‘Dancing with the Stars’ Oscars Night recap: Who was award-worthy, and who was sent home in double elimination? [Updating Live Blog]
“Dancing with the Stars” continues season 33 tonight with a celebration of the best that cinema has to offer: “Oscars Night.” The second week of competition will include a wide variety of dances including paso doble, rumba, foxtrot, and waltz. And the films being celebrated range from “Superman” to “The Godfather” to “Barbie.” Check out the complete list of songs and dance styles here, and scroll down for our live blog with all the minute-by-minute developments and commentary throughout the night.
The couples dancing are Super Bowl champion Danny Amendola and pro Witney Carson, convicted felon Anna Delvey and pro Ezra Sosa, “The Bachelor” star Joey Graziadei and pro Jenna Johnson, NBA champion Dwight Howard and pro Daniella Karagach, TV star Chandler Kinney and pro Brandon Armstrong, Olympic rugby player Ilona Maher and pro Alan Bersten, model Brooks Nader and pro Gleb Savchenko, Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik and pro Rylee Arnold, reality star Phaedra Parks and pro Val Chmerkovskiy, actor Eric Roberts and pro Britt Stewart, “90210” actress Tori Spelling and pro Pasha Pashkov, “The Bachelorette” star Jenn Tran and pro Sasha Farber, and actor Reginald VelJohnson and pro Emma Slater.
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All 13 couples are back following the season premiere, where there was no elimination. That means, however, that tonight’s episode will end in a double elimination. To decide that result, “DWTS” will combine the judges’ scores and viewer votes from both nights of competition. That might be good news for Chandler and Dwight, who got the highest scores during the premiere, while Eric and Reginald will need to fight their way up the leaderboard after getting the lowest scores on premiere night. Follow along below to find out what happens (times listed are Eastern).
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Jeffrey Kare, 8:00pm — Very classy how it’s beginning like an Oscars red carpet show.
Cordell Martin, 8:01pm — Here we go!
Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber (Tango)
Daniel Montgomery, 8:03pm — I was worried Reginald would have to go first since they introduced him first at the start of the show. Jenn should survive the night being the first up to bat.
JUDGES — Carrie Ann Inaba thought she was a surprise, and she coped well with a music problem. Derek Hough thought she owned the stage, but she needs to watch her shoulders. Bruno Tonioli thought she was a “mischievous little kitten.” The parts that were good were “brilliant.”
DM, 8:09pm — Coulda been a little sharper and more refined, but I think she improved from week to week and the sky’s the limit
JK, 8:09pm — I’m already starting to see growth from her.
CM, 8:09pm — Yeah she was a lot more confident this week. Still needs some fine tuning but a step in the right direction. I’ll be fine with three 7’s
SCORES — Carrie Ann (6), Derek (6), Bruno (7) = 19 out of 30
DM, 8:10pm — Same score as last week, total of 38 for the two weeks.
Eric Roberts and Britt Stewart (Waltz)
DM, 8:15pm — Moving from “The Great Gatsby” to “The Godfather.” Britt takes Eric to the “Godfather” exhibit at the Academy Museum and shows him the moment he was at the Oscars as a nominee for “Runaway Train.” It’s a lovely moment between them, but we don’t actually see any of his training for the dance. Fingers crossed.
JK, 8:16pm — That must’ve been a nice trip down memory lane for him.
JUDGES — Derek loved that it was simple and smooth. He had good arm movements, despite some mistakes in the footsteps. Bruno thought he had the gravitas and presence and he tried more content, but he made mistakes and needed more rotation. Carrie Ann had a tough time scoring it. She saw improvement, but she knows what chronic pain is like.
DM, 8:19pm — Definitely better at waltz than he was last week, still kinda stiff with limited range of motion.
JK, 8:19pm — Well, being an Oscar nominee who’s related to an Oscar winner doesn’t make him qualified to pull off a decent dance for Oscar night.
CM, 8:19pm — I agree Daniel! Still a little rough around the edges, but I give him props for putting in the effort.
SCORES — Carrie Ann (6), Derek (4), Bruno (5) = 15 out of 30
JK, 8:21pm — Oof! Quite a score.
