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Two disruptions, one season.
A host debut and a pandemic-altered format in the same season — the show found its footing under the most difficult production conditions it had faced.
Thirteen episodes, a solo new host.
Season twenty-nine carried two disruptions at once. The COVID-19 pandemic removed the live studio audience the format depends on for vote-energy and atmosphere, and a complete host replacement — Tyra Banks arriving after 28 seasons of Tom Bergeron — changed the desk dynamic from the first episode. Banks brought a different energy and her debut generated real viewer discussion. The competitive cast delivered a workable season; the format ran at reduced atmosphere throughout.
The #32 slot.
Slot #32 of 34 in the Dancing with the Stars Editor's Canon. Season twenty-nine carried more off-floor context than any season in the run's history. The COVID-19 pandemic removed the studio audience that the format's live-vote energy depends on, and a complete host replacement — Tyra Banks stepping in after 28 seasons of Tom Bergeron — arrived in the same run. Both disruptions shaped every episode. The competitive cast delivered a workable season under real production constraints, and Banks's debut generated viewer discussion about the transition. As a piece of format history it carries significant weight; as a competitive television season it was hemmed in on both sides.