Okay. I think I’m sick of Top Model. Between Australia’s Next Top Model on Youtube, the occasional Britain’s Next Top Model on Star! and two cycles on ANTM this season, I can probably predict the happenings of each episode of the second cycle of CNTM. However, I won’t. Jay is promising us this season will be a zillion times better than the first season on CNTM, which, well, flopped. The girls are better, the host is better (I’m really excited to see Jay outside his Tyra’s bitch mode!), the judges are better — what can go wrong?

My early picks (based solely on their CityTV pictures because there is nothing of interest in their bios) are Tia as the early front-runner and Rebecca as the underdog who constantly surprises as the final two. What about you?

What to Watch For

Jay in his New Role
One of two things is going to happen with Jay: either he has learned a lot from watching Tyra’s deterioration as host of ANTM and now know what not to do (god knows he looks so pissy whenever he has to share a screen with her!) and will do lots of things right — think be more involved with the photo shoots and more accurate and less cryptic with the critiques! — or all this newfound power as the supposed guru of Canadian fashion will go to his head and we will be as awful as his ANTM Cycle One hair color. Either way, we are in for some quality entertainment and anyone will be better than bland Tricia Helfer (except the first BNTM host. She was most boring host of anything EVER.)

The New Judging Panel
Nole Marin is an experienced ANTM contributor. He was a stylist early on and even acted as a judge for a season. Expect him to bring his knowledge to the table and to be blunt, but not demeaning. Jeanne Baker is back, and she was good last time, so I’m expecting her to be just as good this time around. I’m expecting Paul Alexander to be a delightful ass (the male model/photographer judge never disappoints on any panel). Yasmine Warsame is the wild card on this panel. She’s not a particularly active or vocal model to begin with — whereas on ANTM every model who ever judged was a super-name (Kimora, Janice, Twiggy)– and she has never been actively involved in any Top Model incarnation that I can recall (if I’m wrong about this, let me know.) I’m expecting her to be insightful and thoughtful, but not really getting the point of the show.

Point to note: I will miss Stacey Mckenzie. After watching the entire first cycle and googling this woman several times I still cannot decide her original gender and if she is amazingly attractive in a way I don’t understand or just so ugly no one knew what to do with her.

Watch for Places and People You Know
This is by far the best thing about low budget Canadian tv shows. If it sucks, play “been there, done that.” The first cycle contestants went to clubs my sister goes to (she goes to the University of Victoria, where the first cycle was shot) and used the UVic rugby team as a point of interest for a challenge. Because mediocre college athletes who weren’t good enough to go full scholarship in the NCAA know tons about fashion. Tons. (Well, they do probably know tons about hot Canadian chicks. I’ll give them that.)

The Usual Top Model Insanity
As awful as the last season was, it did bring us Sisi. Remember Sisi? The too old, too short, cross-eyed model who alienated everyone alive and made it to the final three? If that girl had been on ANTM, she’d currently be a star. In the she-was-the-most-insane-Top-Model-contestant-ever-and-ended-up-a-D-list-celebrity-doing-stuff-like-Battle-of-the-Network-Reality-Stars-star way.

Watch this Wednesday at 8pm on CityTV, then head back over here to listen (read?!) to me whine about everything.

Although, without Tyra, any plus sized competitors or Renees, I might come up short on material!