Dancing With the Stars

Season 8 Episode 1

Episode 801

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Episode 801
8.4
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18 votes
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EPISODE REVIEWS
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Episode Summary

The new cast of the eighth season of Dancing With The Stars is showcased. Each couple will dance either the Cha Cha or the Waltz this week and another one next week before the live elimination.

Fan Episode Reviews (6)

SUBMIT REVIEW

  • season 8 premiere. we meet the new contestants. Lots of talking and clips. It's the first performance, how good can they be?

    8.0
    By buffyangel4evr_, Mar 24, 2009
    Ok, even before the first ep aired, we have 2 injuries. Jewel and Nancy O'Dell dropped out. The new contestants will be announced during the show. Lots of talking and clips of celebs meeting their professional partners. Blah blah blah.



    Lil Kim and Derek. Not a fan of Lil Kim to begin with. But she surprised me, wasn't half bad. That's as good as i'll give her, sorry. Too bad, I really like derek and was glad he finally won last season.



    Belinda and Johnathon. I thought she was a little bland. She kinda reminded me of Priscilla Presley. How weird is that?



    Lawrence and Edyta. I have high hopes for them. Edyta is one of my favorite pros and football players seem to do well. Don't tell, I remember when he played for the giants, so I'm a fan.



    Steve-O and Lacey. Excited to see what they come up with in the future. Lacey is a rebel and that's a lot of her appeal. She doesn't play by the rules and pushes the envelope. She and Steve-O are made for each other.



    Naked shower guy! Gilles and Cheryl. Cheryl has another great partner. She will definitely be in the race for the mirror ball again this year. Gilles is surprisingly good.



    The country sweethearts, Chuck and Julianne. Not bad at all. Hopefully the competition doesn't drive a wedge between them. Julianne is very competitive and I don't see her letting up, especially with her boyfriend First replacement contestant----Holly from the Girls Next Door. Isn't she up past her curfew? Lol. Not bad after only 5 days of training. We miss Jewel even though she never got to compete :(.



    Ty and Chelsea. Jewel's hubby goes on with the competition alone. Ooh, really stiff and robot-like. Is he marching? Please save him, maybe he'll do better next week. Such a sweet guy.



    The Olympian, Shawn and Mark. As I figured, she's great. And so adorable. A front runner.



    The computer geek, Steve Wozniak and Karina. Not a fan of Karina, sorry. You have to admit, the Woz is VERY enthusiastic. He's having so much fun you almost forget it's a competition. But alas, a competition it is and hopefully he won't be around too long.



    David and Kim. Forgettable. Sorry guys.



    Denise and Maks. She lacked spark. I was hoping to like. I have a feeling she gets a bad rap.



    Drumroll please----the second replacement. Bachelor winner turned castoff, Melissa Rycroft. Just days after being dumped on national tv and with 2 days of training, Melissa is the 13th contestant. Wow, she's really good. I mean really good. 2 days rehearsal, no way. We now have a competiton.moreless

  • Enjoyable show for the first night but too long

    8.0
    By docwalt10, Mar 23, 2009
    2 hour show to introduce the Stars and their Professional Partners. I thought it was too long. Learned two stars, Jewel and Nancy O'Dell, where out, with injuries, before the season even started. Biggest surprise was Judge Bruno Tonioli's , over the top, critical remarks on most of the Stars performances, the first night. Judge Len Goodman was supportive and provided positive comments, on the Stars performances, which was unusual for him. Best Performances was Gilles Marini & Cheryl Burke, Shawn Johnson & Mark Ballas, Melissa Rycroft & Tony Dovolani Worst Performances was Steve Wozniak & Karina Smirnoff, Ty Murray & Chelsie Hightower, Lawrence Taylor & Edyta Sliwinska It was apparent who worked hard and really tried to perform to the best of their ability.moreless

  • It's time to see this season's new competition!

