Cycle 10 winner Whitney Thompson stopped by to help with their challenge—creating a campaign for SimplyBe. Nyle won the challenge and he celebrated. Courtney struggled and got overpowered by Devin. She and Ava were quite shaken. Everyone had to pretend to be possessed by high fashion for the main photoshoot. Nyle managed to also get the first callout while Ava and Courtney fell into the bottom two. In the end, Ava’s confidence sent her home. Ten models remain, who will be eliminated tonight?
Find out!
Everyone returns home as Nyle goes to the Tyra Suite. In her video, Tyra does some sign language before turning it over to Ramon. She tells him not to get stuck in fine and to be fierce. Lacey says that Nyle is a good model but that he’s getting frustrated with all the fighting, feeling lost. You’re not missing much, Nyle. Trust me.
Courtney and Mame read a card left on Nyle’s bed with him, saying that he should be prepared for an evening of “signing and dining” with his fellow models. I’m intrigued. Go on. He says that he’s interested because he feels he struggles with communicating in the house. That when he’s surrounded by the deaf community, he’s pretty popular but that he’s having difficulty being surrounded by hearing people all the time.
Bello and Hadassah discusses his look for the next day and he says that he’s serious about the competition, unlike some other people. Yep, it’s time for Bello’s Whine about DMA this week! He once again notes that Ashley has joined the “Mean Girl clique” and that they are cocky and loud.
But Ashley says she doesn’t want to get too cocky because she needs to stay focused. Ashley talks about her sister Ming-Ming and wanting to start over, to let her walls down and move on as a person she is proud to be.
The next day, the model mobile takes them to the CW’s offices where Kelly greets them. She introduces Lori Openden, VP of Talent and Casting for the network. Lori tells the models that they have the opportunity today to show her what raw talent they have. Kelly talks about how some of the past models have gone on to acting careers—like Analeigh and Yaya. And last year’s winner—both overall and of the acting challenge—Denzel was featured on a Tyler Perry TV show. Lori says they will perform a short scene for her and a few CW executives. The winner will get a walk on role in a scripted CW show.
Kelly says they will be performing a Shakespearean love scene, so they will be paired up. She tells them to choose their partners wisely and lets Nyle pick first as the best photo holder. He chooses Lacey—of course. I ship it. We need a ship name! I suggest Fine ‘n Sassy. Mame picks Justin, Hadassah picks Bello, Devin picks Ashley, and Mikey ends up with Courtney. Devin says that he wants others in the house to be paired with her so they can experience Devin’s pain.
They get sent off to rehearse and Nyle explains that the scene is about Princess Cordelia falling in love with a guy who loves his horse. Cordelia…isn’t that King Lear? But I don’t recall the King of France being in love with his horse. I remember him being in love with her. Or is there another version of King Lear? Anyway, Mame fears that she might like Justin more than he likes her because he’s been pulling away. Justin says he’s just being cautious because he needs to focus on competing. I really hope one day some pulls out “This is not America’s Next Top Hookup!”
Bello says everyone is standing around the room and he says they are overacting. He and Hadassah are sitting there, calmly reading the script. He says the acting won’t be a problem. Lovely, but what about the blocking? Meanwhile, Ashley worries that Devin is goofing off too much and isn’t taking it seriously.
CREDITS!
While Ashley worries for Devin, he thinks he has it. He thinks he has a good grip on this comedy. But if this is Lear, that’s a tragedy.
Kelly comes in and grabs the models to perform in front of the CW execs. Mame and Justin go first…and this isn’t a scene from a Shakespeare play, but inspired by Shakespeare plays. I got it now. Okay, carry on. (But could you imagine these contestants actually having to do King Lear?) They seem to do…okay. But who wrote that? It’s not Shakespearean just by making some words sound “Elizabethan.” Ugh.
Kelly tells the panel that Justin and Mame are a couple in real life. Lori says that interesting because she didn’t get that vibe from them. Hadassah and Bello are up next. Bello is confident…right until he totally forgets his lines. He starts to improvise and Hadassah tries to go with it, so I have to begrudgingly give it to her. The panel agrees that it was just painful. Mikey and Courtney go next and he seems to forget his lines. He says he was trying to connect with her but that it’s hard to do that if she doesn’t want to help herself. I don’t know what’s going on. Lori thinks Courtney wants to do well and just needs the tools though Kelly notes her confidence has been going downhill. One of the other execs says Mikey was wrapped up in his hair and looked like he had to pee.
