DTWS S027, Finals: Who Are Our Surprise Winners?

Yes, well, we’ll get to that in a moment... (Personally, I’m still in shock over the fact that the wondrous and amazing (and perfect scoring in two dances) Cheryl Burke and Juan Pablo di Pace went home in the last episode.) So these, then, are the four remaining contestants. And the win was (as you can see) a real shocker to everyone.

Let me also disclose this at this point. Normally, I have all shows taped (recorded on my DVR) and meticulously watch them and rewind and fast-forward them endlessly to write these pithy columns. However, from this point forward, all of Season 28 and this last finale episode, were on my TiVo which died. And since Disney Plus doesn’t offer back episodes of Dancing with the Stars (yet), I have no recourse, and no way to rewatch these episodes.

HOWEVER, at least for the finale, I took meticulous notes, so I'm going to try to wrap up this season as best I can... and somehow take a stab at Season 28, hopefully in time for *JUMPS IN THE AIR* Season 29!!!! to start. (So excited!!!!) Ahem.

Back to the matter at hand. We are just starting the finale of Season 27. Trust me, NO ONE knows where it’s going to end. Truly any of these four competitors (now that arguably the best couple has been eliminated) could win. Who will it be?

How do we kick off the finale of this amazing incredible season? With a parade, of course. On a red carpet. With lots of lights, and well, dancers. Tom Bergeron is in a special float/car. Len and Carrie Ann follow behind, waving. Bruno, of course, brings up the rear.

(I couldn’t tell in the moment where this all was, it looked for all the world like the street by the Oscars, but no, it is clearly the Grove parking lot right there, as you can see in this shot.)

The celebrities from the season, all in a car, waving. (BTW, where is Erin Andrews in this big parade?)

There’s something “all is right with the world” about seeing Sasha dancing with Emma, followed by Jenna leading a line, followed quickly by her hubby Val and Artem. We have a drum line. We have DWTS, spelled out in huge black and gold cards. We have Dancing. We have Stars. (Not just the celebrities, also big gold stars.) Finally, we have our four finalists, and they pull up, amazingly, at our lovely #DWTS studio.

This was MASSIVE, this incredible spectacle. And can I just bow down and become prostate at the fantastic, supremely talented, awe to all people choreographer Mandy Moore, who once again created this fantasmagorical spectacle that makes others weep with envy? Words just cannot describe how much I love her choreography. She is such a supreme part of what makes DWTS the best show on TV, IMHO.

After this incredible parade, they have a bit from all three judges, who basically say: “Anyone can win this.” (aka, now that the best couple is gone, we have no frikkin idea who you guys are going to pick from this lot)



They start out recreating a favorite dance from the season. Alexis and Alan redo their Swan Lake Argentine tango. They get 27 from the judges.

Bobby and Sharna redo their “Can’t Touch This!” and get 24 from the judges. (Wait! Wasn’t this their Trio? Hmmm...)

Anyway... Those are followed up by a break from Dan and Shay. Sharna and Artem dance to it so beautifully. I think the song is called “Speechless.”

Then, “The Bachelor boys.” LOL Oh my. You’ll remember when they originally did this, there was some sensual play happening with a big tire. This was also their Trio dance. Not this time, ladies and gentlemen. This time, we have Jenna full frame, with boys behind her, backs to us.

As they slowly turn around, we see she is dancing with her partner Grocery Store Joe, but ALSO Val! (YAY!) and wait... Nick Viall! LOL and our beloved bartender (from Bachelor in Paradise) Wells Adams! I almost don’t even care about this dance, I am so digging all the people who are dancing in it. It’s an ABC piece of heaven.

Photo courtesy of ABC and Just Jared.

There is a part of this dance, pretty much right after this, where Ms. Jenna has a bit of a wardrobe malfunction. (Who knew she was wearing a glittery bra under this T-shirt?) But it goes by quickly. After all, all the guys are taking their shirts off...

I thought this number was just great. The judges weren’t scoring it.

*Swoon*

Courtesy of ABC, The Bachelor, Dancing with the Stars, Bachelor in Paradise and Just Jared.

Somewhere in here, we have a look back at the whole season.

Then, Evanna and Keo do their tango from Halloween. Judges score them a perfect 30.

One more time: KEO! In the final four. (All of that due to the wondrous dancing by Evanna.)

