Lonesome Rhodes

The excellent quality of the acts this week is vastly superior to the rot we endured prior to the break. At first, I feared this was going to be AGT:AI. Singing and singing and singing. Was Seacrest gonna pop out in a cameo? Ugh. The music was fine. There are other singing shows. AGT is the one outlet for variety. And the variety was astounding tonight. I'm not sure I like the new GB to the Finals. but it was put to good use by Sophia. That acrobat balancing act is great, but there are not a ton of new moves they can add as differentiators. Now, they only have one more routine to create. The dog act really presents a unique skill. Definite Vegas material. Scary girl was well executed. I wouldn't give her a vote tonight, though. The Tina Turner singer was darn good. The Country group was good, but not special. The janitor was aight. It's allllll backstory that keeps him in. He is out of his league. Nice man. The large dance group in blue was in no way up to standard. Howie was right. He finally broke the spell that seemed to be cast - he offered the first bit of negativity. It was remarkable that it took so long. This is gonna be a super tough culling. If there is to be a Wild Card, I'd bet one of them will come from this ep. My bottom two are unquestionably the rapper and the twirler. Darned if I can come up with a solid top 3. Most any combination of the remaining 8 is justified, imo.

Now that the Paris Olympics have ended, the show returns to its Pasadena home and also goes LIVE. It's the beginning of the Quarterfinals.

We got the ULTIMATE Simone moment. She is the only one who could twist fantastic news into frustration over a best-case scenario. She already knew that tennis was impossible if there was to be any treatment. She literally has not been able to play for some time as it is. I am in awe of just how cray cray she is. She got her diagnosis, and she still refused to let her Mom and Aunt know. That's the girl! As cunning as she has been from Day One in the other show right through to now, she couldn't see immediately that any and all of her medical procedures could be rearranged? None of the gang did, either?! What can't be put off are the side effects of her course of treatment - to include the actual surgery. Coach isn't gonna make it her business to see how her "star player" (LMAO) is progressing? By the by, who is the team Captain? I sincerely would not want anyone to get the tough break Simone is dealing with. Yet, this show is too dang important to put out such unrealistic and fantastical solutions like TV has done forever. The impressionable viewers are getting a warped view of handling intractable problems. Honoring Simone for her grit at the expense of the tennis team that has a basic need to know the availability of players is very bad form. Bad on Thea, too, for reversing her ethics. It's fine that she has created a good path for Simone to maximize her recovery. Lying to Coach by omission is entirely antithetical to the fierce Captain we were introduced to. Remember her? We got the craziest Nate we've yet seen. Cuz greets her and loves her style/look. But no, she takes it as a phobic compliment. Miss Tolerant wasn't very. The family has long accepted that Nate would not have a thing in the world to do with Cuz. But, Nate chooses to believe they will chastise her for continuing her rational freeze out. It is good, however, to see that the most empathic of the "friend group" (tm Lando) can be every bit as silly as the lot of them. It was also good to see a heartfelt apology by her. Valerie was an excellent character to introduce, even at this late date. She does not fit easily into a cookie cutter. The show has not done well with young characters who were not obviously good or bad. I truly enjoy thinking about what she is most about. She could fall anywhere on that spectrum. Cool. If the show is moving to a Simone/Lando ending, they are doing a really good job building him up as a worthy choice. He's a guy I would have loved to know. Really good and capable guy, with a fun and mischievous side. Thea initiated a sincere hug? Can peace on earth be far behind?

