DWTS 5th Judge Premiere Surprises: Tori, Phaedra, Anna Delvey, and More -- Who Fell Flat, Who Soared?

13 celebrities kicked off an extremely mixed night on Dancing with the Stars with a few already scoring very impressive 8s, and some really, really struggling -- but we're still loving the night's most entertaining dance between a 5'3" pro and 6'11" celeb.

A new season is upon Dancing with the Stars fans, and it comes with the requisite controversial contestant. This season, that dubious honor goes to convicted con artist Anna Delvey, who wants everyone to know she's served her time and made restitution. The ankle monitor is about her visa status, which apparently expired while she was in prison for fraud.

Aside from Anna, though, the season definitely brought some interesting stars -- with Tori Spelling, Phaedra Parks, Bachelor Nation's Joey Graziadei and Jenn Tran, and a couple of Summer Olympic stars in rugby standout Ilona Maher and "pommel horse guy" Stephen Nedoroscik.

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Perhaps one of the most entertaining pairings was when producers decided to partner 6'11" Dwight Howard with 5'3" Daniella Karagach. Let's just say, Daniella has some experience with tall partners, and she knows how to make it work, delivering the night's most entertaining routine.

So who stunned the judges with premiere dances so strong, we're already seeing 8's in Week 1? Who fell flat on their face out of the gate and is in danger of an immediate exit during next week's double elimination? There's only one way to find out and that's to make our way through 13 debut performances.

Fair warning, since I'm safe at home, I'm probably going to be a little harsher than my colleagues Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli. But I might be nicer, too. Maybe.

FILLER

Opening Number

The professionals were definitely happy to be back in the ballroom, with lots of fun spotlights for returning icon Witney Carson, newest pro Ezra Sosa, and some of last season's standouts like Pasha Pashkov, Daniella Karagach, Jenna Johnson, Britt Stewart and reigning champ Val Chmerkovskiy. This piece was full of high energy and joy, along with lots of hips and arms and overall movement. It was designed to showcase energy and excitement for what could happen if only the stars were anywhere near this good … and it worked!

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PERSONAL ANTHEMS

Joey Graziadei & Jenna Johnson

(Cha-cha-cha - "Dancin' in the Country," Tyler Hubbard) "I can dance, but it takes a little bit of confidence to get it out," Joey said right at the top of the season. A big promise to launch his journey that hopefully he can live up to. When asked how he feels about giving sexy, Joey very accurately replied, "I think I give more golden retriever energy than sexy."

He brought that joyful energy to this performance, which while a little heavy-footed throughout really showed he's got the ability to move, the rhythm, and some grace. We find ourselves agreeing that a little bit of confidence will probably produce a pretty great dancer inside of there. He's not afraid to get down and dirty with his hips and partnering chemistry is already strong. Once he feels more at home in these styles, he could emerge as a leading contender with more graceful arms and lighter footwork. He's off to a great start!

Judges Scores: 7, 7, 7

My Score: 7

Brooks Nader & Gleb Savchenko

(Tango - "Piece of Me," Britney Spears) Brooks showed some cheer and dance team background from high school, saying she was coming back to "take back that ex." Right away, the newly-single model and Gleb certainly enjoyed the way they each looked, with Gleb having her do a little twirl and Brooks saying plainly, "He's hot." She added that they'll take this "healthy flirtatious vibe" and use it, without getting distracted.

From the very opening of the show, though, she looked extremely nervous and that carried right up to the start of this dance. That trepidation carried into her movements, which were all about 60 to 70 percent where they needed to be. A straight, extended leg had a slightly bent knee as if she was in a hurry to retract it either to not be seen, or set up the next move. She was definitely in her head with this one, with restricted moves and a heaviness that lacked musicality. She needs to just give of herself fully. She also needs to get the work out of her face and bring performance there, too. Confidence will be key -- even the body language, crossed arms during comments.

Judges Scores: 6, 6, 6

My Score: 4

Ilona Maher & Alan Bersten

(Cha-cha-cha - "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!," Shania Twain) Ilona shared that she wanted to do DWTS as this "big, muscular woman" who also feels "very beautiful and feminine." She explained, "I grew up not very comfortable, so I want to now make it easier for young girls to love your body. Right away, Alan noted that Ilona is going to have to rein in the strength and full-force power that made her an Olympic medalist in rugby. Later, she talked about an adorable "pyramid scheme" of confidence where everyone wins!

We might recommend a bit of a course correction, though, as she went too small. Yes, she has a big, muscular body but that's what helps her to stand out. She needs to own every inch of it with full extensions and lines. She was surprisingly timid, though understandably way out of her comfort zone. We suspect she'll be watching the game tape back and see what she needs to do … which is mostly more. All of the tools were there for her to really blow us away, but she needs more attack, more strength (we're surprised too), and yes, a little more finesse, too.

