Episode Report Card Al Lowe: A | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Finale
By Al Lowe | Season 1 | Episode 13 | Aired on 04.03.2008
In a hurry? Read the recaplet for a nutshell description! Finished? Click here to close.Ha ha! We are almost done with this endless spectacle of beautiful, annoying people. Only, they won't just tell us the winner right off, no, they must drag it out for one more hour. Though America has already voted for their supermodel of choice, that person won't be revealed until one final assignment is completed. The contestants are sent to spend a day at New York Models, learning what a working model's day is really like, doing go-sees and castings. Naturally, shenanigans ensue as everyone gets lost in New York. They visit big clients like People's Revolution, beeson, and Esprit. All of them do pretty well, though each of their weaknesses are highlighted in different situations. Every model has good experiences. The next day they are all introduced to Jessica Stam, the face of Dior, causing Holly to promptly flip her lid. She is Jessica's biggest fan, and very cutely fangirls out. She gives them good advice about how to survive as working models. They go to the offices of GQ where they get styled and have Polaroids shot. They like Perry the most, minus the hair and in the right clothes. That night, they're all surprised by the arrival of various surprise guests. Ben's poor wife immediately cries when she sees him, and he... reacts to her like she's just some girl he knows. After three months, all he can say to her is "wazzup?!" His roommates linger around like nervous wraiths, freaked out by the tension. Ronnie's mom arrives, which is cute, and Holly's hot fiancé appears, bearing the gift of... ceramics? Perry nervously awaits his unknown visitor, afraid it might end up being Amanda, and to no one's surprise, it is. Their reunion is fraught with as much drama and emotion as possible, while Ben's and his wife's is mostly awkward. Meanwhile, Ronnie's mom is just about the sweetest thing in the world. Somehow, seeing all their loved ones makes the final four models love each other. They reflect on the time they've spent in the house like they've been in Nam together. Back to their old stomping grounds, the models get to do one last catwalk, just for the hell of it. The panel members give them all an emotional round of kudos for their progress and transformations before dragging us brutally through ten minutes of agonizing torture (and Top Chef commercials) and finally announcing Holly as the winner. (YAY!) Want more? The full recap starts right below!
Y'all, it's our last recap. What can I say? No, really, I'm asking. The thing I really enjoyed about this show -- that it was almost a semi-accurate account of what it's like to become a working model -- is the very thing that has made it difficult to recap. I guess I should be thankful that several of the contestants chose to go sass over class, at least giving me something to complain about in these somewhat vapid thirteen weeks.
Niki "shows up" to tell the models that the vote is down to the four of them and that the winner will soon be revealed. Except, this was shot on the same day and possibly right after or before the visit from Naomi Campbell, so it's weird and kind of seems out of sequence. Speaking of Her Superness, I wish so badly we could have seen her with Niki. I wonder if they are friendly at all. Friendly enough, I mean, that maybe Niki and Tyson could have split Naomi's bail bond when the crazy, crazy woman got arrested at the airport mere days after appearing on this show. Drama and glamour like that (banned for life from an entire airline!) makes the kids on Make Me a Supermodel seem so pedestrian, the show might as well be Make Me a Taco Bell Night Manager. Who cares about all this stupid Bronnie crap? Nobody. Well, except maybe Ben's wife...remember that.
Niki tells them that until they find out who the winner is, the four of them will have a final assignment. They are to go on a series of go-sees, around the city, and impress casting agents with their learned modeling skillz. This, I say to myself, is where Ben is going to fall apart. He just doesn't have the social smoothness to get through something like this that requires thinking on his feet and reacting calmly to weird situations. Niki gives them maps, schedules and some money, and sends them off with a reminder to be on time and be professional.
They all freak out a little bit over the maps -- New York is big, everybody -- and get ready to go. "Hopefully some New Yorkers are going to be nice to me," Perry says as he irons his t-shirt, "and maybe tell me where to get off...the subway." Yes, well, I am sure plenty of them would be happy to tell you where to get off, in general. Shenanigans ensue as they all head out separately. Everyone looks confused and in a panic, trying to figure out how to get places. Haven't they been living there for three months? Well, really, I know it has to be pretty crazy trying to get around. Perry, as he jogs up and down the block, says he's more nervous about trying to find the places than going on the actual castings.