S22.E01: Week 1: Premiere

[OnceSane]

The 22nd-season opener begins with 12 celebrities, including Von Miller, Kim Fields, Geraldo Rivera, Mischa Barton, Antonio Brown and Paige VanZant.

[mtlchick]

Every season I tell myself "I'm not going to watch.  Not interested.  Nuh uh!" (2 hours later.) "I am this show's bitch."

 

Len's takedown on Mischa's tango was BRUTAL.  Not that he was wrong because it was pretty poorly paced, but that's more on Artem than on her and it looked like she wanted to say "Fuck it, vote me out people." That said, welcome back Grandpappy Grouchy. 

 

And I have to say, if you didn't tell me Nyle was deaf, I would have said you were lying.  He did pretty damn good.  (And since I've always been fascinated by ASL, I hope his his interpreter will be as awesome as Marlee Maitlin's.)  

 

Finally...EDYTA!  You'll be lucky to last past next week but I missed you and your leg warmers!

[McManda]

I thought Kim and Paige and Doug were pretty standard DWTS contestants, especially for week 1. Kind of nervous, not sure what to expect, but lived up to what everyone expected from them. Honestly, I thought it was going to make for a boring season.

 

Jodie is good; I still wish she had anyone but Keo. He’s got a partner than can keep up but I can see him falling into the trap where he gets too comfortable and cock y and starts to make things too frantic and complicated.

 

Hi Edyta, nice to see you. So sorry that you’re not long for this competition.

 

Marla was better than I expected. She might be able to outlast a few others.

 

Wayna reminds me of Emmett Smith but better because he’s got goofier, kinda silly personality. I’m not sure how it came about, but it’s kinda adorable that he calls Lindsay his z-pack because she makes him better. (Because the last part of her name sounds like z?)

 

Honestly kind of underwhelmed by Ginger, though I think she’s adorable.

 

Mischa is less awkward than her pro-reveal would have led me to believe, but I’m not sure that translates to her dancing. She needs to relax and let go. But I’m happy enough to watch Artem as a pro and dancing on my screen that I’m willing to overlook it for right now. I am confused by Len’s comments though – why was he so hard on Mischa when he was pretty forgiving (scores aside) on Geraldo? It’s week one. The only thing I can figure is they’re already trying to rile a fanbase, but I’m not sure if it’s because they want Mischa or Artem to stick around.

 

Hi, Nyle. Nice to meet you. I’m a fan of tall, dark, and bearded so you’re going to fit in just fine. Also, clearly being deaf isn’t a barrier to dancing. Dude killed it. Some weird latin pancake hands but that’s to pretty normal for male celebs in the beginning. Also, was the dark haired guy they kept showing in the audience his brother? Because I wouldn’t be averse to having bro show up some time. The only thing I’m afraid of with Nyle isn’t even on him; can only hope that Carrie Ann doesn’t wear out the “omg, it’s so beautiful you can overcome all your difficulties dance like that omg, so inspirational!!!” or whatever other PC comment she’ll spin it as. No, he’s just a good dancer and seems like a good guy, end of story.

 

I still think having Von Miller and Antonio Brown in the same season will hurt them both. They’re going to be fighting for the same set of established fans, plus they’re inevitably going to be compared to each other. I kind of dig Von’s nerdy chic vibe, though. (I think it’s the glasses.)

 

Was Len forced to come back? He seemed extra grumpy tonight.

[gryphon]

HI LEN!!!!  I yelled pretty loud when Len came on the screen.  Wanya and Nyle were my favourites, but I liked Antonio as well. Surprisingly, I liked Marla more than I thought I would.  And I have a crush on Nyle's interpreter. 

[Saylii]

Geraldo was horrible.  I can't believe I thought he might have a smidge of decent dancing in his body.  Obviously, he's got to be the first one out.  Poor Edyta.  I wonder why she even agreed to this.

 

Ginger looked really strange to me.  She pumped the orange on the spray tan to 100%.  I didn't even recognize her in the opening number.  I'm going to hate her just on her packages alone.  The breastmilk comments and leakage comments and starting to pump in the corner were awful (and I say that as a woman who exclusively pumped).  I would have given her one pass at the mommy story during the Most Memorable Year week, but I can't watch her if Mommy Mommy Mommy is stuffed down our throats every week.  I can't believe ABC let that package through.

 

I'm not sure what was up with Mischa.  She seemed drugged.  Len was outrageously brutal to her.  Something must have happened behind the scenes that we didn't see.  That package also did her no favors because she seemed whiny af.  

