Judges' Criticism of a 'DWTS' Contestant Sparks a Strong Reaction from Viewers

A standout routine, emotional reactions, and a wave of fan backlash — one contestant and her dance partner's Halloween Night on "Dancing with the Stars" stirred more than just the usual drama under the ballroom lights.

The Halloween episode of "Dancing with the Stars" brought more than just costumes and themed choreography as frustrated viewers watched one contestant receive mixed reviews from the judges and ultimately leave the show.

On Tuesday, October 28, 2025, the nine remaining couples returned for Week 7 of Season 34. Each routine embraced a Halloween flair, with a variety of styles including Tango, Paso Doble, Jazz, and Contemporary.

Contestant Jen Affleck and her partner, Jan Ravnik, performed a Contemporary routine to Taylor Swift's "Look What You Made Me Do," a song Affleck said resonated with her as a mother who loves Halloween with her kids.

Ravnik, who had previously toured with Swift, brought his expertise to the choreography, aiming to make a strong impact. The judges, however, offered a combination of praise and criticism.

Judge Carrie Ann Inaba called the opening with the troupe "off the charts" but noted issues with Affleck's arm control that could "improve." Judge Derek Hough acknowledged Ravnik's strong first season, especially after a recent podcast criticized his presence on the show.

Amid pointed remarks from former "Dancing with the Stars" pros Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd, Hough took a moment during the Halloween episode to offer his support. "Jan, first of all, I want to tell you, my man, that you are doing a fantastic first season," he said.

He then advised Affleck to focus on her feet during kicks. Judge Cheryl Burke described it as Affleck's strongest performance to date but pointed out a need to deepen her "connection" with her dance partner.

Judge Bruno Tonioli encouraged Affleck to lean further into the dark theme and "let the beast out" before adding that he wanted more continuity in her movement. Then, following the judges' critiques, the night moved into its most suspenseful phase — the results.

Votes from the public were combined with the judges' scores, and co-host Alfonso Ribeiro revealed that more than 55 million votes had been cast — setting yet another record for the season.

The results were then announced in no particular order, keeping both the audience and contestants on edge. The final three to be revealed were Affleck, as well as fellow contestants Whitney Leavitt and Elaine Hendrix.

When the outcome was announced, it was ultimately Affleck and Ravnik who were sent home despite getting a respectable 32 out of 40 score. Following the devastating news, Affleck said the experience "has meant everything" to her and shared that she took part in the competition for her children.

In the crowd, her husband, Zac Affleck, was seen crying as his wife's journey came to an end. Fans, however, did not hold back their disagreement with the critiques.

One said, "they are so hard on her. this was a breakthrough night for her and all they do is critique her. criticism is good but she is clearly feeling defeated. i think they are comparing her to whitney and it's making me lose my mind [sic]."

Another said, "Im sorry but I am GENUINELY not seeing what the judges are seeing??? They are so incredibly hard on her they almost brought her to tears. I thought this was amazing and her best dance. [sic]"

More comments followed with similar frustration. "Now I KNOW these judges have some weird bias against Jen. Only 8s when this was clearly her best dance?? I'm so [expletive] for you Jen," one post read.

Some viewers focused on how Affleck appeared to react to the feedback. "Watching her lose her spark after the judges talk is so heartbreaking," someone observed.

"right like WHAT THE HECK???? This dance was freaking epic and all they do is critique her so harshly. She's on the same level dance wise as Danielle if not better, and definitely better than Andy. They have praised Danielle and Andy but literally never Jenn 🙄🙄 I'm so annoyed [sic]," another netizen responded.

Someone else added, "The judges never build her up like they do EVERYONE ELSE. It's so sad and she was clearly defeated :( they did great [sic]."

Support for Ravnik also came through, with one person writing, "First off, props to Derek giving Jan that compliment!!! Second of all, that was her best dance yet, severely underscored [sic]!!!!"

One longtime viewer voiced, "As a loooong time fan of this show (like 16 years of regular watching) I am incredibly disappointed in all of the judges on @dancingwiththestars @dwtstourofficial. The way you have treated @jenniferlaffleck and Jan is not ok."

"A brand new mom with no dance experience and a brand new pro giving it their ALL every week, fighting flus and postpartum and soooo many other things, and getting absolutely destroyed with critiques was heartbreaking to watch [sic]," they added.

"Meanwhile you just can't get enough of Mark and Witless (who has an actual degree in dance AND gets to dance with a seasoned pro AND has literally zero barriers) and they haven't grown or shown anything new or different at all," the post continued.

"The disparity between how you treat the two of them is so incredibly disappointing. I watch this show every season to watch people with no dance experience show their journey and progression. You robbed Jen and the fans of that AND kicked her down. 😢 She deserves an apology," they concluded.

Despite the backlash over the judges' critiques, Affleck remained reflective and grateful. She described her time on "Dancing with the Stars" as a dream come true, even if the timing wasn't ideal, having just welcomed a baby.

Ravnik echoed her sentiments, saying he couldn't have asked for a better performance. After watching the routine back, even he was puzzled by the score they received. "She did so good. She did it justice," he said. "I'm so proud, so proud."

While their journey on "Dancing with the Stars" came to an end sooner than many had hoped, Affleck and Ravnik left the competition having won over a passionate fan base. Their final performance may have sparked controversy, but it also underscored what many viewers value most — growth, heart, and resilience on the ballroom floor.