America’s Next Top Model: Let’s Go See the City

We’re down to the final five and it’s Go-Sees time! What does it say when the designers are more interesting than any of the models? Sigh.

Everyone’s confessionalizing this week, as all of the girls worry about the risk of elimination. Well, except Teyona, because that girl knows what the hell she’s doing. The good news for us is that no one receives special focus, so for once, it’s a complete mystery who will be up for elimination. Except for Teyona, because that girl ain’t going nowhere.

We kick things off when the girls meet Paulo Borges, the director of Brazilian Fashion Week. He sends the girls on their go-sees – and we all know the drill: the girls have appointments/auditions with five designers, but must return to the designated address on time or risk disqualification. They can visit as many or as few of the designers as they like. Taxis will be provided for the awful Brazilian traffic.

Off they go! Allison makes it to four go-sees, receiving the general criticism that she would be booked instantly for a print campaign, but she’s no runway model. No surprise to Allison. Celia’s old (at 25), but has a graceful walk and wears the clothes well. Teyona’s personality wins over her three designers, and Aminat’s walk guarantees her work. Fo’s height works against her at each of her five go-sees.

Teyona opts to play it safe and head back early; Aminat races back with ten minutes to spare, and Allison barely arrives on time.  Fo shows up at least fifteen minutes past the deadline. Celia arrives only one minute late, but she’s convinced that she’s fine because she walked through the building entrance on time. But no! She and Fo are disqualified and are refused entrance on a helicopter ride over the city. The helicopter drops Teyona, Allison and Aminat off at their meeting with Paulo, where he provides the designers’ reviews. Finally, he announces that Teyona has won. As her prize, she will receive one outfit from each designer.

Back at the house, Teyona freaks out like a four-year old, and honestly, it’s a little too over the top. Not exactly a humble winner. Fo’s jealously causes her to cry in the confessional about how badly she wants this, and … I’m not sure anyone at home cares. She cries a lot, though.

Off to the photo shoot! This week, it’s a swimsuit shoot along the beach with photographer and judge Nigel Barker! My first happy sigh of the season, I think. Allison worries about her nerves, her body and her confidence, since she doesn’t feel she has a body that can compete with the other girls in the swimsuit competition. In hair and make-up, we learn that these are the skimpiest bathing suits ever – parts of people’s bodies have to be blurred out, that’s all I’m saying.

The set is a small area of beach with locals acting as extras. One particularly hairy, overweight man looks like he’ll be trouble, but he turns out to be harmless. Although, I wouldn’t dare get as close to him as some of the girls do. I’m watching from my couch and he weirds me out a little. The girls are encouraged to engage with the extras in an effort to stand out in the photo.

Aminat’s up first, and Nigel finds himself frustrated with her lack of variety. Jay tells her to be herself, and Nigel thinks there’s too much of a disconnect. Fo gives awkward angles – from where I’m sitting like she’s trying way too hard. Jay calls her forced and commercial, and actually tells her she’s posing like Gollum. Who’s the bigger dork – Jay for making that reference, or me for getting it? And agreeing?

Allison pleasantly surprises Nigel, working the set and trying different things. She’s surprised at his praise, and I think the reason Allison won’t win this is because of how awkward she is in person. She lacks a certain poise to even fake her way through conversations with professionals. It pains me to say this, because Allison’s my favorite.

Teyona rocks it, per usual. Honestly, this is her competition to lose, and I don’t think that will happen. She once again delivers a gorgeous shot. Celia’s downward spiral continues, as she falls very flat and once again lacks life and energy on set. She claims she rehearsed with a different set in mind, and was completely thrown off. She disappoints Jay and Nigel, with Nigel even stepping forward to show Celia how to deliver.

Celia returns home, convinced she’ll be eliminated, while Aminat and Fo hope that someone else did worse than them.

Judging. Guest judge Cris Barros, one of the go-see designers. Up first, Teyona! She booked three of her three go-sees. Nigel loved shooting her, and Paulina says she knows how to use her body. Celia booked three of her four go-sees, and Nigel says she wasn’t “the easiest girl to shoot.” Paulina admonishes her for practicing too much before the shoot, and Tyra said she fell into corniness for most of her shots. Aminat steps forward, and good lord she has long legs! She booked two of three jobs, and though she took a nice shot, the judges tell her to work her body more, that she’s wasting it in her photos. Fo steps up, and the picture Tyra chose is awful. Fo’s very Gollum (holla, Jay!), and Tyra schools her on how to use her angles and show off her proportions. Then Tyra reveals that Fo booked zero of five go-sees, mainly due to her height. Ouch. Allison steps forward with confidence. Her photo impresses each of the judges, but she only booked one out of four go-sees. Clearly, that’s because of her reserved demeanor and nerves.

Deliberation. There’s only five left, so let’s get on with it! Called first: Teyona! Bottom two: Celia and Fo. I fully expected Celia to never be in the bottom two, so color me surprised. Celia has to fight the age discrimination, and Fo has to fight the height discrimination. Celia must nail every photo, and Fo must photograph in proportion. Going home: Fo. Well, that’s to be expected. Fo made it a lot farther than I thought she would, so good for her. Tyra makes her promise not to grow out her hair or “sew some tracks in it.” Fo cries on her way out, but she’s genuinely grateful for the experience and if she can do this, she can go back and get her high school diploma! Uh, I guess?

Next week: A sexy Samba, and Tyra plays photographer!

Season 12, Episode 11: Let’s Go See the City (originally aired April 29, 2009)

For more on America’s Next Top Model, click here.

Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW

Photographs courtesy of The CW, Nigel Barker, Evan Giordanella