March Makeovers: How to make ‘Dancing with the Stars 22’ better

We are getting close now to “Dancing with the Stars” season 22 coming on the air, and based on the roster of performers that has been announced so far, we’ve got a rather-interesting crop. However, this in itself does not a great season make! This is a show that does many things right, but there are also problems that do need to be sorted out. This is what we hope to both identify and also analyze in the latest chapter of our March Makeovers article series.

What’s going wrong – The choreography, the music, the costumes, and the judges for the most part are all wonderful. Tom Bergeron is the best host in reality television, and while we don’t always love Erin Andrews, she is probably the best of the co-hosts that they’ve had over the years. What the show needs to work on a little bit more is focusing on the dance. Over the years there have been new styles added, so many that it often doesn’t really explain to you watch you’re watching. Also, there are so many gimmicks, such as switching partners and the instant routines, that seem to hinder rather than help celebrities.

In the end, the show has subtly shifted its focus from the emotional journey of some of the contestants to the drama, and we don’t think that is the right thing for it to do given that it already had such a huge audience.

How to fix it – First and foremost, bring back the results show. Think about this for a minute. “Of Kings and Prophets” is bombing at present over at ABC, so if it goes away why not just move some things around Tuesday and get that back? You can make the routines longer again, and give people more time to learn about the dances and the stories. Simplify things on the twists, and try to emphasize real emotional connections on the dance floor rather than coming up with themes designed to make people cry.

Also, no guest judges this season. We don’t need to hear from more than three people.

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