The two-night Season 35 premiere concluded with back-to-back eliminations of Conner Leavitt with newcomer Adele Zaikman and Sarah Jane Nader with first-time pro Hailey Bills, both after low-scoring routines and insufficient viewer support. This leaves 14 couples advancing into Week 2, where performances will feature viral hits and combine judges’ scores from Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli with public votes to decide the next exit. The split-gender premiere format and early departures of the new pros have already shifted momentum and narrative focus among frontrunners such as Maura Higgins with Mark Ballas and Jenna Dewan with Val Chmerkovskiy, while historical patterns show viewer engagement often swings sharply once full competition begins.