America’s Next Top Model 9: Ranking the Models – The Top 10

Hello loyal Top Model fans! This week, I’ve slightly modified the way rankings are derived, in a never-ending quest to provide you, the reader, with the best analysis of the models and their chances in the competition.

First, I give each model a score (1-10) for her performance in the challenge and the photo shoot. These scores are influenced by the judges’ comments, but my own opinions hold the most clout. If the outcome of their challenge performance is hard to see (as it was in this episode) I give them an average score. I also give them a miscellaneous score, which takes into account things like desire, attitude, flexibility, and personality.

In previous weeks, I’ve taken an average of these scores to obtain the rankings, but now I’m going to also include Tyra’s photo order as part of the decision-making. Also, I will weight the scores, with 40% given to the photo shoot, 25% to miscellaneous, 20% to Tyra’s ranking, and 15% to the challenge.

Then, their total ranking will be determined by factoring their recent score most heavily, and previous weeks in decreasing order of importance. This will allow for growth to have a greater impact on rankings.

Now that you have had a small glimpse of my nerdiness, let’s see what the master spreadsheet has given us. The previous week’s rankings are in parenthesis.

1. Sarah (4): Sarah rocks. My wife and I feel she got the best makeover of the bunch, and her attitude was fantastic. On top of that, she totally nailed the photo shoot and won the challenge. (She does a very good job with the online ad, by the way.) I really look forward to learning more about Sarah and hope that her personality is given the opportunity to be showcased. (Challenge: 10, Photo: 9, Misc: 9, Tyra’s rank: 2nd, Episode score: 9.2, Cumulative score: 8.6)

2. Jenah (6): Jenah is one of the girls who’s benefiting from the new rankings system. She isn’t making a strong impression on me for some reason, but I have to acknowledge her great photos. Her moss photo was probably the best of the group. Jenah needs to figure out how to wear her new hair, because it was kind of ratty at judges’ panel. The color really washes out her face too, so she’ll need to compensate with bolder make-up than she’s been used to wearing. (Challenge: 8, Photo: 10, Misc: 8, Tyra’s rank: 1st, Episode score: 9.2, Cumulative score: 8.4)

3. Heather (5): I have to admit, my first impressions of Heather were wrong. I wasn’t sure she’d be right for the competition, but she’s been consistently strong week to week. She’s another person to benefit from the new scoring. Heather’s been called in the top three every week. At first, I thought it may have been Tyra’s way of building her confidence, but I think more and more she’s earning the right to be a frontrunner. Her weeds picture reminded me of Elphaba… misunderstood, struggling with a disability, and ascending to power on a benign but seemingly insidious path. (Challenge: 7, Photo: 9, Misc: 9, Tyra’s rank: 3rd, Episode score: 8.5, Cumulative score: 8.3)

4. Ambreal (3): Ambreal is a stunning beauty with a regal quality. Her makeover was subtler than other girls’, but it gave her more of the edge she needed. I think Ambreal hasn’t yet pulled out all the stops and feel she’ll be able to give the judges the intensity of the eyes they’re asking for. Ambreal’s another consistent model, and I don’t think she’s in any danger for a while. (Challenge: 6, Photo: 7, Misc: 8, Tyra’s rank: 6th, Episode score: 6.8, Cumulative score: 7.5)

5. Chantal (2): This week was a bad week for Chantal. I honestly don’t think she deserved to be called as late as she did. Sometimes I feel Tyra is just trying to send a message rather than accurately order the girls. I think it would be very hard to know who to follow, if Jay and the photographer were barking out contrasting orders. I wouldn’t have handled it as well as she did. Yet, she managed to keep back the emotion and try her best to please them. I believe she will be able to learn from this and rebound. Future suitors, take note: never send Chantal flowers with baby’s breath. (Challenge: 9, Photo: 5, Misc: 8, Tyra’s rank: 9th, Episode score: 5.9, Cumulative score: 7.4)

