The standing ovations were rife Tuesday night on "America's Got Talent." And they were mostly well earned.
Several of the final 12 acts rose to the occasion. A few stumbled. But overall, it was a good night for "AGT."
Three acts I'm certain will get through: Acro Army, Quintaveous Johnson and Emily West. Will two magicians get through? All three did a good job but I really do think both Mike Super and Mat Franco will make it through.
Then it gets trickier. Miguel Dakota doesn't necessarily deserve it but he may end up squeezing through given the pimp spot and that teen vote Howie was talking about. I personally prefer Sons of Serendip and hope they make it over Miguel.
I think Blue Journey and Emil & Dariel were strong going in but disappointed. They won't make it. It's still possible one of those acts could go through. I think Christian Stoinev, Mara Justine and David & Leeman will be left behind as well.
Acro Army
Quintaveous Johnson
Emily West
Only one of the three magicians made it through and it was the best one: Mat Franco.
Snapple Save" during the show for Sons of Serendip. Excellent!
Either Emil & Daniel or Miguel Dakota will take the sixth spot for the finals next week.
Mara Justine (singer) - This 12 year old who has needed a judges' assist twice and I can see why. She has a great voice but her lack of life experience means she can create technically strong performances but lack that connection. Her take on "Perfect" lacked Pink's vulnerability and pain, going for big notes and a certain level of fortitude instead. She was good but given her competition, I doubt she'll move on. Grade: B/B-plus
David & Leeman (magician) - The variation of this trick has been done 1,000 times. The "trick" is a word or a set of numbers or a phrase appearing on something that nobody appeared to touch. Clearly, someone is able to write those answers remotely. In this case, they do it via a lottery ticket. It's slick and funny and entertaining. Is it enough compared to the other magicians? Not necessarily. Grade: B-plus
Sons of Serendrip (musicians) - This is not a group that you'd expect so sing Duran Duran but they did choose the moody, ethereal "Ordinary World," not "Hungry Like the Wolf." The lead vocalist has a wonderful voice and they kept the audience rapt. Howard Stern said they opened up and "hit it perfectly." Heidi Klum called it "majestic." Grade: A-minus
Christian Stoinev and Scooby (hand balancer and dog act) - This is a fundamentally odd act because it's like two acts in one. He's had trouble balancing the two, so to speak. After Howard criticized him last week for using too much of Scooby, he cut back on the dog and focused more on himself. But both acts individually, while decent entertainment, don't really add up to anything fresh and new after seeing them four or five times. I was shocked they even made it through the semifinals and I can't see them making the final six. Grade: B
Emil and Dariel (rock cellists) - There aren't many songs I hate more than Aerosmith's "I Don't Want To Miss a Thing." It's overdone and over-performed on every music competition show ever. It's overwrought and annoying. Hearing it in Muzak form doesn't make it any better. They kind of took the advice of the judges and added vocals near the end via a chorus. Otherwise, a snooze. Grade: C
Acro Army (gymnastic act) - This is definitely a sleeper act that continues to impress week in and week out. They brings amazing acrobatics and choreography that would work great in a Vegas setting. They get a stand ovation, well deserved. Grade: A-minus
Quintavious Johnson (singer) - Compared to Mara, Quintavious has a stronger knack for connecting with a song. He is by far the better 12 year old in this competition of pre-teen singers. He pulls off Mary J. Blige's "I'm Going Down" and I think he should breeze into the finals. Mel B said he could win this. And he could. Grade: A/A-minus
Mike Super (magic) - He is competing with David & Leeman with a similar act with the same type of trickery. His tricks, though, are more complex and ultimately more impressive. In this case, he uses Howard Stern's pants, a deck of cards, balloons, dollar bills, a butane torch and Nick Cannon in one of those "grab a bill in the wind" machines ("a Cashnado!" Super says) and pulls off a great trick. He should get the votes over David & Leeman but faces a tough rival in Mat Franco coming later. Grade: A-minus
Blue Journey (visual dance act) - Given how little time they now have to put these performances together, Blue Journey has had a tough time topping themselves. Unfortunately, despite some interesting visuals, this one didn't do it. It felt a little dull at points and failed to get the judges to their feet. They are very much in danger of not moving on. Grade: B
Emily West (singer) - She picks a Moody Blues classic "Nights in White Satin" and she is the idyllic "AGT" act. She's pretty and sings with passion and grace. She rises to the occasion with a song that could have flopped but worked. She will make it through for sure. Grade: A-minus
Mat Franco (close-up magic) - He did some incredible sleight of hand tricks with a card signed by Howard Stern. He moves the card around and even ended up having it folded up in a box underneath Mel B's cel phone. "You're doing the impossible," Mel B said. "Genius! And you're really hot." Grade: A/A-minus
Miguel Dakota (singer) - The pimp spot usually means the producers want that act to move forward. In this case, it's not necessarily the best performance. He may not have even been the 8th best performance tonight. He does a passable version of Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter" but it's merely just okay. He lacks the charisma to pull this off in a special way. "I felt like your voice got lost," Heidi Klum. Howie thinks the little girls will vote for him. Grade: B/B-minus
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