Shanghai Surprise
The girls are excited as they pack for China. Bianca passes out a “China Book”, or book about China that Tyra has left for them to use as a guide. Heather says that China is the one place she has always wanted to visit. Lisa reflects on the last judging, and says she was surprised she was in the bottom two, but she vows to work harder so it doesn’t happen again. As Heather is on the floor sorting through clothes and packing, Bianca asks her to move so she can get by with her luggage. Bianca interviews that she has to speak to Heather more than she has to speak to her little sister. She says that it is frustrating that everyone in the house has to be a mother to Heather.When the girls arrive in Shanghai, they are taken in by all of the sites. Chantal says it’s like being on an episode of the Jetsons. Bianca says that everything in made in China, and she wants to go shopping. The two J’s greet the ladies and tell them to get settled in their new digs, because the competition is about to get fierce, and one of them will be going home soon. When they get to their new penthouse apartment, there are only five beds. At first I thought the challenge would happen immediately and one of them would be sent home that day, but I guess Tyra wanted to throw more drama in. Two of the girls will have to share a bed. Heather is the last to make it in the room, so she is the bed-less girl. She starts to cry as Bianca taunts her. Finally, Bianca and Jenah say they will share the big bed so Heather won’t have to sleep on the couch or floor.
The next day they arrive at a film studio. They watch actors simulate a martial arts fight scene and are then given lessons in martial arts posing. Then they are surprised with robes and told to pose suspended 30’ in the air. They have to remember the poses, by number, and incorporate the movements for the shoot. Since the poses were thrown at them rather quickly, most of the challenge is remembering which pose is which. They are suspended two at a time. Jenah and Chantal do a pretty good job. Lisa and Saleisha take the height well, but Lisa’s face is stuck on fear. Before going up, Bianca tells Heather that this challenge may be the first time Heather can kick her butt. Heather tries to encourage Bianca, telling her that she can do it, overcome her fear to stay in the competition. Heather seems to truly care about Bianca getting up in the air. When the two are hoisted up, Bianca cannot overcome her fear of heights, and she is lowered and disqualified from the challenge. Heather rocks the shoot holding the poses very well. Bianca says she wants to model and not be in the air. She says that she will not be sent home just because she refused to be suspended in the air.
Heather wins the challenge. The prize is 4000 rmb ($532.18), and she and a friend can go on a shopping spree. She chooses Chantal. Heather interviews that she would have chosen Bianca since she wants so badly to shop, but she feels Bianca needs some tough love for not completing the challenge. She doesn’t even mention Bianca’s mistreatment of her. Heather and Chantal shop, and they notice that they are so much taller than everyone else. Heather says it’s like they are giants in the land of little people. I’m thinking she meant Gulliver’s Travels.
At the next shoot, the girls have to memorize lines for a Cover Girl Queen Collection commercial. Saleisha is okay, in a cute kind of way. She does well in the following still photo shoot as well. Bianca’s delivery is very robotic, but her reason for being a queen touches the director, Jeffrey Chu. He also likes her smile in the still photos. Heather struggles with her words. Finally, she is fed the lines one by one from Jay Manuel. She still cannot deliver with any substance. Her facial expressions mess up any chance of good editing. At least her still shots are good. Jenah needed a lot of takes because she was unsure of herself. Chantal was good, but a little too bubbly. Lisa struggle and then broke down in tears, again. Jay said she seems to only focus on failing. Saleisha tries to talk to her and give her words of encouragement, but Lisa just shrugs her off and says she doesn’t even care anymore. Saleisha gets up and walks away, telling her that she doesn’t waste her time helping folks who don’t want to be helped.
