I gotta say, before Dancing With the Stars kicked off tonight, I was pretty pumped about the whole Disney theme this week. I mean, who the heck doesn't love all things Disney? It practically screams innocence, wonder, excitement -- and of course, magic.

But unfortunately, something just seemed SO off for many of the couples this evening -- to the point where it seems like a lot of them almost took a step backward or something.

Granted, it may have been the partner switch-ups last week that threw an added challenge into the mix -- but other than a lucky few, most of the duos seemed out of their element this week.

Balancing a hectic schedule and getting everything on your list accomplished can be a bit of a feat. If anyone knows how crazy life can be, it's Dancing With the Stars co-host Erin Andrews.

Between her new gig in the ballroom and acting as a sports reporter, it's a wonder that she doesn't have days where she's about ready to collapse from running around from here to there.

I had the pleasure of chatting with her earlier this week about how she manages to "do it all," per se. But don't worry -- I also got her to spill some juicy details on season 18 of Dancing With the Stars, which is proving to be one of the most competitive group of dancers ever.

Samantha Harris recently learned that she has breast cancer, but she's going to take it lying down. Well, technically she is, but only for long enough to undergo a double mastectomy. So she's metaphorically not taking it lying down.

The Entertainment Tonight correspondent and former Dancing With the Stars co-host recently sat down with ET's Brooke Anderson to talk about what it was like to be diagnosed, how it changes her mothering, and her plans for the future.

When you dance regularly with someone, even if it's just for a few weeks, as in the case of the contestants on Dancing With the Stars, you form a bond with them that's difficult to understand. Not only do you get to know the other person's style, rhythm, and temperament, you often spend more time in a rehearsal studio with them than you do hanging out with members of your own family.

So naturally, when the cast of DWTS learned they would be switching partners this week -- something that has never been done before -- all dancers, both stars and pros, were shaking in their jazz shoes. For some -- Meryl, I'm tipping my hat in your direction -- the change was a blessing. And for others ... eh, not so much. Here's how the contestants held up under this new and bizarre form of pressure.

Most of the show is real, honest, and impossible to fake -- but after hearing that Sean Avery's exit from Dancing With the Stars last week may not have been because he got the lowest number of viewer votes? Yeah, well, it just adds more fuel to the rumor fire as far as DWTS being totally rigged.

An insider told RadarOnline, "Sean getting the boot from the show was purely political and it stemmed from him being upset about a video package introducing his dance in which they portrayed him as a bad boy/playboy. Sean called the EP, Conrad Green, and told him to go f**k himself and then hung up."

And then suddenly it was revealed that there would be a surprise double elimination, which sent Sean packing in addition to Diana Nyad.

Huh. Seems a bit convenient the way that worked out, doesn't it?

Um ... wow. Just -- WOW. On every season of Dancing With the Stars, things always get a little bit emotional when the week rolls around when cast members dedicate a dance to the most important year in their life.

But tonight? Who else is still crying after the performances, which were so honest, raw, and real, I honestly wish I'd taken off my mascara before tuning in?? (And I'm not even a "crier.")

After seeing Danica McKellar clutching her beautiful little boy after her performance with Val Chmerkovskiy, I had already lost it a little bit. But then Meryl Davis came out and achieved the impossible -- meaning she made the judges fall in love with Maks all over again, and the emotion was kicked up another notch.

And then Amy Purdy and Derek Hough danced and OMG I haven't been able to regain my composure ever since.

I know they're trying to spice things up on Dancing With the Stars season 18 -- but doesn't it seem like they're going a little overboard with the changes? We're still trying to get used to Erin Andrews co-hosting. And then there's this whole bit about switching up the partners, which is just plain stupid if you ask me. I mean, seeing their relationships develop as the weeks progress is part of the allure of the show.

But as for tonight's episode? What was up with there being a double elimination already? Sheesh. I know one of the duos has to leave each week, but it just seemed a bit premature to send two pairs packing before they even had a chance to get started.

And when they first announced that tonight would be a double elimination, we all figured we knew exactly who was going home.

I can't lie. It's been quite some time since this has happened -- but I was glued to the TV during the Dancing With the Stars season 18 premiere tonight. Typically I sort of fade in and out as far as how much I'm really paying attention on the first night -- but tonight? Something was just different.

Um, could they have done any better with the cast they chose this time around? There's someone for people from any generation to root for, and the competition is as good as it gets.

And honestly, at this point -- I have more than one favorite.