‘America’s Next Top Model’: Amsterdam-ed if you do...

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

In structure, this cycle of ‘America’s Next Top Model’ is nearly identical to each of those that have preceded it, yet, against all odds, this has been one of the stronger seasons in recent history. I pondered what made this so during the remaining models’ trip to Amsterdam:

Elina. She’s so irritating, which makes her so necessary to the season. Unlike the Top Models in previous history who ran on ignorant, refer-to-yourself-in-the-third-person delusion (Jade Cole or Dominique Reighard, anyone?), Elina Ivanova is not confident as a model but utterly confident in her own smarts and sophistication, even if she’s not really that intelligent. In lieu of the red-light district challenge, she sassily voiced her pro-prostitution stance, but when Samantha tried to argue the other side, Elina simply shut down. I totally called, too, that she would be even more irritating once she reached European soil.

A lack of sob stories. I’ve said this before, but it’s refreshing not to have to consider the various things the girls have had to overcome throughout the competition. Unless you count Sheena Sakai’s issues with hoochie-ness or Elina’s vague sense of being ‘European,’ but I do not.

Some pretty good modeling. I thought the yacht photo shoot featuring the quasi-Victorian clothes was one of the strongest yet. The clothes were beautiful and classic and McKey Sullivan and Annaleigh Tipton especially had beautiful photos. I like that both Marjorie Conrad and McKey are striking models, and so completely different from each other. It’s one of the few cycles where I definitely look forward to seeing the best photos after the challenge.

Of course I was disappointed that Sheena was sent home tonight, but if I’m being fair she’s not as strong a model as Elina. And while I love Sheena’s personality, her tendency to add ‘flava’ at whim to her diction was getting trying. But maybe she deserved to stay in Amsterdam more than Elina, who, after proclaiming that the girls’ gorgeous flat reminded her of home (in the Ukraine that is, not the U.S.), proceeded to celebrate by hosting a ‘vajayjay-shaving party’ in the hot tub. Well, when in Europe. . . .

-- Claire Zulkey

(Photo: Elina, courtesy The CW)