    9.0
    By trm6, Mar 12, 2009
    I was so excited for this episode!!! I couldn't wait to see the dancing when I learned who all would be dancing. I actually knew more than just two stars this time XD Shawn Johnson and Cheryl's partner (can't remember his name) are definitely going to go far in this competition. They did such a great job! There were lots of things I didn't like about this episode though. For instance, the dancers went through a different door when they went back to get their scores. It makes the room look too crowded and too busy. Another thing I didn't like was the romantic side to Julianne and Chuck. I love Julianne, but not Chuck. Well, not that much anways. He's a good dancer, but I'm still an Apollo fan, and probably always will be. I thought it was kind of...well...sort of rude and disgusting how Julianne was always hanging all over him and sitting on his lap and such. It was sort of gross. You don't see Katrina and Maks doing that and they're engaged!moreless

  • An interesting start to Season 8

    7.5
    By Dfan46, Mar 11, 2009
    I was pleasantly surprised to learn that all the competitors would dance in one night instead of dragging it into 2 separate 2 hour shows. We got a chance to see all 13 pairs perform (including the substitutes for Jewel & Nancy) and learned that each of the couples will return again next week before one of them is eliminated. The night had some ups and downs in terms of dancing, with no one reaching Kristi, Sabrina & Mark status or matching the atrocious level Billy Ray Cyrus set in his first night (although Steve Woznaik came close).



    Breakdown:



    Lil' Kim & Derek Hough (Cha-Cha) – I thought Lil Kim's cha-cha started things off well, although there were times when she looked a little stiff and tentative. We'll write it off as first-time jitters (and being the first one to go). I'm sure we'll see her again after the next week's elimination. Just avoid any Janet Jackson songs in the future. The show's band served up a creepy version that didn't suit the dance too well.



    Belinda Carlislie & Jonathan Roberts (Waltz) – It's always a risk to do a slower dance in the first round of competition, but I'm glad Belinda took a chance. She got through it well enough but viewers normally tend to direct their votes to more lively dances. Thankfully Belinda's place in The Go-Gos suggests she might be able to tackle something a little more edgy.



    Lawrence Taylor & Edyta Sliwinska (Cha-Cha) – I've never been a fan of football players on DWTS (I felt Emmitt's win was undeserved) and Lawrence Taylor was no exception. Although it was nice to see he was having a good time, Lawrence's routine was pretty basic and consisted mostly of flaunting his partner's assets. He'll be around awhile, I'm sure, and maybe he'll improve over time.



    Steve-O & Lacey Schwimmer (Waltz) – Perhaps one of the night's most pleasant surprises was Steve-O, who wasn't the dancing train-wreck some of us were expecting him to be. He actually ended up doing a decent job and got through the waltz without letting himself laugh. His turns, however, induced some laughs from me. Gilles Marini & Cheryl Burke (Cha-Cha) – Gilles was probably the strongest male dancer of the night. Not only did he appear to be enjoying himself, Gilles offered a level of refinement to his cha-cha that some of the other pairs lacked. It may have been a fluke, but he certainly got off to a good start. Chuck Wicks & Julianne Hough (Waltz) – It was nice to see Julianne return to the ballroom, with none other than her new beau, and apparently country singer, Chuck Wicks. Their interactions during practice were charming and they sure displayed chemistry during their dance. With a little polishing, Chuck could become the dark horse of the season.



    Holly Madison (replacing injured Jewel) & Dmitry Chaplin (Cha-Cha) – Even though I'm a little bummed to see Jewel on the sidelines, I think her replacement is capable of doing moderately well in the competition. Holly reminds me a little of Shandi from Season 4, who struggled to remain memorable, but, given Ms. Madison's past, it's unlikely she'll have as much trouble establishing an identity and fanbase.



    Ty Murray & Chelsie Hightower (Cha-Cha) – I was a little let down by Ty, who had a hard time remembering the choreography and keeping up with Chelsie. He appeared to be a little flustered and jitters may have got the best of him but at least he'll get one more shot before the first axe is swung. Shawn Johnson & Mark Ballas (Waltz) – My favorite couple of the night. Shawn seems to be a very genuine person (her ability to brush off her stumble down the stairs when the show began made me like her even more). Her waltz contained more content than almost all of her competitors' dances and she pulled hers off with a lot of grace. Hopefully she'll stick around. I'd like to see her in the finals.



