Commercials usually cause grumbling among television viewers, but some Dancing With the Stars fans are complaining about not having them now. This season is the show’s first on Disney+, which means two-hour episodes are really 120 minutes. That forced producers to find inventive ways to fill over a half-hour of additional time they didn’t have before.
Through the first two weeks, audiences have seen the dance troupe perform short reprises of the main dances while contestants make their way up to the skybox. Co-host Alfonso Ribeiro‘s skybox interviews have also helped fill the extra time, while the production team prepares the ballroom floor for the next dance. The season also began with 16 contestants, the most since 2009.
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“What we’re going to do is use what would have been traditional ad breaks as a way to create more programming and to further engage our audience,” Michael Paull, president, direct to consumer, Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, told Variety before the season premiere. “So it’s a pretty exciting task for the team because it’s a very different format than what it had been historically. And I think people are going to be really excited by some of the ideas that they came up with to complete the story on the shows.”
‘DWTS without TV commercials is tiring’
Thankfully for DWTS viewers used to taking a bathroom break during the show, this commercial-free problem will not last long. By the time Season 32 begins next year, the ad-supported tier of Disney+ should be available. That means the show will have to be rejiggered again to include ad breaks and something special for those who still have the ad-free Disney+ tier.
‘It’s just too much’
“Maybe we’ll show some of the behind-the-scenes work,” executive producer Conrad Green told Variety. “Maybe there will be extra material put in those gaps. I think that’s probably more of a conversation for next season.”
‘I can’t do anything ’cause there’s no commercials’
Scroll on to see how DWTS fans feel about not having commercial breaks.
‘Oddly exhausting’
“So. DWTS on Disney Plus? First, props for actually expanding the show – the troupe and band are back. But. I found the lack of commercial breaks oddly exhausting,” one fan wrote. “The format works best with breaks for everyone.”
‘Maybe an intermission with dancing popcorn’
“Not that I want commercials back on Dancing With The Stars but we need some kind of pause for a washroom break and snacks. Maybe an intermission with Dancing Popcorn like at the drive-in,” one viewer wrote.
‘Give us bathroom and checking Twitter breaks’
DWTS streams live on Disney+, starting Mondays at 8 p.m. ET. Since the show is available for viewers live across all time zones, all viewers can now vote for their favorite dancers.
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