Boy, was my inner Clara Peller triggered! If that's beef, World Peace must be right around the corner. J.R. for U.N. Secretary-General! Keisha makes Fosse look like Urkel. Smash hit show...All That New-New! Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland must surely recognize the passion for putting on a show. I was really confused, however, when the infamous final practice for Simone was held in the open public space of the student union. There was even an extra walking through the scene. What happened to debuting at the actual show? So, if Simone still has the musculoskeletal issue, how on earth is she supposed stay tennis active? She chose to avoid Amara, but open up to J.R. Riiiiight. I love Thea, but for the life of me, I can't figure out why she is recurring. It was good to see her court ferocity again, though. I have found myself concentrating much too much on the costuming lately. The ladies certainly bring the pretty, but those rags they are wearing? What was with that monstrosity of a leather chest version of a fanny belt Keisha was featuring? The baggy and beltless everything, especially jeans, is not flattering, imo. No denying their comfort. I'll give them that. I am definitely curious about the coming end. Will it be a wedding, like the original AA? Multiple engagements? Bringston shutting down? (Yeah, right). There's gotta be the return of our pitching hero, si?

I could not believe how awful Simone was at the beginning of the ep. I don't like her, but this was truly horrible. Yes, it ended up being an anvil about her scary path to a diagnosis. I still think they went way too far. She didn't go to Amara for support and guidance about this??????! We have a Shay communication annnnd a mention! She really did have a baby, huh. I feel for Keisha, but as I recall, she was a marginal take to begin with for the dance class at Bringston. I'm not understanding why she instantly went to Cam and asked him for his help. What was that look on her face? Has she decided she's just going to accept that she is not gifted enough to make it as a dancer and she is simply gonna enjoy the heck out of the time she has left at Bringston? Yeah, I know. No way in Hades. Oh...since when don't acceptance notifications get sent digitally? The solution for J.R. is to support him risking death to play baseball? Whah? Gabby is great. She also lost a HUGE showdown with her potential hubby. Let's see if resentment does not creep in. I don't see how TPTB are gonna stick the landing at the end of the season, but I really hope they somehow do.

Very underwhelming singers. Paradise? More like Purgatory. I am glad variety acts predominated tonight. The Japanese acrobats in a box were a revelation. Super smart choreo. Robotic high and parallel bars moves were fantastic. Give them the Finals GB right now. The comedienne's core approach to allow the audience to imagine what she was talking about makes the punch line way more effective. Her timing wasn't quite there, but it was more than good enough for this show. Smart, and funny, to be sure to mention in the jidges interview she has a rat named Simon. Set a perfect tone. Pogo is a legendary cartoon character, not a sport. The "Beatles" acrobats did well, but zzzzzzzz. The mock "gymnasts" with the Alien just didn't work for me. Not on a night when several legit gym/acrobat acts were very good. Waldo the magician's set-up was interminable. Sophia absolutely refusing to play along was a very bad look. I hope she got a talking to by production afterward. The trick was aight, but it's not challenging as he could proclaim any number he chose. His props usage was really good, though. I loved that he brought out the jumbo chimes as Sophia was "deciding" her vote. Inventive, and funny. He is still a "No" for me. The sidewalk cafe skit to start the show was bland as can be. There was no way around the imperative to incorporate as many Olympic themes as possible. Shoulda been better. Very weak effort by AGT which typically does a fine job with such. Well, we'll always have Paris the next few weeks. Adieu.

Was there a single instance where a given sport facility was not available to students because they were being used? I know the weight and exercise machines were always free after the one incident in the first scene, or so. How is it that Coach Lani was never seen nor heard? Nobody would have texted her about Miss Thing being meeeeean? Four team mates walk off, and nothing?! Also...would it have killed production to put uniforms on the opposing tennis team? Ezra may be the brightest and most grounded character of the entire series. Love him. Too bad he is the only one to call the others out on their narcissistic and self-absorbed actions. All the fools insist they are acting out a higher good. In the next act, they apologize. Lather, Rinse, Repeat. And no, Nate, that was not a hate crime. It was a vicious bullying crime. Wrong place, wrong time. Now we are on to Coach Marcus deciding to insert himself into a child's life without accounting for the boy's needs. This may be the TV trope I most hate - that it's always right to impose yourself in a youngster's established life. Simone acted similarly when she gave birth, but a baby has zero clue about that dynamic. Speaking of, when is the last time she mentioned or acted as a mom to her baby? If she completely gave up on having a relationship of any kind, I missed that declaration. It's quite an indictment of Amara and the school that they had not seriously considered expanding patrols to protect off-campus students. It's impossible, actually. But, the show needed to have Nate somehow fashion a plausible action plan. Amara's plan was excellent and it made sense, given her new DC connections. Interesting that TPTB would not name the VP. Especially so now that she is the nominee for president. I'd love to know their rationale.

