Carly Rae Jepsen

Tuesday night’s wildcard edition of America’s Got Talent was one of the few times this season that the show wasn’t a complete disappointment. The talent wasn’t overwhelming, but at least the night had a more competitive atmosphere. The results were not completely obvious, but there were some clear standouts who seemed destined to take spots. It would have been a perfectly adequate week, if America voted correctly. Instead, Wednesday’s results show was a letdown.

The first result was between Ben Blaque, Sebastian “El Charro De Orro,” and the Bandbaz Brothers.  None of these acts completely deserved to advance, but they all had the same basic skill levels as performers. That being said, it wasn’t surprising that Sebastian made it through to the semifinals. He won’t win the competition, but he is reasonably talented.

After Sebastian advanced, it was time for a performance by the cast of a Broadway musical version of Bring It On. The performance was average. It certainly wasn’t amazing, but it was a good time filler.

The second result was the only one that America unequivocally got right. Opera singer Andrew De Leon doesn’t compare to Horse or Jake Wesley Rogers. Though it would have been nice to see Horse perform again, his act is too much for America. Considering the grouping, it was much more important that De Leon advanced. He’ll have a lot to offer in the semifinals.

The third result seemed like a complete travesty. Between ventriloquist Todd Oliver, balancing act Cristin Sandu, and escape artist Spencer Horsman, Horsman was obviously the most talented. He was the most exciting. He had the most to offer. America didn’t see it that way and voted for Oliver. Oliver never deserved a shot at the wildcard. He certainly doesn’t deserve another performance. It’s a shame Horsman’s time on AGT ended prematurely.

After the third result was a performance of “Good Time” by Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen. Luckily, this was worthy of holding the viewers’ attention. Jepsen and the band had a very good stage presence and polished vocals. It was a good choice to have them perform on Wednesday.

The fourth result also could have been a mistake. None of the remaining three acts were incredibly worthy of another performance, but it seemed appropriate that Jarrett and Raja would advance. When they were sent home, Howard called it a “crime” and said that they were “robbed.” This left the judges choice between ballroom dancer Lindsey Norton and clogging group All That!. Having to choose between the lesser of two evils, Howard selected All That!. When Howie chose Norton, Sharon was left to decide between her picks. She likened it to choosing between her children. Sharon ultimately chose All That! after way too much deliberation.

It seemed like America’s Got Talent was starting to head in a better direction. Now with some deserving acts out of the competition, it’s hard to tell. The semifinals have at least some promising acts performing, so perhaps the competition is starting to get slightly interesting.