The Netflix reboot of Star Search came to a close on Tuesday night in the finale episode, as magician TJ Salta was named the winner. It was a magical night, as fellow magician Harry Merlin Piper came in second place.
Magician TJ Salta Wins Star Search on Netflix
During Tuesday night’s live Star Search finale on Netflix, magician TJ Salta took home the $500,000 grand prize. TJ made his debut in the very first episode of the season, and he held on to his spot in the competition throughout the ensuing weeks.
For his finale performance, TJ returned to the stage to perform a routine dedicated to his grandfather. He borrowed rings from judges Jelly Roll and Sarah Michelle Gellar, and magically looped them together. TJ also managed to make Gellar’s ring reappear with a flying bird after appearing to swallow it.
In the finale, the winner of Star Search was decided entirely by the fans at home. First, the eight finalists went head-to-head in four matchups, which were scored on a five-star scale by viewers at home. Viewers then chose their favorite act from the four champions. TJ Salta came out on top.
“I was shocked, and I was grateful,” Salta told Tudum about winningthe show. “Just being here from day one and doing five rounds live — without a lot of time in between — it felt like it paid off immediately.”
There were four matchups among the eight finalists during Tuesday night’s finale. Aerial act Duo Vespertilio went up against dance group Movement 55, with Duo Vespertilio coming out on top. Singer Spud Howard also beat girl group H3RIZON in their category.
Young magician Harry Merlin Piper came out on top after going up against singer Madison Lauren, and TJ Salta was the winner of his matchup against comedian Janine Harouni. After the final vote, Duo Vespertilio came in fourth place, with Spud Howard finishing in third.
The runner-up was Harry Merlin Piper. What do you think about the Star Search finale results? Are you glad TJ Salta was named the winner of the Netflix reboot? Did you vote live during the episode? Let us know in the comments below.
Words by:
Jill O'Rourke Jill O’Rourke is a contributor at Talent Recap, writing news stories and recaps for shows like ‘AGT,’ ‘The Voice,’ and ‘American Idol.’ She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and Film Studies, and has been writing about pop culture since 2012, with previous bylines at Crushable and A Plus. Jill spends her free time binge-watching sitcoms and daydreaming about life as a hobbit
