Cycle 2, Episode 1: "The Girl Who Overslept"
We’re back for cycle 2!!
(I don’t know why some of my posts are being published as comments. Sorry if that’s interrupting your reading experience.)
Top Model has worked out some of its kinks from the first season and is picking up steam. It’s got the same iconic theme song. But we start with the 12 finalists from the beginning, no going through the selection process and the producers being awkwardly on camera.
We open on three of the contestants introducing themselves to each other on a street corner: Anna, Xiomara and Catie.
Anna hoofs it over to the other girls. She does not seem ready for a modeling competition with her baggy jeans and flip flops. She’s married and has a 2-year-old.
Catie graduated high school early to move to LA and pursue modeling. I can’t imagine taking such a bold step at that age, so props to her.
Xiomara appears to be wearing the same scarf as a booby cover during her casting flashback and as an actual scarf during her confessional.
The contestants continue to meet up in small groups before boarding a bus where everyone sees each other for the first time.
We learn:
April is kind of the new Elyse. She’s worked for a Fortune 500 company “managing corporate accounts”. I don’t know what that means, but I think it’s something that sounds more important on a resume than it actually is.
Yoanna lost 50 pounds to pursue modeling.
Bethany wants to be more than just a blonde with big boobs.
Shandi works at a Walgreens. She was a life-changing Top Model contestant for me because she appeared as the shy wallflower who became a favorite of the season. I wanted that to be my story line so bad!
Sara is half Persian and her dad thinks modeling is prostitution. It says she’s from Seattle, but her accent sounds like the thickest Boston/New York accent ever.
Camille talks a big game. She won Miss Jamaica U.S. and claims to have a lot of print and runway experience already. We shall see.
We learn nothing special about Heather.
Jenascia is the shortest. She’s also the most concerned about when they get food, so I’m a fan.
Mercedes used to be a mean girl.
Tyra and Miss J meet the contestants on an aircraft carrier where they have to walk in a runway show after doing their own makeup and dressing themselves. Their audience is a group of military men and first responders. I always think it’s weird when they do staged runways in front of people who could give a shit about the clothes the models are trying to sell. Sergeant Jefferson is not interested in a women’s velour tracksuit.
The models then get the key to their new apartment. It’s massive and stresses me out as a 32-year-old. I cannot imagine having to sleep on a bunk bed long term.
Tyra sits everyone down and says she handpicked all of them for their unique looks and personalities. Ironically, the camera then pans over to Heather and Bethany who look exactly the same.
The Tyra Empire continues to expand. She’s designed a necklace for each of the models.
Jenascia oversleeps and misses the call time for the next day’s photo shoot. When she shows up, she CAN’T stop crying.
We meet Mr. Nigel Barker — fashion photographer, judge and attractive man — for the first time.
The theme for the shoot is the Garden of Eden and they’re modeling … contact lenses?? The contestants are covered in body paint and nothing else. They also have male models who get completely naked. The moment the men slid off their undies was a major sexual awakening for me.
The outfits are a little problematic for me in 2021. The contestants didn’t choose what they wore, so some of them seem a little stereotypical. But, I could just be overly sensitive.
Camille is covered in feathers.
And April has a dragon painted on her with a kind of stereotypical East Asian headpiece.
Nigel really likes April’s look. Let’s look at Nigel’s wife:
She looks just like April. Nigel obviously has a type.
Anna decides not to do the photo shoot because of the illusion of nudity. I guess she didn’t see the previous season where (surprise), there was a nude photo shoot and one of the models who didn’t do it went home that week.
Judging this season is leaps and bounds ahead of the last. All of the contestants can comfortably stand inside the room and the judges aren’t bunched together.
The judging desk is very ugly though.
Judges this cycle include Janice Dickinson, some gay who works in fashion named Eric Nicholson and Nigel Barker.
The prizes include a contract with IMG models, a featured photoshoot with Jane Magazine (which no longer exists) and a campaign with Sephora.
At judging, it comes out that Anna is plus-sized, although as a viewer, I think she just wears ill-fitting clothing. She decided not to do the photo shoot and explains why. Janice says it must be based on religion.
My faves were Camille and April (despite their semi-problematic outfits), Mercedes and Heather.
During the judges’ deliberation, it comes out that Eric did not like Bethany’s large breasts.
The final two comes down to Jenascia (who was late) and Anna (because she didn’t do the photo shoot).
Jenascia gets to stay. I don’t know if that’s fair because they say Anna was just looking out for her husband and kid.
Anna had the last laugh though. She took some seriously beautiful photos after the show, although it’s unclear if she went on to get a modeling contract or anything serious.
Her Instagram says she’s a dental hygienist and apparently more comfortable modeling with less clothing now.
You go, Anna! You just needed to a chance to get to the makeover episode.
ANTM stampede??
Did you know six people were injured in a stampede at an ANTM audition in 2009?? I heard about it a few weeks ago. Apparently, a car had smoke coming out of it and someone yelled “fire” causing the whole crowd of wannabe models to run. Three people were arrested.
Tyra and the show’s executive producer released a statement afterwards, saying:
“We are concerned by the events that occurred Saturday afternoon in the vicinity of the New York City casting call for the next cycle of 'America's Next Top Model.”
That’s as hollow a statement as they come.
Thanks for reading and I hope to see you back here for Cycle 2, Episode 2. Follow along by watching the episodes on Amazon Prime. If you’re not already, be sure to subscribe to get added to my newsletter.
Fierce and love,
P