- 3 hours ago
From flawless technique getting dinged for “lack of emotion” to jaw-dropping scores that left fans fuming, these ballroom head-scratchers had Dancing with the Stars viewers questioning everything. Join us as we revisit the most debated marks, bruising critiques, and final-results drama that turned standout routines into instant hot topics across the fandom.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo. And today, we're counting down our picks for the times we couldn't help
00:05but wonder if the Dancing with the Stars judges were watching the same performance we were.
00:10Where's the chassis capes? Where's the twist turns? Where's the recognisable Pasadena?
00:17Number 10. Simone Biles and Sasha Farber's Foxtrot
00:20Simone Biles stepped onto the ballroom floor as a legendary gymnastics titan,
00:26but her incredible precision came with a learning curve when it came to performance warmth.
00:30Gotta give judges what they want. They were asking for connection, giving them connection.
00:35She always giggles. She's always happy. There it is. See, it's those moments. I love that about you.
00:41It's her being real with herself.
00:43For their week 8 foxtrot, the pair delivered a remarkably clean,
00:47controlled routine with strong frame and gorgeous lines. The judges acknowledged the flawless
00:52execution but criticized Biles for not smiling enough and lacking expressive depth,
00:58handing down a respectable yet underwhelming 36 out of 40.
01:02When we see you sometimes, I don't know if the smile is authentic because you're wanting to smile
01:07or if it's just because you rehearsed it that way. So just next dance, you're coming back for the trio.
01:13I really just want to see some rawness come out.
01:16That prompted huge online backlash, with viewers questioning whether the panel was judging dance
01:21ability or penalizing an athlete for a naturally reserved expression. For many, it felt like
01:27her talents were being overlooked. You have this beautiful smile and you are a mega star with your
01:32energy, but once in a while there's beauty without a smile. There's beauty in pain and all the other
01:38emotions and I'd like to see more of that. Number 9. Melora Hardin and Artem Chigvincev's Rumba.
01:45The Office star brought incredible theatrical depth to season 30, turning performances into mini
01:51storytelling showcases.
01:58Their sultry rumba was designed as a sweeping romantic number, with fluid hip action, deep
02:05stretches and undeniable chemistry. Len Goodman and Company praised her sophisticated artistry and
02:11commitment, yet ultimately handed down a 27 out of 40, which fans felt was far too low.
02:17You needed a little bit more hips going on, and Artem, I'd have liked a few more recognizable steps in
02:25there.
02:29Viewers thought the judges were nitpicking, focusing on minor footwork flaws while overlooking the emotional
02:35maturity and nuance Melora brought to a notoriously difficult Latin style. When a piece has that much
02:41control, feeling and chemistry, viewers understandably wonder why the points don't reflect the full picture.
02:48Share for that drama! Seven! Bruno Tognoni! Seven!
02:57Number 8. Whitney Levitt and Mark Ballas' Cha Cha Cha.
03:01This dance sparked division from the judges' table to viewers at home. While Derek Hough defended the
03:06performance as, quote, literal perfection, Carrie Ann Inaba argued that Levitt's technique looked
03:12overly labored rather than effortless. At times I thought that the technique, I could see you focusing
03:18on the technique. And normally that doesn't happen when you perform. It almost kind of hindered it,
03:23because you're such an amazing performer. So for me, the technique should disappear into a great dance.
03:27That disagreement magnified debates about her competitive dance background and reality TV
03:33platform. Critics saw the high marks as unearned favoritism, while supporters celebrated her
03:38execution and ambition. The clash ultimately highlighted a bigger divide over how much technical
03:44effort should matter in a high-stakes routine, fueling debate over her placement on the leaderboard.
03:49Carrie Ann, you are out of your mind. That was literal perfection for a cha-cha. By the way,
04:00cha-cha in a semi-final is like really risky, honestly. It's like, ugh!
04:04Then the masses had their say, eliminating the duo that week and giving the dispute an especially
04:10frustrating ending.
04:20Isn't it frustrating when the panel piles on the praise,
04:24only to hand out points that seem out of step?
04:26Taylor, that was your best dance.
04:30It really was. I see you taking on the notes. I see you holding that frame up. I see you
04:37gliding
04:37across the floor. Despite Derek calling it Taylor's best effort yet and Carrie Ann adding her own
04:42praise, the panel awarded straight sixes for a total of 18 out of 30.
