Austin360 blogs > TV Blog > Archives > 2007 > November > 28 > Entry
Bravo, Helio! ‘Dancing’ champ deserved the mirror ball
Suddenly my Mondays and Tuesdays are free … shall I read a book? Go to the gym? Or wait for the next edition of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars?”
Probably the latter. The other choices are way too taxing for this time of year.
Last night’s “Dancing” finale was fabulous. Brazilian race-car driver Helio Castroneves definitely deserved to win. Besides hoofing skills, he was by far the most fun contestant to watch. Host Tom Bergeron called it charisma, but to me Helio’s appeal was his infectious grin and the fact that he was having the time of his life and brought the audience along with him.
OK, “Scary Spice” Mel B was possibly the better dancer. And Marie Osmond, 48, might have been the sentimental favorite because of her in-season traumas and middle-aged years. But that rag-doll dance Monday night assured her departure in the first 20 minutes of last night’s finale. Bye-bye, Marie. You were funny and fun to watch.
Helio and his cute-as-a-button professional partner Julianne Hough sparkled for 10 whole weeks. There’s no way to know for sure, but I suspect Julianne brought in a good chunk of the votes herself. Bubbly and wildly talented, Julianne helped speed skating champ Apolo Anton Ohno win the dancing contest last season, too. She was as much of a draw as Helio.
While I enjoyed “Dancing with the Stars,” I have absolutely no interest in the upcoming spinoff, “Dance Wars.” Judges Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli will train a bunch of singers and dancers and compete as teams. Zzzzzzzz … Plus Drew Lache will host. Double-zzzzzzzz. Color me gone.
From Malcolm to homicidal maniac?
Yep, that seedy looking guy in tonight’s episode of “Criminal Minds” (8 p.m. on CBS) is Frankie Muniz, previously the adorable “Malcolm in the Middle.”
Muniz, who turns 22 on Dec. 5, plays a famous comic-book artist who, according to press material, “helps” the FBI team search for a serial killer in Los Angeles. What do you want to bet he turns out to be the serial killer?
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By Adan Lerma
November 30, 2007 8:37 AM | Link to this
yes, kudos for helio, but the ultimate bravos are for the julianne
twice she's turned champions of other fields into believing they could also win at dance
twice she has adopted herself to the personality and strengths of her admittedly youthful (not aged, unable to move, or just-back-in from surgery :-) partners and choreographed a perfect fit
now, to truly prove herself (and you know i'm only half kidding here), she would need to take someone older, maybe me! at the tender age of 57, yet nimble enough to do jazzercise,
and see if she can work her magic on less fertile material, i'm game :-)
By db
November 28, 2007 5:55 PM | Link to this
Thank goodness Marie didn't make it into the final two or win or I would have given up on this show. Her caustic and nasty side came out on the last two nights of the show. She seemed to be amazed that she wasn't considered the best. And the constant politicking including on other shows by her brother Donny was disgusting.
By JuJu
November 28, 2007 11:26 AM | Link to this
I love Dancing with the Stars. I voted for Helio and Juianne. I love both of them. They are SO CUTE. Marie was just annoyning and Mel B was good also, but she has had some dance experience, while Helio was a complete novice and he improved each week. They were just fun to watch.