Taylor Hanson Exits DWTS Season 35 After Yacht Rock Night

Key points

• Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart were eliminated after scoring 18/30 on their foxtrot to 'What a Fool Believes' by The Doobie Brothers.
• Amber Glenn and Harry Shum Jr. tied for the highest score of the night with 24/30, while Guillermo Rodriguez received the lowest judges' score of 15/30 but survived.
• The episode featured performances to yacht rock classics, including Hall & Oates, Toto, and Fleetwood Mac, with Julia Stiles recovering from a rib injury to score 19/30.
• This was the fourth elimination of Season 35, following Conner Leavitt, Sarah Jane Nader, and Giada De Laurentiis.
• Viewers could vote via ABC's website and text, with each person allowed up to 10 votes per couple per method.

Background

Season 35 of 'Dancing With the Stars' has seen three previous eliminations: Conner Leavitt and Sarah Jane Nader during the premiere week, and Giada De Laurentiis during Week 2's 'Viral Hits Night.' The show airs Tuesdays on ABC and Disney+, with streaming on Hulu the following day. Earlier coverage noted a ratings boost for the premiere and a return of online voting after a technical outage.

How outlets are covering it

Page Six and The Hollywood Reporter both confirmed the elimination of Taylor Hanson and Britt Stewart, noting the shock of their departure despite Hanson's commitment to the competition. TV Insider provided detailed judge feedback, highlighting Derek Hough's praise for Hanson's improvement and Bruno Tonioli's call for more drive. The Hollywood Reporter emphasized the emotional reaction of the eliminated couple, while TV Insider focused on the technical breakdown of scores and the survival of Guillermo Rodriguez despite his low judges' score. All sources agreed on the final scores and the order of eliminations, but differed in emphasis on the emotional versus technical aspects of the performances.

Why it matters

The elimination of Taylor Hanson, a Grammy-nominated singer, marks a significant moment in Season 35, highlighting the competitive nature of the show and the impact of viewer votes combined with judges' scores. It also underscores the challenges faced by celebrities in balancing performance quality with audience appeal, as seen in the survival of Guillermo Rodriguez despite his lowest judges' score.

What to watch

The remaining 12 couples will continue competing in subsequent weeks, with new themes and challenges. Viewers can expect more eliminations as the season progresses, with the final mirrorball trophy to be awarded to the winning couple. The show will continue airing Tuesdays on ABC and Disney+.