This semester, my grades and co-op search have been the least of my worries. Want to know what’s keeping me up at night? Season 34 of “Dancing with the Stars” (“DWTS”). Watching this show has added a range of conflicting emotions to my life. Between the inconsistent scoring, lousy fanbase choices and the shocking order of eliminations, “DWTS” has caused more contention than the group project for my Innovation class. Every episode feels like an exam I didn’t study for: confusing, unpredictable and somehow extremely emotionally draining. Keep in mind: I’m 100% unqualified to make any true “DWTS” judgments, but that’s not stopping me from writing this article.
At this point in the season, the remaining contestants are ramping up the intensity, with all eyes on the prize. Only a few stars are left standing (and in some cases, just barely), and the eliminations are getting harder and harder to justify. Some have earned their spot fair and square, while others coasted through the competition on a wave of charisma and charm (if you know, you know). In case you don’t know, eight couples have been eliminated so far. In chronological order, the celebrities that have been sent packing are: American actor and musician Corey Feldman, two-time NBA All-Star Baron Davis, former member of the disbanded Fifth Harmony girl group Lauren Jauregui, famous-for-unknown-reasons Hilaria Baldwin, Pentatonix singer Scott Hoying, “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star Jen Affleck, iconic actress Danielle Fishel and most recently, comedian Andy Richter, the people’s princess.
Heartbreak aside, the show must go on. We’ve reached the point where only the strongest (or luckiest) couples still stand. Here’s the rundown of who’s still left in the race for the Mirrorball: wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin, TikTok personality Alix Earle, Hollywood actress Elaine Hendrix, Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles and yet another “Mormon Wife,” Whitney Leavitt. Now that we’ve covered who’s been eliminated and who’s still standing, I have a few opinions.
There is an epidemic of unjustified under- and over-scoring that exposes clear favoritism amongst the judges. For example, Elaine Hendrix and Jordan Chiles have been severely low-balled. They both consistently deliver technically intricate and emotional routines, yet their scores arguably don’t reflect their true standing in the competition. Elaine’s contemporary dance on Wicked Night, as well as her Dedication Night foxtrot, were some of the best watches of the evenings, so why have we still yet to see them toward the top of the leaderboard? Jordan could probably backflip into a flawless tango, blindfolded, and still walk away with nothing but 8s from the panel of judges.
And then there’s Whitney Leavitt, who can be offbeat for an entire 12 seconds and score better than most of the other couples that night. Whitney may have come out strong because of her background in dance, but honestly, her “improvement” is nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, contestants like Alix Earle are pouring blood, sweat and tears into every routine, but their effort is relatively uncredited.
If this season has taught me anything, it’s that “DWTS” is equal parts talent, luck and questionable judging. While they both annoy me at times, I must admit, the Derek Hough and Carrie Ann Inaba feud makes for good television. With the finish line in sight, here’s what I’m predicting. The four that I see going to the end are: Robert, Alix, Whitney and Jordan. I’m calling it now — Alix Earle will come out on top. Until then, I will be manifesting Whitney’s downfall and counting down the minutes until next Tuesday night.