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Dancing with the Stars has, without question, jettisoned its dead weight and the contest is getting increasingly more difficult to call.  Even as the lower rung has turned in their dancing shoes, the ‘favorites’ have shuffled ranks several times over the course of the contest.   With that in mind, here is the power rankings for Dancing with the Stars season 5 from who we expected to be eliminated next, to who looks likely to take the contest.

Number 7 – Jane Seymour

This is simple odds at this point, Jane was in the bottom last week, therefore she needs to either outperform, or have her competitors underperform.  Last week, she had the good fortune of being against Mark Cuban.  Seymour was clearly the better performer of the bottom two, and for once the voting rhymed.  If she were to find herself against Melanie Brown, who has also been in the bottom in recent weeks, and the voting remains focused on performance, she is going to hit the wall.  And that is what I expect to happen.

Number 6 – Melanie Brown

Mel B is awesome, but her displays of attitude are dis-endearing and at times even her gestures in the background, eye rolling, pshawing, make her less like-able.   At this point in the competition, these factors are less important than they were at the beginning, but her moment in the bottom two a few weeks back were evidence that while she is definitely one of the best dancers, she lacks the ‘total’ package.

Number 5 – Helio Castroneves

Helio has been all over the board and is not getting the golden boy treatment that his most comparable competitor, Apolo Anton Ohno, received from the judges.  Those deflating moments at the end of his set give audiences the sense that he performed worse than he did.  An appearance in the number 2 with a save may galvanize Helio and partner Julianne Hough – who is without doubt the best choreographer on Dancing with the Stars – and see them bounce back with the intensity needed to go farther,  but as things are running now it looks like the top three is out of reach for the one time favorite.

Number 4 – Marie Osmond

All eyes are on Marie right now.  While the fainting accident was horrifying, it is always true that there is no such thing as ‘Bad Publicity.”  Essentially, as long as Osmond stays on her feet for the next few weeks she’ll glide through.  So many people are concerned or aware of her at this point that good scores will keep her afloat.  Besides, Osmond truly is a prolific entertainer with great presence.

Number 3 – Cameron Mathison

Mathison was never a favorite on Dancing with the Stars, but the bottom line is he has a home team advantage.  The soap audiences are a big chunk of the reality demographics and Mathison is playing to a friendly crowd.  Mathison brings some creativity to the competition and has one of the best partners on Dancing with the Stars in Edyta Silwinska.  Cameron will shock everyone by making it to the finale, but the math is easy.

Number 2 – Sabrina Bryan

The Cheetah girl is a bullet to the finish line.  There is no imaginable way she could not make the finals.  Bryan’s dancing skills, presence, and personality are a deadly combination in this competition.  Without question, Bryan has been Dancing with the Star’s most dynamic contestant since day one.  The only thing that will prevent her from winning is that fact that she has not made any sacrifices.

Number 1 – Jennie Garth

Which brings us to Garth.  In a way, the misstep was the best thing to ever happen to Jennie Garth.  People love a come back story, and Garth came back with a vengeance.  She has, much like Bryan, gone for the jugular since the premiere and has consistently wowed and wooed both audiences and the judges.  What will give her the edge, in the end, is her ‘real person’ factor.  Garth not only has celebrity appeal, but she is a parent.  With her ‘come back,’ and the heart strings of a supporting family combined with her skills and celebrity, Garth has everything she needs to keep pulling in the votes.
Who do you think will win Dancing with the Stars? Melanie Brown
Jane Seymour
Sabrina Ryan
Helio Castroneves
Marie Osmond
Jennie Garth
Cameron Mathison

- Jon Lachonis, BuddyTV Senior Writer
(Image Courtesy of ABC)