‘America’s Next Top Model: College Edition” Ratings Still Flat In Week 2

Tyra Banks totally overhauled America’s Next Top Model: College Edition held on to last weeks awful numbers, but then more viewers tuned out in the last half of the second season. The new model scoring should be used on this once hot show rather than just the poor contestants.

Longtime fans of Tyra Banks America’s Next Top Model are giving up on the College Edition in droves. It wasn’t surprising that the numbers would be lower for the premiere episode last week since the CW had relegated the long in the tooth show to the dreadful Friday night slot, but when it plummeted 56%, that was a huge shocker.

Week 2′s number didn’t get any better, but hit at 1.14 million, then in the half hour viewers tuned out as it dropped down to 1.08. Many times, number pick up when a shows doing well after it’s started, but when the tv’s get turned off in the second half, you know your show is in trouble. It was bad enough that the prize package has dwindled down to a spread in Nylon, contracts with LA Models and NY Model Management, campaigns with the “ANTM” fragrance, SmashBox, and Nine West, and $100,000 in cash (said as cartoon cash flutters form the ceiling).

It felt like a few cycles back when André Leon Talley, the show had been elevated with Vogue Italia in the package along with a funny and very watchable new judge, but once he was sliced out and Jay Alexander, Jay Manuel and Nigel Barker were sent packing, it now feels like the CW is slumming with what’s left. The new opening sequence (below) feels sleazy where the other cycles seemed to treat the models with some respect, but it feels like all that has gone out the window. If these ratings continue, I’ll be shocked if the network goes for a Cycle 20.

It took me a lot of patience to sit through the second week’s episode, and Jay Manuel has got to be so happy he got out. I can’t imagine him ever being part of a photoshoot that actually felt like it went against everything Ms Banks has always proclaimed about making young models feel important and special. A shoot where they had to pretend to be dead animal heads mounted on a wall plaque doesn’t inspire confidence in that long forgotten mantra.

The show also seems to be borrowing heavily from other reality shows now like Big Brother where each week, one lucky girl gets to have her own locked off area called The Tyra Suite after winning a challenge. They get to stay there secluded if they want for a whole week and $10,000 will be deposited into her own personal college bank account. The catch is that they will only receive this money if they win the entire show.

There will be a comeback possibility for one girl so even if your favorite model gets booted off, she might come back Shangela style from RuPaul’s Drag Race. I still think Ms. Banks needs to be forced to sit and watch every season of that much better Logo show and learn some things about how to have a winning show recipe. Eliminated contestants will be allowed to participate in photo shoots along with the other girls. (Guess that’s how they are handling spoilers!) The model with the highest average social media score will earn a spot back in the competition.

The big push they were making for Cycle 19 was that the viewers would be the judge. Not so much as all the voting has taken place. Basically if you were constantly watching the ANTM CW website, you knew to cast your vote, but for those of that don’t have so much time on our hands, this is a big non-event. I’m sure Janice Dickinson was rolling her eyes at those proclamations and would have plenty to say on that.

Some may think I’m ragging on the show, but as a fan who’s watched it from the beginning, it’s sad to see it being driven into the ground in such a way. I was hoping my sources over there would be wrong about it becoming such a mess at the hands of Kelly Cutrone, but they’ve always been right, and that just sucks!

America’s Next Top Model: College Edition New Opening – Best Movies Ever

America’s Next Top Model: College Edition BryanBoy Explains Comeback – Best Movies Ever

‘America’s Next Top Model: College Edition” Ratings Still Flat In Week 2 – Best Movies Ever News