Donald Driver's smiling, but 'Dancing With the Stars' finale stumbles

"Dancing With the Stars" winner Donald Driver now has a great-looking Mirrorball Trophy to go along with his Super Bowl ring. But the news for ABC after Tuesday's season finale wasn't as nice.

The two-hour extravaganza that crowned Driver and his dance partner, Peta Murgatroyd, averaged 17.5 million total viewers, according to Nielsen. That's the least-watched "DWTS" finale ever and down 18% compared with the numbers a year ago. The most-watched finale was in November 2006, with 27.5 million tuning in.

Even so, ABC still won the night among total viewers. But Fox, which scheduled its "American Idol" performance finale at 8 p.m., was dominant among young adults, despite "Idol" ratings that were themselves at record lows.

What did you think of the "DWTS" finale? Why do you think its ratings hit lows?

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-- Scott Collins
twitter.com/scottcollinsLAT

Photo: Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd hold up their trophies on Tuesday's finale of "Dancing With the Stars." Photo: Adam Taylor / Associated Press

'Dancing With the Stars' recap: Donald Driver wins the Mirror Ball

Talk about peaking at the right moment. After 10 weeks, 16 dances and “countless sore muscles,” “Dancing With the Stars” Season 14 came down to three finalists. Who would walk off with the coveted Mirror Ball trophy and a lifetime's worth of sparkle? Would it be swagger-ready sports hero Donald Driver? Classical singer and technical marvel Katherine Jenkins? Or heartthrob with magical buttocks William Levy? Any one of these finalists had the ability and the popularity to walk away with the title.

After three final dances, including one prepared just 24 hours before, were added to the judges’ scores and viewer votes, the winners and new champions of DWTS were:

'Dancing With the Stars' recap: Finals frenzy

“The beginning of the end starts … now!”

We’re at the tail end of another cycle of “Dancing With the Stars” and oh so close to crowning our Season 14 champion in a sea of confetti and glitter. It’s a big event, ballroom fans. The studio audience was lined with “DWTS” contestants of seasons past and present, like Jane Seymour, Emmit Smith, Donny Osmond and Maria Menounous, all present to see the remaining three couples strut their stuff in two routines: the judges’ choice and the much-anticipated make-it or break-it freestyle. 

After tonight, each couple will receive the music to their final routine, to be performed on Tuesday’s finale. Though if the close judges’ scores are any indicator, whoever walks off with the Mirrorball trophy on Tuesday will do so with the slightest of margins. These contestants are just too close to call: William Levy’s got his Latin beat and wildly popular sex appeal, Katherine Jenkins is the picture of technical mastery, and Donald Driver is a show-stopper in the end zone. Lucky for us, we were treated to six terrific dances.

'Dancing With the Stars' results recap: No laughing matter

It was a sad day in the Glitterverse, ballroom fans. One last couple had to be exiled to the outskirts of Fringe City, where lives are drab with nary a sequin or a sparkle, before next week’s “Dancing With the Stars” finale. Who would want to live in this world? Not any of the remaining four contestants, that’s for sure. We all knew this finals cut would be the deepest. All four of the remaining couples were so good that just three measly judges’ points separated first from last place. Plus, they all seem like nice, upstanding Glitterverse citizens. How could one of these stars possibly be let go from the Mirrorball orbit in “our most dramatic semifinal ever?”

“No matter which way this goes,” predicted host Tom Bergeron, “it’s going to suck.”

Upfronts 2012: ABC unveils 2012-13 schedule

 
ABC is adding four comedies and five dramas to its slate next season, including the soap "Nashville," which is set in the capital of country music.

