10:01 p.m. ET October 27, 2026
Who was voted out against “DWTS” tonight? Double elimination leaves two victims
Bryan Alexander
The “Dancing With the Stars” Halloween movie night massacre claimed the lives of two couples on Oct. 27, when Jackson Olson and his partner Emma Slater, as well as Tyler Cameron and his partner Sharna Burgess, were eliminated.
Tyler seemed very upset after his dance. He apologized at the end, saying he was unhappy with his performance. He bid farewell in style to Burgess, his partner. Olson was absolutely classy during his farewell.
The double elimination followed last week’s “Dedication Night,” when all contestants were spared from elimination, setting up the brutal Halloween showdown.
The final three couples facing elimination were Olson and Slater, Cameron and Burgess, and Tatyana Ali and Jan Ravnik. Ali and Ravnik survived the fright.
The couples immediately declared safe were Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold, Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov, Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson, Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy, Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach, Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas, and Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa.
9:53 p.m. ET October 27, 2026
Mark Ballas faces judgment from mom Shirley Ballas with Maura Higgins
Joëlle Goldstein
Repeat drama:Maura Higgins said she will remember her dance last week, which she dedicated to Ireland, for the rest of her life. But she would savor this happy moment even more with this week’s challenge ahead of her: dancing at a horror movie night with the mother of her partner Mark Ballas judging them. Not to mention that she did a contemporary dance with “a lot of lifts with a lot of speed”.
“I’m not an actress, people in competition do this for a living so I just hope I kill it,” the “Traitors” alum said.
Dance:Higgins and Ballas danced to Gerard McMann’s “Cry Little Sister (Theme from ‘The Lost Boys),'” inspired by ‘The Lost Boys.’ They performed the spooky theme perfectly, with Higgins’ blood-soaked dress, fake fangs and white contact lenses.
Bruno Tonioli said she had a “fantastic lyrical quality” but urged her to extend her arms and really pull the movements from the floor. Derek Hough called Higgins a “phenomenal performer” and acknowledged that she had to tiptoe and extend her arms. Shirley Ballas called it “powerful” and said she would like to see her feet turn a little more to make the routine “flow” more.
And Carrie Ann Inaba panicked on the spot and forgot what she was going to say, only finding that she agreed with Tonioli. She then shouted before giving her rating that “Higgins’ hands were beautiful.”
Rating: 32/40
9:40 p.m. ET October 27, 2026
Amber Glenn spreads her wings with the superb tango “Black Swan”
Bryan Alexander
Repeat drama: Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn was already a favorite in Season 35, but she pushed it even further with partner Pasha Pashkov. “We’re at the top,” Glenn said in the video. She was also filming one of her favorite films, “Black Swan,” which gave her extra motivation. “I can really relate to this movie,” she said, speaking about striving for perfection and declaring, “I want to be the Black Swan.” Glenn vowed to make “that 11-year-old proud of me.”
Dance: Glenn and Pashkov performed an Argentine tango to Clint Mansell’s “Perfection,” inspired by “Black Swan.” Glenn fully embraced his dark transformation, sporting ghostly white makeup and a black feathered costume. The ballroom became a sinister ballet stage, filled with smoke and chandeliers, with feathers appearing to fall from the sky. Pashkov spun Glenn around on the floor before the routine transitioned into a Tango climax, with Glenn dramatically sticking out his arm for the final flourish.
Shirley Ballas praised the “beautiful movement on the floor”, adding: “I really enjoyed it.” Bruno Tonioli was so delighted that he started flapping his arms like a swan, accidentally hitting Ballas.
Carrie Ann Inaba called it “another wonderful performance”, although she pointed out some tension in Glenn’s movements.
“You’re exquisite to look at,” Derek Hough told Glenn.
Sheet music: 36/40, with 9 consecutive.
9:31 p.m. ET October 27, 2026
Tyler Cameron almost quit after low scores
Joëlle Goldstein
Repeat drama:Tyler Cameron had just had “the best night” of his life after revealing that his fiancée was pregnant and they were having a baby girl. And with Halloween holding a special place in her heart after becoming a neighborhood favorite for handing out peanut butter, the Bachelor Nation star was determined not to go home.
“I don’t want to go home, I want to work,” he said. But it wouldn’t be an easy task, with his partner Sharna Burgess demanding that Cameron take over when it comes to his acting.
Dance:Cameron spoke in the ballroom, appearing almost unrecognizable with a long, dark-haired wig, top hat and fake facial hair. He and Burgess danced a passionate Viennese waltz to Annie Lennox’s “Love Song for a Vampire,” inspired by Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” which ended with an intense stab to the chest.
