(Almost) Everyone Gets a 10 for Halloween Activities

This article contains spoilers for the October 29 episode of Dancing with the Stars.

The remaining seven couples faced their fears — from snakes to vampires to dolls — on Tuesday night’s Halloween episode of “Dancing with the Stars.” first real top tens of the season have been given to just about everyone, from NBA champion Dwight Howard to NFL star Danny Amendola.

Howard earned rave reviews from the judges for his “impressive” and “dangerous” performance as the boogeyman terrorizing co-star Daniella Karagach in “Contemporary” in District 78’s “Ring Round The Rosie.” He received his first 10 points of the season from Carrie Ann Inaba. while the other two judges awarded him nines. The athlete was thrilled to receive 28 points out of 30, his best result to date. (The 10 awarded to Brooks Nader by guest judge Gene Simmons, as you may recall, was later rounded up to 9.)

Despite getting all 10 points, one celebrity still had to go home in week seven: of the three couples in danger – Jenn Tran, Stephen Niedoroshik and Chandler Kinney –
it was Tran who was eliminated from the competition, despite receiving her first 10 points (also from Inaba) and winning the salsa dance tournament against Little One.

“Bachelorette” Tran received her first 10 points (also from Inaba) for her goth-modern routine to Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire.” The reality star received rave reviews and 9s from the other two judges, tying with Howard and Amendola. She also won her dance tournament, but was still eliminated from the competition. In her farewell speech, she said she was “very, very grateful to everyone here and everything I’ve learned.”

Amendola was asked to hold a live snake before performing a sexy snake-themed tango with partner Witney Carson. The song was, as you’d expect, “Poison” by RAVN. Derek Hough stated that the film was “twisting, seductive and mesmerizing” and praised Amendola’s partnership as “insanely impressive”. Bruno Tonioli had to outdo his colleague in delirium: “It was so intoxicating, I need an antidote. You can bite me at any time. Inaba handed out her second 10 points of the night, leaving Amendola tied with Howard.

Joey Graziadei was afraid of ventriloquist dolls, so his partner Jenna Johnson became a mannequin, snapping his neck in Argentine tango to Róisín Murphy’s “Ramalam (Bang Bang).” Hough and Inaba rave about how The Bachelor star stepped into the role of the moustachioed impresario, while Tonioli called it a “piercing tango thriller,” admiring how Graziadei “captured the rhythm like a Hitchcock film.” The duo earned two tens and a nine and totaled 29 points on the leaderboard.

Olympic gymnast Nedoroschik became his own fear, darkness in his “Contemporary” routine to the song “I Ran (So Far Away)” by Hidden Citizens. The performance so excited Inaba that the judge, dressed as a cat, climbed onto the judge’s table on all fours and purred approvingly, recognizing herself as the best of the evening. She gave the duo another 10 points, while Hough and Tonioli each gave 9 points for a total of 28 points.

Chandler Kinney danced a creepy Viennese waltz to the Pretty Little Liars theme song, paying homage to the scary dolls. The actress was one of the few not to receive a 9 from Inaba on Tuesday night, but Hough and Tonioli made up for it by handing out their first 10 of the night for a total of 29 points.

Fellow Olympian Ilona Maher and pro Alan Bersten danced a tango to “Psycho Killer,” in which she held a bat wrapped in barbed wire, like The Walking Dead villain Negan.

Based on the leaderboard from last week’s cumulative results for the season, Kinney and his partner Brandon Armstrong had immunity and should not have competed in the Dance-Off.

In dance routines that were worth three points, Howard competed against Maher in a cha-cha routine to the Ghostbusters theme song, with the judges favoring the basketball star.

Finally, Amendola and Graziadei performed energetic, naked jives to “Time Warp” from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, with the judges giving the edge to Graziadei.

“Dancing with the Stars” airs Tuesday nights on ABC and the following day on Hulu.