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Two cities, a divided response.
Two cities and a farewell — a cycle that travels well but competes unevenly.
Back to thirteen after one season below.
The China Turn is the most ambitious location package of the CW's early cycles — Shanghai and Beijing each contribute distinct visual registers, and the photoshoots use both cities with real craft. Twiggy closes her run on the permanent panel here, and her presence keeps the judging sessions grounded. The season's weakness is the competition layer itself, which runs unevenly and produces a polarizing result. The travel is strong; the competitive tension is not.
The #14 slot.
Slot #14 of 24 in the America's Next Top Model Editor's Canon. Cycle nine offers the most geographically ambitious international package of the CW's early seasons — Shanghai and Beijing each contribute distinct visual registers, and the photoshoots use both cities with real craft. Twiggy closes her three-cycle run on the permanent panel here, and the judging sessions carry the grounded fashion authority she had provided since cycle six. The limitation is the competition itself, which runs unevenly across the season and produces a result that divided the show's audience. The travel is the cycle's strength; the competitive layer is not.