However, the judges weren’t entirely moved by it. Derek Hough said it was “so smooth”, but pointed out that her figure wasn’t as strong as it should have been. Shirley Ballas noted that his “acting skills were excellent”, but that his technical skills needed improvement. Bruno Tonioli repeated that he “really felt it” with emotion, but he had lost his frame.
Carrie Ann Inaba tested the waters, saying that she disagreed with Ballas’ comments and that she did not think the acting was very good and that he “danced smaller” due to Burgess’ shorter stature.
Score: 26/40, with Ballas giving a 5. Cameron was unhappy with the scores, could barely smile, and tried to walk away from the camera before the show went to commercial break. Yeah.
9:16 p.m. ET October 27, 2026
Jackson Olson goes crazy as the Joker
Bryan Alexander
Repeat drama: Jackson Olson was doing everything he could to escape the bottom of the “Dancing With the Stars” rankings, and kissing the Joker seemed to be his ticket out. But there were serious expectations for the iconic villain. “There’s a lot of pressure to measure up,” Olson said. He promised a surprising transformation. “You’re going to see this dark character that you don’t see in me.”
Dance: Olson and partner Emma Slater performed a contemporary rendition of Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life,” inspired by “Joker.” Both wore the villain’s signature red costumes, with Olson sporting toxic green hair. Against the backdrop of Gotham City, with an empty taxicab and raging flames, Olson whipped Slater around his head in a series of wild lifts, even throwing a frightening little tongue wave during one manic move. He spun his partner in the finale as the set erupted in false flames.
“You set this place on fire!” said co-host Alfonso Ribeiro. Carrie Ann Inaba called the performance “kind of weird in a good way.”
“I hate clowns, but I loved this performance,” Derek Hough said.
Guest judge Shirley Ballas called the routine “terrifying” and praised its challenging choreography. Bruno Tonioli said: “The Joker is your trump card.”
Score:35/40. Three of Olson’s first 9 scores and a Ballas 8.
9:09 p.m. ET October 27, 2026
Ezra Frech’s Mom Inspires Horror Movie Night Before Her Painful Leg Injury
Joëlle Goldstein
Repeat drama:Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach celebrated securing the season’s top 10 and were excited about the challenge ahead on Horror Movie Night, especially with Frech’s strong connection to the genre. After all, his mother, Bahar Soomekh, starred in “Saw III,” even though he wasn’t a particular fan of watching it. “No, I don’t want to see my mother being tortured on TV,” he said.
The horror movie genre wasn’t the only scare this week. Frech also suffered a blister injury near where his prosthetic leg connected to his limb. He said he felt like he was being “pricked with a needle with every step,” but he vowed to keep going. “I’ve invested so much in this process, so I’m just going to fight,” the Paralympic athlete said.
Dance: The duo danced a striking, haunting and powerful jazz routine. There were tons of lifts and moments of Karagach throwing herself on the dance floor. You had no idea Frech was suffering from such a painful injury. After the dance, Bruno Tonioli called himself “a shape-shifting demon,” adding: “What a performance as always!”
Carrie Ann Inaba said she “couldn’t tell” he was hurt, but encouraged him to focus more on his storytelling. Derek Hough praised his athleticism and how captivating he is to watch, but accepted comments about the storytelling. Shirley Ballas, however, said that she “enjoyed the storyline” and that it was lifting.
Rating: 35/40
8:56 p.m. ET October 27, 2026
Connor Wood brings spooky Annabelle doll to life in bizarre contemporary style
Bryan Alexander
Repeat drama:Connor Wood was still in fine form after last week’s strong performance, but knew he had to escape the bottom two. Wood and her partner Rylee Arnold broke into a contemporary dance inspired by the horror film “Annabelle: Creation,” with Arnold playing the demon doll and Wood portraying her toymaker.
Dance: Wood and Arnold performed Charles McDonald’s “You Are My Sunshine.” The spooky routine opened with Wood bringing his lifeless partner to life on a couch. Arnold was a weird Annabelle on the ballroom floor, with Wood following her as he tossed her around like a rag doll and even performed a somersault on the couch. The impressive and frightening performance drew thunderous applause.
Guest judge Shirley Ballas called the dance “outstanding” and said it would give people nightmares. Bruno Tonioli said: “You killed the routine,” adding: “It was like watching a mini-movie.”
Carrie Ann Inaba went even further. “I crown you Contemporary King,” she proclaimed. “You disappeared in that dance.”
Scores:37/40, with Carrie Ann and Derek giving 10.
8:49 p.m. ET October 27, 2026
Val Chmerkovskiy returns to the ballroom and receives compliments from Carrie Ann Inaba
Joëlle Goldstein
Repetition…
Gn entert