 

Von got screwed on the song + dance.  He's my boy though, so all my votes went to him.

 

I'm predicting Geraldo will be out next week, followed by Mischa.

[Stitsch]

Did you guys know Ginger is a new mom? Nyle was cute. Ginger is a new mom. I was underwhelmed by Jodie. Ginger is a new mom. Antonio is adorable. Ginger is a new mom. Erin was cringeworthy approximately 42 times. Also, Ginger is a new mom.

[smiley13]

Ginger is going to wear thin fast for me, with the Bindi (UGH!) comparisons and that whole new Mom thing.

 

I thought overall these were pretty good opening night dances.  Paige and Mark were adorable!

 

And I see Sharna's hair is still garish and awful.

[kohls716]

I knew as soon as Mischa didn't have a dancing clip in the intro she was going to be trouble. And to be the only one to not participate is not good.

[Uke]

And so we begin a new season!  It seems like a good cast that will be fun to watch.

 

Kim/Sasha: Very nice to start off the season.  A bit safe.  A sigh when the troupe suddenly appeared - at least they didn't stay long. The scores were fair but Kim's reaction to her scores was hilarious.

 

Paige/Mark:  She shows real potential but she has to be careful not to over-power her moves. Where did Mark's jacket come from? (send it back!)  The way the judges were talking, I thought we might see an 8. Oh well.

 

Doug/Karina: I'm hoping for a good experience for Doug, but that was waaaay too much whirling and twirling by Karina.  It looked like he tried to pump himself up by singing along with the music and it got a little out of control. Scores were fair unfortunately.

 

Jodie/Keo: Wow! Very nice.  I think it helps to have something dramatic for the first night to help stand out. The scores were lower than expected. I thought they'd get a mix of 7s/8s.

 

Geraldo/Edyta:  That was awkward. He seems in quite good shape but he's so stiff. It's like he couldn't get his feet to move. The 5 was kind. The 4s were correct.  Love that Edyta is back but I'm afraid she won't stay long.

 

Marla/Tony: She moves very well.  Something a little wonky with her posture/shoulders at times but overall an enjoyable dance. Tony sure looks happy. 7s seem fair.

 

Wanya/Lindsay:  A little wild. A little out of sync. But it was a fun performance though I think cha cha got a little lost along the way.   The 8s were a little high.  (Bowtie a leftover from Mark's jacket?)

 

Ginger/Val:  Why did they move the audience onto the dance floor?  A little overdancing by Val at the beginning but he reined it in.    CAI invoking Bindi? I guess we see who's going to be pimped this season.   Ginger sure put forth the energy. Scores a little high.

 

Mischa/Artem:  Posture's a mess. Seems a little unstable on her feet.  No energy.  I'd think that as an actress she would have played up the drama but it just wasn't there.  Scores were a little generous.

 

Nyle/Peta:  That was so much more than I was expecting.  He's got some moves! Scores were good.

 

Antonio/Sharna:  A little overly aggressive, not sure if that was 1st night nerves.  Posture looked off at times and a huge space between him and Sharna. Also a long time out of hold at the end - I didn't time it but seemed way more than 10 seconds.  8-6-7? Len sure wasn't happy. I think the total 21 came out right.

 

Von/Witney:  Not sure what that choreography was...a foxtrot??  The in-hold parts were just walking and then they'd break hold and do a funky chicken? I don't understand what all that was (I don't follow football so maybe it had some football significance).  Another 8-6-7?  In this case I think the 21 came out a little high.

 

So we've got Geraldo at 13, Doug at 15 and Mischa at 16.   I think Geraldo and Doug probably have enough fans to pull them through plus all Edyta's fans who are happy to see her back.  I don't know what fan base Mischa might have tuning into DWTS. I'm going with Mischa as 1st out.

 

Disappointed to see Dominic Bowden is back on all-access.  I was hoping Emma would take over the commentary since she didn't get a partner.

Edited March 22, 2016 by Uke

[hoosier80]

I haven't watched this show in eons, but was on the phone with someone who was watching.  Unfortunately, I saw Geraldo.  The man has zero rhythm.  Zero.

I think I could've done just as well, and I'm a singer not a dancer.  I know I have a sense of rhythm though.  He did the old guy stand there while the woman dances around you routine.  

[Pickles]

Did it seem like Mischa should have been with a taller partner?

[McManda]

Did it seem like Mischa should have been with a taller partner?

