Wanna be on top?
CREDITS!
MACAU! Sophie and Laura celebrate their final two status and Sophie got a dye job. Sophie knows she’s got the stronger walk while Laura has the stronger book. But she has her pink hair again and a little present. They wave their respective flags as “God Save the Queen/America” plays. We get
TYRA MAIL! “Tomorrow is going to be a blast.” Sophie thinks CoverGirl but they aren’t sure. It’s the final, morons. Of course it’s going to be Cover Girl.
They meet Mr. Jay at some temple. And it’s the Cover Girl commercial and photo shoot. Mr. Jay reveals that they’ve been filming their commercial the entire competition—backstage at Canadian Fashion Week, behind the scenes of the music videos and on their go-sees. Jez Smith will be taking their print shots. Sophie and Laura go to makeup and hair while practicing their scripts with Mr. Jay.
Sophie films first. She throws back her head and Mr. Jay corrects. He loves her body language while Sophie recalls she was the runner up in BNTM and she doesn’t want to be there again. Mr. Jay likes her commercial.
Laura goes first for the print shot. Mr. Jay tells her that she’s going tightlipped and doesn’t nail the beauty shot. Mr. Jay is surprised. She says she has to pull this together while he reminds her that this will be a real ad. Laura says she’s feeling faint while Jez tells her it’s just them taking pictures. Not too put so much pressure as Laura gets sick. Jez tries to talk her through it and she goes back to taking pictures. Mr. Jay sends her to the shoot. Jez says there was something serious and he was concerned. THEN WHY DIDN’T HE STOP THE SHOOT? He can call for paramedics.
Outside, Laura is shaking and weak. Mr. Jay calls for a medic and makes the decision to send her to the hospital.
COMMERCIALS!
MACAU! We see Jez and Mr. Jay escort her to the hospital. Mr. Jay tells Sophie about Laura’s condition as she goes for her photoshoot. Sophie puts her concern aside and has fun with her shoot. They wrap because Laura is in the hospital. She goes to talk with her parents and reveals it was a panic attack. Her mother said she had one and understands the fear. They tell her they love her as Sophie comes in to hug Laura. I had one when I went to get my ears pierced. At the time, though, I thought I was having a breathing attack. Needless to say, my ears are still not pierced and you know what? I like them that way.
TYRA MAIL! “Buongiorno, Bellisima!” Sophie mangles it but Laura corrects her pronunciation. She thinks they are going to Italy.
No, they meet up with Valentina Serra and JEz Smith for their Vogue Italia shot. Jez checks up on Laura before they are dismissed to hair and makeup . Valentina likes Sophie’s sophistication. Jez thinks she struggled a bit. They like Laura because Sophie notes it’s sexy. Jez thinks it’s neck-in-neck.
Mr. Jay says that they are going to try and finish her Cover Girl commercial. Her read comes off more as “PSA” rather than “Cover Girl commercial.” Mr. Jay says he had some doubts after the panic attack but she’s proven she can to him.
TYRA MAIL! “Time to show the world the real you.” They realize this is their last Tyra Mail and look forward to their runway. The two of them pal around as we go to…
COMMERCIALS!
MACAU! Tyra comes to see Laura and Sophie. She goes to talk to them individually about their journey. She talks to Laura about the panic attack. Tyra tries to get to bottom of the panic attack and that Laura may be covering pain. She agrees, talking about her alcoholic parents. She busts out her Oprah, but this reminds me of past cycles when Tyra took time to talk to the wannabes that I don’t care.
Sophie is next and she goes blank. Tyra asks her about being the last British. She says “Why not?” and admits that she doesn’t have the strongest pictures. Tyra says she sees that she has tears every time her name is called. And that Sophie lights up a room and she’d want to be her friend. Sophie wipes away tears, admitting she’s happy.
Mr. Jay greets them for the final runway for Forever 21. He says it’s not a regular runway show. They never are. But this time, they are using holograms. Catherine, Eboni, Alisha and Annaliese are back to walk in the runway. Laura says she’s excited to see Annaliese and no one else. Sophie talks with Annaliese while Alisha says that she would’ve won. Glad to see time in the safe house brought her confidence back.
Sophie and Laura have hair bows a la Lady Gaga. They talk to the showrunners about changes and everything. Mr. Jay talks to them about some of the choreography. Both are nervous as we go into…
COMMERCIALS!
