Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Dancing With The Stars episode "Disney Night." Stream the episode with a Disney+ subscription, and read at your own risk!
Dancing With The Stars' Disney Night made me realize I'm ready to share some thoughts about frontrunner Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson that I've sat on for a while. As they continue their run on the 2026 TV schedule, I have a separate issue with both dancers that is making me root against them.
Harry and Jenna received another perfect dance score, and Julia Stiles was sent home as I expected. They're still the favorites to win it all, but honestly, they're losing my support down the stretch for two major reasons.
Jenna Was The Star Of Disney Night, Which Feels Like A Problem
Jenna and Harry's Disney Night dance was a tribute to Mary Poppins, and one that seemed strangely centered on Jenna. It was odd the judges gave a perfect score to a dance in which Harry was essentially relegated to a backup dancer in the final thirty seconds of the routine, while the camera focused in on her at center stage.
Judges are usually quick to point out when a pro dancer is highlighting themselves more than their celebrity companion, as it's often done to mask the weak dancing of the competitor. Of course, we all know Harry is talented, so they wouldn't say that, but I'm shocked no one on the Dancing With The Stars panel at least mentioned how little the dance revolved around him. We need to see more of what Harry can do, not Jenna.
Harry's Surprise By The Good Scores Feels Performative
Harry Shum Jr. is also annoying me, because I feel his shock each and every week at the judges' scores is so performative. He is one of the few competitors with professional dancing experience in Dancing With The Stars, and yet I feel he's constantly going out of his way to appear shocked when he gets a 10 or talk about how unexpected all the praise he's getting is.
It's giving me the same vibe as when Jenna Johnson performed with JoJo Siwa, and it has made me want to root against him. Harry is the odds-on favorite to win Dancing With The Stars Season 35, and the less he acts like it, the angrier I get.
I get that Harry Shum Jr. is working just as hard as everyone else on Dancing With The Stars. I think there's a way for both him and Jenna to acknowledge the work they've done, while admitting they can also do more elaborate routines because she doesn't have to teach him the basics. I'd be much more supportive if they took that route, but acting like the 10s are a surprise is making me want to give my vote to someone else.
Dancing With The Stars continues on ABC on Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET, and with just three weeks to go, it's almost time to crown a winner! Is this going to have another predictable ending, or will we be crowning a dark horse winner on finale night?