Lacey and Nyle are next. He does well, expressing and signing. Lacey also seems to be a natural and she admits she did want to be an actress before being a model. They have good chemistry and play well off each other. Yay, Sexy ‘n Sassy! Lori likes Lacey though she has some concerns about her accent. The panelists also like Nyle. Devin and Ashley are last. He says he’s got this and he likes to make people laugh. But he’s the one who breaks and comes down with a case of the giggles. Ashley tries to salvage her side of things. Lori is not impressed with Devin and says that acting is a serious thing. That he’s been given an opportunity that many actors would kill for and he seems to be making it out as some joke. After Devin rides off into the sunset, the panel calls it a freak show. Lori says he needed to take it seriously and someone else notes that Ashley was taking it seriously, but got frustrated with Devin.
Lori and Kelly bring the models back. Lori says that some of them didn’t take it seriously, which is a shame since this is a real opportunity. Ashley knows immediately that it was her and Devin and Devin’s smile might mean he knows the same. Lacey and Nyle were the top two performers. Yay, Sexy ‘n Sassy! And the winner is…Lacey! Lori tells her she is talented and has a good sense of comedy, which she says will serve Lacey well should this whole modeling thing not work out and she decides to give acting a shot.
The model mobile takes them home and they rush to check their scores. Lacey is on top with a 10 and Nyle is under her with a 9. At the bottom are Devin and Ashley, both with 6’s. Devin is surprised as he grew up in this industry and was pretty sure he knew it until he came onto this show. Ashley blames Devin for getting a low score while Devin’s like “I didn’t know it went down to six.” Devin, need I remind you that Tyra gave out a score of 1 last cycle? And you thought the challenge scores didn’t go past 7? Please.
Nyle says he’s upset he didn’t win the acting challenge. He’s also feeling more isolated due to the communication barrier. As he hangs out in the kitchen with some of the others, we go to…
COMMERCIALS!
Everyone gets excited when someone knocks on the door. When she starts signing, everyone recognizes the sign for “Nyle.” It’s his best friend Brittany, who he hasn’t seen in a year. And they were high school sweethearts, which everyone but Lacey thinks is sweet. She’s slightly jealous, especially when others say they look cute together. Ramon herds them into the next room for the “sign and dine” event.
Ramon tells the other contestants that they won’t be allowed to speak during the event. They will have to spend dinner signing after a lesson from Nyle and Brittany. Mikey wants to learn pickup lines in ASL. Then we begin the weirdest, most awkward game of charades ever. I mean, I give the models credit for wanting to communicate with Nyle and making an effort to use ASL. But everyone is signing at the same time and it looks like it might be overwhelming. Devin manages to sign “I love you,” but he signs each individual word. From my limited ASL knowledge, I do believe I love you has just one sign of its own.
At the end, the others had an eye-opening experienced. They said it was difficult for them to try and communicate for an hour and they can’t imagine how much harder it is for Nyle to try to communicate for them all day long. They promise to do more to communicate with him and learn the sign for “sorry” to apologize.
Brittany gives him a pep talk and tells him to win. He says he was glad to see her and has more motivation to win.
TYRA MAIL! “”Smell the fierce, feel the boom.” No one knows what that means and Justin’s like, “Never thought I’d say that particular combination of words.”
Up in their room, Ashley tells Mikey that she’s tired and that she feels like they want her to go home. Mikey tells her to stand there and defend herself. Ashley doesn’t want to go home because of Devin and the challenge. She says she needs another chance.
COMMERCIALS!
The model mobile brings them to a beach, where Yu Tsai and…Okay. That’s it. Erik Asla is the only photographer they have now. It’s official. Jeez. Anyway, they greet the models and explain they will be shilling for Boom Boom Boom deodorant. I think I’ll stick with Degree, thank you.
(It’s fake. Boom Boom Boom is what Tyra calls the men’s abs)
Yu Tsai says they will have a commercial and that they have to bring the sexy. He then pairs them up:
Lacey and Devin (He hopes to redeem himself)
Ashley and Nyle (She’s excited)
Courtney and Bello
Mame and Mikey (Justin is not thrilled)
Hadassah and Justin
Yu Tsai sends them to hair and makeup.
Lacey is nervous about working with Devin and tells him to step his game up. They go first and Yu Tsai tells Devin that he really disrespected the CW. He tells them that that was unprofessional and Devin takes it in. But he says he still has to be himself.
The commercial begins and Lacey says Devin was too over the top. Yu Tsai seems to agree. Lacey and Devin frolic in the waves, Devin falling down. Yu Tsai tells them to keep going. They then film Lacey and Yu Tsai says she looks beautiful. Ashley says she has to bring it and Yu Tsai tells Nyle that he’s going to yell at him like everyone else. He tells Nyle to use his body more. Yu Tsai tells Ashley that acting isn’t just interacting with Nyle but with the space around her. Nyle says he knows that Ashley’s worried and that he’ll help bring her up.
