This article contains spoilers for the Oct. 24 episode of “Dancing With the Stars”
On Tuesday night’s episode of “Dancing With the Stars,” Mira Sorvino and her daughter recreated the trio dance from “Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion” and the first 10 scores were handed out.
Sorvino’s 18-year-0ld daughter Mattea, who is part of a dance company, joined her mom and her partner Gleb Savchenko for a far less goofy version of the much-gif-ed routine from the 1997 comedy. Bruno Tonioli said the routine, which was set to “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper was “beautiful,” and Carrie Ann Inaba said it “tugged on her heartstrings.” It earned the actress, who currently costars on “Shining Vale,” a 22/40 and her first “8” score of the season.
The theme of the evening for Week 5 was “Most Memorable Year,” with each of the 10 remaining celebrities choosing a song that meant a lot to them at a pivotal point in their lives.
Shockingly, it was Sorvino who was sent home at the end of the evening. She said it was “incredible and lots of dreams come true.”
“Bachelorette” star Charity Lawson was back at the top of the leaderboard with an challengingly acrobatic routine with partner Artem Chigvintsev set to “Lose You to Love Me” by Selena Gomez.
Lawson, who is now happily engaged to Dotun Olubeko, “put all her emotion” into thedance about leaving a toxic relationship. Inaba told Lawson that their “powerful” dance was the one that everyone will remember from this season. Derek Hough praised Lawson for her “strength and bravery.”
Xochitl Gomez, who played America Chavez in “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” was blown away to receive the second 10 of the season for her Viennese Waltz to “Until I Found You” by Stephen Sanchez.
Singer Jason Mraz and Daniella Karagach performed a cheerfully brisk Quickstep to Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again.” Inaba raved, “You two make such good music together” and told Mraz that he is “technically superior in this competition,” despite a small wobble.
Hough said it was “impressive” and noted how the singer’s frame had improved from last week. Tonioli told him, “Quickstep is defined as ‘twinkling pleasure,’ and you gave us just that.” Mraz was happy to receive all “9”s from the judges, for a score of 27.
“Vanderpump Rules” star Ariana Madix said that 2023 was her favorite year because of the way she bounced back after finding out that boyfriend Tom Sandoval was cheating on her with one of her best friends (aka the “Scandoval“). She and Pasha Pashkov performed a Viennese Waltz to “Happier Than Ever” by Billie Eilish that ended with both of them walking away from the camera.
“Talk about a power waltz with a message. Never ever feel defeated,” said Tonioli. Inaba gushed, “As a woman, I love watching how much of a fighter you were… a lot of women felt that,” but felt that the dance was missing the right tempo. Madix, who had scored some of the first “9”s of the season earlier, earned an “8” from each judge.
Alyson Hannigan dedicated her dance to husband of 20 years Alexis Denisof, who stopped by rehearsals with flowers. The “Buffy” actress and Sasha Farber performed a Viennese Waltz to “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran that earned her 21 points.
The judges noted Hannigan’s significant improvement from last week and handed out all “7” scores, up from last week’s trio of “6”s. Hough told her, “It’s such a difference when you approach a dance with the intention of love.” Tonioli advised her, “Love the dance as you love your husband. You were more elegant, more fluid.” Inaba added that their criticism was “out of love and respect and everyone loves you because you work so hard every time you come out on this dance floor.”
“Too Hot to Handle” star Harry Jowsey and Rylee Arnold performed a Contemporary number to “Keep Your Head Up” by Andy Grammer with a few hiccups. The audience booed when Inaba told him he’d taken a step back from last week. Hough praised his lifts and said that the reality TV star needed to work on “the in-between moments.”
Venezuelan social influencer Lele Pons also got a surprise visit from her husband, rapper Guaynaa, whom she hadn’t seen in two months. She and Brandon Armstrong performed a Contemporary dance to “I’ll Stand By You” by The Pretenders. Inaba proclaimed, “That was your best dance.” Pons earned 24 out of 30 points for the routine.
Barry Williams and Peta Murgatroyd performed a Paso Doble to “Born to Be Wild” by Steppenwolf, which earned the “Brady Bunch” star his first “8” scores.
A dance tribute to the late Len Goodman left his fellow judges in tears. After a heartfelt clips package remembering the often critical scorer, pro dancers went full black tie for a Waltz set to Henry Mancini’s “Moon River.” The number was choreographed by Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson.
At the end of the routine, a spotlight shined on the seat left empty by Goodman’s death. Inaba consoled Tonioli, who was overcome with emotion.
Week 5 ended with Lawson and Gomez tied for first place, Jason Mraz in second, and a four-way tie for third between Madix and Pons, who were joined by come-from-behind performers Mauricio Umansky of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” and “Brady Bunch” star Barry Williams.
LEADERBOARD WEEK 5 (Judges’ Scores)
Charity Lawson and Artem Chigvintsev: 28/30
Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy: 28/30
Jason Mraz and Daniella Karagach: 27/30
Ariana Madix and Pasha Pashko: 24/30
Lele Pons and Brandon Armstrong: 24/30
Mauricio Umansky and Emma Slater: 24/30
Barry Williams and Peta Murgatroyd: 24/30
Mira Sorvino and Gleb Slavchenko: 22/30 [Eliminated]
Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber: 21/30
Harry Jowsey and Rylee Arnold: 18/30
“Veep” star Matt Walsh was the first celeb booted from Season 32, followed by Jamie Lynn Spears, model Tyson Beckford and NFL star Adrian Peterson.
“Dancing With the Stars” airs live on Tuesdays on ABC and streams on Disney+ in local time zones and the next day on Hulu.
