October 3, 2025/Midnight
Erie, PA. – I have been a longtime fan of the hit reality television series Dancing with The Stars since Shawn Johnson made her winning debut. My grandmother has been watching and voting since the show’s conception in 2005, so it was a fun bonding opportunity for the two of us to tune into. The show at that time continued to grow, continued to pull up and coming stars that would later become global stars, and etch themselves in modern pop culture. The show has had numerous iconic cast members especially important to my younger self, like Zendaya, Meryl Davis, Bindi Irwin, Laurie Hernandez, etc. However, the show (currently on its 34th season, 20th year running) has been completely revamped and revived.
For starters, the show no longer airs live on ABC, now strictly streaming live via the Disney Plus service (next day availability on Hulu). Fans now text or use the DWTS website to cast their votes rather than physically call the couples associated number. And most importantly, a completely new generation has taken the show over. It’s honestly confusing for me, a fan of this show, for essentially a decade. I get to watch this show with the best friends I’ve made in college, and we make an entire night out of it each week, all highly anticipating and even scoring dances ourselves with homemade paddles. However, my grandma simply doesn’t tune in anymore due to the difficulty with new technology, and the pure shift in audience focus.
This new age of DWTS is frequently frustrating. Fans online are incredibly harsh towards contestants, pro dancers, and even the judges. Scoring has ultimately become a popularity contest and “too nice” over the years due to the fear of intense backlash over criticizing couples’ dances week to week. The dancing itself has also taken a major technique and substance hit. The dances are shorter, there’s an annoying amount of advertising time, and overall, the show has moved away from its Latin and Ballroom dancing roots.
Although I’m overjoyed to be able to share this fun, even silly show with my friends, and even people online, as a long time DWTS fan I’m disappointed in the quick abandonment of the foundation of the show. Even if my grandma tuned in every Tuesday, she’d be appalled with the dances/costuming/music/scoring that is being produced each week, due to its stark contrast to the show even 5 years prior.
