“Dancing With the Stars” celebrated a remarkable achievement on November 12 as it aired its 500th episode and announced the semifinalists for Season 33. The milestone episode featured an opening number titled “Crazy in Love,” reminiscent of the series premiere in 2005, and included appearances from fan-favorite pros, including Sharna Burgess. Several former contestants returned to the ballroom, such as Adam Rippon, Ginger Zee, Kaitlyn Bristowe, Alyson Hannigan, AJ McLean, and Simone Biles, enhancing the celebratory atmosphere of the evening.
In a thrilling week, the six remaining couples showcased performances that paid homage to beloved routines from past seasons. The previous week concluded with a tie on the leaderboard: Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson, alongside Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong, both scoring 32 points.
Joey and Jenna delivered a contemporary routine inspired by Riker Lynch and Allison Holker’s performance from Season 20. While Carrie Ann Inaba felt their performance lacked some intensity, Derek Hough, who previously awarded them a 9, upgraded their score to a 10 this week.
Chandler and Brandon wowed the judges with an Argentine Tango that honored Derek Hough and Kellie Pickler’s performance from Season 16. Their routine earned them high praise, with Derek even preferring their version over his own, resulting in the pair achieving a perfect score of 30—this season’s first.
On the other hand, Dwight Howard and Daniella Karagach took on the Argentine Tango as well, drawing inspiration from James Hinchcliffe and Sharna Burgess’ Season 23 performance. However, they garnered less enthusiasm from Carrie Ann, who scored them an 8 and expressed a desire to see more of the Dwight she admired earlier in the season.
Despite starting at the bottom of the leaderboard during Halloween week, Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten made a stunning recovery with a Quickstep inspired by Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold’s performance in Season 25, earning a perfect score of 10 from Carrie Ann.
In a unique challenge following their solo dances, each couple had just five minutes to learn a new dance style and song before performing live. While every couple impressed the judges, only Chandler and Brandon achieved another perfect score of 30 for their impromptu performance.
After factoring in audience votes, it was revealed that Dwight and Daniella were eliminated from the competition.
With its unforgettable milestone episode, “Dancing With the Stars” continues to entertain and engage audiences, celebrating both nostalgia and the thrill of competition. Fans should look forward to even more exciting performances as the season progresses!