BRITA SAYS GOODBYE

After the first photo challenge on the back lot of Paramount Studios, the girls get a taste of what being a top model is all about. Even though Brandy, the 20-year-old cosmetology student from Houston, Texas, has a bad attitude during the first photo shoot and makeover, Brita, the 25-year-old waitress from La Cañada, California, is eliminated due to her inability to relax in front of the camera.

THE HOLLYWOOD LIFE

The sun shines down on the final 14 as Jay Manuel greets them on the New York City backlot of Paramount studios, the site of their first photo shoot. The girls will be making their home in Los Angeles, not New York, so this is their first taste of the Hollywood lifestyle. Sarah, the 22-year-old waitress from Baltimore, Maryland, is glowing, and says, "I feel like a movie star right now."

The girls are driven to a part of the lot occupied by a police car, and they scream in recognition when three police officers reveal themselves to be none other than judges Janice Dickinson, Nigel Barker (armed with a camera) and Nolé Marin. "Where are the aliens?" Janice asks with a flick of her police stick. Nigel answers, "I've no idea, but when we find them, I'm going to shoot them." The first photo shoot has commenced-- they will be transformed into aliens taking over Manhattan.

ALIENS IN LA

Danilo returns as hairstylist, with new addition Matthu doing make-up, and the girls have a quick chat with the judges before they get started. Kahlen, the 21-year-old restaurant hostess from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, is a little stunned at how quickly they have begun their challenges. She admits, "I think Janice is extremely scary. I wanted to ask [her,] 'Are you going to make me cry, and how many times?'" She is up first, and despite her nerves, impresses Jay. Nigel likes the way Rebecca, the 22-year-old former flight attendant from Minneapolis, Minnesota, moves, and tells Keenyah, the 19-year-old student from Compton, California, she looks "unbelievable." Lluvy, the 21-year-old janitor from Modesto, California, follows, but Jay thinks she only has one expression. Brittany, the 22-year-old elementary school instructional aide from Tallahassee, Florida, and Michelle, the 19-year-old wrestler from Terra Haute, Indiana, are next. Tatiana, the 18-year-old waitress from Maui, Hawai'i, nails her shoot. Nigel notes, "Tatiana has a lot of moves-- [she's] the kind of model you fall in love with, not because they're the most beautiful, but because they inspire you."

Naima, the 20-year-old coffee shop waitress from Detroit, Michigan, confesses she's a Trekkie, and enjoys being dressed as an alien. An impatient Brandy waits to go, and Nolé is not impressed with her troublesome attitude. When she arrives at the shoot, Brandy even tells a stunned Nigel she isn't feeling it because of the delay. Noelle, the 20-year-old realtor's assistant from Reno, Nevada, soon gets the hang of posing, and when Sarah is finished, Jay tells her, "You were the easiest [to shoot] of the day, but don't tell anyone that." Brita is next, and she's self-conscious about her pose since her underwear is completely sheer. Christina, the 24-year-old fashion-marketing student from Tallahassee, Florida, does well, and though Tiffany, the 22-year-old mother from Miami, Florida, has a hard time, she pushes through.

UM, WHERE ARE WE?

When the shoot is over, Jay delivers Tyra Mail that says they are going to "take a ride into pure luxury." However, their van heads into a less than glamorous part of town, and the girls are freaked out when they are approached by a tough looking band of folks. However, the man in front introduces himself as Magnus, and leads them into the enormous space that is the Serious Clothing showroom. Magnus has more news: behind a huge metal door in the showroom is their new home, and the girls rush through with excited squeals, staking claims in themed bedrooms that suit them best.

Tyra arrives soon after to welcome them to LA, and explains why they are settling there rather than in New York. She wants them to see a different side of fashion since she got started there with her mother years before. They will experience a lot of rejection, Tyra admits, but she is there to help guide them through the process.

THE DREADED WEIGH-IN

The next morning, Brandy wakes up complaining about what Danilo did with her hair the previous day. J. Alexander arrives while the girls are in the workout room and announces that the time is right to do weigh-ins and measurements. Brita is immediately nervous, explaining that she'd recently put on some weight, and she has a tough time when she appears to be heaviest girl in the group.