 

Hahaha, in my perfect world I would have swapped Artem and Keo. ;)

[Saylii]

Von/Witney:  Not sure what that choreography was...a foxtrot??  The in-hold parts were just walking and then they'd break hold and do a funky chicken? I don't understand what all that was (I don't follow football so maybe it had some football significance).  Another 8-6-7?  In this case I think the 21 came out a little high.

 

Von's fairly well known for some of his victory dances on the football field.  I think Witney was trying to incorporate some of those moves into a poor musical choice for the Foxtrot.  I'm not sure there's anything else they could have done with that music and dance choice.

[Miss Slay]

I knew as soon as Mischa didn't have a dancing clip in the intro she was going to be trouble. And to be the only one to not participate is not good.

 

I noticed that too. They also showed her coming out of her town car (limo?) - looking very starlet-ish which could read as high maintenance. 

Edited March 22, 2016 by Miss Slay

[jackjill89]

Holy cow there were some hideous costumes tonight! Mark's jacket looked like it was made out of bad couch fabric from the 80s. Yikes. 

 

I think this is going to be a great season. Knew Mischa would come off exactly how she did. I hope she's going very quickly. I was surprisingly charmed by Marla. Agree about having two football players on at the same time -- they'll split the fan base. I like the "nerdy" guy better. The other one was a little too arrogant for me, and I didn't like the whole catchphrase thing.

 

I really like Ginger Zee, so I hope she continues to do well. I know the whole new mom thing can grate, but she is really a go-getter and I'd rather watch her be overly sunny than the dour Mischa. 

[smiley13]

Mischa was not great, but I did not think she was as bad as Len made her out to be.

 

Von and Witney were fun!  I like that they incorporated the traditional dance moves with some funky Von moves.

[WhitneyWhit]

I felt this was one of the better premieres they've had in a while, I actually liked everyone, including poor Mischa. I was a bit taken aback at how harsh they were on her, yeah that dance wasn't all that great, but it's all that terrible, either, there has definitely been worse week 1 dances (hey Geraldo), she's obviously not comfortable with this and I felt they could have critiqued her without going at her like that.

 

I think Wanya was my favorite, he's adorable and although he was a little sloppy, he has potential. Plus Boyz II Men always brings the feels. My 10 year old self was jealous over Lindsay getting a private serenade.

[NYGirl]

New to the show so I don't know the professional dancers.  I absolutely loved Nyle!  I watched ANTM and it was so exciting when he won.  He's a very very nice guy too, even more so because he survived the contestants on that show.

 

I liked the 2 football players, especially because I am a football fan.  Antonio Brown is the best wide receiver in the game and Vonn Miller the best defensive player.  

 

Oh God Geraldo was embarrassing.  I was all set to root for him because he's been an advocate for the mentally disabled children/adults, but boy oh boy I bet he goes first.

 

I loved the Boyz 2 Men guy!!  The weather girl was so annoying..I may have to mute when she's on.

 

The others are a blur.  I guess I'll keep watching.

[A.Ham]

I may be reading her wrong, but I sensed a lot of "what the hell did I just get into" from Mischa (not just tonight but even in the cast reveal). I felt badly for her during Len's critique because I thought there was a glimmer of her wanting to burst into tears. She has a lot of room for growth but was leagues beyond Geraldo, who will remain the Puerto Rican with the least amount of rhythm and dance ability in the country. To me, he was painful.

 

I saw some great clips on GMA from Ginger and tonight I was expecting more. Hopefully it was just first dance jitters and she can get better. And lay off the breastfeeding talk for a bit.

 

There were some nice surprises for me like Wanya, Nyle, and even Marla, whom I did not know had a Broadway history.  I was predisposed to like Jodie and she did not disappoint so I am rooting for her also. I liked Paige and Von as well. This is looking to be a good season after all.

[kitcloudkicker]

I loved Nyle! I haven't gotten through watching all the dances, but he might be my pick this season.

It was good to see Sasha back as well, and Kim seems fun, I hope they stick around for a bit.

My picks for early outs: Mischa, Geraldo, and probably Doug Flutie and/or Marla Maples

[howmanywords]

Jodie was so overwhelming to me.  With all the talk of how much dance experience she has I was watching her just going "meh" and after seeing what followed I'm not shocked she went so early in the show.

 

Wanya and Lindsay I adored. She's proving to be a real force. Wanya reminded me so much of Alfonso.

 

I can tell already the baby/new mother talk with Ginger will get old quickly.

 

Oh hello Nyle! I think we'll be seeing you for a while.  What he did tonight is what this competition is all about. He blew me away and put to shame some that could actually hear the music.

