And then the recap.

Leona Lewis performs Bleeding Love.  Maks and Karina dance.

Julianne Hough sings and Lacey, Mark and Derek dance.

John Legend sings.

I think that this should could have been half an hour tonight and cut out a lot of this excessive filler.  Not that it’s not nice to see a variety show, but it’s a results show for goodness’ sake.  Get to the results.

Filler piece on how the family members of the celebs feel about their loved ones dancing.

Aretha Franklin sings Respect.  Mark Ballas dances with current champion Kristi Yamaguchi.

Finally the results.  I did like Mark and Kristi, though!

Lance and Lacey are…going to the finals!

Brooke and Derek are…going to the finals!  (Yippee!!)

Which means, of course, that Warren and Kym and Cody and Julianne are in danger.

Warren and Kym are…going to the finals!

Cody and Julianne are…going home.

No Hough-off this season.  I think that America again got it right (as they have mostly done this season).  I definitely think they had the right top 4.  And they definitely have the right top 3.  Cody is such a sweetie, though.  I hate to see him go.

Next week, the finals.  And I think it’s going to come down to Lance and Brooke as long as no one has a disaster on the dance floor.

First, the recap with commentary from the judges.

Warren and Kym’s Tango gets the encore.  But, what’s up with the fact that I don’t think Brooke and Derek have done an encore yet and she’s led the entire competition except one week.  That’s just ridiculous!

Brad Paisley sings.  Lacey and her brother Benji dance.  I love me some Benji Schwimmer!

Results…

Warren and Kym are…going to the semifinals!

Lance and Lacey are…going to the semifinals!

Dr. Drew psychoanalyzes the couples.

The Design a Dance happens.  It’s Derek and Julianne dancing the Jive.  And that might have been the craziest most fun jive I’ve ever seen.  Great stuff!

More Dr. Drew.  How sweet is Cody?  So darn sweet I want to eat him up!

Brad Paisley sings again.  Maks, Edyta, Alec, Kym, Karina and some other guy dance.  Who is that guy?

A doctor reveals that dancers are great athletes.  Duh.  I think dancers have the most beautiful bodies of any athlete.

Results…

Brooke and Derek are…going to the semifinals!

Maurice and Cheryl and Cody and Edyta/Julianne are in jeopardy.

Cody and Edyta/Julianne are…going to the semifinals!

Maurice and Cheryl are…going home.

I really hate to see Maurice go.  He’s a class act and a nice guy.  But, it’s getting to that part of the show. Every elimination is a tough one from here on out!  Will Brooke be able to hold off the guys and help the girls win the trophy two seasons in a row?  We shall see!

Recap time.

The encore goes to the group Paso Doble.

Lionel Richie sings.  Husband and wife Alec and Edyta dance.

First results…

Maurice and Cheryl are…safe!

DanceCenter is back! Oh how I love it.

Macy’s Stars of Dance performance time.  Still not really sure what this stuff has to do with Ballroom, but whatever.

And yet more DanceCenter.  Woot!

More results…

Brooke and Derek are…safe!

Warren and Kym are…safe!

Lionel Richie performs Dancing on the Ceiling while the pros (Kym and Tony and Cheryl and Maks - with a haircut!) dance.

Lionel Richie still looks like he’s 40.  He’s actually 59.  Wow.

More results:

Lance and Lacey are…safe!

Cody and Edyta are…safe!  Whew, that was a close one.

Susan and Tony are…going home.

That was the right choice America!

Did I hear that right?  Next week the stars have to perform a solo?  What the heck?  This isn’t So You Think You Can Dance people.  Get a grip.

Lance Bass and Lacey Schwimmer

Dance:  West Coast Swing
Wardrobe:  Good
Music:  Was that swing?  

Performance:  I thought this was a good performance for Lance because he looked really confident and like he was having a great time.  It’s really too bad he fell on the slide because that was the only thing that I thought really marred the performance.

Judges:  Len thinks Lacey needs to show off her partner a little bit more.  Bruno thinks he was holding back.  Carrie Ann thought he wasn’t paid enough attention to this week.  (I really didn’t see what they were talking about to be honest and I thought their comments were a little weird since they really didn’t say anything other than to rip on Lacey.)

Judges scores:  7 +  7 + 7 = 21

My score:  8

Toni Braxton and Alec Mazo

Dance:  West Coast Swing
Wardrobe:  Ugh.  Toni’s outfit from the ugly wig to the ugly anklet thingies was horrific.
Music:  Boring

Performance:  I pretty much thought the performance was as boring as the music and maybe that’s partly fault of the music, but there was just no pop to it.  It was all pretty blah. 

Judges:  Bruno said there were sections that were actually the West Coast Swing, but wondered why they did the Moon Walk.  Carrie Ann thought they were overdancing.  Len thinks they need to regroup and come back strong.  (Are the judges extra-cranky this week or what?)

Judges scores:  7 + 7 + 8 = 22

My score:  7

Susan Lucci and Tony Dovolani

Dance:  Hustle
Wardrobe:  Awesome
Music:  Not bad

Performance:  I actually really enjoyed this performance.  I thought the choreography was good and they looked like they were having fun.  The only complaint I really have is that it still feels like Susan is dancing small and she really needs to dance bigger.

Judges:  Carrie Ann thought it was a lot of fun.  Len thinks Tony is treating Susan like a China doll and he wants some flair and wow.  Bruno thought it did look like a Hustle.  (A little less grumpy on this one, but they’re still grumpy.

