‘America’s Got Talent’ review: The American Hitmen, David Fenley, a ‘Rain Dance’ song

Just in case you were in the mood for something ridiculous tonight, “America’s Got Talent” came out with a bold promise to give you all of the silly shenanigans than you could possibly hope for over the course of two hours. This episode really did have everything in a very demented way, almost in the way that Stefon promises in his “Saturday Night Live” sketches: Dancing dogs, tiny Native Americans, a man with a giant pooping cat.

Check out some of the highlights below, and by “highlights,” we are simply referring to the acts that actually ended up moving on to the next phase of the competition.

Kelsey & Bailey – It’s a dancing dog act! Seriously, this is no Olate Dogs from last year. That’s the problem with going right after someone that changed the game: It’s hard to really compete when you are this old-school.

Dave Ferman – How can you not love somebody who nearly kills everyone? It was a nice change to what we’re accustomed to on such shows: Seeing someone risk only their lives, but not really including the judges in on the fun. A great act without a doubt, and someone with enough range as a juggler to do something different next.

Chicago Boyz – This is the age-old story of guys who are extremely talented, finding something to do in a place where there is a crime everywhere. We sympathize with the story, but isn’t it time for a new narrative? In focusing on the talent here, there is no doubting that these guys are truly fantastic.

2Unique – Okay, these kids were really not that good, outside of being cute kids with some rapping talent. We dig the guy’s crazy pants, but they really should have practiced for another few years so that they could blow us away, rather than just saying that they are pretty good for their age.

Sully Dunn – This dude is crazy, but we completely loved him anyway. He’s almost like a young Billie Joe Armstrong. Not everyone will like him, but Howie Mandel was willing to put money on him becoming a star.

Branden James – This story has also been used in the past, even if it is a reality in America: A man struggling with his sexuality thanks to a disapproving family, but someone with a sensational talent. We are, though, starting to wonder whether or not NBC is only willing to clear three or four opera songs for people to sing.

David Fenley – A great singer with a raspy voice, and an interest in finally advancing his career beyond just a typical singer / songwriter trying to make it on the road. He may need to ditch either the hat or the beard, though, and it’s a little hard to actually see all of his face with both of them there.

Dylan Wilson – Sometimes, we wonder why these guys aren’t on “So You Think You Can Dance,” who can teach you so much more about your craft. See, Dylan’s a good animator, but Nigel Lythgoe currently has two people on his show even better than this guy.

Lil Mike and Funny Bone – Just in case you wanted to watch two very short Native American guys do an impression of Lil Jon, this was your act. They were actually moderately good, at least as cheese. They are never gonna win this show, but there is worse fodder that has made it through.

American Hitmen – The final act of the night … a rock band? That’s unusual for this show, given that bands typically are laughed off the stage. But they were very good! It was a bit of an late 90’s vibe, almost like 3 Doors Down meets Pearl Jam and SoundGarden. Not bad for 90 seconds! Of course, they did have an inspirational story to boot as former members of the Marines.

What is your favorite performance this week, and what would you prefer to see in the next round: Mediocre acts, or pretty-bad acts that at least double as entertainment? We also have some of the recent highlights from the show here, just in case you want to check those out.

Photo: NBC