 

Someone give Mischa some happy pills. Yikes. I can actually see her leaving before Geraldo. As bad as he was at least he was bad in that trainwreck sort of way..she was just bad and has the bad combination of a bad personality and looked like she didnt even want to be there.

[vibeology]

I think it sucks Paige went so early because I thought she was one of the strongest performances of the night and I worry she might get lost in the shuffle.

 

I adored Nyle, Wayna and Jodie. Nyle blew my mind and so did Peta. That partnership is strong. Wayna was a little sloppy, but he was also amazing and brought the energy. Jodie is a dancer. Even with the little things she needs to fix, you can just see her connection to the music with every move. I don't know if Keo has shown he has the skills to pull it off, but I hope he does because she is great.

 

I was most surprised by Marla. She's not perfect, but considering the partners Tony's been given over the years, she's pretty exciting. As for the football boys, I was underwhelmed with both of them. 

 

Mischa made me nervous. Not everyone is made for this show and she's not. I assume she's there because she needs the money. She seemed so upset after her performance. I thought Erin was great with her in that interview and it was clear that Marla was right there, ready to give her a hug too. She just seems very fragile and I don't think Artem or the show know how to deal with that.

[crowceilidh]

Mischa seems like a horrible person.  She and Artem go together like sandpaper and nails.

 

Marla got the bias cut long floaty Ginger Roger's dress.  That's what I want to dance in, too.

 

Sharna's dress with that back decoration that seemed reminiscent of butterly wings was gorgeous - her hair is too bright.

 

My favourite dance was the girl with Mark - I thought she floated very well and her scores were low.  Mark's hair is more ridiculous than ever and he seemed a tad overanxious or something.  I can't really remember, it was so early in the show.

 

So nice not to have to listen to Julianne - now get rid of CAI and BT - I just ffd right through them every time, which ensures (oh high-priced executives! Yooohooo!) that I don't watch live, when otherwise I might and I might actually see some commercials.  It was really nice not to see Derek either.

 

I hope Mischa leaves first because it'd be nice if Edyta and Keo get more than one show.  That said, I really really don't like Keo's body movement.  He duckwalks and his slink is kinda eau-de-wild-and-crazy-guy.  I just don't like his style at all. I have always found him a mystery as a hire - What?  you give Keo chance after chance and Dmitri Chaplin is out there somewhere - alive???

[wanderingstar]

So far, Wanya and Nyle were my favorites. Their dances were the ones I wanted to re-watch. But overall, this was a pretty good premiere. I was happy to see Kim and glad she danced well. Geraldo and Doug were the only ones that fell flat for me.

Edited March 22, 2016 by Gillian Rosh

[dirtydi]

Mischa and Geraldo need to go.  I feel bad for Artem, but she does not seem to be happy to be there, like the others.

Loved Wanya, Jodie, Nyle and Kim.  Marla was a surprise.

I think those football voting blocks are gonna be huge.

[Thadeeeyus]

Where did Mark's jacket come from? (send it back!) 

 

The same place as Lindsey's dress.  ;) 

 

Tonight made me long for the premiere episodes back in the day when they were learning simple choreography,  I kind of liked Doug Flutie tonight. You could see what the basic moves were.  He has a beginner's technique, and also a good attitude and will improve.  I liked Von for the same reason.  You could see the basic moves. Some of the "best" dances tonight seemed frantic with too much thrown in.  And the extra dancers on week one?  Geez.  I guess they've been  doing that for a while, but I don't like it.  Nyle was surprisingly good, and Marla did not turn me off as expected.  Kim Fields was too Atlanta Housewives (shrieking) for my taste. 

 

[PBGamer89]

I hope Mischa gets another chance only because i'd hate for Artem to be gone so quick.

 

I can live without Geraldo or Doug for that matter.

 

Von and Antonio won't both make the finals, if either at all. Nyle is good but I wanna see more to see if this was a fluke.

 

I wish Jodie and Paige were later in the show cause their scores would've been higher.

 

Kim and Marla happily surprised me, both were better than I imagined.

[scenicbyway]

I wonder if Mischa being British has anything to do with Len being so hard on her tonight. I thought her dance was fine, and yes she did dance, I didn't see a lot of just walking there. Not being in the intro tells me there's some backstage antics going on and maybe that's affected Len's judgement as well. I can only think he had 1 more season left on his contract and was forced to come back. Too bad, I thought Julianne did a nice job as judge.

[Serendi]

Don't know anything about Mischa except what I've read here, but I liked her. Seems to be a minority opinion.

 

In the opening number, I kept hearing the line "show me your moves" as "show me your boobs". Hmm....