04:47You have a quality to you when you dance that's so nice. It's very lyrical and poetic and you're like,
04:51it's very easy to watch. And I like that feeling when I watch you dance.
04:55I need you to engage your core. I need you to be a little bit stronger and create a little
04:59bit more
05:00resistance. Viewers argued that Taylor had made huge strides in confidence,
05:04fluidity and musicality from previous weeks and was noticeably taking on the judge's notes.
05:09So those sixes felt especially harsh, especially beside other similarly scored numbers.
05:14His placement near the middle of the leaderboard ultimately contributed to a shocking elimination,
05:20leaving many dismayed by the tight scoring scale that night.
05:23Thank you for your support, everyone. Thank you.
05:25Number 6. Bobby Bones and Sharna Burgess's freestyle.
05:29In a season that saw competition front runners like Tinashe and Juan Pablo Dipache sent home early,
05:35watching Bobby Bones sail through to the final was contentious enough.
05:39Three months ago when I started the show, I was clueless.
05:45Three months later, well, still clueless.
05:48Bones was also the only finalist who hadn't earned a 10 outside a group dance,
05:53so audiences were surprised when his freestyle earned that perfect score.
06:10It was entertaining, sure, but compared with, say, Milo and Whitney's,
06:15it certainly didn't have the same level of execution. Have the judges decided that,
06:19since it was the final, they might as well hand out a few extra 10s? Bones still finished at the
06:25bottom of the leaderboard, but walked away with a mirror ball anyway.
06:28You are, in very true words, the people's champion, my friend.
06:35What do I have to say?
06:38Thank you to the people, thank you to Sharna who made all this possible.
06:42Are these injustices making your blood boil? Why not cha-cha change gears for a while and waltz on over
06:48to
06:48Ms. Mojo's 24-7 live stream? Scan the QR code on screen to take a spin with us live for
06:53non-stop pop culture fun.
06:55We like fair faith, but mostly we like justice, and there's no justice here.
07:01Number 5, Danielle Fischel and Pasha Poshkov's Jive.
07:05From viewers at home to Fischel's podcast pals, there was a feeling that the panel was often too harsh on
07:11the Boy Meets World star.
07:12That was so nostalgic, and like, kind of what we all needed at this moment, in this time. I love
07:17the throwback.
07:18She dedicated her jive to everyone's favorite teacher, Mr. Feeney, aka William Daniels.
07:24The heartfelt tribute was certainly a favorite, but Carrie Ann focused heavily on choreography-based critiques,
07:30suggesting Fischel's routines were starting to look repetitive.
07:33Some of your dances are starting to feel like I'm watching the same dance over and over again,
07:38and I know that sounds really critical, but if I don't give the comments now, she can't work on this,
07:44and I want you to have the best chance for success.
07:46The studio audience booed loudly, feeling the criticism overlooked how difficult the jive was.
07:52Pasha also pushed back, noting that it was hardly their choice to dance similar styles back-to-back.
07:58Despite the energy and passion, they scored just 29 out of 40, leaving many feeling she was under-marked again.
08:05Bruno Tonyoli, great rumba, A!
08:09Yes, you got your first A!
08:12Number 4, Maya and Dimitri Chaplin's rumba.
08:15Fans often argue that Maya was judged more harshly than her castmates,
08:20but nowhere was that more obvious than during this rumba.
08:23Underneath your clothes, there's a endless story.
08:28There's the midnight show, there's the territory.
08:32The dance was praised for its fluidity, emotion, and difficult choreography.
08:37Carrie Ann and Bruno awarded her the season's first tens, but head judge Len fiercely disagreed,
08:43giving it a meager seven. He argued they leaned too heavily on contemporary lifts,
08:48dramatic flair, and theatrical shaping instead of traditional rumba hip action and basic figures.
08:54To show a really beautiful thing off, you need a little bit of simplicity to really show it off,
09:01and to make it sparkle. I felt it was too crammed with trick after trick.
09:06Audiences were frustrated by the especially unforgiving standard.
09:10While other contestants were praised for showmanship, viewers felt Maya faced a double standard,
09:15third, with her background often being used against her.
09:18For me, you see, there was so much going on, and sometimes to me, this is my opinion.
09:30Number three, Sabrina Bryan and Mark Ballas' Foxtrot.
09:34Sabrina and Mark received 25 out of 30 for their Foxtrot, which, while respectable,
09:40was a major drop for Bryan after she'd been a front runner and earned the season's first perfect
09:4530 just two weeks earlier.