Hadassah and Justin watch as Mame and Mikey film. Yu Tsai and Erik love Mame’s performance. As she begins to flirt and frolic with Mikey, Justin starts to get a little green. He says that compared to this week, last week’s challenge was schoolyard flirting. This is way sexier he thinks. Mame hopes it spurns Justin to up his wooing and Justin decides to bring it twice as hard. I’m just not sure if he’s talking about his own shoot or his romance with Mame.
COMMERCIALS!
Yu Tsai says Hadassah looks nervous but she says she’s just cold. He then tells Justin to leave his comfort zone and give more faces. And Justin seems to bring it, connecting with Hadassah. Justin says he likes giving Mame a taste of this—watching him make out with someone else. Mame admits it strikes a nerve as Yu Tsai likes it. As Courtney and Bello come up, he tells them that they’ll get cold faster so they should get their shots so they can wrap quicker. He says watching them run is awkward before both get taken out by waves. Bello impresses and then Yu Tsai gives Courtney some advice—telling her model pose after pose but to keep them connected. Courtney nails the sexy scenes with Bello.
That’s a wrap!
At the house, Mame teases Justin and it seems he’s ready to be serious about her. All together now:
SKULL MAIL! Someone’s going home! Nyle waves and says “Goodbye.” Mikey says that it sucks someone has to go home but at least they’ll all get a good laugh at their commercials before that. Ashley says she has to stay positive at tomorrow’s panel while Devin is worried about his challenge score. Courtney thinks she might be picking up after today.
COMMERCIALS!
PANEL! Tyra welcomes the contestants. There are prizes. And there are judges—Miss J Alexander and Kelly Cutrone. Mame and Mikey are up first. Tyra apologizes for the cold weather but says that’s part of being a model—not looking uncomfortable even when you are. They watch the commercial and it’s comedy gold like other commercials this show has produced. Everyone is laughing as it ends. Tyra notes that Mikey looked cold in his final shot. She tells him to take his mind somewhere else and let the body just do its thing. Miss J thinks Mame’s prettiness gets in the way but Tyra and Kelly think he’s insane. Tyra praises her.
Hadassah and Justin are up next. Tyra asks Mame how that felt and Mame just hums in response. Miss J tells Justin that he came more alive this time. Tyra tells Hadassah that she was the accessory rather than the other way around like it usually is. Kelly asks her what it was like to kiss Justin and Hadassah says she was too numb to really remember. Miss J praises her diplomatic answer since Mame is behind her.
Courtney and Bello are next. He brought a hydrated apple but Kelly points out it’s a nectarine. But he says it’s not dehydrated, recalling her comment from last week. To Kelly’s credit, she does eat it. Both Bello and Courtney says it was frustrating on the shoot. Tyra says Bello gave her chills. Miss J preferred Courtney’s non-speaking shots. Tyra says she had a couple good shots and she needs to hold on to those.
Lacey and Devin go next. Tyra teases him about his line delivery. The judges say they had some nice moments. Kelly congratulates Lacey on winning the challenge and praises the fact she continued strong into the commercial. Kelly begs Devin not to go into acting professionally.
Nyle and Ashley are last. Kelly says she didn’t love them together as a couple. Miss J found Ashley was dragging Nyle along and Kelly didn’t think she was acting or modeling. Tyra liked Nyle’s signing. She said she wasn’t feeling Ashley and says the kissing looked too real. Tyra demonstrates how to kiss and model.
Tyra dismisses the models so they can calculate their scores as we go to…
COMMERCIALS!
ELIMINATION! Best photo goes to…Lacey (8.5, 9.5, 9.1)! She is joined by Mame (8.3, 9.5, 9.2), Nyle (7.7, 8.9, 9.1), Bello (8, 10, 8.7), Mikey (8, 8.9, 9.2), Justin (7.9, 8.5, 7.9), Hadassah (7.2, 7.8, 8.1), and Courtney (7.7, 7.6, 7.2). Well, I didn’t see this bottom two coming. Ashley and Devin step before Tyra. She says both are there due to their challenge because they didn’t take it seriously. Ashley: Was meh in her commercial and sleepy. Devin: Was laughing and comical. So who stays? Devin. He hugs Ashley and takes his picture. Tyra tells him he is gorgeous but he has to take things seriously.
Tyra hugs Ashley, who thanks her. She says she’s a new person now. And that she’s not going home empty-handed. Tyra says she’s now a model and she has to understand her angles. Ashley hugs the other models and says she hid behind things. She goes on about her sister Ming-Ming and hopes that she showed her to be strong. She also wishes Mikey the best.
America’s Next Top Model:
Courtney
Justin
Lacey
Mame
Mikey
Nyle
I really, really didn’t see that final two coming. I predicted a Courtney elimination, not an Ashley! If anything, I thought she’d have a few more weeks. Maybe even make it overseas. I do think Devin will make it overseas, if he can take things a bit more seriously.
PS: Still rooting for Sexy ‘n Sassy!
Next time: STEM PSA! Dolls!
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