Oh my gosh, season 34 of Dancing with the Stars is just… incredible! Seriously, the dances are more amazing than ever, and those eliminations? They completely take your breath away! I honestly think this is the best season they’ve ever done. I’m completely hooked!
ABC’s popular dance competition is still attracting a huge audience, recently reaching nearly six million viewers for a single episode, and breaking records for both viewership and fan votes, according to Nielsen data.
After that, the remaining contestants performed heartfelt dances dedicated to their families, friends, and those they cherish. However, Dylan Efron and his professional partner Daniella Karagach ultimately earned the highest scores.
Dylan and his five-year-old sister Olivia wowed the judges with their dance, receiving a score of 36 out of 40.
Some viewers were surprised by the 33-year-old performer’s high score, and a few even claimed he didn’t deserve the perfect nines he received from the judges, with some going so far as to say he was bad.
Many viewers think judges Derek Hough, Bruno Tonioli, and Carrie Ann Inaba haven’t been scoring contestants fairly this season, even when performers like Whitney Leavitt and Robert Irwin have done exceptionally well.
It looks like fan theories about Dylan making it to the finals of Dancing with the Stars might actually be true. The Daily Mail has discovered that the show’s producers seem to be hoping he does well and reaches the final round.
Only nine celebrities are left on Dancing with the Stars, along with 33-year-old host, Jordan Chiles, Danielle Fishel, Andy Richter, Robert Irwin, Elaine Hendrix, Alix Earle, Whitney Leavitt, Jen Affleck, and Scott Hoying.
Corey Feldman was one of the first contestants voted off the show, leaving in week two. He was joined by NBA player Baron Davis. Later, in weeks three and four, singer Lauren Jauregui and Hilaria Baldwin were also eliminated.
Dylan and Daniella, a couple on the show ‘Traitors US,’ are considered strong contenders to reach the final round of season 34.
Whitney, 32, from Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and her partner Mark Ballas are quickly becoming favorites on this season’s show. They’ve consistently earned the highest scores from the judges for the past four weeks.
Twenty-one-year-old Robert, a wildlife conservationist, and his dance partner Whitney Carson delivered a moving performance to Phil Collins’s ‘You’ll Be in My Heart.’ The dance earned Robert his first three perfect scores from the judges this season.
Sources say that DWTS executives are particularly eager to see Traitors winner Dylan reach the finals, as he’s already been chosen to co-lead the show’s 2026 tour with professional dancer Emma Slater.
Okay, so I’m freaking out! I just heard from someone who knows things – seriously, inside things – and they told me Dylan is either going to be co-hosting the tour with Emma, or he’s going to be a major part of it somehow! I can’t even breathe thinking about it! It’s everything I’ve ever wanted!
After Tuesday’s show, a viewer posted on Reddit criticizing Dylan’s performance and wondering why the judges gave him such a high score.
One Reddit user expressed surprise that Dylan scored higher than Whitney or Robert, calling them better dancers and questioning why the judges keep supporting him.
One commenter pointed out that a particular performer is consistently given higher scores than they deserve. While acknowledging improvement this week, they felt the score of nine was excessive, and argued that Robert’s performance was much stronger.
A third person in the comments claimed ‘the producers are tilting the scale’ in favor of Dylan.
Many viewers came to Dylan’s defense, praising his dance as ‘amazing’ and saying it was his strongest performance so far.
One user defended Dylan, saying it wasn’t fair to criticize him. They argued that the issue wasn’t with his dancing, but with how the scoring was done.
Indeed, many fans have taken up issue with the scoring on this season of DWTS.
After each performance, judges give couples a score out of 10, with a possible total of 30 points. However, guest judges can sometimes raise the maximum possible score.
Each week, couples are scored based on both the judges’ feedback and votes from the audience. The couple with the lowest total score is eliminated from the competition.
After six weeks of the competition, no couple has earned a perfect score of 10. The judges – Derek, Bruno, and Carrie Ann – have received criticism from viewers for being too strict with their scoring.
Another source told the Daily Mail that the judges haven’t been giving out many perfect scores because the contestants this season are incredibly talented and the competition is very fierce.
According to one source, the judges are becoming increasingly critical each week as the competition intensifies, making this a particularly challenging season with several talented contestants.
People always want better results, and that’s why public voting is so important to them,” they added.
Ultimately, it’s the viewers’ votes that will decide who makes it to the finale, and people often overlook that. They assume the judges have the final say, but the judges are usually just as surprised when a contestant is eliminated.
According to a source familiar with the show, Dylan, Whitney, and Robert are all strong candidates to win this season. However, the source insists the competition is conducted fairly and there are no hidden strategies to manipulate who stays on the show until the finale.
‘It’s truly about their dancing and viewer votes,’ they added.
Even though the show had more viewers than ever this season, reports suggest the professional dancers were unhappy with pay cuts and felt their salaries were unfair.
According to sources who spoke with the Daily Mail, the professional dancers on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ experienced significant pay reductions when the show transitioned to streaming on Disney+ in 2022.
An insider revealed that while pay has improved now that ‘Dancing with the Stars’ is back on ABC, there’s still some rivalry among the professional dancers regarding salaries.
And fans aren’t the only ones complaining about the judges’ low scores.
According to the Daily Mail, some cast members are starting to speak up about what they feel is unusually harsh judging this season.
I’ve noticed the dancers are really speaking their minds about the voting now, and honestly, it feels like we’re finally seeing how they really feel. A friend of mine who’s also following the show told me the same thing – they’re letting their emotions show, and it’s powerful.
The dancers put in a lot of effort and naturally expect high scores – 8s, 9s, or 10s. So, when they receive lower scores like 6s or 7s, they’re understandably disappointed and won’t hesitate to show it.
After fans expressed their disappointment with her scores, Carrie Ann responded to the criticism in the comments of an Instagram post she made on October 15th.
She told a disappointed fan that differing opinions are perfectly fine, and actually contribute to what makes their show so good.
Your opinion matters to us, and we encourage you to vote for the things you care about. We appreciate you sharing your thoughts and feelings – thank you for your passionate feedback.
This week, the final ten couples will perform themed dances set to music from the hit musical Wicked. Jon M. Chu, the director of the Wicked film adaptation, will join the judging panel.
New episodes of DWTS air Tuesdays at 8pm ET on ABC and streaming on Disney+.
The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for ABC for comment.
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2025-10-21 09:33