TVSquad

(S05E07) At the start of the show, Drew announced that tonight would be his last as co-host. Samantha Harris will be returning to work next week, which should make many people very happy. I still wish they had used a different former contestant each week, but Drew was a logical choice. They emphasized the men versus women angle again, and the women were declared the "winners" this week. The ladies dominated the leaderboard, leaving the men in the bottom half of the rankings.

In the post-performance confessional, Cameron was pumped about getting a higher score this time around. Mark said that he needed to truly believe he was a dancer before he could improve. Work isn't everything. Wayne had another humorous response to the judges' criticism. He thought that anyone who says you can lead a lady is out of their mind. I love that Wayne is always ready with a comeback for the judges and the hosts. Floyd felt like he let his partner down, but Karina assured him that this wasn't the case. Helio didn't let his middle-of-the-pack scores get him down.

Sabrina was pleased that she and Mark reclaimed the top spot in Week 3. Mel was both impressed and shocked by her score, and Maks didn't know that those words could be used together. Marie's labor-themed remarks were revisited, and Jane said that she would have fallen apart without her Tango. Jennie did an adorable victory dance with Derek in their post-performance interview.

With so many high scores and emotional moments, I wasn't sure who the judges would choose for the encore. Len acknowledged that this season's cast was the best ever, but said that one couple went from good to great. Jennie and Derek performed their comeback Tango once again. I was surprised that they chose this dance, since the judges usually select the encore from among the top-scoring couples. Jennie was only one point away from the first place couples, though. The Tango ("Cité Tango," Arthur Piazzolla) was just as fantastic as it was the previous evening. Now that Jennie is more comfortable with herself onstage, I hope this is just the beginning of her growth as a dancer.

After the encore, Drew and Tom gave a complete rundown of the judges' leaderboard. Wayne and Cheryl were in 10th place, with Mark and Kym in 9th. Floyd, Cameron, and Helio were in 8th, 7th, and 6th place, respectively. The ladies held all the top spots, with Marie and Jennie tied for 4th. Sabrina, Mel, and Jane tied for 1st place, each having earned 27 points. In the first phase of the elimination, Jane and Tony were declared safe, as were Jennie and Derek.

In his first performance of the night, Seal sang "Kiss From A Rose," which was the only good thing to come from that god-awful Batman Forever movie. Professional dancers Eddie Stutts and Valentina accompanied Seal, and their costumes reminded me of a bride and groom. Seal's performance was very beautiful and dramatic, but was a little subdued. I usually need something to keep me awake during the results show.

The audience members got their chance to weigh in on the Week 3 routines. One elderly woman was angry that Cameron got a relatively low score despite the fact that he was "So good, and talented." She even added a flustered "Umph!" for good measure. A married couple couldn't decide if Marie was hotter than Wayne. This is what happens when you vote off the models, people! Monique Coleman was glad that the ladies were taking over the leaderboard for once. Self-described International TV Star Jerry O'Connell could tell from Jennie's eyes that she was on a mission.

In the second part of the elimination, both Marie and Melanie were put on the safe list. It was strange that Sabrina wasn't declared safe at this point, since she had one of the top scores. I guess they were making her sweat it out. None of the men were put on the safe list, either.

Tom Bergeron pointed out Anne Heche from Men in Trees, and I officially met my limit for ABC promotion. I think they should stick to one show per week--don't show the Carpoolers guys, the Bachelor, and Anne Heche all in one week! Enough is enough. Backstage, Drew asked Derek and Julianne about their sibling rivalry, and Julianne playfully kicked her brother's butt. I'm sure Derek enjoyed scoring higher than his sister for the first time ever.

The time came for Billy Ray and Miley Cyrus to sing, and I didn't hate the performance. The song, a father-daughter tune called "Ready Set, Don't Go," was actually sort of sweet. Miley was cute as a bug's ear and made her dad a little less annoying. Karina and Maksim danced along, and Karina did this really impressive move where she balanced herself on Maksim's shoulders. Those two have always been my favorite professional pair. After the break, Seal performed his second song ("Amazing," from his new album). His music isn't my cup of tea, so it was difficult to judge. His four backup dancers were a little scary, though. Lots of eye makeup there.

Next, there was an interview with music director Harold Wheeler. I don't remember seeing a segment like this before, so kudos to DWTS for doing something new in the results show. I thought the segment was going to discuss how they match some of those bizarre songs (Bon Jovi) to the dances, but no luck. Apparently the professional dancers have no say in the song selection at all, and some of them try to swap songs. I'm impressed that the couples are able to perform after one ten-minute rehearsal with the live band. That sounds tough. Wayne called Harold a genius, and said the band was the best.

I loved the moment when Drew called Tom "Father Time," and Tom ran back and got in Drew's face. Very few parts of this show feel spontaneous, and this was one of those rare moments. And how sweet was it for Drew to make up with him minutes later? I couldn't stop laughing when Tom responded by called Drew a Padawan. Is anyone planning on watching that new dance show that Drew is hosting? It's hard to imagine Bruno and Carrie Ann without Len.

The segment about celebrity anxiety reminded me a great deal of the segments they do every week about the stress of competition. How many different ways can you say that dancing in front of an audience and on live TV is scary? Cheryl ripped on Wayne yet again, saying that she positions herself closest to the judges whenever there is a difficult move so they don't focus on Wayne. Harsh, Cheryl.

Next, two more couples were put on the safe list. Sabrina and Mark were safe, along with Cameron and Edyta. One of the men was marked for elimination. Helio looked genuinely nervous, Karina looked sheepish, and Cheryl looked pissed. After a few seconds of tension, Helio and Julianne were declared safe from elimination, as were Mark and Kym. Tom made Floyd and Wayne sweat it out while he interviewed the judges. I wish they'd stop doing that. It must be agonizing for the dancers. Finally, Wayne Newton was sent home. Wayne had hoped to stay through the Paso Doble week, but was proud of himself for trying something new. He gave heartfelt thanks to his family and to the show's cast and crew. I will miss Wayne's positive attitude and generosity toward his fellow competitors, but I think he left at the appropriate time.

Brett will be back next week to cover the Paso Doble and the Viennese Waltz. In the meantime, be sure to vote for your favorite couple in AOL's poll! Also, join AOL's Dancing With The Stars live chat (Mondays & Tuesdays, 7:30pm ET) and voice your opinion!

Gallery: Dancing With The Stars