Carrie Ann Inaba has been a judge on the popular ABC show “Dancing with the Stars” since 2005. Over the years, she has become well-loved by audiences and participants alike. 

However, this season has been something different. Her scoring has felt off, especially compared to the judges around her. 

Throughout the first six weeks of the show, Inaba’s average score was 8.5. This is much higher than her fellow hosts Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli, who have given average scores of 7.2 and 7.3, respectively (scores tallied from Gold Derby).

While Hough and Tonioli share similar scores, Inaba stands out. This has been occurring for the entire season but has recently reached a new level of ridiculousness. 

This past week was Halloween week for the show and Inaba gave out a total of five 10s, compared to the three from the other two judges combined. 

Her scoring average has been markedly higher than her constituents throughout the season. Recently it has become more noticeable thanks to the number of dances she finds “perfect.” 10 is the highest score a dancer can receive, and not a single one was awarded until week six.  

Based on what I’ve seen, the audience has widely seen Chandler Kinney’s dance as the best of the night, receiving a 10 from all judges other than Inaba, who incomprehensibly gave her a 9. It was one of the most technically difficult dances of the night but it was performed to near perfection by Kinney and her partner Brandon Armstrong. 

From the outset, it was clear this score made little sense, as her notes to the dancers caused a confused and upset look from Armstrong. These notes were also met with extreme criticism from viewers, as they indicated to many a potential gender bias from Inaba. 

Many viewers noted her harsh scoring and higher criteria for the women as opposed to the men, who collectively received higher scores. This led to more people being skeptical of Inaba and an increasing awareness of her scoring inconsistencies. 

All of the men who danced on Oct. 29 received a 10 from Inaba, while the only two people who did not receive such a score were women. It may be a coincidence, but many note that the men did not do as well as the score suggests and had less difficult dances. 

Her fellow judges appeared to not agree with her assessments, as only one of the four men received a ten from either judge. Hough made a verbal comment on Inaba’s scoring after she gave her third 10 in a row. 

“I’m starting to see a pattern,” Hough said. 

Equally as confused, Tonioli was barely able to keep himself together after Inaba gave out her fifth consecutive 10 of the night. 

Personally, I’m mixed in regards to her actions. It is entertaining to see here high scores and the reactions to said scores, but it is always odd to see her scores stand out so much from the other judges. 

It was exciting to see her give the first 10 of the season last week. And then she gave four more 10s in a row and that magic wore off quickly. 

I thought it was especially hard to hear her harsh comments towards (most of) the women while leveling close to no negative comments towards any of the men. 

All of these recent developments combined with potential consequences for Inaba. A source close to the show indicated potential changes in the show’s cast in the coming future, according to The Sun. 

“Carrie Ann will always be part of the DWTS family, but as with any family, dynamics shift and things change,” an insider said. 

The source also indicated that this was not necessarily due to her performance on the show, but they believe that she no longer fits into what the show wants from their judges. It was also hinted that this change could happen as early as next season if it is to happen. 

No hate toward Inaba, but I, along with many other audience members, feel that she has to score more consistently and fairly across the board. Now, over halfway through the season, Inaba needs more logical scoring to avoid more ire from fellow judges and audiences alike. 

DeGear can be reached at [email protected].