ABC executives will officially unveil the network's fall prime-time schedule Tuesday afternoon in New York City. Here is a look at the lineup:

(All times are Eastern/Pacific, and new shows are in bold)

MONDAY:           

                           8 p.m.                     “Dancing with the Stars”

                          10 p.m.                   “Castle”

TUESDAY:           

                            8 p.m.                     “Dancing with the Stars, the Results Show”

                           9 p.m.                     “Happy Endings”

                           9:30 p.m.                     “Don’t Trust the B---- in Apartment 23” 

                           10 p.m.                   “Private Practice”

 WEDNESDAY:     

                            8 p.m.                     “The Middle”

                           8:30 p.m.                     “Suburgatory” 

                           9 p.m.                     “Modern Family”

                           9:30 p.m.                     “The Neighbors”

                           10 p.m.                   “Nashville”

 THURSDAY:        

                             8 p.m.                     “Last Resort”

                            9 p.m.                     “Grey’s Anatomy” 

                            10 p.m.                   “Scandal”

FRIDAY:               

                            8 p.m.                     “Shark Tank”

                            9 p.m.                “Primetime: What Would You Do?”

                            10 p.m.                   “20/20”

                            In November:

                            8 p.m.                     “Last Man Standing”

                           8:30 p.m.                     “Malibu Country”

                           9 p.m.                     “Shark Tank”

                           10 p.m.                   “20/20”

SATURDAY:        

                           8 p.m.                     “Saturday Night College Football”

SUNDAY:             

                            7 p.m.                     “America’s Funniest Home Videos”

                            8 p.m.                     “Once Upon a Time”

                            9 p.m.                     “Revenge”

                            10 p.m.                   “666 Park Avenue”

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Photo: The cast of ABC's new fall show "Nashville." Credit: Craig Sjodin / ABC 

'Dancing With the Stars' recap: Semifinal shake-ups and breakdowns

We’re down to the semifinals, ballroom fans. Four remaining couples are jockeying for a position in the “Dancing With the Stars” Season 14 finale and a shot at the coveted Mirrorball trophy.

Each couple had to dance two full dances this time around. And because all the stars are pretty much evenly matched at this point, it could be anyone’s game. The judges seemed a bit more nit-pickier than usual, but we still ended up with two couples earning perfect 30 scores, as well as an injury that could put a former leading scorer’s position in peril.

Here’s how they ranked our four remaining stars.

Bristol Palin slams Obama's ABC interview, defends Hillary Clinton

Former "Dancing With the Stars" contestant Bristol Palin seems to be two-stepping toward a new career — as a political pundit.

On her personal blog, Palin — daughter of former Alaska Gov. and GOP star Sarah Palin — ripped into President Obama for his ABC interview this week announcing his support for gay marriage. Then she turned around Friday with another post defending Obama's secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton — for not wearing makeup.

What seemed to irk Palin about the Obama interview were his remarks about how talking with his two daughters about equality had changed his mind on the subject of gay marriage. She argued that when Christian women run for high office, critics worry that they are overly submissive to their husbands. So it's a double standard for Obama to claim that his family helped him evolve on an issue, Palin believes.

"Sometimes dads should lead their family in the right ways of thinking," Palin wrote Thursday. "In this case, it would’ve been nice if the President would’ve been an actual leader and helped shape their thoughts instead of merely reflecting what many teenagers think after one too many episodes of 'Glee.' "

So a slam not just against the commander in chief but "Glee" as well. As Jon Stewart might say, "Well played."

But just to show that she's not a total hater of all things Democratic, Palin followed up Friday with a blog post wagging a finger at Clinton critics who said the secretary of State looked "tired and withdrawn" after she was photographed wearing chunky glasses and minimal makeup.

"When I was on Dancing with the Stars, I was only nineteen years old. I was active and fit, but I did gain five to ten pounds over the course of the show," Palin confided. "I’ve been the brunt of jokes, speculation, and criticism about my appearance, and it’s not fun.

"Plus, Hillary looks good! I think we should give her credit for not having a make up artist following her around and for being comfortable in her own skin."

What do you think of Palin's musings on family, equality and foundation makeup?

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— Scott Collins (twitter.com/scottcollinsLAT)

Photo: Bristol Palin has come out swinging against President Obama over gay marriage. Credit: Charles Sykes/Associated Press.

