After a two-hour episode featuring 10 dance performances from the remaining five contestants, the final moments of Tuesday’s Dancing with the Stars brought a slew of emotions to everyone involved, as it was revealed who is moving through to next week’s finale.
The answer: all of them.
With each of the five remaining dancers performing two different styles throughout the semifinal night, here’s a look at how things played out and what to expect from next week’s finale.
The performances
The top performer of the night, which is nothing new, was actress Xochitl Gomez with partner Val Chmerkovskiy. They picked up back-to-back perfect 30 scores for dancing a samba and later a waltz.
Charity Lawson of Bachelorette fame ended the night in second place with partner Artem Chigvintsev, after dancing a near-perfect rumba and then a quickstep that did get straight 10s from the judges.
And despite battling a back injury, Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix — along with partner Pasha Pashko — danced a jive and a foxtrot that combined for 58 out of 60 points. Meanwhile singer Jason Mraz danced a Viennese waltz and a paso doble with his partner Daniella Karagach, which were good enough for 57 out of 60.
The ending
The low score of the night was 51 out of 60 and went to actress Alyson Hannigan with partner Sasha Farber. She danced a jive and a waltz, the latter of which got the lowest scores of the night. Hannigan was pretty sure that she was going home, so she took a moment to send some love to Farber.
“If that’s my last dance with you, I just want to tell you I just love you so much,” she said.
But when it came time to announce the final four at the end of the show — “in no particular order” according to host Alfonso Ribeiro — the first couple announced for the finale was “Alyson and Sasha,” much to the surprise and delight of Hannigan.
It actually came down to Gomez and Madix as the remaining names to be called, meaning one of the season-long favorites was going to be headed home one week short of the finale. That is until Ribeiro (eventually) announced that both of them would be advancing.
Madix, who was on the verge of tears, admitted that she was close to throwing up while waiting for the final result. Perhaps she’ll feel better to know that her ex-boyfriend who infamously cheated on her, Tom Sandoval, was sent packing just short of the finish line during the finale of his recent reality competition show one night earlier.
The reactions
Madix, Gomez and the other dancers weren’t the only ones emotionally affected by the finale fake-out. Plenty of viewers reacting on social media were having similar feelings. That is to say, all of the feelings.
The way I shot up from my seat seeing the last 2 couples thinking one of them was really gonna go home #dwts
— 🫶🏽 (@tbslym) November 29, 2023
omg the results of the dwts semi final episode gagged me
— hailz (@cyberhailz) November 29, 2023
The finale
This means that for the first time ever, five couples will compete in the season finale for a chance at the mirror ball trophy.
Host Julianne Hough said that all of the judges’ scores and viewer votes from this week will carry over to next week’s scores and votes to determine the champion.
Unless, of course, two couples are announced as the winner?
The Dancing With the Stars season finale airs Tuesday, Dec. 5 on ABC.
