Inside the Strategic Brilliance Behind ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Season 34 Cultural Renaissance
As the glittering finale of Dancing with the Stars Season 34 approached, the ballroom wasn’t merely preparing to crown a champion—it was celebrating a full-scale cultural resurrection. Tuesday night’s star-studded finale brought together the season’s entire cast to rally behind the top five finalists: Alix Earle, Dylan Efron, Elaine Hendrix, Jordan Chiles, and Robert Irwin. In an unprecedented move, these remaining couples executed three entirely new routines—judges’ choice, instant dance challenge, and freestyle—marking a historic first for the venerable competition series.
The finale transformed into a reunion spectacular, with eliminated contestants returning for one final bow. Secret Lives of Mormon Wives stars Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitt, author-influencer Hilaria Baldwin, retired NBA legend Baron Davis, actor-musician Corey Feldman, Boy Meets World‘s Danielle Fishel, Pentatonix’s Scott Hoying, Fifth Harmony’s Lauren Jauregui, and comedian Andy Richter all graced the ballroom stage, their presence underscoring just how diverse and culturally resonant this season’s casting proved.
But what transformed Season 34 from solid programming into must-watch television? Showrunner Conrad Green and casting director Deena Katz recently sat down with The Hollywood Reporter to decode the season’s extraordinary success, revealing the sophisticated strategy behind DWTS’s newfound virality and ratings renaissance.
“What has happened is the TikTok world has opened something up that I’ve never seen before,” Katz explained, her enthusiasm palpable. “We are so involved in the TikTok story every single week that there’s a whole new audience that needed to start watching our show to keep up with what was going on in social media.” The synergy between social platforms and broadcast television created a feedback loop of engagement—fans weren’t simply watching; they were participating, creating content, and amplifying moments in real-time.
This digital-first approach to casting and promotion transformed DWTS from appointment television into cultural conversation, with each performance spawning countless TikTok recreations, commentary videos, and viral moments that extended the show’s reach exponentially beyond its traditional Nielsen numbers.
Green also demystified the elimination process, addressing longtime viewer curiosity about how judges’ scores interact with audience votes. “It’s 50/50, effectively,” he clarified, explaining the ranking points system that determines who stays and who goes home. Judges award ranking points based on leaderboard placement—five points for first place, four for second, descending accordingly—while viewer votes receive identical treatment. These separate ranking totals combine, and the couple with the lowest combined score faces elimination. In tie scenarios, the couple with fewer public votes departs.
Live voting occurs during the East Coast broadcast, closing shortly after the final performance concludes, creating genuine suspense and ensuring viewer participation directly influences outcomes.
For a veteran series navigating an increasingly fragmented media landscape, Season 34’s success represents more than ratings—it’s validation that strategic casting, social media savvy, and genuine audience engagement can reinvigorate even the most established formats. The ballroom, it seems, still knows how to command attention.
See the full list of scores for the finale of DWTS season 34 — plus who was crowned the show’s new winner — below.
Judges Choice
Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy (30/30)
Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach (28/30)
Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten (30/30)
Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa (29/30)
Robert Irwin and Witney Carson (29/30)
Instant Dance Challenge
Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy (30/30)
Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach (30/30)
Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten (27/30)
Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa (30/30)
Robert Irwin and Witney Carson (30/30)
Freestyle
Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy (30/30)
Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach (30/30)
Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten (30/30)
Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa (30/30)
Robert Irwin and Witney Carson (30/30)
Final Results
Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy (2nd Place)
Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach (4th Place)
Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten (5th Place)
Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa (3rd Place)
Robert Irwin and Witney Carson (WINNER)