What a wreck. I see Gabby earned her certificate from Simone's "I Am the World, the World Is Me" seminar. Honest to goodness, all the show did was take Simone's words and had Gabby deliver them when she challenged J.R. Pitch perfect - or is it b*tch perfect? This was a peak Simone ep. Goodness, her self-absorption is breathtaking to behold. The only cause worth spending time on is whatever cause she is momentarily working on. Poor Land-ho (KEK name). Creating her own major? Pure Simone. I have to admit, she would make a great talent agent or marketer. She has zero conscience. I think my favorite reaction was when she went all Marie-Antoinette when she discovered that mere serfs were allowed to use varsity facilities. Again, I loved her fantastically pathological lack of self-awareness. I will say I appreciate that we are not getting an idealized presentation of HBCU experiences. College is messy across all humanity.

Well, Daniel, I hope you weren't counting on a gig competing on Dancing With the Stars. That deed had to be worth north of $2 million. Have fun paying the taxes and upkeep. I was really hoping to see Dillon with Layla on the dance floor. Patience came with it when Asher was kidding around! "Don't you have a sick girlfriend or a son to take care of?" OMG. That had to absolutely crack up the entire cast when they first saw it in the script. Spencer really should have asked his agent to find a way to negotiate a late arrival to camp. It's the entire point of having an agent. I loved the flashback scenes. I especially liked the one between Coop and Spencer. It helped enhance their final Crenshaw moment (on the swing), which was super meaningful, and for me, emotional (Daniel also said it was emotional to him in the interview linked below). What a great bookend this was! I could make an argument that their relationship was the best and most significant aspect of the series. I don't think there were any glaring holes in the final status of the main characters. TPTB did a good job with that. We pretty much know where they are headed and despite the fact that most all were in a pretty great place, it all seemed plausible and was in keeping with the characters we came to know. Take a bow, All American. You insisted on being about something and you clung tenaciously to that vision. Kudos, and thank you. https://deadline.com/2024/07/all-american-star-daniel-ezra-exit-season-6-finale-interview-1236010798/

AGT fatigue has officially set in. Nothing really stood out, with the possible exception of the foot lady. The Canadian singer's song and tone totally recalls Peter Noone. But, his voice is reed thin with extremely limited range. Simon the A & R man was also spot on in his take. Will the lad be smart enough to bust out a classic song from that era in his callback? The Kenny G wannabe was excellent in performance. Unfortunately, I absolutely can not stand the sound of a soprano sax. I love a tenor or bass sax, though. Dude totally deserved his callback. It's just not my cup of tea. Terry with the line of the night, if not the entire series, alluding to the acrobat: "He's as high as you can get!" I'm betting the editors had a great laugh over including it. I guffawed.

So much TV trope and silliness. 'Twas ever thus. It seemed to me, as well, that this ep wasn't planned out well. The stories/arcs moved just fine. The various interactions were just bad. What was Spence wearing that Bobcat jacket on his trip home about? It was laughable. It's also laughable that Jordan risked coming back knowing a single concussion could bring severe consequences. Then, he doesn't have one until the title game? So nowwwwwwwww, he really means it. He's done. A Heisman favorite who already made a highly questionable decision before he was established as anything special, achieves unreal success, and shuts it down. Yeah, right. One thing they got really right was the by-play between the moms. The "challenge:" was silly. But, there was not one moment where there was any genuine enmity. They were great friends throughout. Grace's words were well done, but perhaps a little on the selfish side - making it about her a tad too much. But, the sentiment intended was wonderful. I also liked Coop in this ep. That's the person she always was when she was practically Spencer's sister. Their scenes were a great reflection of the deep understanding, and yes, love only they could ever understand. There has been an undeniable chemistry between Bre-Z and Daniel from the jump. So now Layla's is an icon of the community? Whatever happened to Ryan? Did he ever formally separate from that joint? I am not looking forward to Dillon, the modern-day Harry Bailey, making it home just in time despite a bad Eastern storm. Will there be any bells ringing? Will that signal that Billy Baker got a Bobcat Super Bowl ring?

