User:ArkansasTraveler/ANTM reorganization project/4

This page is workspace devoted to the reorganization of the article on America's Next Top Model, and a split of its various cycles into separate related articles. Please submit comments and suggestions on the discussion page for this secondary user page.

————————

America's Next Top Model episodes (Cycle 4)
This article contains episode summaries from Cycle 4 of the American competitive reality television series America's Next Top Model. The fourth cycle aired in the spring of 2005.

For the fourth cycle, which ran in spring 2005, the shooting location was moved from New York City to Los Angeles.

One of the most memorable contestants in season four was Tiffany Richardson, who had initially been a semifinalist in cycle three but had failed to make the final round, stemming from a fight she had been involved in with a woman who poured beer on her weave in a bar. She was accepted as a finalist for cycle four as she displayed a calmer and more mature attitude, though her pessimistic outlook soon caused her to be ousted. In what was generally considered a lackluster season, one of the most talked-about moments occurred after the first-ever double elimination ceremony in Top Model history which took Tiffany and another contestant, Rebecca Epley, out of contention. Tiffany laughed and joked on her way out, prompting Tyra to have a televised meltdown over Tiffany's self-defeatist attitude that prevented her from taking advantage of the opportunities she had been given in the competition. Tyra subsequently explained on her talk show The Tyra Banks Show that the reason why she had been so angry with Tiffany was that she knew the severe personal obstacles that Tiffany had had to overcome just to get on the show in the first place, and subsequently she felt that Tiffany should have given the competition her all.

Rebecca too gave the judges a scare early in the season. During evaluation, she collapsed while being evaluated by the judges at panel. However, though she was hospitalized, Rebecca's incident was brought on not by illness but by a relapse of a condition involving a periodic malfunctioning of her vagus nerve. The judges admired her courage to come back for evaluation after her discharge from the hospital, and she made it to the next round.

The fourth cycle's contestants also included Michelle Deighton, a bisexual wrestler who was considered by some to be awkward and masculine in person, but nevertheless turned out to be one of the most versatile and photogenic contestants. During the show she contracted impetigo, which at one point was mistaken to be a flesh-eating virus by several of the other girls (partly upon "confirmation" from fellow contestant Noelle's mom that it would cause death). Deighton managed to make it to South Africa as one of the final six contestants before being eliminated.

Another memorable character was janitor-turned-model Lluvy Gomez. In the fourth episode, in which the twelve remaining contestants competed in a Zodiac-inspired photo shoot, Lluvy's Pisces shot was denounced by Tyra as "the worst photo in the history of America's Next Top Model". Lluvy was shaken by this incident, but she was not eliminated that week. Lluvy made three appearances in the bottom two contestants at elimination. She avoided being ousted the first two times, but she was cut during the third judging session in which her week's performance was deemed among the two worst.

Christina Murphy, a Florida native who placed fifth in this cycle, took consistently strong photographs, which swayed the judging panel in her favor for the first half of the competition. However, the judges felt that Christina could not overcome her "cold" persona and was the second contestant eliminated in South Africa.

The final four contestants of Cycle 4 were Brittany Brower, Keenyah Hill, Kahlen Rondot, and Naima Mora. Brittany, a rowdy, fun-loving model who was often seen enjoying various alcoholic beverages, assembled an impressive portfolio of photographs. In the early stages of the show, she was often criticized for her overtly sexual appearance in her photographs, though she soon learned to tone down her sexuality and raise the quality of her shots. Though she was a strong contender for most of the season, she was the third contestant eliminated in South Africa as the judges felt that her dynamic personality was no longer present. Keenyah Hill also impressed the judging panel nearly every week with strong photographs and an appealing personality, though her fifteen-pound weight gain during the competition and the over-confidence she developed over the last few weeks were the primary factors for her elimination.

In the season finale of Cycle 4, Kahlen and Naima ultimately competed to win the top spot. The final two contestants had to "walk on the water" during their last challenge, as the runway during the fashion show they participated in was partially underwater. During the final panel of the season, the judges deliberated for some time about which girl should be crowned the winner of Cycle Four. They felt that Kahlen's pictures had been consistently stronger than Naima's during the competition, but Naima had finished with more pizazz, outshining Kahlen in South Africa and on the runway. Ultimately, the judges chose Naima as America's Next Top Model.

Cycle 4 contestants
(In order of elimination)


 * Brita Petersons
 * Sarah Dankleman
 * Brandy Rusher
 * Noelle Staggers
 * Lluvy Gomez
 * Tiffany Richardson/Rebecca Epley (double elimination)
 * Tatiana Dante
 * Michelle Deighton
 * Christina Murphy
 * Brittany Brower
 * Keenyah Hill
 * Kahlen Rondot (runner-up)
 * Naima Mora (winner)