The short version: Dedication Night on October 20 drew 7.36 million viewers, up 12% on the week before and the show’s biggest non-finale audience in six years (TheWrap). Val Chmerkovskiy is back after his one-episode suspension and dances with Jenna Dewan on Horror Movie Night, Tuesday, October 27. It’s a double elimination, and the scores and votes from Dedication Night carry over.
Update, October 27: Val is officially back in the rehearsal room. In an October 25 Instagram Story, Jenna Dewan said she and Val are doing an Argentine tango to “Uninvited,” inspired by 28 Weeks Later, and E! News says Val looked happy to be back (E! News, October 26).
Meanwhile, co-host Alfonso Ribeiro is not here for the “rigged” talk. On her LEXLOS podcast, former contestant Alexa PenaVega recalled Hayes Grier saying “I think this show’s rigged” during Season 21, and said, “I think the votes matter. I do. But the show’s also produced.” Alfonso replied in the comments: “No chance. We want everyone who’s popular to stay on. It’s basic logic.” Alexa answered that fans should watch the whole clip, because she was “telling a story about sweet Hayes” (Us Weekly, October 26).
The week Val sat out turned out to be the most-watched night of the season. Not bad for an episode where nobody went home.
The 7.36 million number
TheWrap reported the figure first, and ABC’s own release on October 22 confirmed it. The Nielsen live-plus-same-day audience was 7.36 million, up from 6.59 million for Super Bowl Night. ABC says it was the show’s best non-finale episode since the Season 29 premiere in September 2020, and the No. 1 show on Tuesday. It beat CBS’s NCIS (6.30 million) and NBC’s Knicks-76ers game (5.98 million) (ABC).
That was the night Jenna Dewan danced with Alan Bersten instead of Val. They scored 37 and she got her first 10 of the season. What happened with the suspension is in our Season 35 explainer.
Val is back
The Hollywood Reporter says Val returned to rehearsals on October 21 and will finish the season with Jenna (The Hollywood Reporter). ABC’s Horror Movie Night lineup has them doing an Argentine tango to “Uninvited” by Damned Anthem and Kendra Dantes, inspired by zombie movies. Fans have been reading into that song title (Cosmopolitan), but nobody on the show has said it means anything.
Two couples go home on Tuesday
Nobody was eliminated on Dedication Night. Julianne Hough explained why on air: “All of the scores and votes from tonight will carry over to next week. But this is important: in keeping with Horror Movie Night, two couples will be axed” (The Big Lead).
So all ten couples dance again, and Shirley Ballas guest judges. Julia Stiles is one of the ten. She scored 36 on Dedication Night with her tribute to Heath Ledger.
When to watch: Tuesday, October 27, 8 p.m. ET, live on ABC and Disney+, then on Hulu the next day. The full season guide is on our Dancing with the Stars hub.
Sources
- TheWrap, “DWTS Dedication Night Scores Best Non-Finale Episode in 6 Years” (October 22, 2026): thewrap.com
- ABC press releases, Dedication Night ratings and Horror Movie Night lineup (October 22, 2026): detpress.com
- The Hollywood Reporter, “Val Chmerkovskiy Returns to Dancing With the Stars After One-Episode Suspension” (October 21, 2026): hollywoodreporter.com
- The Big Lead, Dedication Night results and the double elimination (October 21, 2026): thebiglead.com
- E! News: See DWTS’ Jenna Dewan, Val Chmerkovskiy Reunite After His Suspension (October 26, 2026)
- Us Weekly: Alfonso Ribeiro Addresses Alexa PenaVega’s Joke About ‘DWTS’ Being Rigged (October 26, 2026)
