12th Place - Geraldo Rivera & Edyta Sliwinska
Prior to Dancing With the Stars I didn't really know who Geraldo was, but after I did my research I was less than impressed with his attitude towards certain things so my opinion of him wasn't very high. I didn't really have too much of an opinion on Edyta, as she was on back when I was only watching certain seasons of DWTS and I guess she never made a big impression on me. I'd heard she'd trashed the show sometime after she left so it seemed surprising and sort of random to bring her back on. For that reason, I think Geraldo may have requested her as his partner.
Prior to the season, I had low expectations for this couple, simply because Geraldo seemed pretty stiff.I was correct, but didn't know about the lack of feeling in one of his feet. Props to him for even getting out there despite that problem, and to Edyta for staying positive and making the best of what she was given. I enjoyed their effort to entertain. but a lot of Gerlado movements and facial expressions just seemed creepy, and Edyta seemed to be portrayed as nothing more than a sexual object for him to gawk at, which made their performances uncomfortable to watch for me.
The other thing this couple did that didn't sit well with me was the Donald Trump-themed Salsa. I thought it was funny but I always feel weird when this show brings politics into the mix, and this seemed to be in especially poor taste since Trump-ex Marla Maples was right there the whole time. I'm sure she's used to being around this sort of thing, but Dancing With the Stars was supposed to be her time to shine apart from the Trump zaniness.
I think Geraldo and Edyta were the right couple to come in 12th place (and even Geraldo himself admitted this, which I found very noble of him to do) but I was glad to see Edyta back in the ballroom for a bit.
11th Place - Mischa Barton & Artem Chigvintsev
When this couple was first announced I was excited, because I thought they were one of the most well-paired couples of the season. They both seemed to have a similar laid-back and quiet attitude toward things. And Artem was actually once a guest star on Mischa's old television drama The O.C.! After seeing them in pre-season interviews, I began to grow a little concerned, and a big alarm went off in my head when she revealed she'd never seen an episode of Dancing With the Stars. She had no idea what she was in for......
I knew Mischa had a drug problem but I thought she'd been in recovery for a few years longer than she had been prior to joining DWTS. Naturally, her confidence was pretty low and that didn't translate well into their dances. I enjoyed Mischa's deadpan humor but she just didn't seem able to open up like some of the other contestants. She was also very nervous and I think her anxiety was portrayed as a terrible attitude towards the experience. I felt bad for her.
I felt bad for Artem too, of course, but he seemed unsure of what to do in this situation. I don't really think he is the type of pro to be able to handle someone as emotionally fragile as Mischa. He just doesn't seem able to understand these types of contestants very well. There was definitely a disconnect between the two for most of the competition, but I was happy they were able to turn it around and finally have fun during their last week. Mischa has seemed to have a more open and "free" attitude since her elimination, and I like how she has continued to show support for the rest of the cast. It's unfortunate that Mischa's comeback onto the scene saw her portrayed in such a negative light, but I hope she gets the opportunity to showcase her positive qualities in the near future!
10th Place - Marla Maples & Tony Dovolani
This was the saddest elimination of the season so far for me. I was so happy when Marla was announced as Tony's partner, since they have been friends for a long time and she seemed very enthusiastic about dancing with him. They were one of several couples travelling regularly this season (in their case, between Los Angeles and New York City) but they seemed very relaxed about it and it didn't seem to phase them in the slightest!
Marla had a lot of energy and passion, which showed in her performances. My favorite dance of hers was the Quickstep, because she came out with a bang and really showed the world what she had to offer on the dance floor, which was a lot of pizazz! She and Tony has excellent chemistry and it was great to watch them have fun every week. I especially loved all of Marla's gymnastics tricks!
Like I said, I was sad to see Marla and Tony get eliminated so early, but in a season with so many rabid fanbases-something that Marla does not seem to have-it was unfortunately kind of inevitable. I think it was a shock for both Marla and Tony, but I'm glad they both seemed to have enjoyed the experience of this partnership.
I know a lot of people have said this, but I don't like that they used her ex-husband to define her. I realize that his prevalent presence in the media right now was likely why she was brought on to Dancing With the Stars, but Marla has achieved many things in her life as an actress and philanthropist which were completely unrelated to her marriage. However, I'm glad she got to show the world who Marla Maples was apart from the unnecessary Donald Trump business!
Let me know your thoughts on these couples, and I'll see you soon for my next "Thoughts On" post after the next couple is eliminated!
Loved your take on these couples. I am
ReplyDeletePretty much on the same page with the exception of mischa. Since the day they were announced on gma you could just feel her awkwardness and it came off as aloofness. Can't wait to read the next blog. Great job!