Top Model Episode Recap: "The Amazing Model Race"
The six remaining models arrive in São Paulo, Brazil, and are immediately thrust into a scavenger hunt to find the real "Girl from Ipanema." Later, they learn some martial arts to help their poses, and dress like Brazilian samba singer Carmen Miranda for their photo shoot.
We're down to the final six and as Teyona puts it, some of the girls are really starting to drink their "hatorade." They arrive in sunny Brazil and are greeted by the host of Brazil's Next Top Model. Then they're sent on a scavenger hunt to find the woman who inspired the classic song, "Girl from Ipanema," and give her her favorite flower -- birds of paradise. The girls break up into three cabs and race to the flower shop. Natalie and Fo get the flowers first and head to the botanical gardens, followed by Teyona and Aminat and Celia and Allison.
Next, the actual "Girl from Ipanema" appears and tells them their prize is in their new house. Of course, the place is amazing, and Fo and Natalie find their winnings: $500 flip-flops. I'm personally a fan of Old Navy's $3 flops, but that's just me.
After the Ipanema challenge, the girls arrive in a town square where they are greeted by a capoeira martial. He teaches them some techniques, and they look absolutely ridiculous. It was thoroughly entertaining to watch Celia "accidentally" give Aminat a roundhouse kick in the face.
For this challenge, the girls have to show off their moves in a shoot judged by Jay and Ms. J. The winner gets fifty percent more frames of photos. But the twist is she can decide who to take those 25 frames from. Teyona is more about fighting than posing. Allison and Fo do well. Celia covers her face. Natalie looks just plain bad. Aminat gets a good kick in, but lacks expression in the face. Fo wins and chooses to take her extra pics away from Teyona. Why? Because she's her big competition. Oh, and she's still bitter she picked Celia over her in the last challenge.
For their photo shoot, the girls get decked out as Chiquita Banana girls and are tasked with embodying cultural icon Carmen Miranda -- headpieces of fruit and all. Aminat's picture comes out with what Tyra likes to call "black girl pose 101." But again, she's got nothing going on in the face. Natalie only gave two poses and blamed Jay for making her do the same thing for 50 frames. Riiight. Celia, who was as lobster red as the shirt she was wearing to panel, looks too posey. Allison wows the judges. Fo, even with 75 pictures, tries for Carmen Miranda too much and not enough for a model's look. Teyona, with only 25 pics, nails it by capturing Carmen "with attitude."
Allison wins for best photo. The bottom two are Aminat (again) and Natalie. Who goes? Natalie, the pretty girl who is "uninspiring"? Or Aminat, who has an amazing body but no life in her poses? Aminat stays. Natalie is baffled why she's the one to go.
I'm over Natalie, so I was fine with her departure. And who knew Fo was such a vengeful little thing? What did you think of the episode? Discuss!
