Yeehaw! It was a boot-stomping, cowboy hat-tipping kind of night on The Masked Singer, as the show went full country for Grand Ole Opry Night. But while the excitement was high, the competition was tough, and unfortunately, two contestants from Group B had to hang up their masks for good.
The episode kicked off in style, with host Nick Cannon striding onto the stage to introduce Boogie Woogie, Griffin, and Pearl. The trio got the crowd revved up with a lively performance of Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy) by Big & Rich, setting the stage for an evening of solo country hits. The usual panel—Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, and Ken Jeong—were ready to give their best guesses, but there was a shake-up in the lineup. Filling in for Rita Ora as a guest panelist was Happy Endings star and Saturday Night Live alum Casey Wilson. And let’s just say, she didn’t miss a beat!
Pearl’s Show-Stopping Performance
First up on the solo performances was Pearl, who took on the classic Here You Come Again by the one and only Dolly Parton. The dazzling singer dropped a major clue, teasing that she had shared the stage with Dolly herself at some point in her career. That revelation had the panel scrambling for guesses, though Jeong’s wild prediction that Pearl was Madonna got a few laughs. This time around, their choices were a bit more reasonable, with Jeong going for Sheryl Crow, Wilson suspecting Carrie Underwood, and McCarthy-Wahlberg torn between Trisha Yearwood and Kellie Pickler.
Griffin’s Emotional Tribute
Griffin took the stage next, offering a heartfelt rendition of Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver. Before he sang, he opened up about a challenging year, revealing that he had received life-changing news but had faced it with the support of his family in their new country home. His performance struck an emotional chord with the audience and panel alike. When it came time for guesses, Thicke threw out Kyle Chandler’s name, Jeong went with Josh Hartnett, and Wilson picked James Van Der Beek.
Boogie Woogie’s Sentimental Dedication
Bringing even more heart to the evening, Boogie Woogie performed Something in the Water by Carrie Underwood, dedicating it to his late mother. His smooth vocals and emotional delivery had the audience captivated. A final clue mentioned that he had “hit a home run” at the World Series, sending the panel into a guessing frenzy. McCarthy-Wahlberg joked, "If this is an athlete, I'm gonna pull my wig off!" But while she was skeptical, the others were convinced he was a musician. Thicke guessed Ryan Tedder from OneRepublic, Wilson picked Josh Groban, and Jeong—ever confident—was certain it was his friend Gavin DeGraw. And as The Masked Singer fans know, when Jeong thinks it’s one of his buddies, it usually isn’t!
The Battle Royale Showdown
After the solo performances, it was decision time. Pearl won the night, securing her spot in the coveted Lucky Six round. That left Boogie Woogie and Griffin to battle it out in a tense face-off to I Had Some Help by Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen. Boogie Woogie put his all into the performance—even doing push-ups beforehand to get pumped up. It paid off, as he won the round and moved on in the competition, joining Pearl, Group A’s Coral and Paparazzo, and two upcoming Group C contestants in the finals.
Lucky Duck’s Return and a Mystery Clue
Before Griffin’s big reveal, the audience got a surprise visit from Lucky Duck, the season 13 detective. As usual, he took a moment to roast the panel for their off-the-wall guesses before dropping a major clue: All three Group B finalists had a connection to season 6’s Banana Split, which was revealed to be Katherine McPhee. Before waddling off, Lucky Duck also teased his own identity, saying, "Casey, good to see you again. Here's a clue about my famous identity: We were in a historic TV series together." This had the panel speculating about SNL and Drunk History, both of which Wilson had appeared on.
Griffin’s Big Reveal
Then came the moment of truth. Before unmasking, Griffin received one final clue—a football, which he called "a big part of my career." That solidified the panel’s guesses. Thicke stuck with Friday Night Lights star Kyle Chandler, Wilson held onto her pick of Varsity Blues star James Van Der Beek, Jeong doubled down on former high school football player Josh Hartnett, and McCarthy-Wahlberg suggested Chad Michael Murray, known for playing a football star in A Cinderella Story.
And the winner was… Wilson! She nailed it on her very first Masked Singer guess—Griffin was none other than Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der Beek! This reveal came with a fun connection to last season when Dawson’s Creek theme song singer Paula Cole was unmasked as Ship. A small world indeed!
What’s Next?
With Griffin out, the competition is heating up, and the stakes are higher than ever. Next week marks the Group C premiere, featuring an all-new lineup of masked celebrities: Cherry Blossom, Mad Scientist Monster, Nessy, Stud Muffin, and Yorkie. If Grand Ole Opry Night was anything to go by, we’re in for a wild ride!
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