    Steve Wozniak & Karina Smirnoff (Cha-Cha) – Even though he had a lot of fun on the dance floor, there's no denying Steve's cha-cha was unrefined. It lacked fluidity and felt more like he was going through the motions instead of dancing a routine. Maybe Karina will have more time than she expected to plan hers and Maksim's wedding…



    David Alan Grier & Kym Johnson (Waltz) – Like Kim, I can't figure out David Alan Grier, who may be the show's most baffling contestant. It's quite hard to distinguish when he's joking and when he's serious. His performance was adequate but forgettable and I won't be sorry to see him go unless he lightens up in the following weeks.



    Denise Richards & Maksim Chmerkovskiy (Cha-Cha) – I was hoping Denise would perform well with this dance, considering she's very sultry, but I couldn't help feeling like something essential was missing. Nerves probably got the best of her, seeing as she fumbled at times, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. If she improves her technique (especially with her arms) I think Denise will be on the show for a considerable amount of time (at least long enough to perform more sexy dances).



    Melissa Rycroft (replacing injured Nancy O'Dell) & Tony Dovolani (Waltz) – I feel that, with as little time as she was given, Melissa did a fine job with her dance (In fact, had she been given the same amount of time to prepare as the rest of the cast, Melissa would likely be scored highest by the judges). I'm aware she's danced before (as a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, no less) and I expect her to go far (if her dancing isn't enough, I'm sure those who sympathize for her will throw her some votes).



    Personal Rankings:



    (Best of the Night)



    1. Shawn & Mark

    2. Melissa & Tony

    3. Gilles & Cheryl



    (Middle of the Pack)



    4. Chuck & Julianne

    5. Lil' Kim & Derek

    6. Steve-O & Lacey

    7. Holly & Dmitry

    8. Denise & Maksim



    (Underperformers)



    9. Belinda & Jonathan

    10. David & Kym

    11. Lawrence & Edyta

    12. Ty & Chelsie

    13. Steve & Karina



    _=Dfan46=_moreless

  • The new season is underway and we now know 'wassup' on Dancing with the Stars.

    10
    By TheVertMan, Mar 10, 2009
    OK, so huge surprise, I'm one of those Shawn Johnson fans that tuned in pretty much just to see her. I was not disappointed. She and Mark Bellas pretty much tore the house down (so did Gilles Marini and hottie Cheryl Burke). With that said it's pretty clear that the favorites are Shawn/Mark and Gilles/Burke, though some others surprised and may turn out to be solid contenders after a few more weeks.



    I would expect that just based on tonight's episode that Holly Madison/Dimitry Chaplin, Ty Murray/Chelsie Hightower (another hottie), Lawrence Taylor/Edyta Sliwinska and Steve Wozniak/Karina Smirnoff will be in a battle to be the first duo voted off. Ty Murray/Chelsie Hightower is my pick to be first, he just seems like he has personality and no rhythm, but gotta love him for trying and I personally enjoyed his performance.



    The top of the heap, are well, no huge surprise. Shawn and Mark were amazingly graceful and just flat out showed every one 'wassup with that'. While Gilles and my gf Cheryl Burke pretty much had sex on live tv, I needed a cig after watching them dance. It will truly be fun to see these two couples go after the crown this year. I'mma be watching. p.s. I voted for Shawn and Mark 39 times by phone (two cell phones and a home phone). Love you guys.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

Chuck Wicks

Chuck Wicks

Season 8 - Celebrity Dancer
Julianne Hough

Julianne Hough

Professional Dancer
Steve Wozniak

Steve Wozniak

Season 8 - Celebrity Dancer
Lawrence Taylor

Lawrence Taylor

Season 8 - Celebrity Dancer
Denise Richards

Denise Richards

Season 8 - Celebrity Dancer
Carrie Ann Inaba

Carrie Ann Inaba

Judge
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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

Jewel

Jewel

Herself

Guest Star

Nancy O'Dell

Nancy O'Dell

Herself

Guest Star

Holly Madison

Holly Madison

Season 8 - Celebrity Dancer

Cameo

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Episode Photos

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • TRIVIA (2)

    • Leaderboard for Week One:

