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A range test, passed cleanly.
At 82, Cloris Leachman changed what the format was willing to ask of its cast.
Thirteen episodes, its widest cast.
Season seven ran thirteen episodes with a cast wider in age and profile than the show had previously assembled. Cloris Leachman's participation at 82 anchored the season's identity — not as a novelty act but as a genuine expansion of what the format was willing to attempt. The rest of the cast brought strong athletic and entertainment credentials. The elimination arc had room to develop real competitive stakes in the back half as stronger partnerships moved to the front.
The #12 slot.
Slot #12 of 34 in the Dancing with the Stars Editor's Canon. Season seven ran thirteen episodes with a cast wider in age and profile than the show had previously assembled. Cloris Leachman's participation at 82 was the defining casting note — not a novelty booking but a genuine test of what the format was willing to ask of its cast. The rest of the lineup brought strong entertainment and athletic credentials. The thirteen-episode run, the longest the fall slot had attempted, gave the back-half elimination arc genuine room to develop as the stronger partnerships separated from the field.