‘DWTS’ Season 32 Premiere Recap: Who Wowed Judges & Who Got Booted?

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[Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for the Dancing With the Stars Season 32 premiere.]

The ballroom is open for season 32 of Dancing with the Stars. Premiere night came after days of wondering if ABC would delay the September 25 premiere due to the ongoing strikes. Circumstances that saw actor Matt Walsh step away from the competition and then return. The latter came amid WGA and AMPTP were able to reach a tentative deal on Sunday, alleviating some pressure.

And so there was a full field competing for the newly renamed and redesigned Mirrorball Trophy to the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. It has a bowtie! A formal tribute is coming to the longtime judge in the coming weeks. The beloved former head judge died in April from bone cancer.

Judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Toniolli, and Derek Hough readied their paddles for scores during the first week. Len’s presence was definitely missed for sure, but the show must go on. Derek took his seat in the middle of the judges’ desk and definitely brought a different vibe to the show. Replacing former co-host Tyra Banks this season is Julianne Hough, who joined the returning Alfonso Ribeiro. Ribeiro worked up front while Hough handled the back and post-dance interviews. This year also sees DWTS simulcast on not only Disney+ but ABC Network. The show is also available for streaming on Hulu from the day after every new episode.

By the end of the night, it was Walsh who received the lowest combined scores from the judges and viewer votes. Mauricio Umansky was also in the bottom two. Did the right one go home?  See how week 1 shook out and tell us what you thought of the super-sized premiere in the comments below.

Xochitl Gomez & Val Chmerkovskiy

Dance: Cha-cha-cha to “Peanut Butter Jelly” — Galantis
Score: 18
The youngest in the competition at 17 kicked off the performances for the evening. She brought the energy in the first dance. Carrie Ann Inaba said the actress had the “It” factor. Derek loved the energy and gave some foot placement advice. Bruno found the Marvel star had an attitude for performing, but to keep an eye on the timing.

Barry Williams & Peta Murgatroyd

ABC

Dance: Foxtrot to “It’s a Sunshine Day” — The Brady Bunch
Score: 16
Greg Brady himself said he has been waiting 17 years for this opportunity. He wants to follow top friend Donny Osmond as the oldest winner at 68. The TV leaned into the nostalgia. Derek was in shock at how effortless it looked. Bruno agreed despite a few mistakes. Carrie Ann found it fantastic.

Tyson Beckford & Jenna Johnson

Dance: Cha-cha-cha to “Never Too Much” — Luther Vandross
Score: 12
The supermodel came already in top shape and had some performing experience from working at Chippendales. Bruno saw him lose timing and told him he needed to focus on technique. Carrie Ann appreciated the commitment, but there were things to work on. Derek appreciated the James Brown split and moonwalk action.

Alyson Hannigan & Sasha Farber

Dance: Salsa to “Never Gonna Not Dance Again” — Pink
Score: 13
One time at dance camp…the American Pie actress recalled bad experiences doing ballet and hoping to get past the childhood trauma. Carrie Ann encouraged her to embody the sensual women within. Derek saw the joy and personality shine through, but the timing needed work. Bruno echoed the timing tip.

Harry Jowsey & Rylee Arnold

Dance: Cha-cha-cha to “Rock Your Body” — Justin Timberlake
Score: 12
The social media personality and Too Hot to Handle star met up with his pro-Rylee, who is following in the footsteps of sister Lindsay Arnold. The two worked through their height difference. Derek liked the ending but found it an overall timid performance. Bruno appreciated the whole “when in doubt, get your chest out.” He sees there is work to be done. Carrie Ann noticed that he became e a different guy when he tore his shirt open.

Jason Mraz & Daniella Karagach

ABC

Dance: Cha-cha-cha to “I Feel Like Dancing” — Jason Mraz
Score: 21
The Grammy winner went with one of his own songs on opening night, which I’m sure made him more comfortable. Bruno said he was the first one to have the leg placement right. Carrie Ann called it the best dance of the night that far. Derek gave him a standing ovation. Mraz had some serious hip action. We have an early favorite here. Bruno went as far as calling him one to watch.

