"ARE WE SERIOUS" — Dancing with the Stars fans upset with Dwight scoring the season's first 10

Season 33 of Dancing with the Stars aired a new episode on Tuesday, October 29, 2024. After celebrating Disney Night, the contestants and their professional partners prepared for a dark-themed night, performing on Halloween Nightmares. With seven pairs remaining in the competition to win the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, each put their best foot forward to outperform the other and emerge at the top of the pile.

For the night, the celebrities had to participate in two bouts of competition. In the first round, they had to perform routines inspired by their worst nightmares. In the second round, they had to go head-to-head in a dance battle to earn bonus points, which would add to the judges' scores.

While most performances left a lasting impression on the judges, one stood out, earning the first 10 of the season. Dwight Howard embodied the boogeyman's role and performed a contemporary routine with his dance partner, Daniella Karagach to Ring Around The Rosie by District 78 featuring Natalie Lillee. The act mesmerized judge Carrie Ann Inaba, who gave Dwight the season's first ten.

However, the Dancing with the Stars fans disagreed with the judges' points. They believed the performance was average and that other competitors were worthy of the perfect score. They took to X to express their disappointment.

A fan reacts to Dwight's score (Image via X/@kris_10do)

"DWIGHT HAVING THE FIRST TEN ARE WE SERIOUS," a fan wrote.

"DWIGHT GETTING THE FIRST 10 OVER CHANDLER AND JOEY…. IS NOT CORRECT… FIX THIS SH*T… HE LIFTED HE DIDN’T DANCE," another fan commented.

"Is it mean to say I don’t think Dwight’s dance deserved the first 10 of the season??" a netizen tweeted.

Dancing with the Stars fans were shocked to see Dwight and Daniella's performance get the first 10 (score) of this season. They believed it was not deserving of a 10.

"They did not just give dwight the first 10 of the season like chandler and joey haven’t been completely eating EVERY WEEK," a user reacted.

"Carrie Ann just gave Dwight the FIRST 10 of the season. Oh im pissed, it deserved an 8 at best. Carrie Ann is so unpredictable with scores but she ALWAYS disappoints me," a person commented.

"Dwight actually got the first 10 im actually gonna turn this off wtf was that," another fan wrote.

"Dwight and danny getting the first 10s of the season was not on my dwts bingo card. Throw this whole season away!!!" one user tweeted.

Some Dancing with the Stars fans thought Dwight's performance was average and had more room for improvement.

"IDK what the judges were praising Dwight for that was a very mid performance," a person reacted.

"I’m sorry Dwight needs to go home, all he did was throw her around. Which would be fine if he was actually improving on footwork," another netizen commented.

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Dancing with the Stars alum Dwight says he is not afraid of anything

Dwight became the boogeyman and performed a gut-wrenching contemporary dance routine with Daniella to District 78 featuring Natalie Lillee's Ring Around The Rosie. The Dancing with the Stars contestant admitted he was not afraid of anything. Hence, he wanted to tap into others' nightmares and become someone everyone feared, the boogeyman.

Before stepping onto the stage, Dwight and Daniella reflected on placing at the bottom of the scoreboard last week. They knew they had to up their act to prove their worth and avoid elimination. Daniella revealed that the NBA player had yet to perform a routine without a single mistake.

The judges were mesmerized by Dwight's performance. He took advantage of his height to portray the character of the boogeyman and kept disappearing and reappearing before the cameras to add to the thrill of the act. The Dancing with the Stars alum's routine included lifts, twirls, and more.

The judges were impressed and gave Dwight positive feedback. Carrie Ann Inaba said:

"[It was] down right creepy in the best possible way. Those lifts and tricks were so dangerous, so dynamic. Seriously, I have never seen you more focused and determined than tonight."

Derek Hough gave him a standing ovation, saying his act was "a moment." Bruno Tonioli complimented Dwight for executing the routine perfectly. Carrie Ann scored the celebrity a 10, whereas Dwight and Bruno gave him a 9, bringing his total to 28 out of 30.

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New episodes of Dancing with the Stars come out every Tuesday at 8 pm ET only on ABC.