Pod Meets World: Pod Meets Twirl'd – DWTS 3411 (Nov 29, 2025)

Episode Overview

This special episode of Pod Meets Twirl'd is the grand finale recap for Season 34 of Dancing with the Stars (DWTS). Ryder Strong and Will Friedle, recounting the journey as self-proclaimed "two guys who can't dance, don't want to dance, and have now seen an entire season of Dancing with the Stars" recap the show’s high-energy final episode, share opinions on the results, discuss memorable performances, and reflect on the evolution of both the celebrity dancers and themselves as reality TV watchers. The episode is a spirited, insightful, and often humorous debrief with genuine admiration for the finalists, with plenty of in-jokes, light teasing, and a focus on what sets each finalist apart.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Finale Structure & Format

• [05:13] Ryder: "That was a long finale… it was really a lot, I feel like could have been a two hour episode."
• Both hosts agree the finale (which included three dances per finalist, multiple packages, and flashbacks) felt overlong and at times padded, especially with the addition of the "instant dance" component.

The 'Instant Dance' Debate

• [05:40] Will questions the legitimacy of the "instant" aspect since contestants practiced all four possible dances, and only the music was a surprise.
• Ryde and his family discuss the need for pre-picking for editing convenience, but note it diminishes tension.
• Both feel that true spontaneity is lacking, suggesting a format where dance style and music would be assigned live.

Who Deserved to Win?

• [07:12] Will: "It's no secret. Everybody knows Robert won by this point. Deserving? You think he deserved to win?"
• Ryder expresses he wasn’t on the “Robert train”—feeling Robert’s win was foreseeable and lacking in underdog narrative.
• [08:15] Will: Thinks Alex showed the most growth, going from "a scared 22-year-old" to a Super Bowl-worthy freestyle, arguing: "If they're doing the journey and then the finale… She won tonight."
• Both agree any finalist deserved to win, but Alex's journey stood out in the finale.
• Will: "When it came down to the two of them...we're happy for whoever won, really. By the time Danielle was gone, we weren't really rooting for anybody." [09:09]

Judges’ Role and Scoring

• [19:28] Ryder praises seeing judges work directly with the dancers on their Judge's Choice routines—wishing for more of this hands-on mentorship.
• [20:25] Will: "The more interaction, the better...it was great to watch them."
• Both repeatedly find the scoring unclear or question 10s given for dances with errors—a season-long gripe.
  • [31:05] Will, on Robert's not-quite-perfect dances: "If that's the case, how do you say that's a 10? A 10 means perfect."

Standout Freestyle Performances

• The freestyle (final) routines were a highlight:
  • Alex: Praised for her transformation and confidence, "went from being kind of a scared 22 year old...to being a dominatrix." [49:22]
  • Dylan & Daniella: Both hosts found it deeply moving and artistically rich, calling it "just the coolest dance ever." [50:07]
    • Ryder: “I got super emotional. I teared up and I'm like, inside, so…But I just thought it was cool.” [50:45]
  • Jordan: Her solo, hip-hop inspired number is celebrated for individuality, though Will notes the risk in song choice (“repeating a swear word...guaranteeing you that certain people in the middle of the country are not going to vote for you?”) [60:38]
• Consensus: Freestyles should let personalities shine, and both hosts advocate for more self-expression and contemporary/hip-hop in future DWTS seasons.

The Danielle Fishel Factor (and DWTS Experience)

• Hosts noticed Danielle was conspicuously absent from many finale recaps/montages, speculating on possible reasons but choosing not to dwell (with some friendly teasing).
  • Will, tongue-in-cheek: "Danielle's on my list. For the record, I don't care how long she is." [38:04]
• Both reflect on Danielle’s journey, her breakout Argentinian tango, and her declared intent to keep dancing beyond DWTS.

