{"id":2275589,"date":"2026-02-10T11:14:27","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T11:14:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2275589"},"modified":"2026-02-10T11:14:27","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T11:14:27","slug":"netflixs-star-search-revival-taps-into-nostalgia-star-judges-talent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/netflixs-star-search-revival-taps-into-nostalgia-star-judges-talent\/","title":{"rendered":"Netflix’s ‘Star Search’ revival taps into nostalgia, star judges, talent"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n

An orange hue illuminated an otherwise dark stage nestled in a CBS lot in Studio City.<\/p>\n

Yair Keydar extended his arms toward the live audience, a smile overtaking his face as the 12-year-old reached the chorus of the \u201cWizard of Oz\u201d<\/u><\/a> classic, \u201cOver the Rainbow.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the second week of Netflix\u2019s \u201cStar Search,\u201d which kicked off Jan. 20. The live variety talent competition show is a reboot of the syndicated series helmed by Ed McMahon that<\/a> premiered<\/u><\/a> in 1983 and became a launching pad for some of the biggest stars of the past few decades, including Britney Spears and Beyonc\u00e9.<\/p>\n

Keydar let the song\u2019s last high note linger in the air, his voice nearly floating as it brought the packed room to a pause. The celebrity judges \u2014 Chrissy Teigen<\/u><\/a>, Jelly Roll<\/u><\/a> and Sarah Michelle Gellar<\/u><\/a> \u2014 rose to their feet, tears dancing in their eyes.<\/p>\n

It was the young singer\u2019s first time performing for a live studio audience and to a global audience on one of the world\u2019s biggest streaming platforms.<\/u><\/a> <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what\u2019s gonna happen with the world, but you\u2019re gonna be a star,\u201d said Grammy-winning<\/u><\/a> singer Jelly Roll, his voice nearly drowned by a chorus of applause from the audience.<\/p>\n

Performances like Keydar\u2019s are what the revival was meant for, the judges said. <\/p>\n

Launching a new show can be challenging, so Netflix leaned into the nostalgia that made the original memorable for earlier generations while also adding modern twists to attract a new audience, said David Friedman, one of the talent competition\u2019s showrunners.<\/p>\n

\u201cSaying that there\u2019s some built-in nostalgia and memories that you can remember with your family \u2026 that\u2019s what made it really exciting,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

\n
<\/picture>\n
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\u201cStar Search\u201d judges Chrissy Teigen, Jelly Roll and Sarah Michelle Gellar.<\/p>\n

(Kit Karzen \/ Netflix)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n

The show, airing live on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for a five-week run that concludes Feb. 17, is a novel undertaking for the streaming giant. It also introduced new technology that allows for live voting straight from the Netflix app. <\/p>\n

Similar competition series, including \u201cAmerica\u2019s Got Talent\u201d and \u201cAmerican Idol,\u201d have utilized audience voting to help decide winners, but the ease of voting is one element the show is banking on to keep viewers hooked. The first three weeks of voting on \u201cStar Search\u201d have gone off without any major technical issues, Friedman said. <\/p>\n

\u201cStar Search\u201d is Netflix\u2019s latest foray into livestreaming events, which have seen their share of hiccups as the streamer works to scale demand. Previous attempts at live broadcasting, like the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight<\/u><\/a> in 2024, resulted in buffering issues. But as the company continues to invest in livestreaming events, the issues have become less pronounced. Netflix recently livestreamed \u201cSkyscraper Live,\u201d in which climber Alex Honnold scaled Taipei 101<\/a>, and has plans to stream BTS\u2019 comeback concert in March.<\/p>\n

The series, which is hosted by Anthony Anderson, debuted at No. 5 on Netflix\u2019s U.S. charts but has dropped off the top 10 since. Nonetheless, Friedman and others on the show remain hopeful the show will find its footing and resonate with viewers with its voting system and unique format.<\/p>\n

Amid a sea of new titles constantly fighting for people\u2019s attention, Friedman said he hopes viewers give the show a chance.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just hope people find it,\u201d he said. \u201cAwareness is the hardest thing in this day and age. There\u2019s just so much content on your phone, on different platforms. I think people, if they find this, I think there\u2019s something special going on here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The show includes eight categories \u2014 junior music is one them. Keydar was up against Eric Adrien Williams, a 10-year-old gospel soul singer who beat a young country singer in Week 1.<\/p>\n

Keydar\u2019s performance was the first to receive a perfect score \u2014 five stars from all three contestants \u2014 higher than Williams. But the scores still awaited results from the show\u2019s fourth judge: the audience.<\/p>\n

