He’s a Lady, Episode 3: Strike a Pose, There's Nothing to It

We open our third visit to Dollhouse by watching the remaining six "ladies" commiserate over Sunshine's eviction. The melancholy is short-lived, however, when they all reach the same conclusion the same moment: "better him than me."

Immediately thereafter, we are introduced to the newly formed "Triple D Alliance" of Dan/Giselle, David/Wynona and Donnell/Raven. Dan, ever the schemer, realizes that Albert/Alberta just doesn't have what it takes to plot and claw his way to victory. Albert is out on his own. And he can't win immunity forever, Dan notes.

David realizes that Dan is a manipulator, but for the moment has thrown his lot in with him, lacking an alternative. However, Albert is truly naïve, thinking Dan is merely the "quiet one." Alberta may be the house beauty, but s/he has no intuition at all.

We quickly move on from the cerebral problems of the household to the physical ones: no one is doing his share of the chores, and the Chore Chart, complete with cute little picture magnets, is being totally ignored. Donnell tells us that the place simply reeks. Cree/Carmen takes matters into his own hands by gathering the magnets up, and having each guy blindly choosing a chore.

We don't really get to see the results of this plan, but it can't be worse than how it was before.

Doorbell! A visitor to the dollhouse… who could it be? Why, it's Frederique, Supermodel and Victoria's Secret Catalogue Superstar! And wasn't she on the first Celebrity Mole? The guys fall all over themselves showing Fred around the place, proudly introducing her to their shoes and their wardrobes. She handles the attention very well, exactly as you'd expect a Supermodel to behave.

Fred announces that she is here to take the ladies to Supermodel Boot Camp. (This is the second time in a row the concept of "Boot Camp" has been used. You would think they'd come up with a different metaphor. I'd do it for them, but I'm not on their payroll.)

The ladies are to get dressed and be taken to a photo shoot, where Fred will coach them on how to be a Supermodel. Before the ladies take off, though, David/Wynona despairs of yet one more challenge based on looks: again, he notes, "I'm the underdog."

At the studio, the guys are cleverly costumed as different fantasy women. Wynona is dressed as an angel with flowing blonde locks. ("I'm Wynona, Warrior Angel!"). Raven/Donnell is a futuristic woman from outer space, complete with silver mini-dress, Carmen/Cree is a "fifties Vegas housewife" with a pink wig, Giselle/Dan is dressed up as Marilyn Monroe, circa The Seven Year Itch, Alberta/Albert is Cleopatra and Scarlett/Mike (remember him? We only get to see him during evictions) is a mermaid.

Each guy gets to pose with two blonde female models dressed in complimenting garb. I must note that all the outfits are quite imaginative - hats off to whoever dreamed them up.

Dan observes that each costume matches the guy's personality, yet as Marilyn Monroe, Dan tells us he feels clumsy, and not very ladylike. However, David/Wynona is loving her experience as an angel, and s/he tells us s/he really is getting into the posing, thanks to the director's suggestions. "I actually feel pretty!"

Cree's shoot is next, and Cree's girlfriend interviews that he's always been very photogenic. Cree loves his character as a wacky housewife, because that's how he sees Carmen: a somewhat older, mature woman, not a "hoochie mama."

Alberta as Cleopatra is stunning of course; what else would we expect? But Donnell, ever the competitor, tells us that Liz Taylor did it better. Donnell/Raven is really working her shoot as a space chick; s/he admits s/he's a diva and s/he hates, hates, HATES to lose.

After Scarlet/Michael does his shtick as the mermaid, Host Tony Frassrand shows up to announce the rest of the contest: Frederique will choose the best photo, and the winner will receive immunity from this week's eviction. Also, the winner will get the coveted Dude Pass - a day out adventuring as a guy, with a pal from the house for company.

A fun montage of the guys' shoots follows, and I must say, the ladies have never looked so good. David/Wynona actually feels he has a shot at winning this competition; it's great to see him so confident. Go, Wynn!

But all good things must come to an end; Frederique ultimately chooses Carmen/Cree, the pink haired happy homemaker, as the photo shoot winner. Donnell/Raven is incensed: "I noticed [Fred's] not from this country… maybe 'Cree' means 'Donnell' in her language?" Unfortunately, that's not the case, and Cree wins immunity and the Dude Pass. To add insult to injury, it's now time for the guys to vote among themselves for eviction, with the final decision coming from the Celebrity Panel of Judges.

On the bright side, the ladies do get to keep their photos.