Judges Scores: 6, 6, 6

My Score: 5

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Reginald VelJohnson & Emma Slater

(Salsa - "Motownphilly," Boyz II Men) "I did move well when I was a kid," said the 72-year-old Family Matters and Die Hard star, "But as an old man, we'll see." He has some Broadway background, too, and learned ballroom from his parents, so it might just be a matter of waking up that muscle memory and shaking off some cobwebs as a stage performer. "I'm ready to dance," he quipped. "I just hope I don't die hard doing it."

Emma needs to challenge him a bit more as he was used too much as a prop for her to dance around her. But he also needs to let his shoulders and body tension down. There was a playfulness to the piece that was fun, but we're not sure Reginald covered more than three square feet of dance floor. He barely moved, and when he did it was stiff and way, way too tight. He's a beloved star, but he needs to give a lot more than this.

Judges Scores: 6, 5, 5

My Score: 2

Danny Amendola & Witney Carson

(Tango - "A Bar Song (Tipsy)," Shaboozey & David Guetta) Quipping that he didn't even have an endzone dance, Danny nevertheless has two Super Bowl rings and a strong competitive drive. Football players have done well in the past, being light on their feet, but can it translate for him? He said he's doing the show for his mom, who looked so proud on the phone as he takes on this opportunity.

Yeah, he was a little hunched and clunky in frame, but this partnership is already off to a strong start. It helps that Witney is one of the best to ever do this show as she knows how to bring the best out of her partners. But it was a confidence that Danny had, even with his lack of dance background, that really started to shine through. He believes he can do this, and as he grows in confidence and locks in that technique tighter, we might just believe, too.

Judges Scores: 7, 6, 7

My Score: 5

Tori Spelling & Pasha Pashkov

(Foxtrot - "Trustfall," P!nk) Describing herself as "50% Donna/50% Tori," she said, "I'm just a little more inappropriate." She said that after turning the show down 32 times, when she turned 50 and her life "exploded," she was "trying to find myself again … in front of millions of people." She admitted she might struggle trusting because in her experience, she can only really trust herself.

Tori needs to make sure a smile doesn't become a painted-on grimace as she concentrates. She was a little skippy and hunched in her delivery, but there was a bit of finesse in moments here in her glide. She definitely needs to trust a little more with Pasha, but that will come with time. She really threw herself into the routine and needs to trust herself to give even more. But she surprised us; there's potential here. In a touching moment after with Julianne, Tori said, "I found her," referring to her inner child and that freeness, adding, "I'm so happy."

Judges Scores: 6, 6, 5

My Score: 5

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Jenn Tran & Sasha Farber

(Cha-cha-cha - "Flowers," Miley Cyrus) After a disastrous Bachelorette finale that saw her heart shattered and betrayed, Jenn immediately rushed to rehearsals where she declared she's ready to just pour into herself for now. She also immediately told Sasha that it's too complicated, admitting that one ballroom class in college clearly wasn't enough preparation. While she may not feel ready, she's ready to give it her all, saying, "It's gonna be empowering."

With the perfect song for this moment, Jenn really commanded the stage so much more than we expected in her very first dance. She had some finesse, a lot of personality, and used her body effectively throughout. She's got the makings of a surprise front-runner -- with the least prep time -- with what she delivered here. She needs to extend a little more and keep that musicality, but the instinctual tools are spot-on.

Judges Scores: 7, 6, 6

My Score: 6

Chandler Kinney & Brandon Armstrong

(Tango - "Hot to Go!," Chappell Roan) The Disney star known for Z-O-M-B-I-E-S and Pretty Little Liars, admitted that dance "was always my first love." While she hasn't necessarily been doing it, she also believes "once a dancer, always a dancer." She sees this as an opportunity to explore "what if" she'd stuck with dancing instead of pivoting to acting a decade ago.

Honestly, this was like next-level impressive -- and for a first week dance! She had so much grace and presence throughout the dance, and fluidity in her movement. She was gorgeous throughout with incredible lines, solid foot placement and partnering with Brandon like it was at least midway through the season. Each year someone comes out of the gate to put an exclamation point on the competition. This year, it's Chandler.

Judges Scores: 8, 7, 8

My Score: 8

Dwight Howard & Daniella Karagach

(Salsa - "This Is How We Do It," Montell Jordan) Already, there's a very sweet and charming chemistry between 6'11" Dwight and his diminutive 5'3" partner. Daniella has proved herself capable with tall partners, though, winning Season 30 with 6'5" Iman Shumpert. That said, she couldn't get over their height difference (which should be fun to watch). As for the show. Dwight is doing this for his family and trusting the process -- even knowing how silly it could turn out.

For sheer entertainment value, this was easily the top dance of the night. Danielle is such a clever choreographer, there were some flat-out brilliant moves. We honestly loved her deadpan stare the first time he picked her up and danced. But they're already doing some lifts and flips. Add to that some real dance and Dwight's overall potential on display with extensions and footwork, and this could be the fan-favorite pairing of the season.

