Cycle 10, Episode #11 of America's Next Top Model:

We are getting close to the end and the 5 remaining models are feeling the pressure.

The first challenge takes the models to an ‘Ancient Ruins” where they receive gladiator training. They learn how to chop, thrust, block, and stab in classic gladiator sword fighting style. Even though the swords are wooden toys, it looks like Katarzyna and Fatima have trouble lifting them and Dominique is so busy flinching/cowering that she can barely get through the training.

After the training, the models are told to change into gladiator costumes. When they return to the arena in costume, they are met by Jay Manuel and J. Alexander (wearing coats so it must be too cold for gladiator outfits) and are told that they will now be doing a photo shoot. They will each get 5 frames of film to represent the gladiator moves they have learned. Anya and Whitney do a good job of posing like gladiators and still looking like models. Meanwhile, Fatima cannot hold a pose at all and Katarzyna looks weak in every pose. Dominique takes a different route than the other models and decides to make her 5 poses about herself instead of doing gladiator posing at all. After this mini-photoshoot, Jay and J. decide who did the best job (Whitney) and give her a prize of $1,000Euros (about $1,500USD). She is then told she can use it for a shopping spree herself or she can take another model along. Whitney decides to take Anya along in what may be the first time we have seen Whitney really being nice to someone.

The next photoshoot is going to be done by the photographer formerly know as Supermodel, Tyra Banks. The concept for the photoshoot is for the models to look like an Italian Renaissance woman about to go out clubbing. Does it make sense, no, but the models are dressed up exactly the way you would see them in a high end fashion magazine ad. Tyra, as the photographer, has a lot of control over the success or failure of each model in the photoshoot. In every clip during Katarzyna’s photoshoot, Tyra is saying something negative. Meanwhile, in every clip of Dominique and Fatima’s photoshoot, she is saying something positive. Is it any wonder that the models are affected by this kind of feedback?


The call out at judging panel this week with comments on the photos was as follows:

Fatima: Wow, she is called out first for the second time in a row and while it was clear from the edit that she would be safe from the bottom two, I have no idea why she was called out first. Tyra described Fatima’s face/skin as a perfect object for the light to bounce off of and called her posing that of a stunning ballerina.

Dominique: She was called out second with Paulina saying she had a gorgeous face and Tyra being very happy with her posing/attitude in front of the camera. Nigel said that he thought Dominique looked a bit gameshowish and none of the judges liked the outfit she wore to panel; stating that she could never get a booking the way she presents her style.

Anya: She was middle of the pack this week with Nigel suggesting that she has a weak presense at panel and Tyra wondering if she just puts up an act and tells the judges what she thinks they want to hear. Tyra did say that Anya really knows how to pose for the camera, though.

That leaves us with a bottom two this week of: Whitney and Katarzyna.

Whitney: Whitney escapes elimination and is actually given almost completely positive comments from Tyra. The negatives we here from Tyra are that Whitney is too sexy and needs to find a way to look high fashion model rather than just pinup pretty. The judges wonder if Whitney has hit a plateau.

Katarzyna: Called out and eliminated this weak, Paulina explained that Katarzyna’s problem was that she didn’t use her eyes to flirt with the camera. Nigel calls her photos boring and Tyra and J. Alexander decide that her problem is that she is too smart. Hmmm, it seems that Tyra has a big problem with the smart model every season. I know that over thinking the photoshoot is a real problem for many of the models , but that is a slightly different issue than simply deciding that college grad types cannot be top models. Right after Katarzyna is eliminated her final words to Tyra are: “you’re so inspirational”.


A few other comments on this episode:

Near the start of panel, Paulina complimented Tyra on her photography skills and offered to take over the ANTM show for her so she could pursue that talent. Foreshadowing?

Last week Paulina and Tyra were on opposite sides with nearly every model’s judging. This week, all the judges seemed to crow out their similar opinions in unison. Clearly, no one wanted to argue this week.

All of the final photos this week were uninspiring. I think the fault is that they were all full body distance shows so the light/scene was more important than the model in the picture.

The commercials had a ‘Degree of OMG’ to them. Gossip Girl’s influence is being integrated into the commercials? Usually, the commercial products are integrated into the shows.

There was almost no interaction with the models this episode. Maybe it was simply cut for editing time (nned to get in as much Tyra as possible), but it seems like this group of final episode models isn’t as close to each other as past groups.

When this season started, I never would have expected that Tyra would find a way to get 2 of the final 4 models as African Americans. I still cannot believe that Dominique is so near the end and still looking like a person in her mid 30s.

Next week’s preview has Nigel doing the photoshoot and it looks like he isn’t going to be happy with his subject’s efforts.

I'm away on business so I couldn't watch it with the aid of Tivo, and let me say that the commercials on ANTM suck mightily! Also, I miss having the ability to pause when they show the photos so I can examine them, as a person in real life would.

After that abysmal Gladiator shoot by Dominique and Fatima, I was hoping one of them would go. Unfortunately both pull a good shot out of their skinny butts and stayed on. Like you, I thought Dominique did better than Fatima.

And Katarzyna probably could have better with some training and attention. Good luck to her.