Episode One: Sandra makes Friends

The 13 finalists arrive in New York City and go straight to the iconic Empire State Building to meet with Nigel and Paulina. Nigel told them where to find their apartment and handed the key to Celia. When Paulina announced that Celia getting the key also meant that Celia could pick the first bed. DRAMA. I could feel it coming.

Their amazing apartment on the Upper East Side is incredibly chic. Sandra, not Celia, was the first one to pick a bed. Of course, it also just so happened that later Celia also wanted the same exact bed. I guess in an effort to save money (or to create drama) whoever decorated the house decided to only put 12 beds in the house for 13 girls. Maybe they just assumed one girl would only be there for a week, so screw her. Anyway, the fact that Celia picked the same bed as the one girl in the house who is ready to start a fight and has already said "I'm not here to make friends, I'm here to win." is just hilarious. The first ANTM cycle 12 argument!!

Fortunately, before the argument got too boring, jesus freak London stepped in and offered her bed to Sandra saying that she would sleep on the floor. (London cracked me up when she said "I know I'll have a bed eventually" and I think she's got a good point there.)

So far this cycle, the most vocal person in the house is Sandra, by far! I think they keep playing her clips just because she is so obviously delusional. First of all, she thinks she is going to win the title at the end simply because she's African. WTF? Sure, her accent sets her apart, but no one from Africa has ever won ANTM, so I don't know what she's thinking. I also think the producers find it funny that she keeps talking about how great she is in one scene and then showing that she's completely incapable of doing things right in the next.

The next drama also involved Sandra, who alienated and pissed off all the other girls in the house when she told them to go in the living room if they wanted to continue their "dumb" conversation, because she was trying to sleep and couldn't. Good thing Sandra isn't into making friends... cause she wouldn't know how.

The first photo shoot was about an issue very close to Tyra's heart: young women who are growing up too fast. They were all given tasks that were typical of young girls like "hide and go seek" and "ring around the rosie".

In their judging panel, here's what the judges thought:

Sandra - After calling her out for a terrible runway performance earlier in their first task (she didn't even walk down the runway all the way!), we got to see her photo. Horrible. She didn't look like a fun and fresh young girl. She looked terrified.

Celia - Looking amazing at judging, the judges loved her hula hoop photo.

Fo - very sweet and beautiful face.

Tiyana - Her face was almost missing from the shot entirely, so it didn't really show her potential.

London - One of Nigel's favorites. The motion was great and her face was fresh and young looking. In person, the judges were not totally convinced that she has the proportions for a model.

Jessica - Her photo was stunning and very "model" but it had nothing to do with the photo shoot's issue, which kind of killed it for the judges.

Aminat - She almost looked angry in her photo, and while I was thinking she might have the most potential so far, she really didn't come through with a photo that made sense. Paulina complimented her runway walk, but is afraid that she only has one note.

Isabella - Her shot looks more dancey than anything else. Tyra mentioned that her hands were in front of her face a lot. Mister Jay didn't like it either, but I wouldn't say she's the worst!

Naija - Her face and hair turned out great and very sweet and innocent, but they thought it looked more like hopscotch than musical chairs.

Kortnie - Liked her face too, but something weird about her legs.

Allison - The judges loved it with her very wide-eyed innocence.

Tahlia - One girl that needs a makeover, let me just say. Her shot was okay, but she also had some leg issues. Tyra told her that honestly people aren't going to want to see her scars and other people will want to flaunt them. SHe needs to reconcile that with herself.

Natalie - Her shot was sweet, but Paulina said that she could not see her potential from the shot.

The models headed off to a holding room while the judges looked over their photos one more time.

"13 beautiful girls stand before, but I only have 12 photos in my hand."

Best picture of the week: ALLISON (unanimous decision from the judges)

2. FO
3. Tiyana
4. London
5. Celia
6. Naija
7. Kortnie
8. Natalie
9. Aminat
10. Tahlia
11. Jessica

The bottom two in the very first week were Sandra and Isabella.

You know Sandra had to be trippin' cause she thought she was going to win. Isabella has a beautiful spirit, but she was lost on set. Sandra was the biggest disappointment on the runway and then her photo was a disappointment as well. So who stays in the competition?

I was so ready for her to say that Sandra was going home. I certainly didn't expect Isabella to go home first, but in the end, you just never can predict what will happen. Isabella is just a victim of not having a great photo shoot. Her runway was okay. Maybe the producers just basically said, keep Sandra cause she's adding a lot of sass and drama to the show this cycle! In some ways, I have to admit that I'm glad she's still in for that exact same reason.

Who is your favorite so far this season? What did you think of McKey's CG commercials?