Dancing with the Stars: Down to the Final Three

Buddy TV - May 14, 2009

Cowboy Ty Murray finally rode off into the sunset after 10 weeks and several close calls on Dancing with the Stars, still proving to some extent that skills (and not a solid fan base) will keep you in the game. And then there were three. Gilles Marini, Shawn Johnson and Melissa Rycroft. They all have proven themselves worthy of the judges' praises, and they're all winners in their own right. But in the end, only one can bring home the coveted mirror ball trophy.

Personally, I'm rooting for Gilles though he wasn't my first choice when ABC revealed the show's season 8 cast. I actually liked Lil' Kim and Shawn initially (and I still do) but somehow Gilles emerged as a low profile underdog among a cluster of celebrities with a bunch of accolades attached to their names and he blew everyone by surprise with his captivating stage presence and flawless execution. Heck, he might as well be a professional dancer!

But it's still anybody's game and if there's one thing I learned from Dancing with the Stars, it's don't assume. I was so sure that Ty Murray and Chelsie Hightower would be eliminated in week 9. But Lil' Kim and partner Derek Hough, whom I thought would be in the final three, got the boot instead. Perhaps no one is really safe in the game and even the front runners can go home if fans don't vote because they assume that their favorite players are already secure for the finals. 

This week's performance actually proved to be a close fight. While Gilles got a 60 (a perfect 30 in both the Latin and the Ballroom round), Melissa and Shawn respectively earned a total of 55 and 56. And based our polls, 22 percent of BuddyTV readers claimed they voted for Gilles, while 22 percent voted for Melissa as well. Shawn got 19 percent of the votes while the remaining percentage either voted for Ty or didn't vote at all.

Though Shawn is a great dancer, I'm inclined to believe that it's going to be a battle between Gilles and Melissa. If Melissa wins, it would serve as the sweetest revenge after being dumped by The Bachelor's Jason Mesnick, as well the perfect intro to the new season of The Bachelorette, featuring Jillian Harris, who was also rejected by Mesnick. How do you think will the finale play out?

Source: http://www.buddytv.com