Viewers had 60 seconds to cast their votes. A spokesperson for Netflix said viewers from more than 160 countries voted, though they did not share the exact number of votes cast.<\/p>\n

Keydar received a higher average, beating Williams and becoming the new category champion. He later defended his title during the third week. Now, the Florida native will fight for a spot in the finale during Week 4.<\/p>\n

\n
\"A <\/picture>\n
\n

Anthony Anderson, left, with Yair Keydar, who bested Eric Adrien Williams in Week 2.<\/p>\n

(Kit Karzen \/ Netflix)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n

How the categories, judging and voting work<\/b><\/p>\n

As is true in show business, contestants are only as good as their last \u201cStar Search\u201d performance, Friedman said.<\/p>\n

Each week, a champion is crowned in each category. They then go up against a challenger the following week and must fight to keep their title until the finale. The show requires extensive script changes and dress rehearsals ahead of the taping in the evening, and contestants are building out their acts throughout the week.<\/p>\n

In order to vote, viewers have to watch the show live and cast their vote 60 seconds after a performance, giving each act one to five stars. The average score given by the audience, referred to as the fourth judge, is half of the contestant\u2019s overall score.<\/p>\n

Sixteen contestants perform across eight categories within two days of taping each week. Categories include junior music, solo music, musical group, dance, comedy, magic variety, junior variety and a catch-all variety category. Judges don\u2019t see any of the contestants until the live performance.<\/p>\n

However, unlike the original show, which featured a winner in each category, the Netflix reboot will crown one single winner in the finale, which Gellar said has shifted her judging philosophy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do have to think about everything, like, can this person be the sole \u2018Star Search\u2019 winner? So to me, that elevates what kind of star we\u2019re looking for,\u201d Gellar said.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Two <\/picture>\n
\n

The \u201cStar Search\u201d judges are part of the equation of who wins. The audience vote makes up half of each act\u2019s total score.<\/p>\n

(Kit Karzen \/ Netflix)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n

The live vote holds more importance than before in the reboot and is crucial because the audience, both live and at home, \u201care the people that are going to be sitting in the theater seats watching these people,\u201d Anderson said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re going to be the ones sitting in front of the television or in the stadiums, or buying the albums, or watching the concerts,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s great that they have an opportunity to have a say so.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some contestants, like Bear Bailey, a 34-year-old Southern R&B and country singer, were particularly hard to see go, the judges said. Bailey blew the judges away during Week 1 with his soulful rendition of \u201cHard Fought Hallelujah,\u201d bringing Jelly Roll to tears in the show\u2019s first heartfelt moment of the season.<\/p>\n

He returned for Week 2 but was bested by Sophia Saylor, an 18-year-old who gave a raw performance of Billie Eilish\u2019s Grammy-winning song, \u201cWhat Was I Made For.\u201d The young singer from Michigan, who shared her experience living with a visual impairment, \u201cgave her blood\u201d in her performance, Gellar said.<\/p>\n

The show\u2019s format \u201csymbolizes what it\u2019s like to be in the entertainment business as a whole,\u201d Friedman said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re No. 1 on the charts, there\u2019s always someone coming for your spot. If you\u2019ve got the No. 1 box office movie, someone\u2019s coming for you,\u201d he said. \u201cIf you\u2019re any aspect of entertainment, it\u2019s always about keeping your spot at the top.\u201d<\/p>\n

Part of the live show\u2019s success hinges on the ever-evolving setup of the two stages in the lot, which stage crews have to build and dismantle in mere seconds. Netflix also doesn\u2019t hold commercial breaks during the show, which is typically crucial time on broadcast shows to address any issues, Friedman said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019re on Netflix, you\u2019re basically going live without a net,\u201d he said. \u201cYou\u2019re just sprinting right to the final.\u201d<\/p>\n

Why the show was revived<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cStar Search\u201d had been in the works for years since Netflix became the owner of the intellectual property. It took longer for the streaming giant to perfect the live voting technology, Friedman said.<\/p>\n

The original show aired from 1983 to 1995 and platformed artists like a 10-year-old Spears<\/u><\/a> and the Backstreet Boys<\/u><\/a>.<\/u><\/a> (In Week 2, AJ McLean made an appearance on the show.) Comedians Adam Sandler<\/u><\/a> and Jeff Ross also got their start on the show.<\/p>\n

Most of the stars who appeared on the show and later became household names didn\u2019t win the competition, but the platform helped set them up for storied careers by giving them exposure. <\/p>\n

\u201cAll of those people \u2026 didn\u2019t make it to the final round or didn\u2019t win, and we look at the careers that they\u2019ve had since then,\u201d Anderson said. \u201cIt\u2019s pretty amazing what this show has been able to do for talent.\u201d<\/p>\n