I will say this for our girl, Simone...the lady sure 'nuff be consistent. So, too, the incredibly klunky exposition/explainers from these writers. Damon was free to transfer immediately with the shutdown of his scholarship sport. Then again, the way this worked out ends up being the biggest break he will ever get. And no, I am not referring to the early leap into the pros. One thing I appreciated was that he did not hit a walk-off, title-winning home run. It was a sacrifice fly. Then again, it was an absurdly short one. The Title IX concerns are very real. Given how most of the cast was consumed with finding some leverage, any leverage, this would absolutely have been a major focus. At a minimum, the male Laxers would be gone. The Trustees still treat Amara as a step-child and she continues to just take it. Didn't she vow to never let that happen anymore during the last existential crisis? LOVED to see Thea again. She's my favorite character. I also love Keisha, but I don't see how she will drive the story. The hint of a new love interest smells of Simone, to me. No bueno. A major irony in the plot twists for me is that I would actually support a more serious commitment to academic excellence at the expense of a Div. II, or III (or even lower?) athletics program. A not-so great irony/co-incidence is that Coco got launched from the actual Wimbledon tournament the same day she was announced as the tennis savior of Bringston.

For years, many here have lamented the obsequious force-feeding of the kids' acts. It's a core tenet of AGT's "sentiment over talent" ethos. I had wondered how awful a spin-off (America's Got Kids?) would be. This ep was a perfect preview for just how horrendous such a show would be. Lord, this was brutal. On the other hand, TPTB did us a solid by mashing so many of these acts into this single ep. No need to ruin every show with cute young pretenders. I'm struggling to identify a single act in this ep which I would actually vote to put through. This may be a first, for me. What isn't a first is the incredibly disingenuous editing from multiple sessions. I thought I actually saw/heard a conversation amongst the jidges in which snippets from different times were incorporated as a single, continuous, discussion/back and forth. For me, the highlight was how the jidges acted out their initial disgust with the TT act, all the while refusing to hit the X button. So, they telegraphed that this act would go through. The height of such BS was the moment when all the jidges appeared to reeeeeally hate the act, and Howie was asked to come up to the stage. Mandel did an atrocious bit of feigning confusion as he delayed going up. The man was always gonna do it per the script. And so he did. Finally, how did the sand act not incorporate Metallica's signature classic?

So much to internalize about the Season 4 Finale. Two things I believe I will remember for a long time are 1) Jesus tearing up when he answered to the question of his use of the word, "burial." 2) The knowing and terrible conversation Jesus had with his mother when she brought him his satchel which contained the bridle. I never would have imagined Jesus weeping in front of his followers and a rabbi of the Sanhedrin as he affirmed the horrors to come for the umpteenth time. This was a super intriguing choice by DJ, and likely, Jonathan. The song, "Mary, Did You Know?" was running through my head when the conversation with Mary. Yes. She did know. She also, imo, knew it was important to force a smile of understanding and support. I was a watery mess as I watched it unfold. Overall, I commend TPTB for another excellent season of storytelling.