 

 

 

 

 

ABC renews 'Dancing with the Stars,' 'The Bachelor,' 'Shark Tank'

Because seven re-ups just wasn't enough for a Thursday night, ABC has, unsurprisingly, decided to renew reality staples "Dancing with the Stars," "The Bachelor" and "Shark Tank" too.

"Dancing with the Stars," currently in its 14th season, will make a glittery return next season -- but there's no word yet on whether there will be the usual two installments. The veteran hoofer show has been a proven ratings hit for the network, but has experienced some dips this season.

The younger "Shark Tank" has performed well in its Friday slot. Now in its third season, it will get a 22-episode order for its fourth.

And host Chris Harrison might be experiencing some personal woes with his recent split from wife, but "The Bachelor" maintains a strong relationship with the network and will return for a 17th cycle.

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-- Yvonne Villarreal
twitter.com/villarrealy

Photo: Telenovela star William Levy performs with Cheryl Burke on 'Dancing with the Stars.' Credit: ABC

'Dancing With the Stars' results recap: Double elimination blues

We’re on a fast track toward the finish line, ballroom fans. Only, to make it to next week’s semifinals, “Dancing With the Stars” had to really clean house and launch not one, but two stars out of its shiny glitterverse with a dreaded double elimination.

And the two couples ousted this week were Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower, and Melissa Gilbert and Maksim Chmerkovskiy (on Melissa’s birthday, no less!).

'Dancing With the Stars' recap: Three's allowed

Dancing and emotions ran high during this, the eighth week of “Dancing With the Stars' ” 14th season. There was the threat of Tuesday’s double elimination that loomed above each of the remaining couples as they danced two full dances: an individual ballroom and a first-ever dance trio routine.

And we saw tears and fears aplenty. We’re a week away from the semifinals, and the wear and tear is showing. Everyone’s feeling the stress of the competition. Tempers flared, hurtful words were slung and the tears flowed freely in preparation for this night.

So it seemed like a good thing to introduce another eliminated pro or someone from the “DTWS” Troupe for each couple to perform a threesome with in this dance trio. After all the stress of partnering for eight-plus weeks, it was perhaps a nice breath of fresh air to bring in some fresh meat to rehearsals and change up the chemistry a bit. It certainly looked like the dance trio rehearsals seemed to go over a gazillion times better than the individual routines.

 

'Dancing With the Stars' results recap: A duel to the finish

Well, that was as close to a surprise elimination as we’ve seen this “Dancing With the Stars” season. Ultimately, “Family Matters” star and erstwhile Steve Urkel, Jaleel White, and his pro partner Kym Johnson were ousted after a nail-bitingly close Dance Duel rumba in this seventh week of competition.

Once again, the decision came down to the judges, in the final Dance Duel of the season. And the judges unanimously opted for fellow bottom-dwellers Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower to stay overJaleel and Kym (the low-scoring team of Melissa Gilbert and Maks Chmerkovskiy were saved by viewer votes). The judges thought Jaleel had started off strong but lost confidence and connection as the routine wore on. Roshon, however, maintained a laser-like focus on the rumba and his partner.

Though it didn’t help that just before the dreaded dance duel Jaleel deemed Len “the old guy outside the grocery store who won’t give you any money for candy.”

'Dancing With the Stars' recap: Hooked on Classics

Can you believe we’re reached the seventh week already, "Dancing With the Stars" fans? And this week was Classical Week, with each routine enhanced with the additional members and singers to Maestro Harold Wheeler’s band. And we got the added bonus of a lot of extra-special classical treats throughout the program: First came courtesy of virtuoso violinist Joshua Bell, who opened the show with floppy hair, a killer solo and enough dramatic flair to match the “DWTS” Troupe’s "Dangerous Liaisons"-inspired performance. Wunderkind and moppet Jackie Evancho and Italian tenor Vittorio Grigolo also came on stage to sing. And we got our first perfect 30 score of the season!