America’s Next Top Model Review: The Final Four!

America’s Next Top Model cycle sixteen started off with fourteen freshly hopeful models and has since been reduced to the final four- but Tyra isn’t done yet. Week two in Morocco brought new cultural endeavors for the girls to attempt such as eating animal eyes and brains in the Marrakech marketplace, something everyone should try at least once, right?

The much more subdued semi-challenge for the week was a great support tool to the way the girls carry themselves on the runway. Miss J. explained the art of Moroccan tea tray dancing, better known as the sultry traditional dance of balance and dexterity, and tested the models’ shaky equilibriums. Brittani had the roughest time with the challenge, her tray and teapot crashing to the floor every ten seconds with an ear ringing clamor loud enough to make me scramble for the mute button on my television remote. Good God. All the while, Alexandria boasted that her keen composure was due to the flatness of the top of her head. That’s one way to have a leg up on the competition I suppose. Just when they thought they had embarrassed themselves enough, Miss J. dropped the actual semi-challenge competition bomb and had the models perform a tea tray dance in front of a live audience. To up the loftiness of the contest, they were made to balance not just a tea set but also burning candles. Between long, flowing and likely flammable Moroccan silks and the multiple hair extensions on these girls, it sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. Such is every challenge on Top Model. In a surprise twist of fate, when it came down to show time, Brittani came out on top in the performance. She didn’t drop her tray once and kept her high fashion look without an ounce of awkwardness proving once again why she belongs in this competition. Her surprise delivery won her the semi-challenge.

For the big photo challenge, the models were brought back to the marketplace and shot by world renowned photographer Friedemann Hauss. Editorial is certainly the look the Top Model panel is searching for and designer Daniella Issa Helayel provided her fashion wares at the shoot to help the models achieve the look. As usual, Molly and Brittani (my choice picks for ANTM winner) embodied high fashion, as they do almost every single week. The way I see it, the last two models left at the end of the competition will probably be Molly and Brittani- fingers crossed! Hannah and Alexandria both blew through their shoots with a little less grace than the other two girls. Hannah never really seemed sure of herself or what to do and Alexandria could not let go of her stiff, controlling demeanor which came out in the form of duck lips in every photo. The bad photo sessions cost them and Hannah and Alexandria were condemned to the bottom two in the panel later on. I must mention first that Molly received best photo with Brittani obviously coming in second. Molly’s especially was a particularly stunning photograph. Now for the big news- the elimination. Are you ready for this? Tyra gave headstrong Alexandria the boot! I almost didn’t see this coming. As much as I was not a fan of hers, I think it was completely plausible for her to win the cycle. Although, at the same time, maybe she should have gone home a long time ago and it seemed likely that they kept her around for the entertainment value alone. Who knows really but, I guess when your time is up, your time is up.

Season 16, Episode 11: Daniella Issa Helayel (original air date May 4, 2011)

Images courtesy of Friedman Hauss/Pottle Productions/Walter Sassard/The CW