The most mediocracy of the season on display in this one. The dance troupes were as pedestrian as can be. Aside from the excellent misdirection by the Zach's, everything was slower and more lumbering than the average AGT troupe. Weakest GB evah. The choreo for each of them was disconnected much too much. I loved the Ugandan children, but their dancing is just not good enough. I am a huuuuge Eric Carmen fan (RIP). That was one of the worst vocal arrangements of his work I have ever heard. That is not to say the singers were not talented. They were. Dominos is better as a pizza. Not sure as to the chops of the guitarist. She certainly did well enough to go through. Billiards dude needs to take a cue and find a producer. It was a breath of fresh air to not have any solo singers. More of this, please.

So true about the use of "Super Bowl." The logo on the scoreboard had "Football Championship." The re-imagined L.A. Coliseum was really well done. I was struck at the casual attire all the guys wore at the wedding. Not one tie. At least one attendee didn't have a coat/jacket. The ladies, of course, dressed to the nines. I was mystified about the Draft as the ep unfolded. It would have been unpossible that the agent would not have been constantly updating Spence as to the situation. Yet, the entire first half of the ep never once mentioned that the Draft was continuing on the wedding day. Spencer said it's OK he went "undrafted" and that he just hoped he would get picked up as a free agent. Puhlease. There was no way he was gonna be a UFA (Undrafted Free Agent). There were only like, 200 more picks to be made. Unnecessary misdirection by all concerned. So, Spence is a millionaire and he will now reap many millions more representing major commercial entities. I'm glad. Loved that shewhomustnotbenamed was not prominent in the AAH trailer. So, a 100% bump from a dozen or two sold (if that) meant the book would take off. I wanna live in that universe! Super Olivia continued through what was to be the end. Yay. Now, it's time for her to crash, right (No pun of her father's demise intended)? Somehow, I think the "list" Coop would have been on was not a good one. Now for the biggest WTF?! of the ep. The reception wasn't at Layla's club??????? Ocean, smotion. Speaking of...Greta was drop-dead gorgeous in that simple dress and accessories. Less is almost always more and TV loves to ignore this fact. Has Vegas set the odds on the parlay of Asher and Patience moving to New York as they pursue budding careers? It would be entirely plausible for Coach Montes to find a spot/advocate for Asher as an analyst. Senor James would be all over it.

TPTB made a serious misstep when they showed the gang performing a skit based on Biblical happenings/Hebrew history. Thomas is still seriously grieving Ramah's death, yet they portrayed time after time folks being stabbed. This was staggering and perverted disregard by them all. As awful as that was, Mary washing her son's hair as she did when he was a boy was marvelous. For a brief moment, Jesus was allowed to have innocence predominate his thoughts. Mary had her son back, as well. Fantastic moment, imo. The stoning at the Temple was one of those instances where I believe The Chosen performs a tremendous service. The confrontation happened, but is not described in scripture to have been so brutal. It really worked for me. I've ben bothered by the seeming cluelessness of most every follower as to the horrors of what was imminent. I'm glad TPTB went there. I'm interested to see if DJ has them revert to form, or if this was a seminal moment for the characters.

Funniest line of the series was Spencer explaining he was just really, really happy to be cuddling with Olivia when she asked if he were hiding a Clydesdale. How many takes were needed to complete that scene? The show finally came clean about Spencer banking serious do-re-mi in a NIL deal. If he gets picked in the 2nd round, which he almost certainly would be, he'd get between $6 and $10 million over 4 years and probably a couple million of that immediately in a signing bonus. WR is no worse than the 3rd most coveted position for NFL teams to get right. Game is not over. Jordan's first marriage was absurd. Why should this one not be a train wreck in the making? He was not ready then and he is not ready now. Has Layla sold a single download by any of her artists in the past two months? If I were a St. Louis, San Diego, or Oakland football fan, I'd be unhappy with the reminder, by the naming of those fictitious franchises, that the NFL abandoned me. Coach Edison would not have been such a complete jerk to Asher - especially after his heroics in the title game. It's fine that he does not want him on staff. Classic football decision. My guess is that it was the tool replacement coach who poisoned the well for Spencer. Erik is no villain. He's practically a saint as far as agents go. He may have caught wind of trouble and not shared such, but I don't see how it would have helped him. On top of that, he lost a bigger payday. It was in his interests to have Spence drafted as highly as possible. I, too, would not accept that some team found something in a medical test which would keep him out of the league. Does the show need Daniel that badly to go on? Really?

