'Dancing With the Stars' recap: Sean Spicer struck with disco 'Fever,' but who got burned?
You know "Dancing With the Stars" is bringing the full-on drama when a pro football Super Bowl MVP is hit with a competition-ending injury — from excessive dancing.
That happened.
Former Baltimore Raven Ray Lewis gave word he was withdrawing from the competition before "DWTS" aired Monday night after dangerously re-aggravating a tendon injury.
But the disco ball continued its relentless turn in Week 2, with a "Movie Night" theme that brought even more drama, some comedy and a few disaster moments — not to mention Sean Spicer channeling John Travolta in "Saturday Night Fever."
Who was a blockbuster, who was a bust? Read on!
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You missed week one?: Don't worry, we have the 'DWTS' dirt
Country singer Lauren Alaina and pro Gleb Savchenko
The self-proclaimed "Christian girl" continued her descent into "DWTS" decadence with a leopard-skin top and a prowling tango pegged to "Pretty Woman," and the famed Roy Orbison title song (complete with red convertible onstage). After the confetti cannon-fire marked the end to the not-safe-for-church performance, Alaina said she only hoped her father wasn't watching from Alabama.
Judge Len Goodman loved it, calling it "full of attack, drive and purpose."
"That was a racy tango, full-throttle," purred judge Bruno Tonioli.
Final score: 20/30
'Bachelorette' Hannah Brown and pro Alan Bersten
Brown and Bersten not only topped the leader board last week, but Taylor Swift shared their dance video on Instagram. So they were riding high going into their "Bridesmaids"-themed rumba this week. Best bit was Brown tellingly knocking a tossed bridal bouquet away to start the dance, a nod to reality show fans.
The wedding-themed dance featured Brown performing a split at the end. But the judges were unanimous — she's great, but needs to work on her ballroom hips.
"There was no hip action, it looked more like a cheerleading dance," said judge Carrie Ann Inaba, bringing some boos from the Brown-loving audience.
Goodman concurred on the hip-action point. "But you are a lovely dancer, believe me," he said.
Final score: 21/30
'Queer Eye' culture expert Karamo and pro Jenna Johnson
Karamo turned on the booster rockets in his effort to woo the petulant judge Goodman, performing an energetic jive to "I'm Still Standing" from "Rocketman" (aided by an inspirational training video by the film's star Taron Egerton).
But Karamo's never-fading smile couldn't hide the glaring missed-fired dance steps at the end of his dance.
"Not the greatest, there were a lot of mistakes" Inaba said.
"Getting it wrong is like a hickey," said Goodman in a classic line, before giving yet another low 5 score. "Everyone can notice it as much as you try to cover it up."
Final score: 16/30
Singer Ally Brooke and pro Sasha Farber
Brooke channeled her musical idol Selena from the drama "Selena," performing a sensuous, flowing rumba to "Dreaming of You." It looked all the more heavenly with the fog machines cranked to full blast. The crowd gave a powerful standing ovation and the judges proclaimed success.
Goodman was so effusive in his praise that Brooke scampered over to the judges' desk for a high-five. Big mistake. "Don't touch me again," Goodman groused. But he softened up to add, "Great job."
"You put your heart and soul into the dance," said Tonioli. "Beautiful."
Final score: 24/30
Retired NFL star Ray Lewis and pro Cheryl Burke
The Super Bowl MVP barely survived low scores last week. But his cha-cha-cha tribute to "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" this week veered into dance floor pathos during rehearsals. It was too much for the tendon injury he suffered in 2010 during no-doubt tougher circumstances.
The video showed Lewis in a doctor's office as he heard the bad news — further dancing could rupture the tendon. "I gotta leave the competition," Lewis said in the video. "This is probably one of my hardest decisions."
Former "DWTS" champ Rashad Jennings performed the dance with Burke as Lewis looked on. He's not coming back.
Final score: N/A
Actor James Van Der Beek and pro Emma Slater
The "Dawson's Creek" star put the heat into a stunning rumba to Lady Gaga's "Shallow" from "A Star Is Born," with a fully loosened bowtie and unbuttoned shirt. He slowly dipped Slater near the floor at the end as the audience roared.