[skittl3862]

I don't understand why anyone watches UFC/MMA/WWE, so the less we see of Paige beating people to a bloody pulp in upcoming weeks, the better. I thought her dance was unmemorable in comparison to the pictures of her blood-covered face.

 

I can see Jodie either lasting a long time via the nostalgia factor or getting too in her head and flailing. And she's with Keo, who we haven't been able to see how he manages coaching longterm. I'm glad he finally gets a better chance of sticking around though.

 

Marla Maples needs to go. I'm sorry, she seems sweet and I love Tony, but anything Trump-adjacent is too much for me these days.

 

Wanya was great for Week 1. I think he could go really far- moreso than I would have thought at the initial cast announcement.

 

I don't watch Good Morning America and had no idea who Ginger Zee was. Apparently she's a new mom. I can't remember if she was good or not because I spent the whole dance watching Val instead.

 

If Mischa makes it past week 2, I would be surprised. I thought the judgment was a harsh. She wasn't great, but she wasn't one-point-above Geraldo bad. At least the judges' comments about Geraldo and Doug seemed light-hearted. I also wondered if there was some sort of drama with her not being in the intro with everyone else. It kind of reminded me of that season of Project Runway where the one guy was kicked out for cheating before they were able to film the promos, so they had a stand-in.

 

Nyle was great. I think Peta has her work cut out for her to work on the communication- not just the teaching, but in keeping him on beat with the music. Especially since unlike Marlee Matlin, he can't wear hearing aides. I also wonder how he will do as the weeks go on and he doesn't have as much prep time to memorize Peta's cues. I can't see him doing as well with marathon dance, or those challenges where they have 1 minute to prep a routine.

 

The football players are interchangeable to me and I'm sure they'll all be splitting the votes. Doug was terrible. Neither Antonio or Von's performance stuck out. I can see Antonio lasting longer than Von just because Steelers fans seem more intense.

[majormama]

I thought Kim did well for the opener spot. She seems to have some natural dance ability and was performing the heck out of it. 

 

I was very distracted by Jodie's facial expressions. She also seems to be a bit like her on-screen sister Candace with getting in her head. 

 

Geraldo was terrible, but I did chuckle at his dancing bear comment: You don't critique it, you're just amazed it's dancing at all.

 

The camera work for Marla and Tony was terrible. She may have been good, but it was hard to see. Plus I admit to being a bit blinded by my Trump hatred. Anyone dumb enough to marry that man....

 

Dying laughing over the exchange between Len and Bruno. "That dance was stuffed fuller than Bruno's makeup bag!" "That was bitter and uncalled for." "Well, you nicked my cushion."

 

Mischa has the worst possible personality for this show. Everything about her package put me on edge, and her dancing certainly didn't help. I do agree that she's too tall for Artem, and that may have been part of her frame problems, slouching to match him.

 

Nyle blew me away! No one better claim that he's only doing well because of pity. That was a great dance, hearing or not.

[PhD-Purgatory15]

So basically we have 75% of the cast that (for week 1) who range from competent to seriously competitive. And then we have Mischa, Doug and Geraldo.

 

Kim and Sasha were a fun kickoff.....to me that was quintessential "good" with room to grow first dance.

 

Paige and Mark, had they've gone in Mischa's slot that would have scored 2 or 3 points higher. I still think she has more natural dance ability than anyone in the cast with the exception of maybe Wanya.

 

Doug and Karina, I fear Karina won't be around too long. Was hoping that after Victor she'd get someone with a little aptitude but alas Doug pretty much seemed like he was playing catch up/hanging on for dear life during that routine.

 

Jodie and Keo, I hate to agree with CAI much but Jodie's facial expressions and odd head position were all kind of jacked up. I seriously couldn't focus on the rest of her because I was so distracted. Keo's week 1 choreography didn't immediately win me over either.

 

Marla and Tony, Tony might be around for more than two weeks (although probably not much more than that). That cartwheel was hella impressive.

 

Wanya and Lindsay, So much fun. He's got an awesome attitude, they seem to really get along and he can dance. I do think the frame intensive dances like the foxtrot and waltz might be a little more challenging for him.

 

Geraldo and Edyta, poor Edyta.....if he survives more than a week it will be because of her fans or the fact that Len ran Mischa over with a freaking bus. He was bordering on Bill Nye or Billy Dee Williams territory really...

 

Ginger and Val, Didn't really appreciate getting beat over the head w/ her trials and tribulations of being a mom while DWTS-ing. Was also expecting a "mucking about" comment from Len because how long it actually took them to get into the dance. If Paige was underscored by a couple points, they were definitely overscored. She clearly has some ability.....but let's hold off on the Bindi comparisons shall we.