CM, 8:21pm — Wow.
DM, 8:21pm — That 4 was rough, I thought he shoulda gotten a 5 at least.
CM, 8:21pm — Well we know who Derek wants out lol
Danny Amendola and Witney Carson (Jive)
DM, 8:22pm — He has real potential to be a top contender this season.
JUDGES — Bruno thought he was off like a jet fighter. There was a little turbulence, but he handled it well and he landed splendidly. Carrie Ann thought there was a lot of growth from last week. There are a few tiny issues, but it was “on fire.” Derek thought it was a difficult routine, but his arms were flailing around a little bit.
DM, 8:24pm — Danny was really good with that jive. Good flicks and kicks! Not perfect, but solid.
JK, 8:25pm — They really showed some skills.
CM, 8:25pm — Solid performance. Danny could be a darkhorse this season.
SCORES — Carrie Ann (7), Derek (7), Bruno (7) = 21 out of 30
CM, 8:27pm — Wow not bad.
CM, 8:28pm — My favorite person is up next LOL
Anna Delvey and Ezra Sosa (Quickstep)
DM, 8:29pm — “The Devil Wears Prada” is up next. My expectations are low. Julia Fox gives her some moral support, saying that if she were your sister you’d want to give her a second chance too. Okay, but there’s a difference between a second chance and a national television gig.
JUDGES — Carrie Ann feels like Anna is holding back still and she needs to embrace the experience more. She has beautiful lines. Derek wants her to keep the elbows up and improve the energy, but she has beautiful turns. Bruno thought it was a proper, classic, elegant dance, but she needs to believe in herself.
DM, 8:34pm — When she actually danced, she wasn’t bad, but she seemed so hesitant to move. She was best in hold when she had no choice but to keep up with Ezra.
JK, 8:34pm — Better than last week,….but it still felt like Ezra was upstaging her.
CM, 8:34pm — I need her to let loose but I feel that it may be too late.
SCORES — Carrie Ann (6), Derek (5), Bruno (6) = 17 out of 30
DM, 8:36pm — Derek is being as tough tonight as he should have been last week.
CM, 8:36pm — She’s done.
JK, 8:36pm — I’ll be shocked if she isn’t eliminated tonight.
Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong (Rumba)
DM, 8:39pm — Ringer time! She’s the standard for this season. No one could really touch her last week.
JUDGES — Derek says she was made for dancing, beautiful arms and footwork, but she shouldn’t keep her hand so high in turns. Bruno says she made it look easy. Carrie Ann thought she created moments that touched us all. But she could partner better with Brandon.
CM, 8:41pm — My girl Chandler! Wow.
DM, 8:43pm — If she gave that performance in like week six that would get straight 10s.
JK, 8:43pm — To quote another “Barbie” song, they could just “Dance the Night Away!”
CM, 8:43pm — That was beautiful.
SCORES — Carrie Ann (8), Derek (8), Bruno (8) = 24 out of 30
CM, 8:45pm — Yes!
Reginald VelJohnson and Emma Slater (Paso Doble)
DM, 8:48pm — I’m scared for the guy trying to do a paso doble. There’s a lot of movement needed and steps needed. But at least he gets to relive some of his cherished “Die Hard” memories. Get it, dude!
JUDGES — Bruno thought he has started to defrost, but he needed to cover more space and propel his hips, though he’s “getting there.” Carrie Ann thinks he’s “baby stepping” his way to improvement. Derek calls him an American treasure, and it was “well done.”
DM, 8:51pm — God bless him, he definitely moved more than last week. Not great, but this time an A for effort.
JK, 8:52pm — You can tell how much he really wanted to dedicate this to Bruce Willis.
CM, 8:52pm — Bless his heart lol. At least he moved around this week.
DM, 8:53pm — I don’t think he deserves better than 5s, but I really appreciated his effort.
CM, 8:53pm — I’m thinking one 4 and two 5s.
SCORES — Carrie Ann (6), Derek (4), Bruno (5) = 16 out of 30
JK, 8:56pm — Different from what I expected.
Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold (Paso Doble)
DM, 8:57pm — He needs to be a lot more precise and intense than he was last week. Let’s see how versatile he is.
JUDGES — Carrie Ann thought it was golden, and he has huge likability factor, he has some shaping issues, but his lines and extensions are full-out. Derek thinks he’s charming, but he needs to get the hips forward, shoulders down, but h loved it. Bruno thinks he has a lot of energy but needs to learn how to control it, he needs finesse and refinement.
DM, 9:01pm — A little wobbly in places, but he really nailed some of those moments, and he captured the character of the dance.
JK, 9:01pm — OK, from the quick change to the dance itself, everything about it was so KICK ASS!
CM, 9:01pm — That was a fun routine. I agree sometimes he gets ahead of himself, but I love it.
SCORES — Carrie Ann (8), Derek (7), Bruno (7) = 22 out of 30
Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson (Rumba)
DM, 9:03pm — I really want to see a “Bachelor” be worth having on the show. But he has trouble getting into the sensuality with someone he’s not in a relationship with.
JUDGES — Derek thought he was a leading man with Jenna, he filled the space beautifully, but he needs to watch his arm placement. Bruno thought he dug deep, and truly led the dance, which is tough to do for a man in a rumba. But he needs his hips to be in a figure eight instead of side to side. Carrie Ann inaba was mesmerized.
DM, 9:07pm — Best “Bachelor” ever? Quite possibly. He did that rumba justice, especially having to follow Chandler’s.
CM, 9:07pm — C’mon Joey
JK, 9:07pm — He’s quickly coming into his own.
CM, 9:07pm — That was good. Such a natural.
SCORES — Carrie Ann (8), Derek (7), Bruno (7) = 22 out of 30
DM, 9:08pm — Hmmm, another tie with Stephen. Rivalry brewing? Haha
Phaedra Parks and Val Chmerkovskiy (Foxtrot)
DM, 9:12pm — She did a solid job in week one, and Val is a good teacher. He’s stricter with her this week when it comes to refining her movements.
JUDGES — Bruno thinks this dream girl is here to stay. She took the notes from the judges and brought more control and presence. Carrie Ann was touched by the dance, she can channel her emotions when she daces. Derek can’t help but smile when he watched her, she oozes sensuality.
DM, 9:15pm — That fox coulda used a little more trot. But she was solid in what she did.
CM, 9:16pm — That was cute. I love that she went for it.
JK, 9:16pm — Remarkable!
SCORES — Carrie Ann (7), Derek (7), Bruno (7) = 21 out of 30
CM, 9:17pm — I love Phaedra lol
DM, 9:18pm — She’s not wrong, though. For someone to win, gotta get rid of some folks haha
Tori Spelling and Pasha Pashkov (Rumba)
DM, 9:21pm — I’m worried for Tori. She’s doing the same dance as a couple of stronger dancers, and I don’t think she deserves to go home so soon, but she might get lost in the shuffle.
JUDGES — Carrie Ann could see her take a risk and open her heart, but she needs to refine. Derek loved seeing her enjoy the moment, but she needs to balance strength and fluidity better. Bruno could see she was totally into it, and she let herself go. She captured the spirit, but there were some technical issues.
DM, 9:24pm — I thought Tori did an okay job, still a little awkward out there, but I don’t think she deserves to go home so soon.
JK, 9:24pm — Eh, middle of the road at best.
CM, 9:24pm — Eh it was okay. A bit hectic.
SCORES — Carrie Ann (7), Derek (6), Bruno (6) = 19 out of 30
CM, 9:26pm — 7!
DM, 9:26pm — Yeah, that 7 was generous. Should have been straight 6s probably.
JK, 9:26pm — I agree.
Dwight Howard and Daniella Karagach (Foxtrot)
DM, 9:29pm — Another routine I’m fascinated to see. This will be Dwight’s first dance in hold. She’s going to get a little creative, but she hopes the judges don’t take points off for how she manages their height difference.
JUDGES — Derek was blown away by how smooth the waltz was, and their frame was pretty good, but they were a little out of sync and he needs to not stick out his bum. Bruno thought it was graceful. He needs to watch his footwork, though. Carrie Ann thought the dance made the impossible possible. But she’d like to see them experiment with different ways of handling dances in hold.
