Ventura superstar, she always believed (and never gave up): Rating 9
One of the most famous names in this truly “all star” edition was Simona Ventura, who, along with professional dancer Samuel Peron, dominated the dance floor from start to finish. She spent more time on the dance floor than anyone else and even danced past the criticism of the always perfidious jury because, as she likes to say: “Always believe, never give up”. Likely forged from titanium, we also think it's worth appreciating the story she told about herself during the talent show: She talked about depression, about a toxic love that she let get the better of her in the past, about her most personal weaknesses . And all of this without once being intrusive or scripted. “Super Simo no longer exists, those were different times,” he said with a smile. When we see that she is not just doing something, but is essentially the show, we allow ourselves to doubt it. However, she returns home a winner: her partner Giovanni Terzi, who also competed with much less convincing results, asked her to marry her alive. The two will get married next July. Thanks to them, Dancing with the Stars has, for once, left drama and whining aside and made room for a story with a happy ending. It was time! Congratulations to everyone involved.
Carlotta Mantovan, an unexpected slut (what a princess!): Vote 4
Among the protagonists of this eighteenth edition is also Carlotta Mantovan together with the professional dancer Moreno Porcu. Looking back at the first few episodes, it seemed like he already had the finale in hand. Instead, everything was played poorly out of excessive arrogance. From her participation we remember the attack on the judges, who defined her performance on the dance floor with adjectives that were “too heavy” for her, such as “sterile”, instead of the mazurka and jive, which she attempted with flying colors. “It’s cold” . Apparently Carolyn Smith and her colleagues were simply advising her to be more engaging on the dance floor, but the contestant took the aforementioned epithets personally: “I am a flower and should be treated like one,” she said tearfully in a Princess Elsa dress from Frozen . Eliminated, the repechage race was then played with the greed that only a sloth could muster for the idea of running the New York Marathon. Sin? Maybe for her. Certainly not for the audience at home.
Teo Mammucari has become Iva Zanicchi (and that's a good thing): rating 7.5
In the last edition, Iva Zanicchi was the crazy cell in the competition, the only one able to unsettle the eternal sovereignty of Milly Carlucci solely with the help of very dirty jokes. This year the role of Ligonchios Adler went to Teo Mammucari. Finally freed from the cruelty of Mediaset's talent, our man returns to Rai as a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars” (and hopes for something better in the near future). He makes his impression. Sometimes nice, sometimes a little less. What is certain is that without him, the audience at home would have continued to cry over all the dark drama the show offered. In each episode, each contestant suggested at least one and then danced on it. Mammucari no, in a stubborn and harassing direction, he preferred to concentrate on the dispute with Selvaggia Lucarelli, whom he met for the first time years ago in the now famous Rubagalline restaurant. As a professional tartasser for Rosanna Lambertucci and Antonio Caprarica, he never missed an opportunity to prove himself as a showman in his own way. That means brutal, maybe even angular, but quite effective. For better or worse, it's one of the very few reasons to binge through five hours of episodes on a Saturday night. In fact, it aired at one past one. The average Mammucari viewer had to earn it every night. Using toothpicks to keep our eyes open, we dare.
Antonio Caprarica, too “aristocratic” for the “rabble”: grade 5.5
The (censored?) argument in the Sala delle Stelle with Teo Mammucari lasted at least three episodes thanks to the very long broadcast times and some rumors that circulated on the Internet. Antonio Caprarica, 72 years old, was therefore one of the protagonists of this edition, although it was as pleasant as an expired title of nobility. Rai correspondent in London, for years he told us about the English crown in the news. And today we discover how much and how he unfortunately absorbed the aristocratic appeal through transitive properties or self-suggestion. For example, he calls the “comedic comedian of the fourth rank”, as he defines Mammucari, with a gloss that has little in it that is royal except for arrogance: “He is the voice of a plebeianism that leads nowhere.” Caprarica therefore strives to be to distance themselves from the “rabble”. Assuming the aforementioned “rabble” actually care about such a wild decision. We secretly doubt it. Excuse me.
