Dancing With the Stars Review: Rumer Has It!
Ashley Bissette Sumerel
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It's the 10th anniversary of Dancing With the Stars!
Dancing With the Stars Season 20 Episode 1 brought us a fun first night of competition, though I'm not sure you could say it's anniversary worthy.
Something just felt like it was missing. Sure, there were some fun moments and the dances were entertaining, but I hoped for more excitement. Part of that probably comes from the overall cast. Even though they are a fun group, I wish the show could have landed more notable celebrities to compete for the anniversary season.
We also still have four judges at the table, which I still think is just too many. It feels like there isn't enough time to do everything the show wants to do and still have a good time doing it. Along those same lines, I miss the results shows. Though rumor has it, they may be coming back later in the season. I hope they do, but I wish we had them every week.
Okay, but here's what I loved: it seemed like every single contestant was happy to be there and having a blast. Because of that, all of the dances were pretty entertaining.
Willow and Mark were up first. There were brief packages before the performances tonight to introduce us to the contestants, and Willow's was, of course, a shout out to The Hunger Games. I actually really like these moments, especially when other cast members are involved.
It turns out Willow is the youngest contestant to ever compete on Dancing With the Stars. She's only 14, but I have a feeling she's going to be in this competition for a while.
I'm really glad that Keo is back! He didn't get a fair shake last season, and his partner this season seems much happier to be here than his last one. Unfortunately, the scores this week left something to be desired. I hope he doesn't get sent home first again.
Of all the contestants that were fun to watch tonight, Patti LaBelle was among my favorites. She is 70 years old and thrilled to be there – plus, she's a beautiful dancer. I really hope she sticks around for a while.
Nastia Lukin has won five Olympic medals, and Derek Hough has won five mirror ball trophies. Might they be the couple to watch? Carrie Ann called them on a lift, but hey, what can you do? As for the dance itself, I loved it, especially because of the song.
The night had its emotional moments, too. Watching Noah Galloway and Sharna dance actually brought tears to my eyes. Sharna also showed exceptional skill in choreography to create a dance that would work for him. More than that, Noah flat out did an amazing job. What an inspiration.
The last dance of the night came from Rumer and Val, and it was absolutely amazing. Len even called it "the dance of the night." It's time for Val to win this thing, so maybe it will happen this season.
Other Thoughts:
- Riker and Allison were really fun to watch. That kid has moves! Oh, he's also related to Derek and Julianne.
- Suzanne and Tony's dance was actually inspired by the Thighmaster. I can't even.
- I really miss the announcer who tells us the couples' names and what dance they are about to perform.
What are your hopes for Season 20, and which couple are you rooting for? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Here are this week's scores!
- Rumer and Val (Foxtrot): 32
- Riker and Allison (Jive): 31
- Nastia and Derek (Foxtrot): 30
- Robert and Kym (Cha Cha): 28
- Chris and Witney (Jive): 26
- Michael and Peta (Cha Cha): 26
- Noah and Sharna (Cha Cha): 26
- Willow and Mark (Cha Cha): 25
- Patti and Artem (Foxtrot): 25
- Suzanne and Tony (Cha Cha): 25
- Charlotte and Keo (Jive): 22
- Redfoo and Emma (Cha Cha): 22
Ashley Bissette Sumerel was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in September 2017. Follow her on Twitter and on Google+.