"The audience is obviously going gaga for James, for good reason," said Tonioli, unfurling the puns. "There was nothing shallow about that rumba."
Inaba called the dance "poetry. You juiced every ounce of emotion and sensuality."
Final score: 23/30
'The Office' star Kate Flannery and pro Pasha Pashkov
Flannery shocked everyone by shooting near the top of the leaderboard last week. This week, her agile, precise quickstep to the title song from "9 to 5," all done with a broad smile on her face, had people believing. Flannery is no fluke. Far from it.
Tonioli had to dramatically stand up to pass on his enthusiastic verdict. "Like this movie, this is a big hit," he shouted.
Flannery was thrilled beaming, "I've never felt sexier in my life."
Final score 24/30
Former NBA star Lamar Odom and Peta Murgatroyd
No one was more surprised to be spared elimination last week than Odom, who stood with his mouth agape onstage when he heard the stunning news. He vowed to do better with his cha-cha-cha to "Old Time Rock and Roll" from "Risky Business" this week. Odom even donned underwear for the famed Tom Cruise number (boxers not "tidy whities"), while breaking out a smile. It started great. There was energy and sass. But Odom lost it at the end.
"The wheels fell off a bit," said Goodman.
"I saw you way more confident, you felt good about yourself out there. We didn't see that in the past," said Inaba. "Don't mind my score, just keep going." (She gave the couple a low 4).
Final score: 12/30, the same as last week.
Sailor Brinkley-Cook and pro Valentin Chmerkovskiy
Brinkley-Cook had to ignore critics for stepping in to replace her injured mother, model Christie Brinkley. Brinkley cheered Sailor on from the audience as her daughter beamed through a tango to "Mamma Mia." The judges could not resist her charms and skill while noticing Brinkley-Cook had loosened up from last week.
"You work very hard on it and it shows," said Tonioli, who called it "a great feel-good tango."
"It was full of snap, crackle and pop, lots of energy," said Goodman, letting loose in his own way. He labeled it a "fantastic routine."
Final score: 23/30
Comedian/actor Kel Mitchell and pro Witney Carson
Mitchell went for the Jack place, putting on an elegant tuxedo to perform a rumba to "My Heart Will Go On" from "Titanic." He worked it. Mitchell stayed in suave character even as he strode solo off the fog-filled dance floor at the end of the song. He might have been a little too formal.
Inaba appreciated the work and the "really solid dancing" but found the dance too "tight."
"Look at the bright side, unlike the Titanic you managed to keep from sinking. You made it to port," said Tonioli. He said Mitchell needed to "soften a little bit."
Final score: 20/30
Sean Spicer and pro Lindsay Arnold
The former White House press secretary went completely to disco insanity dancing, a cha-cha-cha to "Night Fever" from "Saturday Night Fever." Spicer even borrowed Travolta's iconic white polyester disco suit to perform — even if it was a robotic routine with his now-signature giddily fixed smile.
In terms of improvement, he pulled off a half-way decent disco-finger-point and continues to wow with his unflappable cheerfulness.
Len Goodman was not impressed, putting head in his hands after the final confetti canon: "'Saturday Night Fever?' It was more like Monday Night Lukewarm," said Goodman.
"You're a genius, you turned 'Saturday Night Fever' into a disaster blockbuster," said Tonioli.
Final score: 15/30
So what happened?
Even with Ray and Burke withdrawing from the competition, the usual elimination process continued. Using a combination of judges' scores and audience votes, all but two couples were pulled out of jeopardy. The final two in "peril" of elimination featured Odom-Murgatroyd (again!) along with Mitchell-Carson. The decision went to the judges.
Goodman wrung the moment for all its ballroom drama, before announcing that, because one couple was out, there would be no cuts. "I'm happy to announce NO ONE is going home," he said.
All the couples will return next week.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Dancing With the Stars' recap: Week 2 Movie Night sees disco disaster
