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'Make Me a Supermodel' But why?
Last week's episode of Make Me a Supermodel was the first elimination by audience vote, and America sent Sara packing. I noted something missing in the show overall, and soon pegged that it was missing the "Make" part of it's title, as there is no Miss J to instruct the hopefuls in what to do. This week keeps the same modus operandi, sadly, leading me to wonder, how are they making anyone anything?
The start of this show has Katy, Dominic and Ben facing the judging panel to hear America's ruling. Katy predicts that this will be the last time she is in the bottom three for a long time - which strikes me as a dangerous thing to say when you are dealing with people who are constantly telling you that you are too fat to be a model. Meanwhile, Dominic continues to be utterly annoying and takes it so far as to talk in the third person. Ben just packs stoically and hopes he gets to come back. To Ben. At the end of the panel, Dominic is told he's out and true to character he blames his eviction on the judges claim that he has a bad walk - which he denies is true at all, saying that his shoes didn't fit. Hey Dominic, do us all a favor and look up the word "responsibility".
The remaining hopefuls go to a casting at Reiss where they are put in pairs and threes and have photos taken. But I don't really understand the significance of this "casting" as they are sent to a photographer the next day to be split into pairs and prove they have sexual chemistry. Did we really need to see that twice? In between the two events, the girls all make fun of Frankie and his pretentiousness, while Ben contemplates how straight Ben really is and Aryn tries to insinuate herself into the middle of their flirting. This gets the house talking and Katy camera talks that Ben is not the nice southern gentleman she had given him credit for, given his flirtations with Aryn despite being married.
At the photo shoot challenge, Tyson tells the hopefuls to listen to the photographer because some of them haven;t been listening and it's shown in their photos. Hey, how about actually teaching them what to do. You know, MAKE them supermodels. Instead he simply leaves them, his contract fulfilled. The models sip champagne in hopes of loosening up for their sexy shoots. Katy and Ben do a surprisingly good job for having been in the bottom two earlier, and Katy hopes his wife doesn't take offense. Aryn and Jay are stiff and uninteresting. Jacki and Stephanie are next and things get pretty steamy. Until the photographer steps in and hands the girls a banana and says "Do something with this". Um, no please? Holly and Frankie also struggle, mostly because they don't like each other. Well, it's more than Frankie can't like anyone half as much as he likes himself and Shannon is uncomfortable because she's saving herself for marriage. Casey and Perry actually do an amazing job, though Casey's pink briefs are a bit much and when the photographer warns them the lollipop might look gay I have to wonder how she defines gay. Ronnie and Shannon also do an excellent job, despite Ronnie admitting he's never been with a woman before.
Back at the house Holly cries due to feeling uncomfortable at the shoot while Frankie tells the house that she was drunk. Which she denies and smartly tells him that if she were drunk she would have done a lot better. But logic bounces right off Frankie and he continues to insist she was drunk and unprofessional. And I hate him and his huge adam's apple a little more. After the shoot the hopefuls are sent to a personal trainer, who berates Aryn when she struggles through the work out, gasping and red faced. Apparently he hasn't noticed the fact that she's seriously underweight. Instead, he tells her to toughen up.
they arrive back at the house and find out that they are each allowed one phone call. Ben's wife cries that she misses him and intones that she knows all about his good friend Ronnie. Wait until she finds out about his good friend Aryn. Speaking of Aryn, she tells her boyfriend that she loves him, but that her experiences on the show are going to change everything. He asks if she is giving him the break up speech and she denies it, but she totally is. He confesses that he wants to marry her so bad he can;t see straight - which she then announces to Ronnie and Ben, adding that she doesn't see herself marrying him after having been on the show. Nothing like a little (questionable) stardom to make people totally walk all over those who have loved and supported them.
At the cat walk the models are supposed to work with their photo shoot partners and bring the chemistry to the runway. And also, bring the whips, crops and chains while wearing full fetish gear. And it's not even sweeps week! Ronnie starts his walk with Shannon as a horse like march to go with the equestrian fetish theme before continuing to the end of the runway, where she bends over and he wrenches her head by by her pony tail, causing the judges to gasp. Jacki and Stephanie get tot he end of the runway and share a steamy kiss, causing another wave of shock to pass over the judges. Seriously? I don't buy it. Holly and Frankie slightly less on the runway, but they still seem to act as totally separate entities, even when Holly pushes him down and puts a boot on his back. Katy and Ben start strong, but I think she gets a little too cutesy and cheesecake like, with the upraised eyebrows and exaggerated giggling. Aryn and Jay are just as terrible on the runway as their photos - boring and bland. Casey and Perry own the walk as much as they did the shoot - having fun while seeming to push each other limits and boundaries by fake biting and sexualized aggression.