Wanda Nara has announced the winner. Is she really the best (?): Vote 7
No one has ever allowed themselves to make even the shadow of a wrinkle in the presence of Her Majesty Wanda Nara of Argentina (where she would apparently be as famous in our territory as Maria De Filippi). She was crowned queen of the dance floor since the first episode and was able to stand as a symbol of female empowerment, resilience and indescribable sensuality. As the epitome of everything good and beautiful in the world, she did not neglect to share some details of her daily routine: she wakes up every morning at 6 a.m. to take the children to school while her partner Icardi looks at her with admiration ( him also) . And in case anyone is still wondering: yes, she has been “working since she was five.” A constant narrative between epic and science fiction accompanied her entire journey through the competition and helped her shine in the eyes of the audience. Only Mammucari, once again a hero, dared to anger her. Now that we're at the end, we can only see one flawless television process behind her, that of Dancing with the Stars. With all due respect to the juror Guillermo Mariotto, who made rude comments about his “disproportionate B-side” and “those footballer legs” in the opening speech. After that, never breathe again except to praise her with bombastic superlatives. So everyone is fine? It's legitimate to ask yourself that.
Participants in the final for no reason (and other misfortunes): Vote 4
Let's draw the abyss. Despite a cast of VIPs that were, for once, very real and not just conjectural, the eighteenth edition of Dancing with the Stars showed that there could be more than one problem. Let's start with the obvious and start with the five-hour live broadcast of each episode, which is literally a kidnapping of the viewers (asleep in their armchairs). Prolix indescribable, the program, as always, invents every trick to survive at two in the morning: side competitions, repechages, saving wild cards at the last minute, treasures, double treasures. You suffer. A lot. Centrifuged. The elders at home talk about a time when there was a rule, a rule that sooner or later called for someone to be eliminated from the race before they declared themselves out of the game due to injury, with X-rays in hand. The impression of being in a hospital ward and not on a dance floor from episode to episode captivated the audience and, not least, they were happy to have all the bones in place. Even the excessive emphasis on each contestant's personal dramas didn't help the show (although this year it's not a new novelty, but a real flaw in the form of the broadcast). Depression, tumors, grief, horror childhoods, very difficult experiences. There was no trace of a VIP in the race, who was almost calm, no, never, everyone fought fearlessly in the midst of misfortune and other consequences of unfortunate events. Is this all entertaining? It seems so and millions of loyal viewers prove it. The reason remains a deep mystery. At least as much as the presence of Giovanni Terzi, Sara Croce, Lorenzo Tano and Rosanna Lambertucci in the final. More than half of the participants win. It's strange that Ricky Tognazzi didn't make it too (or his wife Simona Izzo, in her own way – very awkwardly – the talent show's official competitor instead of her husband).
Paola Perego, as good as she was injured (she deserved the final): vote 9
“I can’t be sexy, I was born in Monza!” Despite (her) low expectations, Paola Perego was one of the queens of Dancing with the Stars and, together with Simona Ventura, formed the golden couple of the entire edition. Dancing will never be his profession like mathematics is for Antonello Venditti, but how charming! Maybe he didn't give us any special acrobatics on the dance floor, but between the onesies and super chic dresses, no one noticed. “I'm not used to complaining, and I don't want to,” she repeated several times to professional dancer Angelo Madonia in the rehearsal room, despite having suffered more injuries than injuries on the dance floor. Commendable in every way, she had to withdraw from participation due to a serious knee injury, just one step away from the semi-finals. In addition to having proven herself a worthy and combative competitor, the public also found in her an excellent ally: in recent days she even declared that she was ready to name those undeserving among the contenders for triumph would have won the competition. Not that they're much of a mystery, but it's reassuring to know you can count on an insider on the front lines. As good as it is baked. However, promoted without any ifs and buts. How many would have bet she was nice too? A nice (re)discovery.