 

Mischa and Artem, Sigh.....I feel for Mischa. I see much of myself in her personality. In some ways she's like a Tavis Smiley what the heck am I doing here competitor. Her personality is so introspective and analytical it is so the wrong type to read well in the DWTS ballroom. Her absolute best case scenario would be to outlast Geraldo and Doug...and that's about it. If she goes next week, I hope she at least tries to relax and enjoy herself and dancing with Artem. I almost thought Len was going to go lower than Master P with his score....and yet despite getting eviscerated she actually scored higher than Geraldo and Doug. Will it be enough to overcome their fanbases though?

 

Nyle and Peta, the totally fake intro kind of put me off....but he seems like a generally good guy and Peta seemed reserved for her. I do wonder about how they will handle constructive criticism (assuming it comes) and how he will make adjustments to the way Peta is teaching him now. It's one thing for Peta to create a new "vocabulary" for her teaching, but to come up with a third way might start to wear her out. This was a heck of a start though.

 

Antonio/Sharna and Von/Witney, Both of these guys have a lot of Jacoby Jones in them. I think both probably think that they can coast on a flashy personality and fast footwork all the way to the finale. With the level of dance on display....I'm not sure that's the case. In the personality department I'm not sure Antonio did himself any favors. Von came off a bit more likable....especially the drill sergeant barbie analogy.

 

After a week, my interest is definitely up a little...that's for sure.

Edited March 22, 2016 by PhD-Purgatory15

[gohawks]

Nyle was amazing. Just amazing and yes inspiring. I don't usually buy into the "you inspire me" crap, but wow.

I love Val and all things Chmerkovskiy, but no more Bindi comparisons. Bindi was, IMO, the most over pimped contestant in the history of all reality TV contests. Do not remind me of her!

Ginger was okay, I can see her lasting a while.

Wanya and Lindsay were fun. They seemed very big brother/little sis or even favorite uncle/neice. I think their chemistry will be fun and uncomplicated.

The football players felt kind of interchangeable, but both were cute and had potential.

During Kim's intro I had some real feelings when they showed her as a little girl.

Marla is going to have to keep the Trump mentions to a minimum for me to judge her fairly. The devil's ex wife will not receive votes from me.

Edited March 22, 2016 by gohawks

[shok]

Wait! So DWTS is a Hough-free zone???? I didn't watch and had no intention of watching this season because I was just so sick of them and it sounds like I missed a good show. Rats. But if the two of them have moved on, I'll be sure to tune in next week.

[Mbeaker]

Karina's recent streak of not making it past week 3 will, sadly, continue. Doug, Geraldo, and Mischa were tragic. They can't leave soon enough, though I had wished this was a more positive experience for Mischa given what she's been through.

Nyle & Wanya were my preseason favorites, and nothing changed that after week 1. Lindsay's choreography was lighter on actual Cha Cha content though, and that will bug if I see it become a trend with Wanya.

Marla was the pleasant surprise of the night. Kim was the pleasant surprise of a few days ago - when I saw an extended clip of her dancing with Sasha. Two middle of the pack contestants that I think many had written off as fodder.

Jodie's facials were distracting. And I can't help but imagine how much better she'd be with Val or Artem. I'm not sold on Keo as a teacher or choreographer. I expected something more dynamic out of a Tango. I still think she'll be in the mix until the end.

I don't know if I'd give Antonio the edge over Von, or vice versa. What I do know is that I don't care. The football hype fell flat. Neither of the two captured me. Still, football players traditionally get over-praised for doing very little on this show by both the audience and judges, so I expect one of the two to make the finale (likely Antonio and Steeler Nation).

ETA: gohawks, haven't seen that speculation, and I sure didn't get that feeling. I'm gonna go ahead and say no on that - Doug is married to his High School sweetheart, who was in attendance tonight.

Edited March 22, 2016 by Mbeaker

[katha]

I thought that wasn't too bad on the whole for the first show. Even the scoring was mostly okay. I thought Paige was a tad underscored, but her marks were solid anyway. It was probably going early and also perhaps her dance experience so expectations for her are higher? Apart from Mark's dire hair situation (gotta hand it to him...every season it's a new tragedy happening on his head, so at least it's never boring?), Paige and Mark seem well suited as a dance pair with a good vibe together. And I liked the foxtrot choreo, it was challenging and clever, with a neat 70ies flair. So even the somewhat wacky costumes fit with that. Might have been 8s in there, but it's not like the margins in scores are massive and they're right in the mix anyway.

