In September, Dancing With the Stars season 34 debuted on ABC with a cast composed of contestants from all walks of celebrity. Among the group were an actress best known for a nostalgia-inducing turn in The Parent Trap (Elaine Hendrix); two sometimes-feuding Mormon Wives of MomTok (Whitney Leavitt and Jen Affleck); a lovable comedian who became the season’s underdog (Andy Richter); a content creator with more than 7 million followers (Alix Earle); and two nepo faves (Steve Irwin’s son, Robert, and Zac Efron’s brother, Dylan). It was poised to be a season like many others—wholesome! family-friendly! very sparkly!—but as the weeks went by, ratings kept climbing. By October, it grew its viewership for five consecutive weeks, breaking a 1991 record, according to the network’s research. Appearing on linear TV in prime time, the series has also attracted a groundswell of viewers ages 18 to 49, despite the adage that the demo had long abandoned network TV.
Much of the renewed energy stems from the show's presence on TikTok, where couples post meme-y updates and engage in trends throughout the week, and clips of the show’s dances regularly go viral. But that wouldn’t happen without a cast that’s game, digitally savvy, and perfectly suited to break through the dizzying media landscape.
