Episode Report Card Potes: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Mind Your Business, All the Time
By Potes | Season 17 | Episode 5 | Aired on 10.12.2011
Before the judges discuss who should be eliminated, Tyra says to LaToya, "We have a legacy here. We have your brother and his spirit, and we have you as part of this beautiful family." Beautiful family! That's like saying, "We have Lisa D'Amato as part of a truly dignified all-stars cast." Anyway. Nigel says that Kayla's photo is inspirational, and ALT agrees that it's Kayla's best moment. ALT loves Dominique's Fred Astaire panache, and LaToya says that her every single movement is perfect. Shannon's photo is great. Bre is trying to do the right thing, but it seems like she's fighting herself, according to Nigel. Tyra says that her star power is dimming. ALT thinks that this is one of Alexandria's best weeks, and LaToya likes her whimsical posing. Tyra adds that she's modeling H2TTTtoetoetoefootfootfoot. ALT hates Lisa and her stupid photo. So does Nigel. But LaToya knows what Lisa was trying to convey, and adds that she worked hard on the stage. Tyra defends Lisa's personal style, despite ALT's misgivings.
LaToya thinks that Laura is magic, and Nigel agrees that her photo is elegant, regal, and stunning. Tyra thinks that Laura has channeled Michael Jackson. ALT doesn't think that Bianca's photo is strong, and Nigel doesn't care for her six-foot, 120 pound attitude. LaToya says that Bianca has a lot of negative energy around her. She used that as an excuse for performing poorly, but LaToya says that that should never stop you. Tell it to Nene, Casper. Allison's shot is great, and Nigel says she hasn't lost her model. LaToya sees an innocent little boy inside of Allison. Angelea needs to coordinate her limbs and learn how to make a pow picture, says ALT, while Nigel smarms that the photo was too inspired by the album's name -- Bad. However, LaToya says that she brought the energy. With that, the judges have made their decision.
The girls return, and Tyra tells them that they have a first -- guest judge LaToya decided not only who had the best photo, but did the entire order from best to worst. This makes everybody VERY NERVOUS. And really, wouldn't you be nervous if your fate lay in the hands of LaToya Jackson? Best photo goes to Laura, somewhat inexplicably. Shannon is called next, followed by Dominique, Allison, Alexandria, Kayla, Bre, and Bianca. This leaves Lisa and Angelea in the bottom two. LaToya doesn't know the Angelea that the other judges know -- the girl who can take really strong photos, but who also has been in the bottom two before. She's a veritable sine wave of inconsistency. Then there's Lisa. Tyra liked her photo, but the other judges were like, "...No." And the judges feel like Lisa has one note, and one look, and is not surprising or intriguing. So who goes home? Tyra turns it over to LaToya, who speechifies, "I have to tell you that my brother was about love, expression, about giving. What I saw in the photo shoot is that you girls all gave. You gave your love, you gave your expression." You'd think giving an expression would be pretty elemental to modeling, no? But I digress. LaToya continues, "Because of that, I'm not sending anyone home. You're all safe." Yes, believe it! Tyra has TWO photos in her hands! LaToya is like everybody's hallucinogen-created fairy godmother.