Reflections on DWTS and Reality TV

• [72:44] Will: "It was fun. It was maddening. It was awesome. It was annoying…It was so many different contradictions…Awesome to watch this journey from an insider's view through Danielle."
• Both express new appreciation for the rigors of live competition TV, the unpredictability of results, and how reality shows connect them to a broader American experience.
• They tease possible next moves: continuing recaps for other reality shows, or perhaps auditioning together for The Amazing Race.

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• [05:19] Will: "I mean, we went from finale to finally.”
• [09:54] Will: “If they're basing it on the entire season, then certainly Robert deserves to win…If they're doing the journey and then the finale. Just the finale. She [Alex] won tonight.”
• [20:11] Will: "You get 30 seconds to talk about what you think of the dancer...the more interaction, the better, frankly."
• [21:37] Ryder: "Where do you go from here…is there a professional dancing career that is better than being on Dancing with the Stars?"
• [31:05] Will: "If that's the case, how do you say that's a 10? A 10 means perfect."
• [44:29] Will (on Dylan): "The best dance he's ever done. And that's saying something."
• [48:47] Will (on freestyle): "That's why I knew you were going to love the freestyle because…it's story after story."
• [50:36] Will (on Dylan & Daniella): "Coolest move of the night where he…slides right into her lap with, like, his head in her lap."
• [66:01] Ryder: "She kind of has a little bit of, like, a punk rock attitude, like she does. You know what I mean? Like, there's a little bit of, like, I'm a bad, take it or leave it."
• [72:44] Will: "It was fun. It was maddening. It was awesome. It was anxiety inducing. It was stress release…it was so many different contradictions."
• [73:41] Ryder: "I find watching reality television with you immensely entertaining."
• [75:11] Will (pitching Amazing Race): "What about you and I together trying to get on the Amazing Race?"

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [04:18] Introduction to the recap and hosts' tongue-in-cheek self-descriptions
• [05:40] Finale structure & the instant dance debate
• [07:12 – 09:54] Who deserved to win? Discussion of Robert’s win vs. Alex’s growth
• [11:06–12:50] DWTS finale montage and Danielle’s absence from recaps
• [19:28–21:37] Judges' direct involvement and the Samba pants diversion
• [24:23–25:23] Was Robert’s win inevitable? Audience favoritism vs. best finale performance
• [29:06–29:37] Anecdotes about “Take My Breath Away” and Berlin (Will’s friend)
• [31:05–32:17] Scoring critiques after Robert’s quickstep
• [36:55–38:04] Danielle performance & "Danielle on my list" joke
• [44:09–44:40] Dylan’s standout instant dance
• [48:01–51:34] Freestyle routines and emotional resonance
• [60:38–62:16] Jordan’s solo, hip-hop in DWTS, and song choice controversy
• [66:01–66:54] On Jordan’s attitude and public perception
• [72:44–74:51] Hosts' overall takeaways and plans for post-DWTS podcasts
• [75:11–78:54] “Amazing Race” pitch & friendly banter

Episode Takeaways / Flow

• The recap is warm, lively, and full of good-natured banter.
• Both Will and Ryder approach DWTS as somewhat “outsiders” to dance, but bring curiosity, humility, and thoughtful criticism.
• A recurring theme is the value of the journey: celebrating both incremental growth (Alex, Dylan) and technical excellence (Robert).
• They call for more transparency in judging and scoring and propose DWTS evolve to include more expressive and contemporary styles.
• The hosts' genuine affection for each other, Danielle, and the cast shines through, as does their willingness to poke fun at themselves.
• Looking forward, they invite listeners to help choose the next show for Pod Meets Twirl'd, with “The Amazing Race” floated as a serious option.

Final Words

Pod Meets Twirl’d closes this DWTS experience with gratitude and excitement, declaring:

"We may not know a jive from a drive-thru, but we know what we learned way back in Feeney’s class: Danielle Fishel was the star of the show." [79:38]

The journey through DWTS has inspired them to keep recapping, whatever the next genre or show—proving the true heart of the podcast remains laughter, friendship, and connection with their audience.