Cycle 4 was a defining turning point for the show. If Cycle 3 highlighted the reality show aspect, then this cycle upped the ante to unforeseen heights. This is a rather polarising instalment, and truthfully, one I tend to skip during marathons.
This was the cycle of flesh-easting bacteria, fainting and calling the police about it, unnecessary ethnicity-swapping, and the meltdown to end all meltdowns because WE WERE ALL ROOTING FOR YOU, HOW DARE YOU? In all seriousness, we got some pretty iconic moments and gorgeous shots out of this cycle, but also at the cost of a more distant panel and ludicrous gimmicks.
Although for the most part it continued its direct predecessors’ steps in amazing creative concepts (from jaw-dropping editorials to pleasant commercial), we were also introduced to one of ANTM’s most controversial and pointless shoots which unfortunately set the tone for the following eras in having an increasing number of inane photoshoot ideas. While the drama in the model house was trivial in comparison to the likes of previous cycles (except for that episode with Michelle’s impetigo) , the real drama occurred at judgings, where we were treated to both shocking outbursts and nonsensical challenges. Truly a problematic cycle, and that’s without mentioning the fat-shaming and sexual harassment dismissals...
I call this the end of the original era because this sincerely felt like the last time ANTM tried to cling to its roots. Cycle 4 was a mismatched blend of the old-school Top Model with snippets of the clusterfuck that would arise soon thereafter. It’s iconic in its own way for those individual moments that nobody in the fandom will forget anytime soon. Plus, we would be saying goodbye to Janice who had been a staple so far in the franchise. I acknowledge the amount of good pictures and contestants we received, but I honestly have a hard time watching through it because there’s a sad undertone to the whole competition this time for me.
Ranking this cycle was interesting because we lacked any true consistency in performances, and everyone felt to be constantly all over the place rankings-wise. My end result and averages will be a surprise to you all as much as it will be to me- I know what my favourites and least favourites are, but everything in between is a jumbled, blurry enigma (*insert the Patrick Star meme*).
Time to take some responsibility for myself and delve into Cycle 4! x