Who went home on 'DWTS' tonight? Season 35's Super Bowl night ends with another favorite's exit
'Dancing With The Stars' returned with Super Bowl Night. With 11 couples remaining, each danced to tracks by previous Super Bowl Halftime Show performers. Some couples had breakthrough moments, while others faltered under the pressure. ESPN’s Joe Buck joined Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli on the panel. Viewers voted throughout the episode for their favorite couples, and the duo with the lowest combined score from the judges and the public was eliminated.
Sharna and Tyler showed significant improvement this week with their jazz routine to 'The Time (Dirty Bit)' by the Black Eyed Peas. In the package, Tyler said that if he wasn't an "idiot" in college, he could have made it to the Super Bowl. Sharna replied that while the Super Bowl ship may have sailed, she will make sure he reaches the finale. The performance featured several lifts, including the iconic overhead lift inspired by 'Dirty Dancing.' Derek was mighty impressed and called his jazz moves "A+." Bruno was happy to see that the 'Bachelorette' alum had considered their feedback. “I love when you go Dirty Dancing; it always works,” he said. “That was so exciting,” Carrie Ann said as she appreciated all the lifts. Joe loved the performance and noted how difficult it must have been for Tyler to dance with his build. Carrie and Joe picked up the 8 paddles, while the remaining two scored the pair 7s, making their total score a solid 30.
Connor and Rylee took on a samba tonight. In the intro package, Rylee asked Connor to "show up" after being at the bottom of the leaderboard last week. He promised to do everything but was worried about performing this particular style. “I’m stressed,” he said. “I want it to be great cause I want to stay on this show.” The duo performed to 'Hips Don’t Lie' by Shakira, featuring Wyclef Jean. Joe wasn't surprised that America loves the podcast host. He called Connor “relatable.” Bruno noted that Connor's hip movement and footwork needed improvement. Carrie noted amidst boos that too much of the choreography wasn't "correct." Derek appreciated the energy, but pointed out flaws in technique, weight transfers, and timing. Joe gave the duo a 7, while the other three raised the six paddles, bringing their total score to 25.
Amber and Pasha also performed a samba to 'Mi Gente' by J Balvin and Willy William. In the intro package, Pasha reiterated how proud he was of Amber after last week's performance. Although their position on the leaderboard dropped, their upside-down split went viral. “Please be careful!” Pasha told fans. During rehearsals, Amber hoped the samba's fun elements would help her increase her scores. The performance kicked off with several solo body rolls, followed by splits, leaving the judges in awe. “What is it that the kids say? You ate that song!” said Carrie Ann. Derek called her fierce and appreciated her mid-routine split. “Am I allowed to say this? That was hot,” said Joe. Bruno appreciated that Amber was “playing with it” rather than "going like a hammer" during her performance. Derek and Joe gave the skater 9s, while the other two raised 8 paddles, bringing her score to 34.
The episode kept the theme going with a troupe performance featuring 'DWTS' alumni and Super Bowl champions DeMarcus Ware, Danny Amendola, Emmitt Smith and Donald Driver. They performed to 'In the Air Tonight' by Phil Collins. After the performances, the remaining 11 couples gathered on the stage. Tyler and Sharna and Guillermo and Witney found themselves in the bottom. Guillermo and Witney sadly left the show. 'Dancing With The Stars' airs new episodes every Tuesday on ABC and Disney+ at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT (8/7c)
