Remember that time in 2003 when reality television had completely saturated the market and kept getting more and more shocking? From that era, we got “America’s Next Top Model,” a reality show that blended “American Idol” with “The Real World” but set it inside the fashion industry. Each week, supermodel Tyra Banks and a panel of judges would scrutinize a group of young adults as they faced ever-increasingly insane challenges. All for a chance at a spread in a fashion magazine, and contracts with a major fashion brand and a modeling agency.
Netflix is releasing the 3-part series “Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model,” which will unpack what happened behind the scenes of the national sensation. Co-directed by Mor Loushy and Daniel Sivan (“American Manhunt: Osama Bin Laden”), the series will feature interviews from cast and crew telling their side of the story.
Netflix’s “Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model”
“America’s Next Top Model” ran for 24 cycles between 2003 and 2016. Each cycle featured a group of aspiring models who live, work, and compete against each other in challenges to win the title. Each week, they would face an elimination by a panel of judges, including Banks, Jay Manuel, J. Alexander (aka Miss J), and Nigel Barker.
The series was praised at the time for featuring models that didn’t fit traditional Western beauty standards, but it didn’t age well during pandemic-driven binge-watching. Since then, the show has drawn criticism for its outlandish stunt shoots and cosmetic transformations, including dental surgery. Not to mention the almost constant stream of body shaming from judges to contestants.
“Inside America’s Next Top Model” will feature interviews with Banks, Miss J, Manuel, Baker, and series developer Ken Mok. Contestants and former winners, including Whitney Thompson, Giselle Samson, Shannon Stewart, Shandi Sullivan, Dani Evans, and Keenyah Hill, will also share their stories.
“Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model” hits Netflix on February 16th. You can check out the first trailer and poster below:
