Am I that old? No matter: The Walkman barely figured into the classy, charming dance, though the marshmallow of a feather skirt that threatened to consume Cheryl’s legs and take over the routine entirely. Bruno liked how dimples Sabato “turned on the fun factor†but directed him to “lift and turn from the waist.†Kevin thought Antonio was “killing that tux.†In the most unintentionally salacious quote of the night, Carrie Ann said “you are stiff in places that are a little strange.†Total: 29.
Michael Waltrip was a little bummed last week with his low-scoring bikini bust. Though he’s clearly winning over votes with his earnest wish to better his ballroom. He’s given up watching football with his buddies for dance practice, for Pete’s sake! And the 51-year-old NASCAR driver and Emma Slater finally got some traction on the dance floor with their winning waltz to “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You†from “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.†(Wherefore art thou, Bryan Adams?) This, despite a distractingly pointy hat that threatened to suck out all the solemnity of the routine. “That was your best dance ever,†Julianne exulted. “That was so technical, and the heel leads, everything, your extension, your lines.†Carrie Ann said that while Michael was not at the technical level as some of the other dancers, “I was totally pulled into your world.†Total: 28.
What did you think, ballroom fans? Was Movie Night a box office hit? Sad to see Randy go? Will Michael Waltrip’s fans give him another green light into Week 4?
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