DWTS Season 35 Returns for Viral Hits Night After Split Premiere
Fourteen celebrities returned to the ballroom for Viral Hits Night on Dancing With the Stars season 35 on 22 September.
The episode is the third of the season and the second week of full competition. It followed a two-night premiere that split the cast, with men dancing one night and women the next, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The theme asked couples to build routines around viral hits and unforgettable internet moments. That description comes from ABC. In plain terms, each dance took its cue from a song, meme or clip that spread widely online.
The premiere aired on 15 and 16 September at 8 p.m. PT/ET. Night one featured only the male celebrities. Night two featured the female celebrities.
One elimination followed each premiere night. Conner Leavitt went out after the men's night. Sarah Jane Nader went out after the women's night. That left 14 celebrities heading into week two, as reported by Deadline.
The remaining field includes Tatyana Ali with Jan Ravnik, Giada De Laurentiis with Alan Bersten and Ezra Frech with Daniella Karagach. It also includes Amber Glenn with Pasha Pashkov, Taylor Hanson with Britt Stewart and Maura Higgins with Mark Ballas. Guillermo Rodriguez is dancing with Witney Carson, Harry Shum Jr. with Jenna Johnson and Connor Wood with Rylee Arnold.
Scores on Viral Hits Night are marked out of 30. Three judges each award up to 10 points.
Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy scored 21 out of 30. Ciara Miller and Brandon Armstrong scored 18 out of 30. Jackson Olson and Emma Slater also scored 18 out of 30.
Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess scored 16 out of 30. Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa scored 16 out of 30, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
For fans, this means votes now carry full weight. Each week, the couple with the lowest combined total of judges' scores and viewer votes is eliminated.
The show is hosted by Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough, with Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli among the judges. It airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m., shown at the same time on ABC and Disney+, and streams the next day on Hulu.
