13th - Cycle 2 (2004)
Back when the show was still finding its feet, cycle 2 seemed like a better thought out sequel to cycle 1. We had a strong cast of characters including April, Mercedes, Catie, Jenascia, Xiomara and of course Camille and Yoanna who just HATED eachother!
We had no casting episode for this cycle, instead a stretch car came and picked the girls up from random areas in NY.. it all felt very high budget at the time. The premiere episode was probably one of the most dramatic in the shows history. First off we had the Adam and Eve photoshoot where the girls had to have their naked bodies spray painted. Religious mother Anna was not having it and decided not to even do the photoshoot. Then there was the whole drama with Jenascia not waking up and the girls just left her in bed and went to the photoshoot
she eventually arrived late and got a telling off from Nigel.
In the end, they both ended up in the bottom 2, but because Jenascia actually did the photoshoot, she was saved.
There was plenty more drama with Catie and her boy haircut makeover and then her fear of heights when they had to be suspended over a massive open hole.
Then the runways... Xiomara and her crazy eyes prompting Miss J to give her iconic "girl you walk like you on crack" line
and of course Camille and her signature walk, that got mentioned plenty of times over the future cycles.
Another scream from Camille was during the acting challenge, when the girls had to learn how to show emotion by learning a script and crying real tears at the end. Camille however completely re-wrote the script and did her own piece
and of course when Tyra came over to the house for lunch with the girls and Camille told her that Yoanna had an eating disorder and had gone to the toilet to throw up nnnnn
as well as this we also had Heather being left out, the iconic house meeting with the 'speaking hand' being passed around, Bethanys boobs, Sara's shocking elimination, and obviously one of the most controversial moments of the entire show when Shandi cheated on her boyfriend in Milan! That phone call the next day remains iconic.. "YOU HAD SEX?!"
This cycle was so iconic that even Rihanna recognised April at the 2018 Victoria Secret red carpet
and to top it all off we also got this masterpiece...
Cycle ranking: 7/10