TVSquad

(S04E07) They opened the show tonight by naming Apolo and Joey as the standouts. I think they have it right on that one. Ian and Laila have the stuff to get themselves back in contention, but as we sit now, Apolo and Joey are a step ahead of everyone else. Two steps in front of a few people.

When it came time to pick the encore, Len credited Ian, Apolo, and Heather as having great performances the night before, but the encore went to Joey & Kym. It was a good choice. They were the best of the night, and their paso doble was just as good the second time around. They were followed up by the first musical performance of the night.

(S04E06) Tom kicked off week four by proclaiming, "It's time to go big, or go home." I would disagree with that. We are still early enough in the competition that people can continue to skate by on popularity. When they get down to four couples, then it will be time to go big.

Len followed that up by going to the stats. According to his numbers, this group has been slacking on the practice. They have only been practicing 13 hours a week. The teams from the last season averaged 19 hours. He said that it shows in their performance, but I don't notice a stark difference between the two seasons. I think we have a similar division of couples again this year. He followed that up with a threat of lower scores for anyone he thinks isn't putting in the work. I wasn't buying that, but in retrospect, this was some of the tougher judging they have ever done. That said, on with the show.

(S04E05) Another week, another "shocking" elimination. The hosts were all about hyping the "jam-packed" results show, bragging that there was more music and dancing "than ever before." What else would there be on a dancing show? An ad for a workout DVD? Oh, wait, I'm getting ahead of myself.

The behind-the-scenes interviews were combined with recap footage from last night's performances. A big deal was made of the unprecedented four-way tie. Joey Fatone was offended by Len's butt comment, and stuck out his rear (and his visible panty line) in protest during his interview. Heather wanted to advance even farther than Jonathan's previous two-legged partners. I'm still hoping that Heather's dancing talents will start to overshadow her disability. It was a valid topic in the first few episodes, but enough is enough.

(S04E04) We're back for another week of dancing, and the lovely Paulina is no longer with us. Many of the dances were inspired by movies this week; we had Star Wars, Pulp Fiction, and even Goldfinger. Contestants danced either the Jive or the Tango, and the results were very entertaining.

Shandi Finnessey and Brian Fortuna (Jive) - Shandi and Brian's Jive was good, but forgettable after all of the performances were finished. Their performance was fun and spirited, and Shandi wisely showed as much skin as possible. She can't compete with the other contestants' technical skills, but she's doing her best to corner the market on hotness. The judges were impressed with her progress and gave the couple a 21 (7, 7, 7).

(S04E02) Two weeks in and I have to say that this is a pretty good group of contestants. The new format with two weeks of performances before the first elimination was a good idea. Sometimes a contestant just doesn't handle a particular dance well, so it's nice to see them get a second shot. Lots of contestants, so a lot to cover. Let's get to it.

Apolo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough (Quick Step) - At its base, the show is about the "Stars." The partners certainly factor in though, and I continue to be impressed with Julianne. She might be just 18 years old, but she carries herself as well as any of the other pros. It doesn't hurt that she is absolutely adorable either. Apollo has officially impressed me now. I didn't have high expectations for him coming in, but he really shows the potential to be a contender. Len said Apollo is going to stay for weeks and weeks. Bruno called it cool, fresh, young, and exciting. Carrie Ann was impressed with the footwork and sync. High praise all around, and deservedly so. The scores, (8, 9, 9) I like that score. A great start to the night.

(S04E01) Another season of Dancing With The Stars is upon us, and I could not be more excited. Some important changes have been made this time around. Contestants were given four weeks to practice for the premiere instead of six, and there will be two weeks of dancing before the first elimination. The premiere was entertaining and surprising, as always. Let's get right to it!

Ian Ziering and Cheryl Burke (Cha Cha Cha) - It's tough to be the first dancers of the night, but Ian and Cheryl did a tremendous job. Their energetic performance included some decent footwork; those two definitely know how to have fun and work the crowd. Cheryl's hair was gorgeous, as usual, but I wasn't a fan of the Ziering facial hair. The judges gave Ian some technical criticism, but the pair walked away with a fair score of 21 (Carrie: 7, Len: 7, Bruno: 7).

It just gets stranger and stranger...

This morning, ABC announced the new slate of celebrities that will be participating in this upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars, which starts on Monday, March 19.

Some of the rumored selections, like Ian Ziering of 90210, and Billy Ray Cyrus of Hanna Montana, and Paul McCartney's bitter one-legged ex, Heather Mills, were right on the money. The other participants? Well, how would you like to see Big Pussy cutting a rug? Thaaat's right, Vincent Pastore is on board. So is basketball great Clyde Drexler, Olympic gold medalist Apolo Anton Ohno, former Entertainment Tonight host Leeza Gibbons, former supermodel Paulina Porizkova, former *NSYNCer Joey Fatone, Miss USA 2004 Shandi Finnessey, and boxer Laila Ali (yes, she's Muhammad Ali's daughter).

The full press release is after the jump. And the full story and photos are on the Good Morning America web site.