6. Lisa (8): There’s something about Lisa that makes me think she doesn’t have what it takes. I thought she’d be the one to get her hair chopped and freak out, but she had a great attitude even though it didn’t turn out very well. I think they needed to give Lisa a long, straight, espresso-colored weave. The short curly hair isn’t doing anything for her. She did take a nice photo, but as Tyra said, there weren’t many to choose from. Lisa’s the hootchiest girl remaining and needs to shake the imagery emblazoned in everyone’s mind from her lap dance on the cruise. Even though the makeover didn’t throw her, I expect the waterworks to start in the next few episodes for some reason or another. (Challenge: 7, Photo: 8, Misc: 6, Tyra’s rank: 4th, Episode score: 7.2, Cumulative score: 7.1)

7. Janet (7): Janet is not making much of an impression on me. I do think she’s struggling to relate with high fashion culture because of her southern roots. Janet (like Sarah from cycle 8) needs to think less about posing, and more about performing and emoting. Though Janet improved this week, I don’t feel it was as profound an improvement as the judges did. I expect Janet to string along in the middle of the pack until the bottom falls out and she goes home by default. (Challenge: 8, Photo: 8, Misc: 7, Tyra’s rank: 5th, Episode score: 7.4, Cumulative score: 6.7)

8. Saleisha (1): Ouch! Saleisha takes a huge tumble this week. This is partly due to the new ranking method, but also because she had a terrible week. I think she’s not as fond of her new look as she pretends to be. I commend her attempt to like it, but the black hair is too dark, thick, and short for her. In an attempt to make Saleisha look edgy, they obfuscated her face. The result was like highlighting with a black Sharpie. (Challenge: 7, Photo: 3, Misc: 8, Tyra’s rank: 10th, Episode score: 4.6, Cumulative score: 6.3)

9. Ebony (10): Ebony is the least desirous of the remaining girls, and that will get her sent packing soon. I don’t think Ebony’s photo was near as good as Tyra thought. It certainly wasn’t the best of the group. Heather, Jenah, and Sarah had far superior photos. By the by, did anyone else not know that “bird of paradise” was a plant and not a bird? I was confused for a bit there. Although I ranked Bianca lower, I think Ebony will leave next week. Not only does she lack the desire, but the judges are unimpressed with her attitude at judges’ panel. (Challenge: 7, Photo: 6, Misc: 3, Tyra’s rank: 7th, Episode score: 5.1, Cumulative score: 4.6)

10. Bianca (11): Bianca dealt with her head shaving more graciously than I expected. Like Tyra, I think she needed to be humbled to have a chance in the competition. Her photos are still the worst of the group, and I don’t foresee improvement. Maybe Ambreal can convince her she looks great with no hair, but you know if it was the other way around, Bianca would jump at the chance to prey on another person’s weakness. Despite kind words of departed contestants like Kimberly and Victoria, Bianca has been catty and inimical in her interviews, and I’m glad she’s gotten a measure of comeuppance. (Challenge: 7, Photo: 5, Misc: 7, Tyra’s rank: 8th, Episode score: 5.5, Cumulative score: 4.3)

11. Victoria (9): Victoria has a problem with authority. In her interview with RNO writer Phil Kural, Victoria not only showed that she didn’t have the desire to be a model, but that she questioned the judges and didn’t respect them or the competition. Everyone blames the editing for negativity, but you can’t edit-in what didn’t happen. It’s not like editors are splicing every other word to make up something that didn’t occur. Victoria was snooty and haughty, elevating herself in her own mind because she wasn’t able to be successful in the world she was thrust into. Victoria’s photos were devoid of emotion and passion, she had no knowledge of the industry, and she was awkward in challenges. I don’t think Victoria should’ve even made it into the house, but that’s show biz. (Challenge: 6, Photo: 5, Misc: 1, Tyra’s rank: 11th - eliminated, Episode score: 3.3, Cumulative score: 4.4)

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out these other recent America’s Next Top Model articles:

Asher Streets is a food engineer and musician who lives in Madison, WI. He has a love for all things Italian, most especially gelato, wine, espresso, and cheese. Asher appreciates your opinions too and can be reached via email: asher.streets@gmail.com.

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