DWTS Recap: No elimination on Guilty Pleasures Night

Photo Credit: Dancing with the Stars/ABC, Eric McCandless Image Acquired from Disney ABC Media

After we spent this heart-wrenching day struggling for words to describe a nation in shock and in mourning, Monday’s episode of Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) turned into a temporary escape to help ease the country’s indescribable pain.

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In the beginning of their broadcast, DWTS started with a moment of silence in honor of those who lost their lives and were affected by the senseless shooting in Las Vegas that happened just 24 hours prior. Host Tom Bergeron revealed that there will be no elimination this week, as the cast will focus on bringing as much positivity as possible in a two-hour span with the help of their ultimate guilty pleasures.

Drew and Emma– Kicking off the evening, their CSI-styled Argentine tango showcased Drew’s obsession with forensic crime shows. Though we have previously mentioned the Property Brothers’ growth would come with due time with Emma as his coach, that time was tonight. His lines were almost as stunning as his partner in that show-stopping outfit. Len said there was no crime or mystery when it came to Drew’s abilities enjoying the characterization in the routine. Carrie Ann commended him for going first, understanding that no one wants to be first up to bat. “You just showed them how going first is done.”

Carrie Ann- 8, Len- 7, Bruno- 8 = 23/30

Derek and Sharna– Derek’s big personality radiated the ballroom floor tonight. He and Sharna’s Cha-Cha highlighted the former NBA player’s love for the Fresh Prince of Bell-Air. Then again, who isn’t fond of the iconic ’90s sitcom? Like Drew, the consistent improvement can be easily spotted. Bruno thought it was much more vibrant and confident than previous weeks. Len told him he popped tonight, adding “If you’re having a good time, we all are.” Carrie Ann noted how Derek is finally understanding his body and is finally relaxed out there. “If Will Smith was watching this show, he’d be proud of you,” she assured him.

Carrie Ann- 7, Len- 7, Bruno- 7 = 21/30

Victoria and Val– Watching Victoria’s journey has been one of the most enjoyable things about this season so far. The former paralympian is downright adorable, along with her obsession for Chumbawamba’s “Tubthumping.” Though Val did not have the same love for the track, he did an excellent job creating quickstep choreography that his partner could handle. Carrie Ann commended the choreography and said Victoria is on her way to a ten. Len would like to see more body contact together, as their spacing was a tad distant; however, thought it was a joyful routine from the duo. We also appreciated Tom’s wise words for viewers: “If you’re going to school and see someone who’s different, don’t be an ass.” T.B for president.

Carrie Ann- 8, Len- 7, Bruno- 7 = 22/30

Vanessa and Alan– Maks was absent from the ballroom due to a “personal matter” (word on the street is he is butting heads with Mrs. Lachey). But lucky enough for us, that meant another week of Alan, who generously filled in. Vanessa’s jazz routine to Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” was a dedication to her friends, who are her guilty pleasure??? Yeah, we didn’t quite understand that either. Nonetheless, the routine was flirty and brandished Vanessa’s ability to hold her own amongst the troupe ladies. Len said it was difficult to even know who was the celebrity. Bruno called the routine timeless, loving everything about it while Carrie Ann thought it could have possessed more grace.

Carrie Ann- 7, Len- 8, Bruno- 8 = 23/30

Nikki and Artem– Nikki is pretty much all of us and loves some Christian Grey in her life. Her partner’s characterization of the male protagonist was also everything we ever needed. Their Viennese Waltz to “Love on the Brain” was steamy, but we are still waiting for that “wow” moment from the WWE star. Her fiancé John Cena on the other hand, didn’t have a single complaint. He even accompanied Nikki and Artem while they received the judges’ feedback. Carrie Ann said it was a risky number, but thought it was done well. She also wants Nikki to work on expressing her softer side more, as she is accustomed to being in control. Len liked the mix of natural turns, which gave the dance solid rotation. We’re telling you now, the best is yet to come from Nikki Bella.

