'DWTS': Lochte Remembers Rio Scandal, Hinchcliffe Leads on 'Most Memorable Year' Episode

— -- The nine remaining celebrities on “Dancing With the Stars” tonight delivered emotionally charged routines that commemorated their most memorable year -– a year of either great triumph or personal tragedy that helped define their lives.

At the end of the night, IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe topped the leaderboard with 29 out of a possible 30 points, while four couples were tied for last place with 24 points each.

There will be no eliminations tomorrow. Instead, all nine couples will return to perform Oct. 17 on Latin night. The scores from tonight and that night will determine elimination, co-host Tom Bergeron said.
The high scorer: Hinchcliffe earned rave reviews for his tango recalling 2015, the year in which a devastating accident on the track nearly ended his life. Judge Carrie Ann Inaba praised his posture, hold and technique, saying “OK, you are a miracle and I’m not just talking about surviving that crash. I’m talking about on the dance floor ... you are the one to beat!” Judge Bruno Tonioli called the routine “super slick and super sharp,” saying: “That is how you attack and tango!” Julianne Hough told Hinchcliffe that if he learned to extend his movements just a bit more he’d be “unbeatable.” Judges gave Hinchcliffe 29 points -- the highest score of the night.

The standout moment: Olympian Ryan Lochte earned kudos from the judges for his touching contemporary routine, which he dedicated to his mother in thanks for her support of him after his recent troubles at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio. Lochte was roundly criticized after he admitted to having exaggerated a story that he and his friends were held up at gunpoint during the games. “Rio changed my life. With the blink of an eye it was gone,” he said, speaking of the standing he had earned in the sport.Hough told Lochte that she was impressed with his performance. “The thing that I love so much about this week is that it makes everybody step out of their comfort zone ... that was wonderful,” she said. Tonioli called the routine Lochte’s “most honest performance,” and Inaba said she respected Lochte for continuing to show up. “I have to say that was by far your best performance and thank you for going there,” she said.

Among the highlights of tonight’s broadcast was a surprise cameo by NFL legend Jerry Rice during the end of Calvin Johnson Jr’s jazz routine.

Violinist André Rieu, joined by an orchestra, served as the show’s musical guest. He performed Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On."
Judges’ Scores
James Hinchcliffe and Sharna Burgess: 29
Terra Jolé and Sasha Farber: 27
Marilu Henner and Derek Hough: 27
Jana Kramer and Gleb Savchenko: 26
Laurie Hernandez and Valentin Chmerkovskiy: 25
Amber Rose and Maksim Chmerkovskiy: 24
Ryan Lochte and Cheryl Burke: 24
Calvin Johnson Jr. and Lindsay Arnold: 24
Maureen McCormick and Artem Chigvintsev: 24