In the "coming up" montage at the end of the first segment, I saw a bunch of solo singers (I thought) and Gong Show acts. I was not happy. It ended up being a pretty good ep. I love me some traditional masculine Argentinian dance. These guys tonight did not disappoint. Rhythm is an amazing dog. Not sure how the act will avoid being repetitive. Loved the South African trio. The gospel-style singer from San Quentin was terrific. Bike dude did not wow me. There is no way he can up his game significantly. It is what it is. Magician/clothes changer was fantastic. Great concept which lends itself to potential modifications. Perfect act for the LV show. The "Halloween" segments were horrid. Worse yet was the fat dancer. I guess the montage did foreshadow some yuck.

Forsooth! The show doth amuse. Super fun moment when Olivia challenged Spence (Daniel, the Brit) to speak with an English accent. Of course, the character was Italian... My next favorite moment was when Laura was freaking out at the "fitting" about pretty much EVERYthing. She protested that she was a perfectionist and would be turrible on her first date. A bigger truth has never been spoken on this show! And her pals dismissed it out of hand. Which was their job. All hail Amina! The Oracle has spoken. Feelings are all that truly matter. Who knew? The phony boyfriend gambit was a classic Coop move. Again, totally unnecessary as an NDA is not binding in criminal matters. The lawyers would never have allowed the deal to be consummated well after court was adjourned and they would have insisted on vetting the "boyfriend" well before they would participate in a deal. Daddy Asher can go away yesterday. If he stays, beatification is assured. Borrrrrring. This wedding better be played straight up without the customary road blocks. Jordan and Layla have already been made to suffer a ton of this already. No way would they allow misunderstanding to get in the way now. Does Spence know that First Round draft picks are expected to take an arranged charter plane to be at the offices of the team which drafted him the next morning? Overall, decent ep closing the lid on a couple of arcs and making way for new blood.

The concept of the series was superior. Unfortunately, as with most all scripted TV, it devolved into standard entanglements in romantic relationships. The lead, however, was thoroughly entitled and unlikeable. I wonder if more would have watched with a more sympathetic character.

No comic they've ever had on the show could match the level of comedy that played out when Simon gave his second GB to the drones. Is there any chance in this universe that a producer, or any other underling, would dare confront Simon on a technicality, while a huge moment was taking place? Simon had to answer to HIM?! Suuuuure. The other jidges whining like children, "Me, too! Me, too!" was also fun and it was entirely within character. I've never accepted any acts that could not perform completely within the confines of the theater. As awesome as these drone shows are, one should not be part of the competition. The accompanying music choices were cliche and have been overdone to death - and they were glorious! I'll take genuine uplifting occasions any time, anywhere. Country group may have had the most seriously talented musicians in AGT histoire. So tight. The vocals were similarly dead on. So, too, the Japanese dancers. There were a few minor misses here and there, but dang, the difficulty of the choreo was way off the charts and utterly demanding. I am not sure about the Chinese musician who played instruments from different musical ages. The concept is unquestionably brilliant. She has got to advance, but I am not ready to see her in the Finals. The acrobats should have been buzzed after the second failed attempt at the head-on-head stunt. It was too dangerous and they had proven they were not ready for it. The Tina Turner wannabe and band were pretty great, imo. I doubt they will make the Finals, though. Overall, a very solid ep. AGT is 2 for 2 this season. Who knew?