      24 - Gilles Marini & Cheryl Burke
      23 - Shawn Johnson & Mark Ballas, Melissa Rycroft & Tony Dovolani
      21 - Lil' Kim & Derek Hough
      20 - Chuck Wicks & Julianne Hough
      19 - David Alan Grier & Kym Johnson
      18 - Holly Madison & Dmitry Chaplin, Denise Richards & Maksim Chmerkovskiy
      17 - Belinda Carlisle & Jonathan Roberts, Steve-O & Lacey Schwimmer
      16 - Lawrence Taylor & Edyta Sliwinska
      14 - Ty Murray & Chelsie Hightower
      13 - Steve Wozniak & Karina Smirnoff

    • Dances, Music, and Scores - Week 1:

      Lil' Kim & Derek - Cha Cha
      "Nasty" by Janet Jackson
      Carrie Ann...7, Len...7, Bruno...7
      Score: 21

      Belinda & Jonathan - Waltz
      "What the World Needs Now" by Dionne Warwick
      Carrie Ann...6, Len...6, Bruno...5
      Score: 17

      Lawrence & Edyta - Cha Cha
      "25 Miles" by Edwin Starr
      Carrie Ann...6, Len...5, Bruno...5
      Score: 16

      Steve-O & Lacey - Waltz
      "Vito's Waltz" by the 101 Strings Orchestra
      Carrie Ann...6, Len...6, Bruno...5
      Score: 17

      Gilles & Cheryl - Cha Cha
      "Addicted to Love" by Robert Palmer
      Carrie Ann...8, Len...8, Bruno...8
      Score: 24

      Chuck & Julianne - Waltz
      "Are You Lonesome Tonight" by Elvis Presley
      Carrie Ann...6, Len...7, Bruno...7
      Score: 20

      Holly & Dmitry - Cha Cha
      "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga
      Carrie Ann...6, Len...6, Bruno...6
      Score: 18

      Ty & Chelsie - Cha Cha
      "Train In Vain" by The Clash
      Carrie Ann...5, Len...4, Bruno...5
      Score: 14

      Shawn & Mark - Waltz
      "Is It You (I Have Loved)" by Becky Jane Taylor
      Carrie Ann...8, Len...8, Bruno...7
      Score: 23

      Steve & Karina - Cha Cha
      "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" by Bachman Turner Overdrive
      Carrie Ann...5, Len...4, Bruno...4
      Score: 13

      David & Kym - Waltz
      "You Light Up My Life" by Whitney Houston
      Carrie Ann...6, Len...7, Bruno...6
      Score: 19

      Denise & Maksim - Cha Cha
      "Nothing But a Good Time" by Poison
      Carrie Ann...6, Len...6, Bruno...6
      Score: 18

      Melissa & Tony - Waltz
      "Moon River" by Andy Williams
      Carrie Ann...8, Len...7, Bruno...8
      Score: 23

  • QUOTES (7)

  • NOTES (1)

    • This season's celebrities and professional partners are:

      Belinda Carlisle and Jonathan Roberts
      David Alan Grier and Kym Johnson
      Holly Madison (replacing injured Jewel) and Dmitry Chaplin
      Ty Murray and Chelsie Hightower
      Lawrence Taylor and Edyta Sliwinska
      Steve Wozniak and Karina Smirnoff
      Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough
      Denise Richards and Maksim Chmerkovskiy
      Steve-O and Lacey Schwimmer
      Shawn Johnson and Mark Ballas
      Gilles Marini and Cheryl Burke
      Melissa Rycroft (replacing injured Nancy O'Dell) and Tony Dovolani
      Lil' Kim and Derek Hough

      This season is a season of firsts:

      A real life boyfriend/girlfriend partnership - Julianne Hough and Chuck Wicks

      A husband and wife competing on the same season - Jewel and Ty Murray (Harry Hamlin and wife Lisa Rinna competed before, but in different seasons)

      The youngest celebrity to date - Shawn Johnson, who is 17

      The elimination for the first few weeks will now have the bottom two perform in a dance off to see who will be eliminated.

      Three celebrities were injured and two were unable to continue before the show even started. Gilles Marini pulled his groin during practice. Jewel was forced to drop out after suffering fractured tibias in both legs. Nancy O'Dell had to drop out after suffering from a torn meniscus, which requires surgery.

      Two new dances - Argentine Tango and East Coast Swing

      The first dances weren't the normal Cha Cha and Fox Trot. The Fox Trot was replaced by the Waltz.

  • ALLUSIONS (0)

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