Carrie Ann- 7, Len- 7, Bruno- 7 = 21/30

Frankie and Witney– We were low-key living out our dream watching Frankie high key live out his dream as a boy-bander, which Carrie Ann believes is his true calling. His samba to “It’s Gonna Be Me” by *NSYNC was incredibly upbeat and radiated energy. He and Witney even channeled the iconic Justin/Britney denim look, which scored bonus points with us. However, this wasn’t enough for Len, who although didn’t argue the fun factor, pointed out the routine’s lack of actual samba content. Bruno added that the talent is there at Frankie’s disposal. Don’t worry kid, we’re confident you’ll make your way back up the leaderboard in no time!

Carrie Ann- 7, Len- 7, Bruno- 7 = 21/30

Lindsay and Mark– With each weekly recap, do we even have to mention how insanely impressed we are with Mark’s choreography? He took something simplistic, such as Linds’ love for staying in her pajamas all day and turned it into one of the most amusing performances we have ever seen. The duo’s routine to “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” was not only a hit to us, but to all three judges, who commended Lindsay’s ability to keep up with all of the content her partner throws at her. Len especially loved the amount of jive and energy the dance consisted of, while Carrie Ann can see the Billboard award-winning violinist mentally and physically getting stronger with each passing week.

Carrie Ann- 9, Len- 9, Bruno- 9 = 27/30

Sasha and Gleb- Honestly, we were rooting for Sasha and Gleb to rise above the middle of the pack. Instead, they fell straight to the bottom. We almost want to blame Gleb for this, as he should have recognized his jazz choreography did not possess enough content. Sasha’s guilty pleasure for baking was highlighted in a creative way (kudos to the prop work) But, the dance itself to “I Can’t Help Myself” never went anywhere. The judges felt the same way. Bruno didn’t believe the dance came together as he expected. Carrie Ann admitted it isn’t exactly what you would see in jazz, but was clean and well rehearsed. Len simply stated it didn’t showcase her ability. Here’s to hoping Sasha doesn’t face elimination next week, because we know this girl has so much more to give.

Carrie Ann- 7, Len- 6, Bruno- 6 = 19/30

Peta and Nick– We’re actually jealous of the pair’s ability to look so good in jazzercise attire. After admitting his enjoyment for rom-coms, Nick gave his best performance to date with a Love Actually-inspired number to “Jump (For My Love).” Carrie Ann never saw the former 98 Degree member so loose. Len said Nick executed the three Cs- concept, commitment and confidence. (Anyone else notice that uh, content was missing here?) Bruno was looking to get physical after the routine, but would you expect anything less from him? We were just happy to see Nick finally looking like he’s thrilled to be part of the competition. The unitard was a plus as well.

Carrie Ann- 7, Len- 7, Bruno- 7 = 21/30

Terrell and Cheryl-Terrell may be kind of, slightly, growing on us. He’s showing improvement in the ballroom, which is all anyone can ask. His love for breakdancing was incorporated well into this routine to Kurtis Blows’ “The Breaks.” Len enjoyed the mix of salsa and entertainment. Though it wasn’t a touchdown in his eyes, he said Terrell is in the read zone. Bruno loves that the former NFL star is able to showcase his own style and incorporate into his dances. Carrie Ann wants to see this charisma from Terrell every week, but makes sure to let him know that a point must be taken off for the “boo-boo” she witnessed – such a Carrie Ann statement to make.

Carrie Ann- 7, Len- 7, Bruno- 7 = 21/30

Next: Dancing with the Stars predictions: Who has the best chance of winning Season 25?

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Jordan and Lindsay– Now this was the perfect homage to Jordan’s love for comics. We can honestly say Lindsay’s choreography is up there with Mark’s when it comes to sheer creativity. Bruno called their routine to “The Glory Days” a “visual feast,” while he gushed over the pop-up visual flair. Carrie Ann loved that although there was a lot going on out on the ballroom floor, Jordan was never once lost in the crowd. Leave it to Len of course, to ruin a good thing. He was not impressed with the “lack of Charleston content,” but what does he know? Their performance was a magnificent way to finish a night of joy and pure dancing. These two deserved to tie #TeamStark at the top of the leaderboard and we’re still mad at Len for his underscoring and forcing us to visualize him eating breakfast naked (You’ll have to watch the packages for a better explanation).

Carrie Ann-9, Len- 7, Bruno- 9= 25/30

Dancing with the Stars airs Mondays at 8/7c on ABC.

What was your favorite performance of the night? Did you agree with the scoring? Who do you think will be next to leave the competition? Keep the conversation going in the comments below.

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