 

Also thought Ginger was overscored, but that was a given since she's GMA and they're going to pimp her to some degree. I hope it won't get too obnoxious and make me resent her, since she seems nice otherwise. Jive was decent for the first week, but not spectacular. Should have been all 7s probably. Wanya and Nyle were awesome. Marla was better than expected, I bet Tony is thrilled that he has someone with potential for a change. Good for him. Jodie was a bit underwhelming, but perhaps my expectations were too high? Keo has to step it up with someone strong like that. Antonio, Von, Kim were decent for the first week.

 

Doug was totally forgettable, that never bodes well. Geraldo was a trainwreck and scored on the generous side... Felt sorry for Mischa, but she doesn't seem the right personality type for this show. Perhaps she'll relax into it going forward? Idk. The comments were way harsh, though. What's up with that? Some sort of drama behind the scenes? Or do they want to drum up sympathy for her so she can redeem herself next week?

Edited March 22, 2016 by katha

[LotusFlower]

I love Val and all things Chmerkovskiy, but no more Bindi comparisons. Bindi was, IMO, the most over pimped contestant in the history of all reality TV contests. Do not remind me of her!

 

Derek was Bindi's partner, not Val.  Did you mean Derek?

[gohawks]

Derek was Bindi's partner, not Val. Did you mean Derek?

No. I just mean that not even my love for Val could make me vote for Ginger if I have to hear that puke about Bindi when Ginger dances.

Edited March 22, 2016 by gohawks

[blaase]

I think Wanya, Marla and Ginger were overscored.

Didn't like how Len was so harsh on Mischa and not Gerardo and Doug who were just as bad if not worst.

Both NFL players were so stiff.

Edited March 22, 2016 by blaase

[LotusFlower]

No I just mean that not even my love for Val could make me vote for Ginger if I have to hear that puke about Bindi when Ginger dances.

 

Oh sorry!  I totally read it wrong.  Now I get it, and I agree with you!

[PBGamer89]

Paige totally reminds me of the type to be good but not looked at as the best, and steadily improve. I'm seeing support for her.

 

Usually we know the winner or at least the top 2 by the premiere ending, but I feel like this is a different season. Not saying Paige will definitely win, but she reminds me of the type to steadily and stealthily improve based on her dance and athletic background.

 

She's giving me Shawn Johnson vibes.

[gohawks]

ETA: gohawks, haven't seen that speculation, and I sure didn't get that feeling. I'm gonna go ahead and say no on that - Doug is married to his High School sweetheart, who was in attendance tonight.

Thanks for the info. I am going to remove that part of my post.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

I knew it would be a problem when Tootie was given 7s.  Sure enough, most of the others who were given 7s were better.  6 should have been the baseline.  Overscoring on DWTS?  Pshaw.

 

I am very pleased that Flutie and Geraldo are bombing.  Here's hoping Ameriker follows the jidges' lead.

 

Production was improved/more interesting with the behind the scenes stuff and the odd intros and outros.  They did have issues with the hosts, but that is nothing new.  I give BBCA credit for the effort.

 

Marla Maples was a lead for a successful Broadway production in 1991.  Surely, she learned something of comportment and dancing?  She's a ringer, or ought to be one.

 

My overall fears that this would be a boring cast are pretty much confirmed.  Back-to-back lousy seasons in the offing.  I want to be wrong. 

[anonymiss]

WELCOME BACK, LEN! 

 

Wanya was delightful! Although, I kind of had this fantasy they'd save Motown Philly for when Jodie could perform to it with Wanya singing with the rest of Boyz II Men or something like that.

 

Paige was impressive and underscored, which...figures. I liked when Mark was beaming at her when she was talking about wanting to be seen as a girl, too, not just a fighter. And nice to see Urijah Faber show up to be in her dance corner! Sidenote: WTH is happening to Mark's face? He's looking rough.

 

Kim's energy is infectious. I'm not interested in her but I enjoy Sasha and hope he becomes a regular pro.

 

Mischa's head popping up as she spied on the others' rehearsals was fun. She has a bit of a fragility that moves me. I think of her as a less scandalous but similarly troubled Lindsay Lohan so would like to see her achieve a comeback.

 

Peta continues to be great. And Nyle can truly compete so, combined w/ a much-needed break from the Houghs, this is shaping up to be my favorite season yet. 

