Netflix’s rebooted Star Search just dropped its second live episode, and the $500K race already feels like a heavyweight fight: a 15-year-old Spanish magician crushed an eight-piece dance crew, a dog-training TikToker got out-tricked by airborne acrobats, and Bear Bailey’s roof-raising gospel cover turned the judges’ panel into a pulpit—sending four acts home and setting up a Jan. 27 clash of champions.
The double-elimination format claimed Issy Saadeh (Brooklyn pop vocalist), Macy & Tempo (Olympia dog-training duo), veteran comic Susan Rice and Livermore dance troupe The Force. Each lost razor-thin decision that combined judges’ marks (weighted 50%) with real-time viewer votes cast inside the Netflix app.
Scoreboard Snapshots
- Variety (Juniors): Harry Merlin Piper 4.3 vs The Force 4.0
- Comedy: JR De Guzman 3.4 vs Susan Rice 3.3
- Variety: Duo Vespertilio 4.0 vs Macy & Tempo 3.3
- Music (Solo): Bear Bailey 4.6 vs Issy Saadeh 3.6
Round 1: Teen Wizard vs Dance Army
Spanish prodigy Harry Merlin Piper turned close-up card work into arena spectacle, earning perfect 5s from Chrissy Teigen and Jelly Roll. The Force’s turbo-charged hip-hop earned respect—Sarah Michelle Gellar called them “made for this”—but couldn’t match the illusionist’s 4.6 weighted average.
Round 2: Guitar Comic Edges Out Dark-Humor Grandma
JR De Guzman’s musical punchlines overcame pre-show skepticism from Jelly Roll, while 74-year-old Susan Rice’s sandwich-generation jokes earned Teigen’s praise for fresh perspective. Viewer ballots nudged De Guzman ahead by one-tenth of a point.
Round 3: Aerialists Send Paws Packing
Denver duo Duo Vespertilio stunned with skin-twisting silk drops; Jelly Roll—who recently dropped 300 lbs—confessed he can “barely hang 30 seconds” and hailed their “peak athleticism.” Macy’s border collie Tempo hit every mark, but the act lacked the wow-factor to crack 4.0.
Round 4: Bear’s Gospel Mic-Drop
Louisiana singer Bear Bailey pivoted from TikTok covers to a arena-sized “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” prompting Jelly Roll to preach: “You took our song and gave it to God.” The performance scored the night’s only perfect viewer share (4.5) and unanimous 5s from the music experts.
What Tonight Means for the $500K War
Advancing acts now face Tuesday’s Episode 1 winners—Eric Ardrien Williams (Juniors), Movement 55 (Dance), TJ Salta (Variety-Magic) and H3rizon (Music-Group)—in a bracket that shrinks again next week. With live voting driving half the score, fan armies could upend front-runners overnight.
How to Keep Your Favorite Alive
Voting opens the moment each episode starts and locks five minutes after the last act. Only Netflix subscribers inside the U.S. can cast ballots; international viewers watch delayed. Parade confirms each account gets one vote per category, per night—no refreshes, no bots.
Star Search streams live Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT exclusively on Netflix. For instant breakdowns of every shock, score and scandal, keep your next click on onlytrustedinfo.com—the fastest authority in entertainment.
