Making Menudo | Looks vs. Talent | Episode Summary

It's a beautiful day in Miami, so the Making Menudo boys are on the beach trying to impress the ladies. With J.C. at the helm, they approach several groups of girls but can't seem to score. After a few failed attempts they retreat back to the penthouse, where the guys ask J.C. who he thinks is going to make the cut. He tells them he's placing his money on Carlos, Monti, Jose and Jorge, adding that he would trade his good looks for Jorge's stellar vocal abilities. As the rest of the group chimes in with their opinions, their manager, Johnny Wright, strolls in. It's time for him to choose three performers that will make up this week's group. He picks J.C., Dennis and Jorge.

It's clear that this group is comprised of kids that went to the school of hard knocks. Seventeen-year-old J.C. hopes to become the next member of Menudo so that he can help out his family, including a brother with a devastating muscle disease. Dennis, who's 19, grew up in a poor New York City neighborhood and has used singing as an escape. Just 15, Jorge was raised by a single mother, who was recently diagnosed with cancer.

Jorge is hoping his mother's illness won't distract him from making Menudo, but he is visibly upset when his mother tells him she won't be able to make his performance because she has to go to the hospital. Parts of her body are numb, which could be a very bad sign that her cancer has returned. Jorge decides it's more important than ever for him to prove he's got what it takes to make the group.

With just 72 hours until their performance, J.C., Dennis and Jorge meet with their vocal coach, David Coury, to learn their song, 5ive's "When the Lights Go Out." When the trio doesn't seem to be blending right, David urges them to not hold back. But J.C. just can't seem to hit the right notes. He may be attractive, but J.C.'s going to need a lot more than good looks to land a spot in Menudo.

The three Menudo hopefuls then meet with choreographer Anibal, and J.C. realizes that he may not have what it takes when it comes to talent. Hopefully, by performance time, J.C. will be able to step up his abilities and match the level of his looks.

After hearing about Jorge's mother, Johnny wants to make sure Jorge is mentally ready to step onstage, so Johnny pulls him aside for a heart-to-heart talk. Johnny reveals that his mom had cancer, too, so he knows what Jorge is going through. Johnny says he hopes Jorge can turn a negative into a positive and give a great performance.

It's showtime! J.C., Dennis and Jorge take the stage as the crowd cheers, but their performance is somewhat jarring. Their vocals are not always in sync and J.C., still having trouble with the choreography, fumbles onstage while trying to catch up with the others. When they finish, the crowd erupts with applause. But what will Johnny and the rest of the judges think?

Behind closed doors, Johnny, David and Anibal discuss who should stay and who should go. They think Jorge has raw talent but was focused too much on the "me" and not enough on the "we." They all agree that J.C. stepped up his game, despite missing a few steps, but he wasn't able to connect with the audience. And Dennis ? well, no one seems to remember what Dennis did onstage, which probably isn't a good sign. So who will be the next member of Menudo?

With only four spots left, Johnny gathers all the Making Menudo hopefuls to give it to them straight about the fates of J.C., Dennis and Jorge. Johnny admits that J.C. is definitely the heartthrob that will make girls scream. But on this particular night, he just didn't work that persona. Johnny still thinks he could have what it takes to be a star, so he throws J.C. back into the mix, giving him a second shot at fame. Next, Johnny tells Dennis that he didn't give a memorable performance, so, unfortunately, his road to Menudo has ended. Finally, Jorge is told that he needs to realize he is not a solo performer, he is part of a group. Johnny invites him to be the second member of Menudo, saying he has to keep giving it his all or he could lose his spot to someone else. Adding to Jorge's excitement is the fact that he learns that his mother is fine.