John-John recaps this week's America's Next Top Model:
Alexandra predicted that the competition was going to get nasty. And while none of the contestants yanked at each other's hair extensions this episode, you could sense that the show's producers were trying to set up some type of explosive finale.
While I'm hoping against hope that there will be fireworks in the finale next week, I'm already predicting that it will be pretty uneventful.
Anywho, the episode started with Jessica was saying that she needed to be “more fierce” after being in the bottom two the previous week. (Either she was going to really have a great week or she was going to crash and burn.)
Here comes the drama part. Krista said she was on a high after having the top photo two weeks in a row. Angelea—her so-called best friend—was completely eating sour grapes. She was totally hating on Krista making under the breath comments, and giving her dirty looks. Both girls appeared to be near the brink of an altercation. At some point in the episode each woman said that they were not as close as they once were. (I was sensing some foreshadowing. Maybe it will be next week. Oops! I guess you know that the two of them are safe.)
While Krista and Angelea were involved in their rivalry, Jessica was lamenting how much she missed her family. Maybe it was her thought of home that caused her to cook tacos for dinner. One problem. She clearly doesn't cook. She almost set the kitchen on fire when she tried to heat a taco shell on top of a toaster. (Seriously?) She then tried to put out the mini fire using a wet rag. (Nothing's better for putting out an electrical fire with water! Note: That was sarcasm.) No one was hurt. But a couple of the contestants got in a few digs on Jessica, who claims to be a stay-at-home mother. (She must have missed the whole fire safety, and cooking portion of parenting class.)
The next day the girls went to the countryside where they met Mr. Jay Manuel at the set of "The Lord of The Rings" movies. He was accompanied by Sarah Mcleod, an actress who portrayed a hobbit in the movie. Most of the girls were very excited about being at the one-time set of the movie. Angelea admitted to never having seen the movie. She had a kind of blah attitude towards everything around her. Thank goodness she didn't take that attitude into the photo shoot, which required the girls to pose in the doorway of a hobbit cottage.
Jessica looked very commercial, according to Mr. Jay. (Not good. And it would soon be a recurring description of Jessica the rest of the episode.) Alexandra said that Jessica looked like she was posing for a Dillard’s department store advertisement. (Major insult.) Jay said that Alexandra looked like a pinup. (That's not exactly much better than being called commercial.) Sarah Mcleod said Raina did not look comfortable. Jessica produced standard poses. Angelea was “nice and simple,” according to Sarah Mcleod. Krista used the space in a smart way.
The winner, Krista, received $3,000 worth of merchandise from World, a fashion line in New Zealand. Because she had the best photo of the week the episode before, she was awarded an additional $1500 worth of clothes. Angelea looked like she was going to be sick as Krista shrieked with joy.
Back at the apartment, Krista and Alexandra were making fun of Angelea’s ridiculous “club walk” from the last judging panel. Angelea said that her upbringing in the rough section of Buffalo allowed her to rise above the teasing. (Sounded like she couldn't take all the teasing she had been dishing out to competitors week after week.)
The next day the girls met Mr. Jay at a vineyard. They soon discovered that Tyra Banks would be their photographer. They learned that the day’s photo shoot would incorporate shadows. The models also had their hair caked with wet clay. They looked like a Greek statue.
Tyra said she liked working with Alexandra. “She pushed through,” Mr. Jay said.
Jessica, who entered the shoot with a lot of self-doubt, was so-so. Tyra had to do too much coaching during the shoot. She improved towards the end. But would it be enough? Tyra said she was excited to shoot Raina. Tyra was soon disappointed. Raina was weak, according to Mr. Jay. Angelea said she was focused and determined to excel. Trya said that she was “blah.” After a little coaching she improved. Krista didn’t have a lot of light to work with, but she excelled. “She gets it,” Tyra said.
At the judging, Sarah Mcleod was introduced as the guest judge.
The judges gushed over Alexandra. They said that Raina did not appear to be enthusiastic about the shoot. Angelea did a good job. Nigel told her to work on her eyes during her posing. But overall it worked. Judge Andre Leon Talley did not like Jessica’s photo at all. He was speechless at first. “The drama is missing,” he said. Krista received great feedback. “You gave me variety, variety, variety,” Tyra said. “You are ahead of the pack.”
Krista was judged best photo of the week. She was followed by Alexandra, and Angelea. Raina and Jessica were in the bottom two.
Jessica looked too commercial, according to Tyra. (There's that word again!) “When you concentrate you can look edgy,” Tyra added. Raina fell flat when trying to look edgy, according to Tyra.
Commercial Jessica was eliminated. Tyra told her to prove the judges wrong. Jessica said that she was going to miss the competition, but was excited to see her son and husband. (Sounds like the judges made the right decision.)