Edited March 22, 2016 by anonymiss

[stillbored]

I'll admit- I'm rooting for jodie in this one. I think she was slightly underscored (but her face was terrible) - especially considering Len gave her a 6 for her dance, and then Carrie Ann gave Geraldo a 5 (he was grossly overscore - he deserved 2's). I had really high hopes for jodie since she does have some sort of dance history (although not ballroom - and it's been 25+ years)

[smiley13]

How funny was Len when he was all crabby at Bruno for taking his seat cushion?  I have missed Len.

[Emily-D]

My fears about Jodie were realised. Keo is not good enough for her in my opinion. That routine could have been so much better. I hope it's just first week precautions. But Keo needs to realise that his partner could literally do anything. He's going to blow it for her otherwise, she got outshined tonight.

 

I never thought I'd say this before the premiere but if Nyle and Wanya are the last two standing, I'd be very happy with that. I was prepared not to like Nyle because I thought he'd be like Noah who struggled with what he had to overcome. But Nyle CAN DANCE! Wanya was so good as well I love him. This season really looks like the season of the men. But those two got votes from me tonight.

 

I also gave Mischa votes. I was expecting the worst based on rehearsal photos and she didn't dance it well, major posture problems and it was very slow. But I thought Len was completely out of order with his comments directed at her. I don't think he realises just how fragile she is and I felt so bad for her. Then Carrie Ann went and gave her the same score as she did Geraldo. Compare the treatment of Geraldo to Mischa and I found it wrong! 

 

Doug will have the fans to keep him safe so either Geraldo or Mischa will be eliminated next week. Worth mentioning that me and my friend (who was also annoyed about Len's comments) couldn't get through to Mischa's vote number for over an hour after the show due to a busy line. Sounds like we weren't the only ones feeling sorry for her, that could save her. I couldn't get through to Nyle's number either, I'm not surprised he was raking in the votes though after that performance.

[Buggin]

I missed Nyle's dance so I need to go back and watch, but the others I enjoyed most were Paige, Kim (I though she and Sasha were cute together), and Wanya. I really wish Artem had gotten Jodie instead. She did well but I think Keo is not going to bring the best out of her. Plus, I love watching Artem dance and want him to stay in longer. I mostly got the vibe with Mischa is that she is too much in her head. I think she has no confidence for this. I felt bad for her but she will probably be relieved when her time is up.

I like Kym and I know Tristan is no longer in the US and has a baby due soon, but I was thinking I wish he and Emma could be the All Access hosts this season. They'd be so fun together on that.

Did not miss Allison at all...really hope she doesn't get a spot back over Emma. I can take or leave Edyta but I do like this trend of bringing back older pros if only for nostalgia's sake. Also wish they'd kept Brittany in the troupe over Hayley.

[boyznkatz]

I thought all of them were good except Doug Flutie, Micsha Barton and Geraldo. I definitely think Mischa will be the first to go. Best premier in a long time. I thought Ginger was really annoying though, and looks like she's going to be pimped in Bindi Irwin fashion. I had forgotten how awesome Edyta is. Too bad she won't last long :-(

[ally862]

Hi, Nyle. Nice to meet you. I’m a fan of tall, dark, and bearded so you’re going to fit in just fine. Also, clearly being deaf isn’t a barrier to dancing. Dude killed it. Some weird latin pancake hands but that’s to pretty normal for male celebs in the beginning. Also, was the dark haired guy they kept showing in the audience his brother? Because I wouldn’t be averse to having bro show up some time. The only thing I’m afraid of with Nyle isn’t even on him; can only hope that Carrie Ann doesn’t wear out the “omg, it’s so beautiful you can overcome all your difficulties dance like that omg, so inspirational!!!” or whatever other PC comment she’ll spin it as. No, he’s just a good dancer and seems like a good guy, end of story.

So, I don't know about the guy with the dark hair but believe it or not, the red head sitting next to him is actually Nyle's twin. I don't think I've ever seen two people look less alike, let alone brothers. Obviously fraternal twins don't look alike but they are polar opposites.

My phone isn't letting me do 2 quotes for some reason but in response to the person wondering how Nyle and Peta will respond to constructive criticism, I don't know about Peta but I think Nyle will do great. There was a photo shoot on ANTM that he got really screwed on where they did the shoot standing on a small box in pitch black. The other contestants got some sort of audio cue before the camera flash went off so they could pose but for Nyle they just kept hitting the box or something. So the poor guy was in pitch black, couldn't hear a thing and someone would randomly just hit the little box he was standing on. It had to be so disconcerting and really wasn't fair to him but he never complained. Just did his best. I think he'll welcome any critiques.