Carrie Ann Inaba returns to the judges’ panel for Dancing With the Stars TikTok night after missing the premiere

The third episode of Dancing With the Stars season 34, aired on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, had a TikTok theme.

Each performance was choreographed to songs that have gone viral on social media; thus, it is no surprise that a number of the celebrity dancers were recognizable online.  

This was also the first episode of the season that all three judges sat together at the desk.

After missing the season premiere due to health concerns, Carrie Ann Inaba returned to the judges' table, joining Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli to form the trio of judges.

It was a fitting return as the night produced quite a few strong performances and a series of high scores.  

The top two scorers of the night, Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles and social media influencer Whitney Leavitt, shared the highest score of the season (so far) with 24 out of 30 possible points, and All Earle and Dylan Efron followed close behind with 23!  

The bottom-scoring pair of the night was Lauren Jauregui from Fifth Harmony and her dance partner, Brandon Armstrong with a score of 18 out of 30 for their dance to "Work from Home," even though a few of her former bandmates were cheering her on from the audience.  

The episode further demonstrated the power social media currently wields over the show, with contestants like Robert Irwin, Hilaria Baldwin, and Danielle Fishel - as well as Pentatonix's Scott Hoying - transporting young audiences to the ballroom, and expanding people's online followings.

Scores, routines, and celebrity reactions frame Carrie Ann Inaba’s return to the Dancing With the Stars TikTok night

The TikTok-themed episode mixed established celebrities and online personalities across a full slate of performances.

Jauregui danced to “Work from Home” while her Fifth Harmony bandmates looked on, but her 18/30 led to elimination with partner Brandon Armstrong.

Jen Affleck and Jan Ravnik earned 19/30, and Andy Richter with Emma Slater also scored 18/30. Jordan Chiles took the lead with her 24/30 tango to Doechii’s “Anxiety,” marking the first time this season three eights were awarded consecutively.

“It felt amazing to hear those scores,” Chiles said backstage.

Whitney Leavitt matched the score with her samba to Mystikal’s “Shake Ya Ass,” saying,

“This night felt special because we all grew up with social media.”

Alix Earle and Dylan Efron both scored 23/30, while Robert Irwin, Hilaria Baldwin, Scott Hoying, and Elaine Hendrix clustered between 21 and 22 points.

The segment underscored how Inaba’s presence, alongside Hough and Tonioli, restored the familiar rhythm of feedback and heightened reactions from both the studio audience and online viewers.

Judges, pro dancers, and social media influence converge to shape the Dancing With the Stars leaderboard during TikTok night

Carrie Ann Inaba’s return also highlighted the wider role of judges and professionals in connecting with younger audiences. Rylee Arnold, one of the show’s pros, told The Hollywood Reporter,

“I feel like that really picked up and resonated with the rest of the pros, with the show, with people online, and we got together a younger demographic of people, and the people who go on TikTok every day, they [saw] the Dancing With the Stars content.”

She credited fellow pro Ezra Sosa for also being “so engaged” online. The full panel of Inaba, Hough, and Tonioli delivered more detailed critiques and encouragement to contestants, reinforcing how their input helps shape the night’s storylines.

This episode concluded with Jauregui’s farewell montage and applause from the audience.

Dancing With the Stars season 34 continues to air and stream simultaneously on ABC and Disney+, with new episodes available on Hulu the following day, reflecting the show’s ongoing effort to blend traditional television formats with the social media culture it celebrated on TikTok night.
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