Jamie Lynn Spears & Alan Bersten

ABC

Dance: Tango to “Don’t Call Me Up (Zac Samuel Remix)” — Mabel
Score: 15
The Zoey 101 actress and singer wants to show her children not to be afraid to fail and try new things. Carrie Ann wanted her to smile more as she lit up the room. Derek told Britney Spears’ sis that she is better than she thinks she is. Bruno thought it was an ambitious routine with a lot of content. He encouraged her to shape in the core. As she walked away, Jamie Lynn appeared to be limping. Whether she has an injury, we will no doubt find out in the next few days.

Adrian Peterson & Britt Stewart

Dance: Salsa to “Yeah!” — Usher
Score: 18
The NFL MVP has big shoes to fill with players tending to do well in the competition and two running backs winning the Super Bowl of celeb dance. The opening lift caught Derek off guard but found his salsa needed a bit more fluidity. Bruno loved the fact he attacked the dance with total commitment. Carrie Ann complemented his swagger but needed more refinement.

Lele Pons & Brandon Armstrong

ABC

Dance: Tango to “El Tango de Roxanne” — from Moulin Rouge!
Score:19
The singer and social media star is used to dancing unprofessionally on TikTok. She felt the pressure of not wanting to let her grandmother down. If her first dance was any indication, the Venezuelan wouldn’t have to worry about that. Bruno said Lele was on fire, but gave her a tip on turns. Carrie Ann called her a powerful woman on the dance floor. Derek said it was strong and a fantastic performance. Another favorite, broken nail and all.

Mira Sorvino & Gleb Savchenko

Dance: Cha-cha-cha to “Kiss” — Prince & The Revolution
Score: 17
The Emmy-nominated and Oscar-winner channeled her inner Ronnie and Michelle. Carrie Ann said Len would have loved her performance despite a rough start. Derek called her a breath of fresh air. Bruno told the actress not to doubt herself and that she has it.

Mauricio Umansky & Emma Slater

Dance: Jive to “I Ain’t Worried” — OneRepublic
Score: 15
The Buying Beverly Hills power realtor hopes dancing will get his mind off marriage woes with his wife Kyle Richards, who lent her support sitting in the audience. Derek said it reminded him of his dad dancing at his wedding but was meant as a compliment. Bruno enjoyed the enthusiasm but encouraged him to tighten some things up. Carrie Ann was surprised by the performance and is looking forward to him doing another dance like salsa.

Charity Lawson & Artem Chigvintsev

Dance: Tango to “Only Girl (In the World)” — Rihanna
Score: 22
Artem is hoping for another win with a Bachelorette alum. The former competitive cheerleader is has proven to be good clay to mold. Bruno called it a tango stunner. Carrie Ann thought it was incredible and loved the lines. Derek said it was exquisite. She passed Jason as the high scorer. Maybe a trophy to go along with the rose for sweet Charity?

Matt Walsh & Koko Iwasaki

ABC

Dance: Cha-cha-cha to “Poison” — Bell Biv DeVoe
Score: 12
The Veep star is back in the game. He worked through his irrational fear of the cha-cha and had fun with the dance. Carry Ann found it….different and that he played to his strengths. Derek was mesmerized by the facials. Bruno wasn’t sure what it was, except surreal and entertaining.

Ariana Madix & Pasha Pashkov

Dance: Tango to “Love Myself (Riddler Remix)” — Hailee Steinfeld
Score: 21
The Vanderpump Rules star is looking to move past tabloid headlines and “Sandoval”. She closed out the show with some strong moves and “hair-ography”. Derek thought it was fantastic. Bruno called the dance red hot and totally committed. Carrie Ann said, “As a woman, cheaters suck.” And that she showed how to handle a cheater.

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