Anna Delvey is one of the most controversial competitors in Dancing With the Stars history.
As a convicted fraudster, she would always face an uphill battle with viewers.
As the past has taught us, viewers have a lot of sway in which competitors remain in contention for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
Producers conveniently saved Anna and Ezra Sosa’s dance to “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter for last.
Knowing there would be a curiosity factor with Anna, it makes sense.
ABC wanted viewers to watch the entire show to entice them to watch the rest of the season.
While there’s been much debate among the DWTS fandom about whether Ezra was done dirty by having Anna as a partner, look at it this way: Anna is generating headlines, so theoretically speaking, their pairing will undoubtedly increase interest in Ezra as a pro dancer.
Anna’s first performance wasn’t terrible
Off the bat, their cha-cha was fine. It wasn’t the night’s best performance, but it wasn’t the worst.
Improvements are needed, but the biggest problem is Anna’s cold expressions. Viewers are already struggling to connect with her carefree attitude.
One of the biggest hurdles in Dancing With the Stars is connecting with viewers who are at home and picking up the phone to vote.
Anna may be fine for the first few weeks because people might vote to keep her around to see whether she improves.
However, her reaction to Julianne Hough asking her thoughts on the scores probably offended even more viewers.
“I feel happy that I don’t have to do this dance again,” Anna responded.
The fans took to the comments section of the DWTS Instagram post after the show shared photos of Anna’s first performance with Ezra.
“I’m working late… cause I’m a scammer,” said one fan, clearly poking fun at Anna’s prison stint and her song choice.
“She shouldn’t be there,” another viewer complained, adding that she “looks like she doesn’t even want to be there.”
“Why is this Ezra’s first partner as a permanent pro,” the critic added.
“Ankle monitors are not iconic. She should not be on this show,” said another DWTS viewer.
Another watcher felt that Anna’s casting “is so tacky and screams desperation.”
“Surely there is another star that could’ve been on this season instead of her.”
“Just, no. The amount of people that deserved this spot and didn’t get it because of her infuriates me,” another fan criticized.
DWTS fans believe Ezra deserved better
“Ezra deserved better. The viewers deserved better,” the viewer added.
Another viewer took issue with Anna’s facial expressions, wondering why “she always look mad.”
“Girl smile you’re not in jail.”
With the season premiere in the can, seeing how Anna and Ezra fare in the coming weeks will be interesting.
Dancing With the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on Bravo. Stream full episodes on Disney+ and Hulu.