TVSquad

(S07E09) After a week off from eliminations, it was time for the show to get back on track. That meant another couple would be leaving the competition, and as an added bonus, we would be finding out which teams were in the bottom two. That's always good to know, if for no other reason than it stops Tom and Samantha from repeating the "not necessarily in the bottom two" disclaimer. In addition to the results, there was also time for a musical performance from Ne-Yo, a flamenco exhibition from Los Vivancos, and the dancing kids were back. All of that, and a welcome change to the weekly taped segments, after the jump. Let's get things started with the taped packages. It is almost always the weakest part of the results show. Seven seasons in, we've seen just about every behind the scenes interview bit we would want to. Man on the street is always iffy. And I don't think anyone wants to return to the days of Jimmy and Guillermo. This week brought another wrinkle. With the whole country in full on election mode, we got a look at some campaign ad spoofs. It was a welcome change from the normal taped packages. Here's a rundown of the messages, and which candidate paid for them.

"Cody Linley is a baby." - Brooke Burke
"Rocco Dispirito, never trust a skinny chef." - Warren Sapp
"Brooke Burke. It's time to say no to hot chicks who can dance." - The rest of the cast
"Maurice Greene must think this competition is a joke" - Lance Bass
"Hasn't Cloris Leachman cost this production enough?" - Accounting Department
"Lance Bass is probably crazy." - Toni Braxton
"Hasn't Toni Braxton won enough?" - Rocco Dispirito
"Susan Lucci is a filthy beast." - Cloris Leachman
"Warren Sapp, you're wearing a fat suit." - Erica Kane

Getting to the performances, it was a solid night. Ne-Yo performed his song, "Closer" and provided his own dancing, no pros necessary. Given the choice, I would always opt for the pros, but it was a good song. Los Vivancos brought their flamenco stylings to the ballroom. They were very good. It's always fun to see the different styles get represented on the results show. The highlight of the night though, was the return of the dancing kids. Once again, they were adorable.

Mitchell & Jessica were up first and they delivered a very nice cha cha. At 11 and 10 years old, it's amazing how well they perform. Mitchell looked to be a little nervous at times, but it was an impressive performance. Len asked how often they practiced. Told it was three times a week, he said it shows. They were crisp, precise, and had great musicality. Bruno told Mitchell & Jessica that they brought a smile to his face and praised Jessica's lines. Carrie Ann thought the costumes were fierce and that they were a joy to watch.

Kirill & Hanna were up next with the samba. They were also 11 and 10, and danced just as well. It was going to be a tough call, but Kirill looked just a little more comfortable than Mitchell, and may have tipped the scales. Carrie Ann said they were very sophisticated in their movement and that the performance was fantastic. She also got distracted by just how cute they were. Len loved that they captured the flavor of the samba, noting the fabulous hips and great personalities. Bruno thought they really sold it and engaged the audience. Great to watch.

Of course, there has to be a winner. Carrie Ann voted Kirill & Hannah. Len went with Mitchell & Jessica. And Bruno chose Kirill & Hannah. We'll be seeing them again later in the season. It's a fair choice, but both of them were great.

And that brings us to the results. As usual the results were spread throughout the show. The order looked like this:

Susan & Tony - Safe
Lance & Lacey - Safe
Rocco & Karina - Bottom Two
Brooke & Derek - Safe
Cody & Julianne - Safe
Toni & Alec - Safe
Warren & Kym - Safe
Maurice & Cheryl - Safe
Cloris & Corky - Bottom Two

As we all expected, the crazy scoring from performance night had sealed Rocco's fate and his time in the ballroom is over. He was very gracious in leaving, thanking the cast, crew, judges, and Karina. He even managed to get Bruno down on the floor for a demonstration of how to move his hips. It didn't go well.

Next week, four new dances in the ballroom. The stars will tackle the hustle, jitterbug, salsa, and west coast swing. For what it's worth, Len said that they will be looking more for performance than technique. We'll see how that goes. It should make for an interesting show.