And Friedman didn\u2019t want to change the formula too much. The original show \u201cwasn\u2019t broken,\u201d Friedman said. \u201cWe didn\u2019t say we\u2019re gonna do it completely different. I think we really embraced what it was, because people loved watching it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\"A <\/picture>\n
\n

Anthony Anderson, left, with AJ McLean, who appeared in the original \u201cStar Search\u201d as a teenager with the Backstreet Boys. <\/p>\n

(Kit Karzen \/ Netflix)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n

For Anderson, who grew up watching the original series, he didn\u2019t think twice when asked to host the \u201cStar Search\u201d revival, he said.<\/p>\n

The \u201cblack-ish\u201d<\/u><\/a> actor has prior experience hosting game shows like ABC\u2019s \u201cTo Tell the Truth\u201d and Fox\u2019s \u201cWe Are Family.\u201d But it was the love of the original show that drew him to \u201cStar Search.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Compton-raised artist recalls begging his mom \u201cto put some gas in the car and get to Hollywood\u201d so he could audition in the acting category, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately, that never happened for me. But here I am as the host. I get to see it on the other side now,\u201d Anderson said. \u201cI\u2019m standing on stage next to our biggest stars on deck. I\u2019m excited about that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some of the judges had ties to the original show, both Gellar and Teigen\u2019s husband, singer John Legend<\/u><\/a>, had once auditioned for the show and were rejected.<\/p>\n

The judging trio, who hadn\u2019t worked together before the show, have built a chemistry that can\u2019t be fabricated, Tiegen said, and it\u2019s only strengthening as the weeks go on.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re playing off each other so much. Now, there\u2019s moments where Anthony doesn\u2019t even have to kick it to somebody,\u201d Jelly Roll said. \u201cWe\u2019ll start and the other ones just kind of chime in and get it down the line. It\u2019s getting cooler and cooler.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gellar, who became a cult icon as the lead in \u201cBuffy the Vampire Slayer,\u201d<\/u><\/a> was the first to sign onto the project, after deciding late last year that she wanted to venture into unscripted TV. She was drawn to the show\u2019s live voting feature. The actor and self-proclaimed dance mom often gives the harshest critiques and seldom hands out a perfect five-star score.<\/p>\n

Jelly Roll, who was the last to sign onto the project, has delivered some of the show\u2019s most heartfelt moments, and is known to hand out higher scores than his counterparts. Tiegen, a former model turned TV personality, is a balancing act between the two, often giving pointed critiques.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe really have to think about speaking eloquently, being concise, all those things, because we don\u2019t get a second take,\u201d Gellar said. \u201cThere\u2019s no one in our ear giving us jokes. We\u2019re out there, sort of going for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\"A <\/picture>\n
\n

TJ Salta, a Las Vegas-based magician who competed on \u201cStar Search.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Kit Karzen \/ Netflix)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n

The variety category performances are often the hardest to judge because of its diversity, the judges said. The first three weeks saw an 8-year-old aerialist, a 74-year-old comedian, a laser-performing duo from Vietnam and a Las Vegas magician who hung from the ceiling in a straitjacket. <\/p>\n

\u201cOther shows have missed at variety,\u201d Jelly Roll said. \u201cWe\u2019ve watched dudes fight with lasers. We\u2019ve seen an 8-year-old swing from a ceiling. We got a couple right now that almost dies every week. We\u2019ve seen it all.\u201d<\/p>\n

The showrunner and judges hope the show brings much-needed light amid darkness in the country. Some contestants, like Las Vegas-based magician TJ Salta, have used their time on stage to spread messages of unity.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot on the air right now and the news and stuff that is hard. There\u2019s things that don\u2019t make our days that fun,\u201d Friedman said. \u201cIf we can add some fun, I think that is a big thing for us.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.latimes.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An orange hue illuminated an otherwise dark stage nestled in a CBS lot in Studio City. Yair Keydar extended his arms toward the live audience, a smile overtaking his face as the 12-year-old reached the chorus of the \u201cWizard of Oz\u201d classic, \u201cOver the Rainbow.\u201d It\u2019s the second week of Netflix\u2019s \u201cStar Search,\u201d which kicked […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2275590,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25172],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2275589","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Netflixs-Star-Search-revival-taps-into-nostalgia-star-judges-talent.com2Fb82Fc72F90c7338a42469413035f9a9a.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2275589","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2275589"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2275589\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2275591,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2275589\/revisions\/2275591"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2275590"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2275589"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2275589"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2275589"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}