Judges Scores: 8, 7, 7

My Score: 7

Eric Roberts & Britt Stewart

(Cha-cha-cha - "Old Time Rock and Roll," Bob Seger) A huge DWTS fan, Eric said that one day of filming cost him the chance to compete 19 years ago. That's why he's so excited to get this chance. But he's also facing a new challenge after an automobile accident and coma left his right side a quarter-beat behind.

He was definitely struggling with his timing while holding his hands a bit like a claw in some of the simpler earlier steps. Let's just say that Britt was cha-chaing across the floor and Eric was walking along with her. It was sweet, but really lacking in actually dancing. He needs to work on everything that turns this into a stroll through the park into an actual dance style. We applaud that he tried and did do some things, but it wasn't nearly enough.

Judges Scores: 5, 5, 5

My Score: 3

Phaedra Parks & Val Chmerkovskiy

(Cha-cha-cha - "I'm Every Woman," Whitney Houston) Phaedra said her sons told her, "You're going to make a fool out of yourself" doing DWTS, so she's set to "prove those young men wrong." She quipped that she's tried to supporter past Real Housewives, "but they all get kicked off before I can make it. She has a fantastic attitude so far in the ballroom, even as it quickly became clear she has a lot of work to do to break the so-called Housewives "curse."

Right away, her playful personality is really going to help her in this competition as the performance she brought to the stage was fantastic. She does have a lot of room for improvement in her technique, but was very impressive for a stone-cold beginner. We know she'll put in the work, and it's already showing. The hips were swiveling, the arms were extending, the footwork was … well, it's a work in progress.

Judges Scores: 7, 6, 6

My Score: 6

Stephen Nedoroscik & Rylee Arnold

(Jive - "Don't Stop Me Now," Queen) Stephen is definitely leaning into his nerdy side. "It's not just the looks," he quipped. But he's also got that engineering degree, which we saw as he compared mastering the dance moves to learning and ultimately mastering the moves necessary to solve the Rubik's Cube. It remains to be seen if his analytical mind and athletic body can come together to figure out the dance equation.

Right off the top, we noticed two things. He's definitely going to be a fan-favorite, and he's got way, way too much energy. This was puppy dog energy that was even too much for the high-energy jive format. His timing was also off even in the opening bits, which could be a problem if he struggles to hear rhythms. He was stronger in the side-by-side portions than the partnering, where he was stiff and flat-footed, but his athleticism and flexibility could benefit him if Rylee can rein in some of that energy.

Judges Scores: 7, 7, 7

My Score: 6

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Anna Delvey & Ezra Sosa

(Cha-cha-cha - "Espresso," Sabrina Carpenter) The season's most controversial contestant, Anna emphasized, "I did serve my time," after those 2017 fraud charges. She said this show is a way to "show a different side of me," while saying her past shows she's "pretty determined," which can be a "good quality to channel into something positive." Both Anna and Ezra are taking this moment seriously in an effort to maybe help Anna turn the page on her life story, as well as public perception.

Anna was clearly anxious about how she would be received, so we applaud her and the show for leaning right into her story, and that bedazzled ankle monitor with an opening shot. From there, it was time to (hopefully) shift to her dancing. She showed glimmers of ability, but was very hesitant and self-conscious of everything she did, making her deliver a hesitant and at times awkward performance. It looks like the tools are in there, but she's her own worst enemy right now.

Judges Scores: 6, 6, 6

My Score: 4

PREDICTIONS

If we were to go by judges' scores alone, this would mark the end of the road for the season's oldest contestants, Eric Roberts and Reginald VelJohnson. Arguably, they were the weakest dancers on the night. But fan votes have done some surprising things, and they're also beloved stars. And with scores pretty tight at the bottom, you do have to look beyond that Bottom 2.

Just above them Reginald by one point is Tori Spelling, and we can't imagine voters sending the Beverly Hills, 90210 star home right away. That's what brings us to that three-way tie just one point above Tori. Here, we have some of our more vulnerable dancers, we believe, with Anna Delvey and Brooks Nader tying with Ilona Maher.

We suspect Ilona's fans and her story will resonate with viewers, but even the reaction to Anna in the ballroom -- that Carrie called out, asking people to give her a chance -- has us suspecting her chance might be one-and-done. We could see her notoriety getting her some support, but there seems to be a pretty strong and negative reaction to her even getting this chance, as exemplified in a segment on The View (for which they did ultimately apologize after her lawyer reached out).

The other one might have sealed her own fate. We suspect Brooks doesn't have the fanbase of most of these contestants among DWTS viewers. Even worse, she just struggled to look really happy to be there, appearing to be more in her nerves than anything else. So if both Eric and Reginald can get the fan support to stay, we could see Brooks and Anna falling.

That said, we're going to go out on a limb with our own predictions and predict that it will be Brooks and Reginald who actually go home. He did the absolute least and she looked the least like she wanted to be there (which the audience definitely picks up on.

Dancing with the Stars continues with an Oscars theme and double elimination next Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+.