Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-5598112-20180830010529/@comment-25150955-20180905022013

Tonight was honestly such a good episode after the Quarterfinals. Weirdly enough, almost all of the music acts kinda took it down a notch, while the variety stepped it up (except Front Pictures, but we’ll get to them). Here are my thoughts.

*Front Pictures: This is a weird one in my book, because I both loved it and I kind of didn’t. On one hand, the visuals were JAW-DROPPINGLY good, probably some of the best I’ve seen on the show. On the other hand, I get that it was boring, and there wasn’t a whole lot of action. That said, Simon’s buzz was completely unwarranted, and he was totally rambling during his comments. But yeah, disappointing as a whole.
 * Amanda Mena: She’s definitely got a strong voice, but good god what the hell was the song choice? I do not think it was the right pick for her voice by any means. The performance itself wasn’t necessarily bad, just...kinda strange. Didn’t like it.
 * Junior New System: Gotta be honest, these guys surprised me. They just pulled all of the stops tonight. Great, high-energy performance, and the fact that they took Howie’s advice and SLAYED the performance with it is a good omen. I don’t think they’re gonna move on regardless, but at least they’re going out swinging,
 * Us the Duo: I actually thought this was better than last time by a mile, but sheesh, it was boring. This wasn’t really a song that would put them in the Finals, this feels like the same caliber as an audition. I don’t know about their chances, but the judges' criticisms may be their downfall.
 * Voices of Hope Children's Choir: YIKES. That was messy. The soloists were out of time with the choir, the whole presentation just felt stiff...I did like their song choice, but overall that was not a good performance. They’re done for.
 * Shin Lim: HOLY. FUCKING. MOLY. That was SENSATIONAL. Everything about that performance was flawless, from the marker vanishes to the card placements to the smoke. Seriously, I’m so glad he used the smoke so well this time. That was honestly incredible. He HAS to be in the Finals.
 * Makayla Phillips: Oof. Just...oof. That entire performance was one big “oof”. Everything. From the song choice, to her presence, to the setup of the stage that was obviously stolen from Grace VanderWaal. Just...oof. Howie couldn’t have said it better.
 * Duo Transcend: This is the point where the night went from ok to fantastic, because WOW these guys killed it. I’m honestly shocked by how much of a step up this is. Some people may not love the transition between trapeze and roller-blading, but, to be honest, it’s a refreshing addition, and it prevents the act from being stale. The entire time I was just sitting on the edge of my seat, it was that damn good.
 * Samuel J. Comroe: And yet another act who shocked me with the sheer quality, Samuel totally knocked it out of the park tonight. Compared to last time, he was nothing short of brilliant. Everything, from the improv to the jokes about his condition was just so hilariously presented. And bonus points for having the best intro package of the night imo.
 * Michael Ketterer: I’m gonna be real with you guys, my expectations weren’t high going into Michael, but he just pulled out what I think was his best so far. The song just felt so fitting for his voice, and he didn’t feel shaky or weak at any point. It was a very solid performance, and I think he solidified his place in the Finals from here.
 * Zurcaroh: W O W . While I do think I liked last week better than this week, I am not going to lie when I say this was phenomenal. I loved the dancing, loved the acrobatics, loved the flags, loved the everything. I just wish it was a little longer. That’s the ONLY criticism I can muster.

Personal Rankings
 * 1) Shin Lim
 * 2) Zurcaroh
 * 3) Duo Transcend
 * 4) Michael Ketterer
 * 5) Samuel J Comroe
 * 6) Junior New System
 * 7) Us the Duo
 * 8) Front Pictures
 * 9) Amanda Mena
 * 10) Voices of Hope
 * 11) Makayla Philloof

Predictions
 * 1) Zurcaroh
 * 2) Shin Lim
 * 3) Michael Ketterer
 * 4) Amanda Mena (wins DS)
 * 5) Duo Transcend (wins JC)
 * 6) Samuel J Comroe (loses JC)
 * 7) Us the Duo
 * 8) Voices of Hope
 * 9) Junior New System
 * 10) Makayla Phillips
 * 11) Front Pictures