09:46I honestly thought that this was going to be the week that it was just going to go
09:51bad. The schedule I had was absolutely incredible, and I'm glad with 25. Thank you guys so much.
09:57The panel praised the execution, but felt the number lacked the smooth,
10:01subtle grace expected from a classic Foxtrot. To them, it was too aggressive and loud,
10:07playing more like a fast Broadway number than traditional ballroom.
10:11Although the performance was excellent, it was all too hard. It was too aggressive. This is the
10:18Foxtrot. It's like a Raspberry Ripple. It's not all... It was too powerful.
10:24They felt the choreography strayed too far from the style's fundamentals.
10:28Despite being the highest-scoring celebrity through six weeks, Bryan's lower marks and dip
10:33ultimately led to one of the series' most shocking eliminations.
10:36I think it's madness. It's total madness. I cannot understand it. You've got to vote. Nobody's safe.
10:44Number two, Kelly Pickler, Derek Huff, and Tristan McManus' trio Paso Doble.
10:50Watching from home, we were just as enthusiastic as Carrie-Anne and Bruno about this trio effort.
10:55However, Len was very much not on board.
10:59I was expecting more than flashing lights and crashing music. It was a hodgepodge of moves just
11:07out there to titillate the taste buds. The other two judges awarded perfect tens,
11:11while he disagreed, losing his temper during the critique before handing out a harsh seven.
11:18Len argued that the choreography lacked traditional foundational content
11:22and relied too heavily on theatrical filler, while the other judges defended its innovation and power.
11:27This girl is so talented, I don't want to see flashing lights, crashing music.
11:33That clash was incredibly frustrating and ignited debate over whether fundamentals or entertainment
11:50value should carry more weight. Despite the controversial marks, Pickler and Huff survived
11:55the night and ultimately won the Mirrorball Trophy.
12:03Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
12:07Nicole Scherzinger and Derek Huff's rumba.
12:10Carrie-Anne docks a point for an illegal lift that, in itself, triggered a firestorm.
12:21Charlie D'Amelio and Mark Ballas's jazz. Given the task at hand, this deserved a perfect score.
12:33Shawn Johnson, Derek Huff and Mark Ballas's trio samba.
12:37Lens 7 looks a little out of place there.
12:40Oh, that's 26 out of 30.
12:43Hope Solo and Max Schmierkowski's rumba.
12:45We have 525,600 reasons why the panel was a little too harsh on this performance.
12:52In 525,600 minutes.
12:57Master P and Ashley Del Grosso's Paso Doble.
13:01Savage scoring from the judges for someone who stepped in last minute, don't you think?
13:05I'm just a soul whose intentions are good.
13:09Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood.
13:14If you love games, be sure to check out WatchMojo's new game Terrible Influence.
13:18Just launched for purchase at TerribleInfluence.com.
13:22Terrible Influence is a satirical board game about the dark side of fame
13:25from the writer of the most popular girls in school and us. WatchMojo.
13:29Boom.
13:30I can make an apology video.
13:32Oh, you so would.
13:33Click on the link in the description to check out the game and be the first to play Terrible Influence.
13:38Number 1. Kelly Monaco and Alec Mazzo's Freestyle.
13:42Few scores get more contentious than this.
13:45Throughout the season, fellow finalist John O'Hurley had consistently outdanced Monaco,
13:50but the finals changed everything.
13:53Monaco delivered one phenomenal freestyle and earned a perfect 30,
13:57while O'Hurley's received nines across the board.
14:07For anyone favoring his technical consistency, that felt like a turning point.
14:12The upset fueled public fury and speculation that the result was unfair or rigged,
14:17partly because fans didn't understand how viewer voting could outweigh the judge's cumulative leaderboard.
14:22Did you ever think, though, that you'd win this? I mean, that's another rhetorical question.
14:25Actually not, no.
14:26The backlash became so loud that ABC organized a special rematch later that year.
14:31They faced off once more, and this time, the audience gave the victory to O'Hurley.
14:36How does it feel? Do you feel vindicated?
14:43Tom, you've known me for a long time. I'm very rarely beyond words than I am right now.
14:47Which dance across the Dancing with the Stars timeline do you think was grossly mis-scored?
14:52Let us know in the comments.
14:53Let us know in the comments.
14:54Let us know in the comments.
14:57Bhik D'Hurt