On this page
01The take
The First Refinement.
A cleaner, more assured version of the format — without the debut's raw electricity, but with a confidence the first season had to discover in real time.
02The shape of the season
A rhythm worth tracking.
Jerry Springer replaces Regis Philbin as host and brings a comfortable ease with chaotic live television to the stage. Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne, and David Hasselhoff return as a panel that has developed real working chemistry from the first season. The audition pool covers familiar ground with greater confidence, and the production understands the format's rhythm better than it did in 2006. A more controlled run than the debut — more assured, less electric.
03Where it sits in the canon
The #04 slot.
Slot #04 of 5 in the America's Got Talent Editor's Canon. The seasons on either side show what I ranked it against.
No spoilers. Every page is reviewed before it goes live.
06Also appears in