America’s Next Top Model recap: The first elimination

Now that the cast is set, this season of America’s Next Top Model is finally ready to start.  The episode begins with Tyra welcoming the girls to the house. She tells the girls that this season everything will be graded and scored (just like in school! Ah, this season’s theme makes more and more sense!), and the girl who gets the best score or wins the challenge gets to be the lucky one who stays in the ‘Tyra Suite’ and she gets access to the suite’s wonderful closet.  Also this season each challenge winner gets a scholarship which they can only cash in if they end up winning, which kind of sucks for everyone else that wins challenges, but oh well.

Victoria, that girl from online school, solidifies her position as the house weirdo by telling the girls that she is a virgin and has never had a boyfriend and never wants one because she gets all of the satisfaction of a relationship from her mom.  Um, what? That is a little disturbing and clearly weirds most of the girls out. And after her phone call crying fit with her mom, I’m really over Victoria. She is so obnoxious and annoying and only talks about her mom. She can go now. I’m over her weirdness.

The girls hear some loud noise that night and they head downstairs to see a male stomping crew in their foyer who are there to introduce Rob, the new hot, young judge who is taking them out to a club in Hollywood.  At the club they meet Jonte’, who is a dancer that has worked with Beyonce, and the first challenge begins!  The girls have to walk on the stage in the club and dance as they go and try to get the most votes from the audience.  They are doing walking and Ms. Jay is nowhere to be found. What is this!? Ugh, so disappointing.

Some girls struggle with being graceful and some have trouble walking the line between trashy and classy.  The winner ends up being Yvonne, who used to be a dancer and who took a chance on lifting up her leg on the stage.  After the challenge the girls are chilling in the club when P’Trique comes out to deliver some Tyra mail about the next day’s challenge.  It seems like he might be a regular this season, but I’m entirely sure if that is true.

When the girls get back home they see the challenge score board, which lets them know where they stand in the competition. Destiny has a low score and when she mentioned it to Kiara, she tells her that it might have been because her walk was too sexual, like a stripper. Destiny gets offended and starts talking about Kiara to the other girls (of course), until Kiara overhears her (obviously) and an argument ensues (naturally). And just like that Kiara has a reputation as the bitch of the house.

The next day the girls are off to a taxidermist place, where they are having their first photo shoot with their photographer, who is Shenae Grimes, the 90210 actress. Oh how this show has fallen.  For this shoot the girls have their heads on mantels like the deer on the wall. Jessie, who was tied for last after the challenge, struggled in the photo shoot, which made me nervous because I kind of love her. She is so awkward and nerdy and I just love it. I don’t want her to leave yet.

At the judging, Bryan Boyd finally makes his first appearance. He is going to serve as the voice of the people and bring the comments from the audience to the panel.  As expected, Jesse gets a poor score and Maria decides to talk back to the judges and say it isn’t her best photo, which is never a good decision. Brittany gets some hate from the fans, which makes her cry, but the judges give her a good score while Destiny gets the worst reaction from the fans.  Leila ends up getting top photo, so she is moving into the Tyra Suite, and Destiny and Jesse are left in the bottom two.  Unfortunately the fans didn’t kick in enough and Jesse gets sent home. Sad.  I was excited about her. She could have been the next Allison! BUT, after she leaves, Jesse learns there is an online comeback series, where she has a chance to keep competing for the next six weeks and possibly earn the chance to get back on the show. There is still hope!

Next week the girls fight and there are makeovers! With a twist! The girls don’t have to get a makeover if they don’t want to. Why wouldn’t you want to? Clearly if you didn’t need one, they wouldn’t suggest one for you. It seems like Maria decides not to get one. Will anyone else? I guess we will have to wait and see!