Season 23 of DWTS was a pure joy ride. Head judge Len Goodman was already polishing his cane with a sassy remark about too much “faffing about.” The cast was a beautiful mess of talent and a few “wait, who?” moments.
We had Laurie Hernandez, the tiny Olympic gymnast with a smile that could melt ice. She was practically born with rhythm, which felt a little unfair, honestly. Then there was James Hinchcliffe, the race car driver who danced like he was trying to qualify for the Indy 500 on a ballroom floor—in a good way!
Don't forget Calvin Johnson Jr., the NFL giant who moved like a gentle bear. And of course, Jana Kramer, the country singer giving us all the “I’m-getting-divorced-and-dancing-it-out” energy. Oh, and Terra Jolé from reality TV, proving that height is just a number when you have sass.
The “Could They Actually Win?” Factor
Early on, everyone thought Laurie Hernandez had this locked down. She had the judges gushing every week—Len practically offered her a lifetime supply of fish and chips. But then James Hinchcliffe started doing lifts that made us gasp and spill our popcorn.
Meanwhile, Calvin “Megatron” Johnson was catching passes on the dance floor, but he kept dropping the ball on the foxtrot. It was a nail-biter, folks. Each week felt like a coin flip between grace and grit.
