Episode Report Card Potes: B+ | 8 USERS: B+ YOU GRADE IT The Returns
By Potes | Season 20 | Episode 8 | Aired on 09.20.2013
In a hurry? Read the recaplet for a nutshell description! Finished? Click here to close.We're down to the final eight, and Jourdan is riding high from her third best-of-week photo. She chooses Renee to share in the Tyra Suite with her on the grounds that you should keep your enemies closer, and the two engage in a passive-aggressive shade-throwing battle throughout the episode. Meanwhile, Marvin is through crying and ready for a return to form as he macks on Renee. Renee admits that she too has a little crush on Marvin, which leads me to believe that his saliva has some sort of mesmerizing powers when it is applied to your face directly by tongue.
For this week's challenge, the models meet with Alexis Borges from Next Model Management, who sends them on two castings each for Style Fashion Week LA. Both girls and guys have a go-see at Paulie Gibson, while for their second go-see the guys go to Civil Society and the girls head to XCVI. Jourdan fully expects to kill it, thinking that she has the best walk of the whole crew. But designer Paulie Gibson tells her that her walk is TOO great, which is code for "you're boring." She really hangs on to that quote during the analysis of her failures throughout the episode. Paulie Gibson chooses Cory, Nina, Phil, Don, Chirs and Renee, who he especially loves, to walk in his show.
Jourdan also doesn't fare well in the second casting at XCVI, as that designer also goes with Renee for her wow factor. While Jourdan cries and cries, everyone else is pleased to learn that she finally has shortcomings. Renee calls her a cracker with no salt, and Jourdan keeps muttering, "They told me my walk was TOO good," in disbelief. At Civil Society, Don, Chris and Phil get cast, and this leaves Marvin with zero shows to walk in too. He and Jourdan look bitter and confused on the sidelines while everyone else traipses down the runway for Style Fashion Week. Renee handily wins the challenge, adding to Jourdan's chagrin. Back at the house, Phil is mysteriously peeved with his relatively high challenge score of 8, which could have been higher if he hadn't awkwardly removed a jacket and then briefly dragged it on the runway. And then, in the dark cover of night, Renee climbs into Marvin's bed. He tells her he has a boner, which is a huge surprise to exactly no one. Renee later tells Cory that they slept together but didn't make out, and notes that she thinks of Marvin as a sexy pillow.
The week's photo takes place at Canyon Ranch, where the models lay in tall grass as they are photographed from above. Renee is scared of nature, but still does a pretty good job overall despite the fact that Jourdan terrorizes her with a frog after Renee mocks her super-dumb question of, "Are those real books?" The general consensus is that Phil has been sucking overall, and he doesn't do much better this time. While Chris wins the week (and garners an "OMFG" from Tyra), Phil lands in the bottom two with Marvin. Just when Marvin is so close to finally getting some! Phil goes home, leaving pretty much everyone to mumble, "It's about time."
But wait! Before Phil's tears even have a chance to dry, Tyra notifies him that he has a chance to come back in the competition…right now! Yes, the already-eliminated models are paraded out before the panel to learn whose social media scores were highest, and give them a spot back in the competition. In addition to the thrill of once again being a contender, the return-ee will get to go to Bali with the rest of the models for their big international trip. In a surprise to me at least, it's Alexandra who has the highest social media score and gets to return. Jiana looks particularly distraught at this news, and Phil is basically a hot mess this whole time. But wait! There's more! Tyra announces that they'll be bringing back one guy and one girl, which means that Mike, Jeremy and Phil still have one more chance. However, in a cliffhanger that will likely prevent you from getting on with your lives in the next seven days, we'll have to wait a week to see if Phil's weave lives another day.
Want more? The full recap starts right below!We enter with the remaining eight models riding home after panel, and wondering with great anticipation what will be on JourdanVision when they return home. Yes, Jourdan had the best photo of the week once again, making her the only model to have that distinction three times. She of course is feeling quite thrilled about the whole matter, which she should be, but also it's annoying. Ah, the conundrum of how to feel about an irritating person's success. Are they the asshole, or are you? It's a question for the ages. Meanwhile, some of the others can't believe that Jiana went home. Phil reminds us that it was one-tenth of a point that sent Jiana home instead of him. He of course had a special connection with her, and tells us that this competition has not been a breeze for him either. Marvin interviews that this was Phil's third week in the bottom two, and his aggression and attitude sometimes get the best of him. To wit, we get a flashback of Phil chucking a giant rock and breaking a fence on set. And who wants to deal with that, particularly when it's attached to history's scraggliest weave? (Yes, scragglier than that of Scarlett on Nashville, and yes, I am so excited that show is coming back this week!)
Phil notes that his social media score was a lowly four, and Renee theorizes that some of the eliminated contestants must have had really high scores. We are reminded that the heretofore booted contestants have been participating in all of the photo shoots, and still have a chance of coming back into the competition based on social media scores. And then talk turns to the fact that there are five guys and three girls remaining, with Don noting that even though the guys are ahead, Jourdan is "doing her thing" and pretty much dominating the competition. Once home, the models gawk at Jourdan's best-of-week photo displayed as digital art with a mixture of admiration and aggravation. Renee tells us that Jourdan did deserve the best photo of the week, but Renee herself came in second and also got a 10 from Tyra. But second place is the first loser, and so Renee intends to work her ass off and give Jourdan a run for her money. And, I would add, trash talk her a bunch while doing so.
And then, even though these two hate each other, Jourdan invites Renee to share in the Tyra Suite with her. Renee gives her a big hug, which might have been less enthusiastic had she heard Jourdan interviewing that she wasn't so impressed by Renee's pageant-girl (and may I add cross-eyed) photo at all. However, choosing her to share the Tyra Suite gives the opportunity for Jourdan to mention to Renee incredulously that this is her third best photo and thus rub it in. Also, says Jourdan, Renee is a bitch, but you've got to keep your friends close and enemies closer. I just wouldn't fall asleep too soundly, or drink anything that she didn't pour herself.