"DWTS" Week 2 Recap: The First Cut Is the Deepest

“Dancing With the Stars” doesn’t mess around—we’re only two weeks in and the eliminations have already begun. Not to mention, it seems like everyone is injured. But the show must go on, as it did last night. After all, there’s a Mirrorball at stake! From the rhinestones, to the spray tans, to the first elimination (gasp), here’s what went down last night.

Frankie Muniz and Witney Carson
danced a sizzling tango, even though Muniz was dealing with some pretty substantial, residual pain from when he broke his back (!!!) a few years ago. But like a true dancer, he pushed through, receiving a score of 23 and some pretty high praise from the judges.

There was also a three-way tie for the evening’s highest score: Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold, Victoria Arlen and Val Chmerkovskiy, and Vanessa Lachey and Maks Chmerkovskiy were all neck and neck with a score of 24, and they all deserved it 100%. First of all, Arlen has absolutely no feeling in her legs (she was paralyzed for an entire decade), so watching her glide across the ballroom like a seasoned pro is beyond inspiring. Not to mention, girl can dance. She and Val seemed so at ease with one another, and their routine was a joy to watch.

Frankie Muniz wasn’t the only one in pain last night. Vanessa Lachey sliced her entire toenail in rehearsal (#dancerproblems—welcome to the club, girl!), yet danced like she’d just had the most rejuvenating physical therapy session and massage of her life. She and Val danced, as Carrie Ann exclaimed, like “liquid gold,” and I have to agree.

And rounding out the three-way tie were Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold. Their sparkling waltz was textbook “DWTS,” and the audience (and judges) ate it right up. It’s too early to predict anything, but they’re definitely a couple to watch.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00PYfbBP3tw&index=13&list=PLK1f1bOs9XyfjDsV3k94J2ve4Zck21Apw expand=1]

But as we know all too well (we’ve had 25 seasons to learn this, after all), someone had to be the first to go. Barbara Corcoran and Keo Motsepe were sent packing, but it wasn’t all sad. Corcoran said that the show was “the most exciting thing I’ve done in my whole life.” Awwww #allthefeels. Tune in next time for your weekly dose of bedazzled drama.