Robin Thicke performed, as Witney and Milo do one of my favorite dances of the season: their Charleston. It got a 30 then, it gets a 30 now. Loved that dance. Afterwards, Thicke talks about how his home was just destroyed in the Woolsey fire. I remember that being awkward and painful to hear. Poor guy.

Bruno compares Milo to Zendaya (I can see it).

The DWTS Tour continues! YAY! (Such a great idea.)

Then, a recap of the season up to the last four weeks.

Then, the best dance of the season gets danced again for us. *sigh* (“Libertango” from Forever Tango) And this time, it starts with Juan Pablo doing some singing at the beginning. Wondrous.

Oh, but our hot men in overalls (and this steamy Argentine tango) were just warmups. Next, we have (on the outside stage), Val and five other hot men dancing in black shirts (open, of course) and jeans to Tenashe singing “Fever.” Steamy! They said they were doing it “just for Erin...” (cause you know how she--and the rest of America--swoons for this stuff).

Finally: the moments we are all really waiting for. (Point of reference: usually everyone gets a 10 from all the judges in this segment.)

First up, Alexis and Alan’s Freestyle.

I always worry when there are a lot of sets in a dance. It’s usually not a good sign (IMHO).

As Freestyles go, it’s pretty forgettable. Lots of lifts. Danced to an Avril Lavigne song (she is there, singing it). Alexis’s costume is pretty beautiful.

JUDGES: 30 out of 30

Tom gave props to the crew, for that amazing set (and breaking it down for the next one).



Oh, we are still mixing in contestants from the season, cause now John Schneider is singing. Emma and Sasha are dancing. I have a note that Emma lifted Sasha over her head (Oh! I wish I could replay that one!). And Emma kissess Sasha at the end. Awwww.

Next up? An actual real Freestyle. Bobby and Sharna dance to “The Greatest Show” by Panic at the
Disco (who are not there performing it). There was a whole lotta dancing going on. And top hats! And white tails. C’mon!

The number starts with Bobby, standing alone in front of a curtain. Video of the entire season of his dances scrolls backward fast. He tries to tell the audience that he started “clueless,” and “is still clueless.” And then talks about how important “the people are” as his partner, Sharna comes out. (Indeed, because THIS, my friends, is some choreography here.)

And look at this lift! As Grocery Store Joe looks on and laughs.

The refrain of this song (undoubtedly why they picked it) is: “This is the greatest show!” It keeps playing throughout almost their whole Freestyle.

The reason I loved Bobby and Sharna so much this season was how much damn fun they had in their dances (from the first dance to this last). So, at the end, the man who at first went so off script that he was rolling on the floor in his first dance, asks Sharna, politely: “You said we could do the thing.”

You may not remember this, but during this season was when the whole “flossing” dance trend came out. (They did do it, unauthorized, in one of their dances during the season.) But for their Freestyle, they redo the last part, with everyone now flossing. Erin comes out and flosses. Tom comes out and flosses (ahem... with actual dental floss). This IS the greatest show. (LOVE YOU Tom and Erin!)

That was the best. They shoulda gotten an 11 for that. THOSE are the things that make me love Dancing with the Stars so very much.

JUDGES: 30 out of 30

Bobby says: “Mirror Ball Miracle.”

Say what you will about Bobby and Sharna, but their dance did what Freestyles are supposed to: reflected the experience of the previous weeks, and showed where they are now. Other couples don’t seem to have that clue.

After that bubbly sunshine of the last song, we have this from Witney and Milo, danced to the Bill Withers tune: “Ain’t No Sunshine (When She’s Gone).” Complete with umbrellas and water, as you can see. It was a concept piece, which didn’t seem to have anything to do with their season together.

Nice choreography, but not really a Freestyle.

JUDGES: 30 out of 30

This wondrous number starts with Evanna, all by herself, with four other female troupe dancers around her, all in bright colors, and they dance out onto this set. It was a feast for the eyes, indeed.

Have I mentioned this is Keo Motsepe’s first ever Freestyle? (Thank you, Evanna, you were incredible.)

JUDGES: 30 out of 30

These are the four remaining couples. Unlike previous years, they don’t let you know who was fourth, or third, or second. They just put all four in the frame, like this:

As they call Bobby and Sharna’s names, I guess you could say it was a shock to the others.

Well, to everyone.

SHARNA’S FIRST MIRROR BALL!!!!!! Can you believe it???

I was so ecstatic when this result happened. All this time later, I am still ecstatic. This was so joyous and wonderful. So happy for them both.

And now, just some photos of Bobby and Sharna. Enjoy.

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