The popular dance competition features Mariah Carey Night with a star-studded lineup and voting opportunities for fans
Category: Arts & Culture
As of October 6, 2026, the beloved dance competition Dancing with the Stars has returned for its 35th season, bringing with it a fresh cast of fifteen celebrity contestants. This season will likely be exciting, featuring a diverse lineup that includes celebrity chefs, figure skaters, actors, and TV personalities, all vying for the coveted mirrorball trophy.
The show airs live every Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on both ABC and Disney+, with episodes available for streaming on Hulu the following day. This format allows viewers to catch up on missed episodes, making it easier for fans to engage with the show.
Judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough have returned to critique the performances, adding their expertise to the competition. The cast for this season includes notable names such as Tatyana Ali, Tyler Cameron, Giada De Laurentiis, Jenna Dewan, and Olympian gold medalist Ezra Frech, among others.
This week’s episode, airing on October 6, is themed around Mariah Carey, with the twelve remaining couples performing routines inspired by her iconic hits. The songs featured in the episode include "Hero," "Emotions," "Touch My Body," "Anytime You Need a Friend," "Obsessed," "It's Like That," "Without You," "My All," "Vision of Love," "If It's Over," "Fantasy," and "#Beautiful." This theme showcases the contestants’ dancing skills and highlights the cultural impact of Carey’s music, making it a fitting tribute.
Voting for the contestants is a key aspect of the show, allowing fans to support their favorites. Viewers can cast their votes online and via text during the live broadcast. Voting opens at 8 p.m. ET and closes shortly after the final dance, giving fans a limited window to influence the outcome of the competition. Eligible viewers can cast up to ten online votes and ten text votes per couple, creating an engaging interaction between the audience and the show.
As the season progresses, elimination odds have been a topic of discussion among fans. According to the latest predictions, Jackson Olson enters Episode 5 with a 43% chance of elimination, followed by Tyler Cameron at 25% and Ciara Miller at 19%. These odds indicate the competitive nature of the show, where judges’ scores and viewer votes will determine which couples remain in the competition.
Dancing with the Stars has experienced a remarkable resurgence in recent years, attracting a new generation of viewers and a slew of social media stars turned celebrities. The show has adapted to modern viewing habits by offering streaming options on Hulu and Disney+, alongside its traditional ABC broadcast. This evolution has played a key role in maintaining its popularity over the past two decades.
One of the showrunners, Conrad Green, explained the logistical challenges that impact airing schedules, particularly for West Coast viewers. Unlike their East Coast counterparts who enjoy a live airing at 8 p.m., West Coast fans must wait for the delayed airing at 5 p.m. PST due to local news programming and primetime slots. Green noted that these scheduling decisions are influenced by complex economic calculations involving licensing agreements, music rights costs, and affiliate distribution rights.
Green remarked, "It's a big issue for [affiliates] if everyone starts watching the show at 5 p.m. when it airs. If you're in L.A. and you watch at 5 p.m. when it airs [at 8 p.m.] on the East Coast, then it’s going to massively affect the people who will watch the show when it comes over to these different territories and those markets. The affiliates are hugely important in the bigger picture for the economic structure of the show and for the history of ABC." This insight reveals the behind-the-scenes intricacies that shape the viewing experience for fans across different time zones.
Looking ahead, the upcoming episodes of Dancing with the Stars promise to maintain the excitement with various themed nights. Following Mariah Carey Night, the next theme is Super Bowl Night, scheduled for October 13, 2026. The show will continue to feature a mix of celebrity contestants and popular themes that resonate with viewers, ensuring that each episode remains fresh and engaging.
As the competition heats up, fans will eagerly await to see how the dynamics shift among the contestants. The combination of viewer votes and judges’ scores will keep everyone guessing about who might be eliminated next. The stakes are high, and with each passing week, the pressure intensifies for the remaining couples.
In the coming weeks, viewers can look forward to additional themed nights, including Dedication Night, Horror Movie Night, Disney Night, Grammy Night, and finally, the Semi-Finals and Finale. Each theme night offers a unique opportunity for contestants to showcase their versatility and creativity on the dance floor, enhancing the entertainment value of the show.
With this season already packed with excitement, fans are encouraged to tune in every Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+ and participate in the voting process, making their voices heard as they support their favorite couples. The next episode is set to air on October 13, 2026, promising another thrilling installment of Dancing with the Stars.