This article contains spoilers for the Oct. 29 episode of “Dancing With the Stars”
The remaining seven couples faced their fears — from snakes to vampires to dolls — on Tuesday night’s Halloween-themed episode of “Dancing With the Stars.” The first actual 10s of the season were handed out to, well, almost everyone, starting with NBA champ Dwight Howard and NFL star Danny Amendola.
Howard earned raves from the judges for his “spectacular” and “dangerous” performance as a boogeyman terrorizing partner Daniella Karagach in a Contemporary to “Ring Around The Rosie” by District 78. He got the first 10 of the season (given by the cat-costumed Carrie Ann Inaba), while the two other judges rewarded him with 9s. The athlete was emotional after being awarded 28 out of 30 points, his best score yet. (The 10 handed out to Brooks Nader by guest judge Gene Simmons was, as you recall, was later rounded down to a 9.)
Despite all the 10s, one celebrity still had to go home in Week 7: Out of the three couples in danger — Jenn Tran, Stephen Nedoroscik and Chandler Kinney —
it was Tran who was cut from the competition, despite getting her first 10 (also from Inaba) and winning her Salsa Dance-Off against Nedoroscik.
“Bachelorette” Tran earned her first 10 (also from Inaba) for her Gothic Contemporary routine to “Vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo. The reality star received raves and 9s from the other two judges, tying with Howard and Amendola. She also won her Dance-Off, but was still cut from the competition. She said she was “so, so grateful for everybody here and everything I’ve learned” in her farewell speech.
Amendola was asked to handle a live snake before performing a sexy, snake-themed Tango with partner Witney Carson. The song was, appropriately enough, “Poison” by RAVN. Derek Hough declared it was “sinuous, seductive and spellbinding” and praised Amendola’s partnering as “insanely impressive.” Bruno Tonioli had to top his colleague by raving, “That was so intoxicating, I need an antidote. You can bite me any time.” Inaba handed out her second 10 of the evening, leaving Amendola tied with Howard.
Joey Graziadei’s fear was ventriloquist dolls, so his partner Jenna Johnson became a neck-snapping dummy in an Argentine Tango to “Ramalama (Bang Bang)” by Róisín Murphy. Hough and Inaba raved about how the “Bachelor” star got into character as a mustachioed impresario, while Tonioli called it “a spine-tingling thriller of a tango,” gushing that Graziadei “picked up the rhythm like a Hitchcock movie.” The duo earned two 10s and a 9 for a leaderboard topping score of 29.
Olympic gymnast Nedoroscik became his own fear, darkness, in his Contemporary routine to “I Ran (So Far Away)” by Hidden Citizens. Inaba called it best of the night and gave the duo another 10 while Hough and Tonioli both gave out 9s for a total score of 28.
Chandler Kinney danced a creepy Viennese Waltz to the “Pretty Little Liars” theme song in her homage to scary dolls. The actress was one of the few not to receive a 9 from Inaba Tuesday night, but Hough and Tonioli compensated by handing out their first 10s of the evening for a total score of 29.
Fellow Olympian Ilona Maher and pro Alan Bersten performed a Tango to “Psycho Killer,” which saw her wielding a barbed-wire-wrapped bat like “Walking Dead” villain Negan.
For the Dance-Offs, which were worth three points, Howard competed with Maher in a Cha Cha set to the “Ghostbusters” theme song, with the judges favoring the basketball star.
Amendola and Graziadei both did spirited, shirt-baring Jives to “Time Warp” from “The Rocky Horror Show,” with judges giving the edge to Graziadei.
Based on the leaderboard from last week’s scores, and cumulative scores across the season so far, Kinney and partner Brandon Armstrong had immunity and did not have to participate in the Dance-Off.
“Dancing With the Stars” airs Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. on ABC and streams the next day on Disney+.
