America’s Got Talent Is Adding Another New Golden Buzzer Twist After The Olympics Break, But I Just Wish An Old AGT Classic Would Come Back

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America's Got Talent Is Adding Another New Golden Buzzer Twist After The Olympics Break, But I Just Wish An Old AGT Classic Would Come Back

As a long-standing enthusiast of America’s Got Talent, I can’t help but reminisce about the good old days when the show was at its peak. The thrill of watching the judges’ cuts round, that magical step between auditions and live shows, has always been my favorite part of the season. It added an extra layer of excitement to the competition and gave us a chance to see more performances from our beloved contestants.

Every four years, as expected, America’s Got Talent temporarily halts its run to make way for NBC’s Olympic broadcast. However, Season 19 concluded its auditions phase before taking a break. The show is scheduled to resume in the 2024 TV lineup on August 13 with the premiere of the quarterfinals episode, and it will introduce the second major golden buzzer twist of the season. Despite these exciting updates, there’s one aspect of the program that I deeply miss from its earlier days.

Another New Golden Buzzer Twist

In Season 19’s premiere, an innovative twist was introduced where the golden buzzer could be pressed not just once but twice by each judge and host Terry Crews. This added a total of five extra chances for contestants to skip directly to the next round. This new rule was revealed by Terry Crews in the final moments of the last episode before the Olympic break on AGT.

For the first time ever, during the live shows of America’s Got Talent, each judge will be allowed to press one golden buzzer, instantly propelling their favorite act directly to the finals. Since winners on AGT have typically received a golden buzzer initially, this could be a significant advantage for contestants. While it wasn’t explicitly stated in the closing scene of the episode, it seems likely that Terry Crews will also receive a live show buzzer, joining Simon Cowell, Sofia Vergara, Heidi Klum, and Howie Mandel with the power to press one.

In summary, the golden buzzers bring an extra touch of magic to America’s Got Talent (AGT) episodes, and it seemed like the judges ventured outside their typical realms a bit in Season 19 with the availability of two golden buzzers. I can’t help but wonder if Sofia Vergara would have picked comedy duo Schumacher with just one golden buzzer at her disposal! However, I find myself more underwhelmed than enthusiastic about the addition of five more buzzers in the live quarterfinals. What saddens me is that AGT appears to be omitting a usual stage from its process.

I Miss The Judges’ Cuts

Originally, a separate competition stage followed the season of America’s Got Talent, known as the judge’s cuts. This additional phase allowed viewers to witness more performances from popular contestants. The judge’s cuts also elevated the significance of the golden buzzer, as it enabled the recipient to bypass that round and feel assured of advancing straight to the live shows.

In the first season of America’s Got Talent under COVID-19 production rules, the judges’ cuts were reduced from running for four episodes to only one. Simon Cowell later expressed some regrets about this change in hindsight. This round was my favorite because it added tension and offered additional performances, making the show feel more exciting. Since AGT eliminated it completely, I’ve felt that the show hasn’t been quite the same for me ever since.

I regret to inform you that during Season 19 of AGT, judges cuts won’t be featured, and it remains unclear if this round will reappear in future seasons, regardless of how long the show continues. Despite this, there is still much excitement ahead as the impressive audition acts prepare for their live debuts.

The opening round for the live quarterfinals on America’s Got Talent airs on NBC on Tuesday, August 13 at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. Besides using their extra golden buzzer, viewers will also have the chance to vote and send two acts directly to the semi-finals. If you haven’t caught any of Season 19 yet, you can stream it with a Peacock Premium subscription.

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2024-07-31 13:37