Although it is to be expected of reality television, the latest installment of the Dancing with the Stars franchise has turned the show into a popularity contest with inadequate hosts and a fake, staged atmosphere.
Dancing with the Stars (commonly referred to as DWTS) features professional dancers paired with semi-celebrities attempting to avoid being eliminated from the show. They each gain a weekly score after performing a ballroom style dance, based on a combination of the judges’ scores and viewers’ votes, with the lowest scoring couple being eliminated from the competition.
As a multi-season viewer of DWTS, I found myself ultimately let down this season, as the show turned from a unique demonstration of dancing to a cliche show where the most likable celebrities win, regardless of talent.
Jenn Tran is a prime example of this. On October 29, the Bachelorette from season 21 received a 10 from judge Carrie Ann Inaba, and dual 9s from the other two judges before winning the dance-off at the end of the night, giving an incredibly strong performance. Tran was at a secure and high spot on the leaderboard, yet was eliminated from the show that same night. This is likely because she didn’t receive enough votes from the audience, despite a stunning performance.
DWTS is placing too much of an emphasis on viewer votes, allowing stars with undeniable talent to go home way too early. The importance of viewer opinions has created an atmosphere centered less around actual dancing, but rather forcing the stars to focus their energy on appealing to the audience throughout the performance.
Judges have even given higher scores to dancers solely based on their messages, and if they resonate with it or not, despite the star not delivering a performance worthy of that score.
The desire to win over DWTS watchers has transformed the show into a fake and repetitive loop, with the celebrities echoing their hopes and reasons to be on the show episode after episode.
Even the current hosts, Alfonso Rivero and Julianne Hough, have added to the endless spiral of artificial smiles and unnecessary information. Practically every pause in the show is accompanied by a sentence from the hosts echoing that viewer votes matter, and that the show is currently live. This ends up being extremely repetitive, and draws frustration from the audience. The hosts intone the same statements and reuse one-liners and jokes, as if at a lack for new material. The two stutter and talk over others, another mark of the decline in the quality of the show.
However, these issues present in Season 33 should not be attributed to a substandard dancing cast. Despite there being a few cliche models and TV personalities, many of the celebrities this season have been interesting to follow as the season progresses. Stars who try their best to deliver their authentic self are always more fun to root—and vote— for, as they step out of their comfort zones. Viral Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedorosick, NBA star Dwight Howard, actress Chandler Kinney, and Olympic rugby player Illona Maher were among my favorite celebrities. They all delivered an uplifting message while being their authentic selves to the best of their abilities.
The true reason for the general dislike of the recent season of DWTS is likely due to the loss of several key cast members, including a host and important judge. A few seasons ago, past host and supermodel Tyra Banks and late judge Len Goodman left the show, the latter due to his retirement and soon-after death. Since these events, the premise of the show is still there, but it’s practically unwatchable. Banks was measures better than the current hosts, and brought an air of professionalism to DWTS that is now lacking.
Goodman was widely revered and one of the more sensible judges, whose air of gravity helped keep the show focused. With the lack of him as a judge the other three (Bruno Tonioli, Derek Hough, and Carrie Ann Inaba) seemed to only have their boundless energy grow more, derailing the show with impromptu skits to say a simple point, that came across as staged.
Len Goodman and Tyra Banks will be missed as the believability and quality of Dancing with the Stars continues to decline over the seasons, despite producing an interesting cast of stars and even a viral dance trend.
Dancing with the Stars needs to bring back an air of seriousness and a strengthened emphasis on the quality of dances, rather than the character of the celebrity or the opinions of the DWTS fan base.
