For British Viewers, The Following May Contain Spoilers
Last week, Smoothini made it through automatically. This was soon followed by the news that Howie had picked Mike Super as his wildcard. As a result, all four magic acts in the Live Shows have made the Semi Finals for the second time in AGT history. (the first time was in 2010). Mike Super and David & Leeman will compete in the First Semi Final, and Smoothini and Mat Franco will compete on the Second Semi Final next week.
Semi Final 1
What Does Mike Super Need To Do?
With the exception of his convoluted "magic square" trick in Judgement Week, Mike Super has delivered some great magic tricks. His audition and Quarterfinal tricks were simple, shocking and effective. However, there is one thing that is letting him down, and that is his main gimmick; his "Spirit energy" and invisible assistant, Desmond.
Personally, I like the idea of having imaginary friends carry out the magic for you. All magicians need to create interesting personas and selling points, and having a "Spirit Energy" certainly to help him allows Mike Super to stand out. The problem is that Desmond is overused. His presence can work for one or two tricks, but having him do every trick becomes boring pretty quickly. Mike Super should drop Desmond, but I would personally like to see him introduce a new "Spirit Energy" with a distinct identity different from Desmond's (Desmond could be given an aggressive personality and be used for tricks based on shock value such as the Pitcher-shattering illusion Mike did in the Audition). It is probably the best way to keep Mike's creative approach whilst allowing the act to expand.
What Do David & Leeman Need To Do?
David & Leeman have made it this far due to the quality of their audition. Their "Pressure Phrenology" trick was clever and original, and they deserved to make it through to the Live Shows automatically.
On the other hand, David & Leeman's Quarterfinal performance was a letdown. The trick was similar to those done by Collins Key in the Live Shows last year. The reveal was strong, but it took too long, there was too much focus on the judges' annoying banter, and they made a number of crucial mistakes.
This shows that David & Leeman need to return to what made their audition so great. They need to do something that is simple, different and hard to figure out. If they manage this, then they could look like potential stars again. If they don't, then they will lose even their most devoted supporters.
Who Are the Other Acts?
Apart from each other, Mike Super and David & Leeman will also be facing:
Ariel Animation
Andrey Moraru
Bad Boys of Ballet (Mel B's Wildcard)
Dan Naturman
Emily West
Flight Crew Jump Rope (Heidi's Wildcard)
Mara Justine
Miguel Dakota
Paul Ieti
Sons of Serendip
Semi Final 2
What Does Mat Franco Need To Do?
At the moment, Mat Franco is probably the magic act to beat. His Quarterfinal performance provided the creativity and spectacle that the judges were looking for. However, that performance had one major problem, and that is the fact that it was less sophisticated then his earlier performances. It was a lot easier to figure out how Mat did his trick than it was in previous rounds, and this ensured that, in a way, it was less impressive than the close-up tricks he performed in the Audition and Judgement Week rounds.
Therefore, Mat has to combine the technical finesse of those tricks with the increased scale of his previous routine. If he can do that, and provide something amazing in every possible way, then he could easily meet the judges' expectation that he will make the Grand Final.
What Does Smoothini Need To Do?
If Mike Super is an example of a magician whose great tricks are overshadowed by a limited presentation, Smoothini is the opposite. He has the energy and flair needed for a great magician, but his tricks are far too small and simple for such a big stage. Whilst Close-Up magic worked in the auditions because Smoothini was performing it at the Judges' table, it wasn't as impressive in the Quarterfinal when performed on one of America's biggest and most iconic stages.
This means that Smoothini needs to provide something big for his Semi Final performance. He doesn't have to spend thousands of dollars on a grand illusion, but he should do something that is just as impressive if you are watching it from the back row as it is if you are on stage with him.
Who Are the Other Acts?
Apart from each other, Mat Franco and Smoothini will also be facing:
AcroArmy
Baila Conmigo
Blue Journey
Christian Stoinev
Emil & Dariel
Jaycob Curlee
Jonah Smith
Kelly Glover
Quintavious Johnson
Wendy Liebman (Howard's Wildcard)
If you want to see how AGT's four magic acts fare in the Semifinals, then stay tuned!
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