In case you thought the producers wouldn't dramatize Marie's already-dramatic fainting incident, you were wrong. They show it in slow motion AND make it black and white. And Marie's fainting incident set off a weird night where favorites like Helio got lambasted. But tonight? It's LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE!
How did the performers react last night? Jane was thrilled to be compared to the much-younger Edyta. Cameron joked about how difficult it was to fake being hot for Edyta, since she's so unattractive. Jennie gloats about having Len on her side. Maks grins about getting to meet the Spice Girls. We get to see the immediate aftermath of Marie fainting, and now see that when she finally came to, she got up and did a bow for the audience -- always the performer.
Len announces that Mel and Maks will be doing the encore this week. One thing I've noticed this season: I think Maks is getting better at showcasing the partnership as opposed to showcasing himself. I don't know if that's maturity on his part, or because of the partner he has this season.
After the break, it's time for Jennifer Lopez's pre-taped performance. Condolences to her family; I read today that her grandmother died and that's why the performance had to be pre-taped. J. Lo is wearing her typical flowy top to hide the face that she's totally pregnant. Or so the gossip sites claim. I'm not entirely sure why she was chosen to perform, as she is accompanied by a troop of hip-hop dancers. At one point, she bends at the waist to flip her hair upside down, and when she flips back, you can totally see her baby bump. I don't mean to be obsessed with it, but it's not like the song is any good, or even interesting.
Blah, audience reaction. Hey, Carlton from Fresh Prince is there! Heather Mills thought Marie's fall was a joke at first, as did many of us. Someone thinks that Mark and Sabrina are hooking up, which I'm sure made the ABC/Disney marketing machine happy, since they seem to be pushing that storyline pretty hard.
Time to reveal two couples who are safe: Sabrina and Mark, and Mel and Maks. After the break, Samantha is backstage with Marie and Jonathan and Helio and Julianne. Samantha asks Marie about the fainting incident. Marie suggests it may have been due to the poor air quality in California, and her allergies. She makes a joke about their scores falling faster than her body. Samantha reveals that week is the group dance. Woo! I love the group dance! Much more potential for people running into each other. Samantha stutters through a question to Helio about how their scores have decreased over time, which seems like the wrong direction. Helio makes a joke about how he's a racecar driver, so he only has to go left.
week's group dance will apparently be "a rock-and-roll number," so we get to see...a Lindy? Where the dancers are all dressed up as punks. I don't know. And does anyone really say rock-and-roll anymore? I like this style of dance, but this particular routine isn't doing it for me. It's too manic -- I think they should have picked a slightly slower song.
Now it's another performance from Jennifer Lopez, singing "Let's Get Loud." But there's actual ballroom dancing happening this time. I'd kind of like to see J. Lo doing some ballroom dancing. I bet she'd be pretty good. I guess she's too much of a pro (and too famous) to be a contestant on this show, but it would still be fun. In the middle, the four ladies (Julianne, Edyta, Karina, and Cheryl) do a chair dance that's kind of cool. It kind of creeps me out when Julianne and Derek do sexy dances together. The audience goes nuts when J. Lo finishes.
Samantha introduces a clip package about choreography. Julianne explains how all-consuming it is. Kym likes to go away by herself with the music to work out the routine. Edyta listens to the music fifty times before trying any steps. Maks choreographs with his partner on the spot in the rehearsal studio. Kym tries to balance technical steps and flashiness. Julianne plans stunts at the beginning and the middle and then a big ending. Maks tries to highlight the relationship with his partner over jumps and splits. Tony tries to show off his student. Kym talks about how they need to choreograph to their partner's strengths and weaknesses. Derek likes it when the judges compliment the choreography. Mark says that the greatest feeling is looking at your partner when the dance ends and realizing you pulled it off.
One more couple is safe. Who is it? Cameron and Edyta. After the break, Samantha is backstage with Mel and Maks. She asks Mel who she thinks will be in the bottom two, like Mel's going to answer that. Mel says they're like a family and she doesn't want to see anyone go. Maks talks about how difficult their week was, and he's even more impressed that they pulled it off. He has no conviction in his voice, which makes everyone chuckle. Samantha asks Mark and Kym if they are worried. Mark says he can't worry, because it's out of his hands, so he's just trying to enjoy things.
Clip package about the stress of the demands created by the show. Helio is racing cars, Mel is starting the Spice Girls tour, Sabrina is touring with the Cheetah girls, Cameron is jetting all over the place for his various acting gigs, Marie is releasing an album, Mark is running an empire, Jane has her art and her acting (?), and Jennie has a family. Wow, that made it sound like Jane and Jennie are not nearly as busy as the rest, didn't it? Because Marie has a family too, plus a job. Mel thinks the routines need to get more difficult as the competition gets more intense. Mark puts a lot of pressure on himself. Sabrina thinks she has the energy and the stamina to make it. Jane has experience and knows what it takes to survive as a performer. Cameron knows he signed up for this crazy schedule, and he's going to make it however he can.
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Time to find out the fates of two more couples. Jennie and Derek are safe. Mark and Kym are in the bottom two. After another commercial break, we find out who joins them in the bottom two. Will it be Marie and Jonathan, Jane and Tony, or Helio and Julianne? Marie and Jonathan are safe. Also safe are Helio and Julianne. That means Jane and Tony are in the bottom two. The way Tom announced it, Julianne and Helio weren't sure if they were safe or not, which was kind of hilarious.
Before we find out who's going home, we get to hear from the judges. Carrie Ann is shocked, but knows the level of competition is intense. Bruno thinks that if Mark goes home, we would lose a good sport and an entertainer. Len doesn't want to pick, of course, but says he would have to hope that Jane stays, because of her class and elegance. But who is going home? Mark and Kym. Finally. I couldn't take the buffoon much longer. Although that does mean that I don't hate anyone who's left, which means I'll be at least a little sad when each of them leave. Mark reveals that he's lost thirty pounds and gained new friends and respect for ballroom dance. Mark shakes the judges' hands before heading out to the floor for his final dance. week, each couple will have a solo dance as well as a group dance.
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