Huge swings of super important moments, to utter silliness. Although it was needed for tension in the arc, I loved the interactions Spence had with coaches and execs in Indy. The assertion that millions and millions are on the line with the choices teams make is absolutely true. Watching Spence forget that was almost farcical. Besides, he wasn't coached specifically on the "quitting" deals by his representation? Unpossible. While I appreciated Spence's rallying the prospects for morality in the League, I have to wonder if the teams would see it as a positive, or a negative. I suspect there would be a fair share of both reactions. Value his leadership, or see him as a troublemaker and/or difficult to control? Olivia's turnaround as an Oracle reached new heights. She flew to Indy. Without benefit of a plane! Transporter? The Jordan we saw at the beginning of the ep "ordering" everyone to come to the brunch and HAVE A GOOD TIME was all kinds of odd. This is especially the case given how the dynamics with Layla had radically changed. I will say that this is the Jordan I would expect as he grows: Smarter than everyone else and knowing what they should do. It's fundamentally who he is, acting out of a deeply-seated, self-belief of inadequacy. Very nice farewell for Coach Montes. It felt off that his wife was so abrupt with AJ, though. I very much appreciate that AJ, of all of them, actually had to go through a crucible having had very limited experience in his chosen pursuit (be a coach). He really did earn it. Montes saw to that. I also love that there was no offer to join him in the new gig. Very true to the profession, imo. If AJ wants to make it his life, he'll need to go through more fire with no guarantees. However, Montes would be backing him all the way, which is no small thing. If I had to bet, I would wager that Wade will be a higher pick than Spencer. A QB with his abilities is the single greatest commodity in the NFL. Spencer would be a first round pick, imo. The team banners at the interviews were fun. Knowing the Patience trial arc is returning to prominence, not so much.

I was so hoping Simon set up a cameo with the Dawg, Randy Jackson, who toured as Journey's bassist. Coulda been an all-time moment. The comedian's presentation was among the best ever on AGT. Give him a hint of humorous remarks and folks will laugh, as happened in this audition. His cultural difference asides were not that great. But he sold them excellently. With apologies to Tweety Bird, "I tawt I taw a poor white!" This was one of the best comic lines evah. An entire show could revolve around it. Seriously. I hope he has more where that came from. I also loved, loved, loved the sequence of the confetti raining down on him while "Ain't No Mountain..." was blaring. The show has so often torn down the human spirit with ultimate denigration and cynicism, but this was ennobling and beautiful. YMMV. I'm wearing...a BUZZER. The human bottle cap (cork?) was certainly difficult. The lady deserves applause. But, what new torture will she bring the next time? The Indian girl presented one of the best juxtapositions evah. Kudos. I don't see where she goes from here, since contortion has been done to death. Howie was right about the country singer. Really good voice. But, no hook and there are contrasting messages within the lyrics. Devon as an AGT finalist simply does not add up. The magician did something so many have done through the years, but did it better than all who came before: Give Simon the finger. Great sleight of hand. Literally. This was one of the better eps in recent years. However, I am not liking the super tight editing and sequencing of the jidges' remarks. The show is at its best when they go free form with genuine expression.

One thing they got very, very right: The Rose Bowl field is immaculate. One thing they got very, very, wrong: An NDA is unenforceable if it involves testifying in a criminal case. Asher would not have been allowed back in the game after the TD. He was knocked out, which triggers a neurologic evaluation. His being motionless signaled a very bad head trauma. Going for the TD at the end wasn't quite as bold as the show made it out to be. In those conditions, a 35+ yd FG is no gimme. Still, it was darn risky. Nice play call. Better play by Spencer. Olivia with not one, but TWO, bigtime calls regarding her dilemmas. She is on a heater! I liked the fake out with the ring box being presented after that little speech by Spence. Clever. Greta was an absolute vision in her mom's wedding dress. Wow. Glad Layla's new, old, manic self is not getting away with staying hidden. I wonder how she who cannot be named took it when her ex-husband won the title and cemented a massive NFL contract. Nice to see Wade have an excellent game, also. He gonna get paid, too. This was a satisfying end to Spencer's series-long quest to break out and be recognized.