The show opens up at this year’s Fashion Week and Zac Posen’s line is being viewed where we meet Raina Mayer and Marissa Delfina, who are modeling Posen’s latest line. Amidst all the chaos behind the stage is the tardiness of supermodel diva, Sonja Stone, who is appearing for the first time since her mysterious disappearance from the fashion world. When Sonja finally gets there, the dress Posen has for her doesn’t fit her in the chest area and Posen chooses Raina as Sonja as her stand in.
Meanwhile, we meet Iowa farm boy Chris Andrews and his family at a nice restaurant. Chris has his eye on a waitress there and defends her when a smarmy talent agent, Simon Lockridge, is being a complete pompous bastard. Simon in turn gives Chris a window of opportunity by offering him a chance of a lifetime.
The next day Raina is the talk of the town after her showstopper finish and is referred to as “the girl in the red dress”. While at the Covet Model Agency, Raina bumps into Chris and the two immediately have a connection (or Chris is just one huge horn dog). Sonja stops by as well and is not happy to see Raina as her new competition. But Claudia Foster, the agency’s owner, is not too pleased to see Sonja due to all of the “damage control” Claudia had to execute because of Sonja’s diva-like disappearance. Sonja eyes Franco, a photographer who is looking to cast the right model in a coveted new Versaci dress that all the models are dying to get into. Sonja storms into the room determined to regain her reign as supermodel supreme and the coveted dress.
Chris is introduced to Claudia by Simon and is sent to a photo shoot. Raina volunteers to escort Chris, which is a good thing since he doesn’t know his go-sees from his backdrops. After a bit of flirty coercing from Raina, Chris eases into his new environment for the time being.
At a high concept photo shoot, Isaac Taylor shows up having been summoned there by Vivienne, the wardrobe stylist, who takes a quick interest in Isaac’s… assets. Isaac, who hasn’t been getting any model gigs for a hot minute, needs something to tide himself over while he works on his true love: music. After turning down Vivienne’s offer to be her “date” to Claudia’s party later that night, Isaac is left empty-handed in the job department.
Raina walks Chris to what I will be referring to as the Model Coed Dormitory: MCD. Chris meets his family there and tells them that he has decided to stay. Chris’s father is not amused, but his mother gives him some money and a tearful goodbye. Before the family takes off, Chris’s father tells him that he can only hold his job back home for two weeks and then Chris is on his own. I don’t know about you all, but I am not buying Chris’s easy detachment from his family. But Raina on the other hand…
Raina enters her room to find her brother Alex there, who has come to warn her that their father is about to leave prison. Raina is visibly disturbed, which is amplified when Alex demands for her to grab her things and come home. After Alex tells her that their mother still sets plates for her at the dinner table, Raina demands for him to leave. What is really up with her?
Chris tries to adjust to the chaos that is the MCD, and can’t find anyone to room with because of either clutter (Isaac and Egan Russo) or divo attitudes (Cole). Cole calls Simon to let him know that he will not have a roommate and Simon invites Chris to stay with him. I smell a set up.
The group arrives at the party and it’s your standard primetime soap party where secrets and lies are made, discovered, or revealed. Claudia informs Raina and Marissa that Franco had them slotted as available for the Versace dress, but… Wait a minute… Did Sonja just arrive in said Versace dress? Yep. Sonja tells Franco that she has ties in security at his hotel room, a ballsy move that impresses Franco enough to ask for some alone time with the “shy teenager he photographed all those years ago”. Yuck…
Isaac and Egan discuss Isaac’s money problems since he hasn’t landed any solid gigs. Egan, who is a walking pharmacy in an Armani ensemble, mentions Isaac’s eviction notice from the agency and suggest for Isaac to find another line of work like he has. After seeing another cougar with her boy toy, Isaac might want to rethink his legit jobs policy cause making music is not helping him at the moment. Meanwhile, Egan sells some drugs to a girl who takes the time out to give her name, which is Rachelle, and I can’t help but think that this is not going to end well for Mr. Push It Man.
Simon wants to introduce Chris to Brandon Carr, Creative Director of GQ Magazine. But instead of doing just that, he creates an elaborate entrance for Chris. Cole teases/warns Chris about being one of Simon’s “boys” and that if he thinks that Simon is looking out for Chris’s best interests then he is clearly showing his farm boy mentality.
Sonja runs from Franco’s VIP area to the bathroom where Raina tries to help her. Sonja blows off Raina and Raina’s apology about the Zac Posen show, but Sonja’s phone ring and when she looks at the picture of the caller, we see that Sonja is holding her newborn baby girl. Sonja quickly answers the phone and tells the caller that they were right about everything and to not let some dude near her little girl. She then tells the caller to kiss her little girl goodnight for her. Whoa. Sonja then tells Raina to not feel sorry for her, because she will be in Sonja’s shoes one day.
While showing off Chris, Simon continues to touch him and call him “baby”, which unnerves Chris, who eventually asks for Simon to stop. Simon then commits the ultimate sin and grabs Chris’s ass, which is pretty much the button for a punch to be thrown. Chris pushes Simon, who spills his drink on Brandon Carr. A horrified Simon tries to have security escort Chris out as he continues to berate him. Chris finally lands the punch and security finally shows up. Despite all of this, Brandon Carr is impressed and sets up a meeting with Chris through Claudia.
Raina finds Franco and bluntly asks for the Versace job and Franco takes her to his VIP area where he sleazes on her hard. Raina picks up her cellphone and record Franco’s hand all on her chest and abruptly gets up. She then reveals to Franco that she is sixteen (what?!?!) and that instead of calling the feds she will call her father, who could be more trouble for him than the police. She demands something from Franco in return, but we don’t hear what. But I am pretty sure what it entails…
Isaac tries to get his tracks played by the DJ or even spin some, but the DJ isn’t budging. Isaac, dejected, spots Vivienne and asks to speak with her. She brushes him off, but Isaac swallows his pride and kisses Vivienne. After that he asks if her offer is still on the table. Isaac is my favorite male model of the show now as well as an idol.
After flirting profusely throughout the entire episode, Egan finally gets Marissa to succumb to his advances. As they leave, Rachelle yells thank you and then gets on her cell. The police bust Egan as soon as he and Marissa step outside and Rachelle reads him his rights. I knew it…
Sonja returns home to a bouquet of flowers and a note from Raina that says “Welcome Home, Sonja. I’m here for you. – R.” Sonja then takes the vase and throws the flowers at an old portrait of herself.
Back at MCD, Raina finds Chris trying to sleep on the windowsill. Chris has a flight back home the next day and declares he isn’t cut our for the business and Raina counters “Who is?” She also reveals that Sonja got the Versace job, despite everyone thinking that Raina got it. Of course, she doesn’t reveal exactly how Sonja got the job, but still. While the two bonded over how they both are fishes out of their element, Simon calls Chris for the fourth time, but Chris refuses to answer it. Raina invites Chris to sleep in her room, but on the floor. He obliges.
Thus ends one of the best pilots in a long time. The CW and Ashton Kutcher have me in their grasp and I am a willing victim. Most definitely will see you next week.