But at the end of all the sexiness at the shoot and on the runway....the show still hits a flat note for me. There is still no story to follow, still no progression to track and the activities are flown through so quickly that we don;t have time to connect to any of the hopefuls or to what they are doing and trying to accomplish. I don't have a sense of anyone's motivation, from the judges down to the hopefuls, and it makes for boring television. The panels are confusing, with them only calling up half the hopefuls at all, and their structure of how they choose the best and worst is not clear at all. And this week, the best was Perry, while the worst were Holly, Aryn and Jay. Who will American vote for? My guess is Jay, basically because he;s the one we've seen the least of - but I can't believe I am actually supposed to care.
This show is just soooo boring. The photo shoots are really uninspiring and incredibly non-high-fashion. Calling this the poor man's ANTM would be too high a praise. I think it's time for me to give the show the boot. Better luck next time Bravo.
Gunter | Jan 24, 2008 11:31:34 PM | #OK folks, this show is not brain surgery. It's totally silly but full of eye-candy. My bet is on Ronnie, Shannon, Casey, and Perry to make it to the finals. They're in it to win it. They're having fun and it shows. The others need to step it up or go home.
I agree with you Jessica. They need someone to show them what to do to become a model. A lot of this "model" stuff can be taught. And Tyson is about as useful as tits on a bull.
Don't give up on this show yet. It can be better.
JVice | Jan 25, 2008 7:35:04 AM | #The show really is a total snore. It's a good thing they're pretty 'cause Niki and Tyson combined don't have the TV personality God gave a chicken. In fact, does Tyson even realize that he comes off as a such a dolt? The tone of the show is just off. It takes itself too seriously to be entertainingly silly fluff (a la America's Most Smartest Model) but falls well short of any real fashion ambitions (a la Next Top Model). I wanted to like this show. I just don't.
Leelee | Jan 25, 2008 8:36:22 AM | #Not to be mean, but did anyone proof this blog entry? You said Shannon when you meant Holly, and twice you said Ben when you meant Ronnie...
"Well, it's more than Frankie can't like anyone half as much as he likes himself and Shannon is uncomfortable because she's saving herself for marriage."
"Ben just packs stoically and hopes he gets to come back. To Ben."
"while Ben contemplates how straight Ben really is and Aryn tries to insinuate herself into the middle of their flirting."
King | Jan 25, 2008 10:10:02 AM | #At least this week they did away with showing us the "way"-in (to an eating disorder that is). If I had to watch them give Katy more looks about her weight...
Kel | Jan 25, 2008 1:03:42 PM | #My husband and I just watched our DVR of the last episode and wondered why Ben and Katy were on the catwalk, but the judges didn't talk to them and they were not on the runway for the final..who is up for elimination and who won. Also, didn't hear any mention of where the two vanished off to? Does anyone know what the story is there?
Cher K | Jan 25, 2008 10:17:40 PM | #Hmmm, I agree with a lot thats been said, except I, unlike most of the people here seem to feel, actually watch the show.
Not because its good--as I said, I agree that the people are being taught NOTHING--but because there's a lot of pretty in it. Thats good enough for me.
I just really hope Frankie wins it. I like him.
d of 1/31 episode?What happened to Lacki at the en
Jonnie | Jan 31, 2008 8:33:40 PM | #On the 1-31-08 show, at the end, Ronnie disappeared before the eliminations. Nothing was said. No explanation. What happened to him. Is he out?
dick | Feb 3, 2008 11:49:05 AM | #On the 1-31-08 show, at the end, Ronnie disappeared before the eliminations. Nothing was said. No explanation. What happened to him. Is he out?
dick | Feb 3, 2008 11:49:13 AM | #2/14/08 Show. Jacki does the walk on her own, they don't critique her and then she doesn't show up for the elimination selections? Where did she go and why?
Nansile | Feb 14, 2008 9:52:07 PM | #
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