Good just isn’t good enough on “America’s Got Talent: All-Stars.”
NBC’s super-competition (Mondays at 8 EST/PST) gathers past champions and fiercest competitors for an 8-week battle, in which 60 acts from around the world are crowned the best of the best.
On Monday’s premiere, 10 hopeful acts — including Season 2 winner, ventriloquist Terry Fator; the second winner of “Canada’s Got Talent”, singer Jeanique Fournier; and aerialist Alan Silva, an “AGT” finalist for season 15 – performed for judges Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel, the only evaluators with the ability to send an act to the finals via golden buzzer in the episode. Second place in the finals will be voted on by a panel of “superfans”. The other eight acts will be abolished.
Who Will Win ‘AGT’? Drake Milligan’s country smash, see Sarah James’ haunting Kate Bush cover
10 best TV Shows of 2022, Ranked From ‘White Lotus’ to ‘Endor’ and ‘The Bear’
Light Balance Kids provided a bright spot in the two-hour opener. A group of (mostly) young dancers wear lights while performing when the stage lights are dimmed. Since the group first competed on “AGT” in 2019, their home city of Kyiv, Ukraine has come under attack from Russia.
A member of the group said that some traveled alone to the contest because “some of our parents, like my father, are still at war in Ukraine. He’s fighting for our country, for freedom and independence.” She remembered waking up at 4 a.m. when “my family grabbed me and we (ran) to the underground station because there were bombs and rockets everywhere.”
Another dancer said the group was happy to return “to show the world that the light always wins”.
The Light Balance Kids, who received the Golden Buzzer in Season 14, inspired Klum to perform “Move Your Feet” with their upbeat choreography. His routine earned a standing ovation from the audience.
Fact Check:Contrary to the post, the war in Ukraine continues
Volodymyr Zelensky:Ukraine’s president leads nation embroiled in battle against Russia
“It was such a fun party, and it should go on longer!” shouted Klum.
Cowell was equally impressed. He said, “It was your best performance ever.” “Really. Up to a mile.” Reflecting on what the group experienced, Cowell said, “If anything defined an All-Star, it was really that performance.”
“Such a wonderful message here,” agreed Mandel. “Where you come from, it’s arguably the darkest place in the world at this point, and you come from all over the world to give us light. And if I can do anything, anything On behalf of America, on behalf of AGT: All-Stars, I want to do this for you to shine a light on us even more than you have brought us.”
And with that he rang the golden buzzer showering confetti on the dancers. Then Mandel joined them on stage. “You’re awesome!” he said. “You’re my favorite artist of all time! I love you!”
How Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren’s ‘1923’ Dutton fit into ‘Yellowstone’ universe
Mandel’s use of the golden buzzer meant that there was only one more place for the competing act from Monday’s show in the final. The show’s host Terry Crews revealed a panel of fans’ Top 3: The Bello Sisters, an incredibly tight trio who danced to a slow-paced rendition of “I Ran” by A Flock of Seagulls; singer Callie Bevier, who sang an original song; and Fator, who astounded the judges with two puppets singing “Rocket Man”.
Cowell said he would have voted for Fator in the final if he could, and Klum expressed hope that fans would vote for her as well. Fator is a safe bet, at least for Las Vegas. After winning his season, he was offered a five-year Vegas residency for $100 million.
But the eyes of the super fans were fixed on the second act. They selected season 15 finalists, the Acrobatic Bello Sisters, to advance to the finals.
Eddie Murphy Cecil B. Tom Hanks joins ranks of Oprah Winfrey as DeMille Award recipient
“Wow!” said a puzzled Cowell.
Mandel told Cowell, “I would never have guessed it.”
Cowell told Sister Act, “You’ve just beat the best of the best.” “Congratulations.”