Tyra Mail arrives to announce that "the cut" will happen the next day at 9AM, and everyone is tense knowing that someone will go home so early on. When the time arrives, the girls pile into the van and soon realize that "the cut" is only referring to hair: it's time for makeovers! At Privé salon, Tyra describes the styles each girl will get, and Brandy is the only one who will keep her current look. However, Tyra changes her mind when she touches the dreadlocks inside Brandy's weave. Brandy is delighted to hear that the whole thing will come off.

WHINERS 'R US

The makeovers begin, and after Kahlen gets a long weave, she immediately jumps into a surprise photo shoot wearing only a pair of jeans. She's slightly uncomfortable topless, but handles it well. The rest of the girls also pose for their post-makeover shots wearing only jeans. Tatiana's hair is darkened, as is Christina's, and Brita gets ringlet curls. Michelle shivers through the excruciating pain of becoming a bleach blonde, and Tiffany applauds the fact that she isn't complaining a bit. Sarah gets a Peter Pan do, and she loves the cut and style. Naima and Rebecca like their own changes as well. Keenyah gets a weave and irritates both Jay and the hairdresser when she questions them about her new style. Lluvy loves her red hair, Brittany is thrilled with her new heavy bangs and Tiffany likes her long, straight weave. Brandy isn't happy with her new super short hairdo, and Jay hits his boiling point when Brandy complains that she doesn't like the way her eyebrows look. Once Keenyah's finished with her entire makeover, she realizes she made a mistake by complaining. She loves her new cut.

Tyra arrives and commends 12 of the girls for their ability to handle change, but says that two of them really "pissed [her] off" with their bad attitudes. Back at the loft, Christina reads Tyra Mail again, which announces that the first cut will be the next day. Keenyah is sure that it will come down to her and Brandy because of their attitudes.

EVALUATIONS

The next day, evaluations begin with Naima, whose picture gets oohs and ahhs from the entire panel. Noelle's pic receives approval, as does Christina's. They applaud Michelle for holding her own during her makeover, but Nolé doesn't love her picture. Nigel brings up Tatiana's many moves during her evaluation, but none of the judges like Brita's shot. Nigel tells Sarah "it was fun to shoot" her, and Janice thinks her shot is hot. Kahlen gets praise for her shoot as well, and Nigel encourages Brittany to pull back on the sexiness a little. When Keenyah is up, Tyra immediately asks if she's already altered her new hairstyle. When Keenyah sheepishly admits that she oiled it, Janice drops against the table in frustration. Lluvy looks a bit sleepy in her shot, but the judges love her new hair. Nigel likes Tiffany's shot, even though she had to work for it, and she breaks down in tears when she sees her photo. Rebecca gets universal approval, but when Tyra questions Brandy about her new hairdo, Nigel brings up her bad attitude at the photo shoot.

When the deliberations begin, Brittany, Tiffany, Naima and especially Sarah get high marks. Janice, who nicknames Lluvy "SUV," thinks she is "so cute" in person, but her beauty didn't translate to the photo. Tyra is still irritated with Keenyah's reaction to the makeover. Janice loves Christina, but Nigel wonders whether she has enough sex appeal. Though Brandy can take a good photo, "no one wants her around." They like Kahlen's photo, and Tyra says Rebecca "moves like the girls that are working in magazines already." Nigel isn't sure about Tatiana's face, and Janice comments that Noelle changed her new hairstyle back to her old curly one for judging. Michelle has potential, and though she has a tough look, Nolé would like to see her continue.

THE FINAL TWO

The elimination begins and Tyra stands before the group to pass out the photographs. She reads the names off slowly: Tiffany, Naima, Rebecca, Kahlen, Christina, Michelle, Noelle, Sarah, Tatiana, Brittany. Four are left and the tension builds. Lluvy is next, followed by Keenyah, leaving Brita and Brandy to face the first elimination. Brita first wowed the judges with her beauty, but her photo didn't reflect her image well, whereas Brandy's attitude was the negative element despite her being "high-fashion and edgy, [with] all the potential in the world." Tyra says that Brandy's picture has saved her, and Brita is out of the running.

As she packs her things, Brita is filled with regret. "I'm just pissed off right now… first girl kicked off, [my] pictures were horrible. I was hoping this would be the next bigger, better thing for me, and I blew it."