DM, 9:33pm — Wow, Dwight did the thing. Daniella is the GOAT
JK, 9:33pm — Absolutely stunning!
CM, 9:33pm — Wow! So smooth and impressive. Three 7’s
SCORES — Carrie Ann (8), Derek (7), Bruno (7) = 22 out of 30
CM, 9:36pm — Joey, Chandler, Dwight and Stephen are shaping up to be a strong final four. With Danny and Phaedra as potential spoilers.
Brooks Nader and Gleb Savchenko (Quickstep)
DM, 9:38pm — More showmance nonsense in the clip package. This is week two, guys. Are we gonna have to put up with this all season?
JUDGES — Bruno thought it was “so good” in hold, light-footed. But she went wrong in the beginning when they were messing about. Carrie Ann thinks she has the facility, and she’s a beautiful dancer, but she tends to rush. Derek thinks she has all the ingredients that need more time baking in the oven. Gleb made a mistake putting her in tango hold for a quickstep.
DM, 9:43pm — That was really really impressive
JK, 9:43pm — Perfectly matched the energy of that song.
CM, 9:43pm — Okay Brooks! That’s how you make a presence
SCORES — Carrie Ann (7), Derek (6), Bruno (7) = 20 out of 30
Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten (Salsa)
DM, 9:47pm — Final dance of the night, and they gave the closing slot to Ilona. I hope the salsa gives her an opportunity to loosen up and really open up on the dance floor.
JUDGES — Carrie Ann thinks that will be talked about for years to come. Derek felt her confidence and her personality, and she had good hip action. Bruno thought the footwork was light and the hip action was good, but she needs to watch the landing on those lifts.
DM, 9:50pm — I kinda loved that salsa. Loved that they both lifted each other. She was much looser and freer than last week.
CM, 9:51pm — She’s so much fun. Love her energy.
JK, 9:51pm — And it ended up being a perfect performance to finish off Oscars night.
SCORES — Carrie Ann (7), Derek (7), Bruno (7) = 21 out of 30
CM, 9:53pm — Well deserved
JUDGES’ LEADERBOARD
1. Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong (Rumba) — 23 + 24 = 47
2. Dwight Howard and Daniella Karagach (Foxtrot) — 22 + 22 = 44
3. Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson (Rumba) — 21 + 22 = 43
3. Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold (Paso Doble) — 21 + 22 = 43
5. Danny Amendola and Witney Carson (Jive) — 20 + 21 = 41
6. Phaedra Parks and Val Chmerkovskiy (Foxtrot) — 19 + 21 = 40
7. Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten (Salsa) 18 + 21 = 39
8. Brooks Nader and Gleb Savchenko (Quickstep) — 18 + 20 = 38
8. Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber (Tango) — 19 + 19 = 38
10. Tori Spelling and Pasha Pashkov (Rumba) — 17 + 19 = 36
11. Anna Delvey and Ezra Sosa (Quickstep) 18 + 17 = 35
12. Reginald VelJohnson and Emma Slater (Paso Doble) — 16 + 15 = 31
13. Eric Roberts and Britt Stewart (Waltz) — 15 + 15 = 30
RESULTS
CM, 9:57pm — Elimination predictions?
JK, 9:57pm — Likely going to be among these three: Anna, Eric, Reginald
DM, 9:58pm — Chandler, Ilona, Eric (!), Dwight, Danny, Jenn, Brooks, Stephen, Phaedra, all safe. The bottom three are Tori, Reginald, and Anna.
DM, 9:59pm — The final celeb who is safe is Reginald VelJohnson! Tori Spelling and Anna Delvey are eliminated!
JK, 10:00pm — Whoa!
DM, 10:00pm — What is Anna going to take from this competition? “Nothing,” she says. I totally believe that. She seemed to take no pleasure at all in this.
CM, 10:01pm — I’m glad Anna is gone. Not surprised about Tori.
JK, 10:01pm — I guess Reginald’s performance left enough of an impression to keep him in.
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