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IN THE WORLD of reality TV, America’s Next Top Model (ANTM) stands out for having a long reign and a big cultural impact.
The show, originated by model Tyra Banks in 2003, was all about discovering beautiful young women and turning them into top models. Viewers watched for over a decade as the gals were selected, underwent makeovers and learned how to sashay down the catwalk.
The show was never a stranger to controversy, but in recent years a whole new generation has been discovering ANTM, and taking their complaints to social media.
Now comes Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, which aims to deconstruct the dark sides of ANTM.
Here’s what you need to know about the three-part Netflix series.
ANTM was the little show that could
Much of the first episode focuses on Banks coming up with the idea for ANTM and her quest to get it turned into a reality show.
While we can look back at it now as a success (it really did hoover in the viewers, though its cachet dipped towards its end), when it launched in 2003 it wasn’t a dead cert. Banks faced a lot of ‘nos’ before her big ‘yes’ came from the network UPN. No one was sure if her idea had any weight.
It’s a reminder that even the biggest shows can come from humble origins, but it also shows us that Tyra Banks has long been the queen of self promotion. Without her belief in the show, it would never have been made. Yet did that same belief prevent her from seeing its many flaws? That’s what Reality Check discusses.
Yes, Tyra speaks out
Reality Check wouldn’t be anything serious without the top talent participating, and luckily the key ANTM players do turn up.
So alongside Tyra Banks we hear from runway coach J Alexander, creative director Jay Manuel, ‘noted fashion photographer’ Nigel Barker and producer Ken Mok.
Crucially, we also hear from several contestants too, including Keenyah Hill and Shandi Sullivan. It’s their testimonies that really linger. They speak out about their treatment on the show and how they feel they were left down.
We hear about what it was like to undergo controversial makeovers and take part in bizarre photo shoots, all in the name of ‘good TV’.
Some of the stories are extremely shocking, such as when Sullivan recounts what happened when the ANTM contestants were brought to Italy. It’s a scenario that raises serious questions about the show’s treatment of vulnerable people, and how much consent the contestants had in what was aired.
Apologies? Not quite…
One of the most controversial elements of Reality Check is to what level Banks et al apologise or try to atone for their actions.
A lot of what they say boils down to ‘it was a different time’. But does that absolve them of what went on in the show? This is one of the trickiest elements of Reality Check.
The interviews with the contestants show they felt that concerns were raised but not addressed, and that the impact of what happened to them lingers.
Meanwhile, Banks, Alexander, Manuel, and Mok all acknowledge that they regret certain things happening on the show. But there is the feeling for the viewer that they stop short of a full apology.
There’s more criticism to come…
Since the series was aired, former contestants who didn’t take part in Reality Check have spoken out on social media.
One participant, Lisa D’Amato, even claimed that the series was “still very tame and sugarcoated”.
It’s likely that there’s even more to be made public about what went on behind the scenes at ANTM. And this time, people are listening.
Overall, Reality Check is a great series to check out if you want to relive those terrible ‘nasty reality TV’ days and see what the people involved had to say. No one comes off particularly well here, except the contestants. The long-term impact of the show on some of the women – like Giselle, who was ridiculed for her weight – is a shock to discover.
There’s a lot more that could still be said about ANTM and this era of reality TV, but this series is a good primer. It’s also a reminder that as viewers, if we keep returning to certain shows they will keep being made. So while we can certainly criticise those involved, we need to interrogate our own role too.
Reality Check: America’s Next Top Model is on Netflix now.
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