Horror Night Brings ‘DWTS’ Its First Perfect Score and Two Exits
WHO:
The Hollywood Reporter - The remaining season 35 contestants were Tatyana Ali, Jenna Dewan, Ezra Frech, Amber Glenn, Maura Higgins, Harry Shum Jr., Julia Stiles and Connor Wood.
The Hollywood Reporter - Jackson Olson and Emma Slater, and Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess, were eliminated.
The Hollywood Reporter - The judges included Shirley Ballas, who joined as a guest judge; the article also names Carrie Ann Inaba.
The Hollywood Reporter - Alfonso Ribeiro announced that Cynthia Erivo would join as a guest judge for the next Disney-themed episode.
The New York Post - The double elimination left eight couples in the competition.
WHAT:
The Hollywood Reporter - Val Chmerkovskiy’s return followed his one-week suspension after he alluded to Will Smith’s Oscars slap while criticizing Carrie Ann Inaba’s judging of his wife, Jenna Johnson.
The Hollywood Reporter - Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson performed a contemporary dance to 2WEI’s “Toxic”; the article says their routine was inspired by *Saw*.
The Hollywood Reporter - Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy performed an Argentine tango inspired by zombie films.
The Hollywood Reporter - The episode was “Horror Movie Night,” featuring dances inspired by horror films including *Sinners*, *Black Swan* and *Joker*. The article also names *Saw* as the inspiration for Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson’s contemporary dance to “Toxic” by 2WEI.
The Hollywood Reporter - Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson earned the season’s first perfect score: 40/40. Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy and Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold each scored 37/40.
The Hollywood Reporter - Shirley Ballas gave Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa 4 points and Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik 4 points; the other judges gave Ali and Ravnik 8 points each.
The Hollywood Reporter - Horror Movie Night scores were: Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa, 26/40; Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson, 40/40; Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik, 28/40; Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy, 37/40; Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold, 37/40; Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach, 35/40; Jackson Olson and Emma Slater, 35/40; Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess, 26/40; Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov, 36/40; Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas, 32/40.
The Hollywood Reporter - Combined Horror Movie Night and Dedication Night totals were: Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson, 76/80; Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov, 74/80; Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy, 74/80; Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach, 72/80; Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold, 69/80; Jackson Olson and Emma Slater, 67/80; Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas, 67/80; Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa, 62/80; Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik, 60/80; Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess, 58/80.
The Hollywood Reporter - Val Chmerkovskiy returned after a one-week suspension. He apologized to Jenna Dewan, saying, “We are back together. I am so sorry for all the chaos. You did not sign up for that, and I feel awful.” Dewan replied, “I forgive you,” and hugged him. Carrie Ann Inaba praised his choreography: “Incredible choreography, Val. I wanna say that first. Incredible.”
WHERE:
The Hollywood Reporter - The show airs on ABC and Disney+ and streams on Hulu.
WHEN:
The Hollywood Reporter - West Coast viewers could vote between 5 p.m. PT and roughly 6:45 p.m. PT; voting ended after the final performance.
The Hollywood Reporter - *Dancing With the Stars* airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m.; the article says the episode simulcasts on ABC and Disney+ and streams on Hulu the next day.
WHY:
The Hollywood Reporter - Two couples were eliminated because no couples had been eliminated at the end of Dedication Night; the eliminations were based on judges’ scores and viewer votes from both nights.
HOW:
The Hollywood Reporter - The couple with the lowest combined judges’ scores and viewer votes is eliminated. Viewers may cast up to 10 votes per couple per voting method, through ABC’s website and by text. Live voting runs during the East Coast broadcast and ends shortly after the final performance.
(UPDATED October 28, 2026 10:00 UTC)
Dancing With the Stars* sent Jackson Olson and Emma Slater, and Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess, home in a double elimination, leaving eight couples in the competition after scores and viewer votes from two nights were combined. On Horror Movie Night, Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson earned the season’s first perfect score, 40 out of 40, for a “Toxic” routine inspired by *Saw*, while Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy scored 37 out of 40 with a zombie-inspired Argentine tango. Val returned from a one-week suspension, apologized to Dewan and was praised by judge Carrie Ann Inaba for his choreography; Shirley Ballas guest-judged, and Cynthia Erivo is set to join the panel for the next Disney-themed episode.
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(UPDATED October 28, 2026 04:01 UTC)
“Dancing With the Stars” eliminated Jackson Olson and Emma Slater, and Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess, in a double elimination based on judges’ scores and viewer votes from two nights, leaving eight couples in the competition. During Horror Movie Night, Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson earned the season’s first perfect score, 40 out of 40, while Val Chmerkovskiy returned from a one-week suspension and apologized to Jenna Dewan, who said she forgave him. The remaining contestants are Tatyana Ali, Jenna Dewan, Ezra Frech, Amber Glenn, Maura Higgins, Harry Shum Jr., Julia Stiles and Connor Wood, and Cynthia Erivo will join as a guest judge for the next Disney-themed episode.