America’s Got Talent
Season 17 M-Net (*101) 19:00 Reality
America’s Got Talent (AGT) is the top draw when it comes to reality talent shows – and not even the global COVID-19 pandemic could slow it down. The brand-new season, which airs Fridays and Saturdays, is bringing all-new acts, which head judge and show creator Simon Cowell explains “is a sign of the times. We’ve had a tough time in the past two years, and to see how people have upped their game and found new creative outlets is heart-warming.”
“On this show, two minutes can literary change your life,” says the head judge, and that was Simon’s original idea for the show, giving people a shot at fame and fortune with just a glimpse of their talent. But it’s not always that simple, because some acts don’t evolve between performances. “A magician has a repertoire of tricks. If they do every trick they know, they can’t just conjure up a new trick on the spot. With a singer, for example, they can sing any song and add their own spin with their arrangement, their vocals, how they style the lyrics.”
Simon has also made sure that his colleagues have remained the same to ensure continuity and that feelgood judging factor. Sofia Vergara (Gloria in comedy series Modern Family), former model Heidi Klum and entertainer Howie Mandel are alongside Simon on the judging table, while Terry Crews (Terry Jeffords in comedy series Brooklyn Nine-Nine) returns as show host. “Terry’s contract ran out in season 16 and I told the network (NBC) that he comes back or none of us will be returning,” says Simon.