Judges scores:  7 + 7 + 8 = 22

My score:  8

Warren Sapp and Kym Johnson

Dance:  Hustle
Wardrobe:  Perfect
Music:  Awesome

Performance:  LOVED IT!  Loved the choreography.  Loved the dancing.  Best dance so far tonight.

Judges:  Len said it was fun and enjoyable and it was great.  Bruno said he really knows how to funk (and he pronounced it carefully, too).  Carrie Ann said it was nostalgic and it was great.  (Look ma, no cranks!)

Judges scores:  8 + 8 + 9 = 25

My score:  9

Cloris Leachman and Corky Ballas

Dance:  Salsa
Wardrobe:  Age appropriate
Music:  Dance appropriate

Performance:  It was a little crazy, but it was nice to see her doing some Salsa steps.  Got a little risque at the end, though! 

Judges:  Bruno said the old girl can still turn a trick and they actually did a Salsa.  Carrie Ann said she makes them forget it’s a dance competition (and she meant that in a good way).  Len said she was hotter than a chili pepper.  (No crankiness here, either!)

Judges scores:  7 + 7 + 7 = 21

My score:  7

Maurice Greene and Cheryl Burke

Dance:  Salsa
Wardrobe:  Awesome.  Loud but awesome.
Music:  It was okay.  I mean, I liked the song, but I’m not sure it was great Salsa music.

Performance:  I really loved the performance.  There seemed to be a couple of times they had some missteps or bobbles, but they hid them well.  A fun dance overall, though.

Judges:  Carrie Ann said it was very nice.  Len said he’d give him a 10 for energy and that he gave it his all.  Bruno said way to go.

Judges scores:  9 + 9 + 9 = 27

My score:  9

Brooke Burke and Derek Hough

Dance:  Jitterbug
Wardrobe:  Adorable
Music:  Great

Performance: So! Much! Fun!  Loved the choreography and the feel and the performance. They looked like they were having a blast and it was big and fun and very entertaining. Brooke looked like she has been jitterbugging for years.

Judges:  Len said she is consistently top notch.  Bruno said it was vigorous and glorious. Carrie Ann said it was amazing!

Judges scores:  10 + 9 + 10 = 29

My score:  10

Cody Linley and Julianne Hough

Dance:  Jitterbug
Wardrobe:  Interesting.  She kind of looked like Lucy Ricardo?
Music:  Kind of blah

Performance:  I thought they did a great job and that it was a lot of fun, but I liked Brooke and Derek’s a little better.

Judges:  Bruno said the frantic energy was incredible.  Carrie Ann said it was the perfect dance for him.  Len said it was fun, entertaining and he liked it very much.

Judges scores:  10 + 9 + 9 = 28

My score:  9

Judges Ranking:

1. Brooke and Derek: 29
2. Cody and Julianne: 28
3. Maurice and Cheryl: 27
4. Warren and Kym: 25
5. Susan and Tony: 22
5. Toni and Alec: 22
7. Lance and Lacey: 21
7. Cloris and Corky: 21

My Ranking:

1. Brooke and Derek: 10
2. Julianne and Cody: 9
3. Warren and Kym: 9
4. Maurice and Cheryl: 9
5. Susan and Tony: 8
6. Lance and Lacey: 8
7. Cloris and Corky: 7
8. Toni and Alec: 7

I really did enjoy the different styles of dance, but I think it was slightly unfair to the professionals to throw styles at them that they are unfamiliar with. It was kind of interesting to see them struggle in rehearsals when they are usually so confident, though.

I think Cloris is probably in the most trouble this week, but the tongue-lashing they gave Lacey could work either way. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens tomorrow night.

First the recap and then the encore goes to….Lance and Lacey!

Next up, hunky Flamenco dancers.  I’m down with that.

Results time…

Susan and Tony are…safe!

Lance and Lacey are…safe!

Rocco and Karina are…in the bottom 2.

The dancing kids are back!

Neo performs? I think?  I fast forwarded.

More results…

Brooke and Derek, Cody and Julianne, Toni and Alec, Warren and Kym are all…safe!

Maurice and Cheryl are also…safe!

Which puts Cloris and Corky…in the bottom 2.

Cloris and Corky are…safe!

Rocco and Karina are…going home.

On the one hand, he seems to be the sweetest, nicest man and it was obvious he was enjoying himself.  On the other hand, he was clearly at the bottom of the pack dancingwise, so America got this one right.

I spent many a Saturday afternoon watching Wide World of Sports on ABC, and I can still hear his voice saying “the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat” in the intro. I’m a little too young to remember the Munich Olympics, but I’ve seen clips of his brilliant and powerful work under pressure through the years. So many of my Olympic memories are tied to his voice. They just don’t make them like that anymore. He will be missed. Rest in peace, Mr. McKay, and thanks for the memories.

ER (fate unknown)

Grey’s Anatomy (expected to shoot 4-5 new episodes)

Heroes (probably won’t come back until the fall)

How I Met Your Mother (expected to shoot 5-7 new episodes)

Lost (6 episodes left; 6 additional episodes could air)

Medium (6 episodes left; no additional episodes expected until fall)

Moonlight (no new episodes expected until fall)

NCIS (expected to shoot 5-7 new episodes, but only three may air)

The New Adventures of Old Christine (6 episodes left; no additional episodes expected until fall)

Numbers (expected to shoot 5-7 new episodes, but only three may air)

Pushing Daisies (no new episodes until fall)

Ugly Betty (expected to shoot 4-5 new episodes)