America’s Next Top Model C23E08 Recap

SOME SPOILERS AHEAD.

This week’s drama was brought to us by Courtney and Coryanne. Is it any surprise that Courtney is part of some drama yet again? She seems unable to avoid it.

After Courtney made a bit of a fuss about heir cutting board and got into it with some of the other girls, Coryanne decided that she had had enough of Courtney’s attitude and behaviour and would speak up about it. They were both being a little annoying to be honest. They were being a tad petty and mean in the interviews that intercut their conversation. But I applaud them for not resorting to shouting at each other as is usual.

I’m a little proud of Coryanne for taking a stand and speaking up and also surprised since she is on of the quieter girls in the house. Look at that face. Does she look like anyone who would be confrontational? Then one time that she was, she felt bad about it and went and apologised to Courtney.

In my opinion Coryanne didn’t really do anything that warranted an apology, but it shows a great deal more maturity on her part. Applause to her. By her doing that, we found out a lot about Courtney that certainly puts her into perspective; she was homeless for a year and a half and didn’t have any friends at school because her mother was an extreme hoarder who kicked her out when she was sixteen with pretty much nothing to survive on.

Courtney had it rough and I definitely understand her better and can sympathise with her. But I don’t think the tragedy of her past excuses some of her behaviour thus far in the competition. I do, however, admire the strength it must have taken for her to get where she is now and to have survived her ordeal. I can see how and why she and Coryanne would clash – Coryanne being the complete opposite, having been raised fairly well off if not wealthy – and what Courtney meant when she said she never got anything she wanted.

For the challenge the girls were outfitted in Philip Plein’s latest collection and were tasked with creating a sort of “live editorial.” They posed in pairs in different rooms as guests attended a party at Plein’s home.

Paige and Binta didn’t do much of anything. After hearing the idea for the story they wanted to tell – they were lesbian lovers – I didn’t really get a feel for that from what was shown. They didn’t exactly pull it off and they were a little boring. There is a reason no one was in their room when Law, Philip and Drew stopped by.

Coryanne looked like she was in her element; like a woman who was used to the life of luxury (and she kind of is). She looked beautiful in the gown and she gave a very good performance. Tatiana pretty much literally faded into the background. In just about the only shot that she was in as they were executing the challenge, she was standing behind Coryanne and was in soft focus. We didn’t really get to see her.

Marissa and Cody were stunning and fierce. Their facial expressions and their posing was on point. The acting was cringe-worthy, though, since Marissa cannot act. Aside from that, they did very well and were my favourites. I myself did not mind their shouting but Courtney and India did.

Courtney and India were being very presumptuous in their assumption that Philip would not have liked it. In fact, he expressed quite the opposite and the guests praised and responded positively to Marissa and Cody. What they thought mattered because Philip was not the judge. Furthermore, they could only hear Marissa and Cody. They did not see what they were doing so how could they judge?

They themselves were mediocre at best and didn’t do anything; not with their faces and not with their posing. They were very “blah.” Courtney lying on the bed was rather confusing because no one can see the clothing if she is lying down.

No surprise here, Marissa and Cody won so they ended up eating their words.

At the photo shoot the girls posed on a private jet with Jason Derulo.

Marissa looked like a video vixen and not like a model. Her photo looked like a still from a music video and not like an image from a high end fashion campaign. The styling didn’t help much with that either. She didn’t scream “the high life” to me. Marissa herself and the photo on the whole is not bad – I do like it – but it didn’t capture what they were going for. India’s photo was absolutely incredible! She looked sexy, fierce and confident. She commanded that photo. She outshined Jason Derulo and the clothing looked amazing on her. Paige’s photo didn’t jump out at me. It took me a while to find something to say about it. I liked the arch of her back and the pose on the whole was fine. Her face was kind of “blah” and the clothes looked good. Binta’s was less than okay. She could have done a lot more with her body and didn’t look like she was trying. She looked like a celebrity that got caught by the paparazzi, but not in a good way.

Tatiana looked like a boss! Her pose, her face and just everything was perfection.  She owned the photo. She looked like an R&B diva and not a model but the photo is fabulous nonetheless. Coryanne really underperformed; she has done so much better before. She wasn’t giving anything with the pose or her face. It was very underwhelming. Cody’s face in her photo was extraordinarily amazing. Her legs were gorgeous. She looked like a lioness and a Queen. She looked powerful, alluring and ferocious. I didn’t like Courtney’s photo. Her pose was awkward and tilting her head back the way she did made her look bored. Her photo was not impressive.

I don’t think that Tatiana should have gotten best photo and I don’t even think she should have been second; those spots belonged to Cody and India, respectively. I was not surprised or upset that Binta went home. As I suspected, she didn’t hug or say goodbye to the girls as she left, or it simple wasn’t shown.

Random thoughts:

1. It was nice that all of the girls were happy for India winning best photo.
2. Law with his hair down!
3. I wonder if the contestants who win challenge prizes sell them when they go home.
4. Barbados shout out!
5. They’re still doing comebacks!

America’s Next Top Model now airs on Wednesdays at 10 PM on VH1.