Tyra walks around Macau like Godzilla. There are a bunch of Tyras and the audience is going to have a panic attack soon before the real Tyra welcomes everyone. Laura goes first with her stuff lion. It’s a short walk, isn’t it? Sophie is next and she talks about staying in the light. We see Annaliese and Catherine as Alisha walks out of the light. Laura’s second turn…it really is a short catwalk. Everyone is being thrown about backstage as we see Laura’s third turn. Sophie loses her earrings but gets out there in time.
We see Chinese warriors who Laura and Sophie fight briefly before we see some more hologram. Laura and Sophie pick up dandelions before the finale. I feel that runway was rushed and other finales have had more about it. Laura and Sophie say they are relieved and that they did their best. Laura talks about fighting demons and if that isn’t a “Hey, I’m the winner” confessional, I don’t know what is.
COMMERCIALS!
The final judging! There are judges—Nigel Barker and Kelly Cutrone. Mr. Jay Manuel is the guest judge. Which always makes sense. There are prizes: Fashion spread in Italian Vogue, appear on Vogue.it, be a celebrity correspondent on Extra, have a single, be the face of Dream Come True, have contracts with two modeling agencies and a contract with CoverGirl!
Laura is first. Nigel tells her to have fun but still being in control. Kelly says she looked force. Tyra was surprised that people kept telling her Laura had a bad walk. But she had a smirk while working. Sophie is next. Nigel calls her elegant and aware of the audience. Tyra loved her body language at the dandelion scene. Mr. Jay loved her confidence.
Now for the commercials. Nigel likes her commercial but thinks she was too nervous. Tyra calls her a paralyzed lips. Mr. Jay prompts her to talk about her commercial and she talks about the panic attack. Nigel tells her that a panic attack would cause her to lose the contract. Sophie’s moments they chose look way too staged and that’s what Nigel and Tyra focus on. Mr. Jay says that she was amazing on set but Tyra says that her likeability wasn’t there. The panel is divided on Laura’s Cover Girl commercial while they love Sophie’s.
COMMERCIALS!
The judges deliberate and Tyra tells the judges not to favor people who sound like them. Kelly says they’ve both grown over the cycle. They go to the shoots that sent Louise packing. I love Sophie’s shot. Nigel recalls Laura’s Kardashian shoot. Nigel says he’d book Laura but Kelly says she’d book Sophie as Laura is prettier on film than in person. They loved Sophie in the music video while Mr. Jay praises Laura in the silkworm shoot. Kelly praises Laura’s tower shot but Nigel says that she was a little too crazy. Mr. Jay says people remembered Sophie. Nigel says that Sophie has shone and Kelly says she is a great PR story. Mr. Jay says that Laura will be fun on Extra! But Nigel and Kelly think Sophie is better suited. Tyra talks about the panic attack and worries. Nigel thinks Laura is something special and people will work with her. So, who is America’s Next Top Model?
COMMERCIALS!
Laura and Sophie come back to learn their fates. Tyra stands before them and asks them to step forward. They lock hands. She talks about how they are allies like the US and UK are (now). Will it be Laura, the rocking rebel who zigs and zags? Will it be Sophie, the sweet girl who lights it up? Laura says her heart is racing while Sophie says she can’t connect to how big it is.
And America’s Next Top Model is…
SOPHIE!
OHMIGOD! I was honestly worried there that it was going to be Laura, I was. Laura hugs Tyra and is told she will be a high-fashion model. She leaves as Sophie celebrates. She hugs Tyra who teaches her American swagger. She was the little model that could. We see her pictures with Tyra before the credits roll.
Wait, next cycle we’re voting on who stays and who goes? What? Why?
America’s Next Top Model: Sophie
*Contestants walked away
Okay, let me start with my thoughts on the episode. I did sense a Laura win for most of the episode. Her panic attack on set, Jez praising her at the Vogue Italia shoot along with Valentina, Mr. Jay praising her resilience followed by her sob story. Then came the Cover Girl commercials. As I noted earlier, Sophie’s “candid shots” looked more staged than Laura. Tyra made it seem like she was the one who chose them despite the fact that the PRODUCTION STAFF did so.
Anyway, congrats to Sophie, one of my early favorites. Good luck, Laura!
As for next cycle…I have a feeling next year is the last. The CW has moved it to Friday. I won’t be surprised if at this time next year, I’m signing off Cycle 20’s recaps for good. Dumping Nigel and the Jays? And now letting us vote on who stays and who goes? I think Tyra’s going to be quite surprised.
See you all for Cycle 19!
Quote of the Episode
“So this is what it feels like to win.”—Sophie, after her win.
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