Australia's Next Top Model - TV-14

Models work the runway Down Under.

TV Rating: TV-14 Network: VH1 Cast: Erika Heynatz Genre: Reality TV

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that this reality series holds beauty above all, even if host Erika Heynatz says it's much more than that. Like its Tyra Banks-hosted American equivalent, the search for Australia's uber-model pits one statuesque beauty against another in a competition that sometimes gets ugly. The women can be catty to one another, and -- no surprise for a show about modeling -- body image issues can come into play.

Families can talk about why modeling is attractive as a job. Does it look easy to do? What are the hidden challenges? Would it be difficult to always be expected to be beautiful and pulled together? When so much attention is placed on looks, what gets lost in the shuffle? What messages does the show send about body image? Do shows like this make girls feel bad about themselves? Parents might also want to discuss the role of makeup, lighting, airbrushing, etc. in creating the images that teens see in magazines.

Rate It!

Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: S. Jhoanna Robledo

AUSTRALIA'S NEXT TOP MODEL begins with a bang. Within 10 minutes of meeting the host, model Erika Heynatz, all 10 finalists are asked to model on a runway, experience notwithstanding. It's a promising start -- even exhilarating.

And then, like a poorly made dress, the show frays at the seams. Yes, it's a lot like its American predecessor -- it's a competition for a coveted modeling contract, cosmetic campaign, the works. But it's less interesting. Despite the sun-soaked locale (Sydney) and engaging accents, the series is missing an important ingredient: familiarity. Though everyone's speaking English, it feels like something's getting lost in translation. (Who is Heynatz really? Who's that "designer" she just introduced?)

What makes America's Next Top Model work is that viewers know its cast of characters. We know queen bee Tyra Banks' story. (Beautiful young woman is discovered, takes Paris by storm, and the rest is history ... and a whole lot of Victoria's Secret catalogs.) We know she's bigger than life. So when we see her sharing tips with wannabes and dressing them down for un-model-like behavior, it has resonance.

And watching the likes of Janice Dickinson and later Twiggy -- two names with a fair amount of cultural significance in the United States -- critique the finalists is a guilty pleasure because we know their past: how they became fabulous, why they became fabulous. In Australia's Next Top Model, viewers get Heynatz, who seems pretty and successful enough, but she's no Tyra. So it's hard to know the impact of her words. When she says, "This is a real-life Cinderella story," it lacks punch; when the show introduces a famous designer, we don't really know how important he or she is. We can't read the shorthand.

Still, some bits make for great TV: As the show progresses, the contestants get feistier and more forthcoming, the situations more entertaining. Some openly handicap their chances against the others. Others admit to personal dramas (an unsupportive boyfriend, an argument with a mother, etc.). An accusation of theft is made. Two factions fight.

There's also the thrill of seeing the contestants prepare for a shoot. The girls get Brazilians! They prep for an early call. They get tips on how to appear warm when modeling bathing suits in the middle of fall. And there's the shoot itself, glamorous and exciting. And, of course, the secret ingredient of all successful guilty pleasure reality TV shows -- cattiness -- surfaces here, with everyone dishing about how the others look, dress, and speak. (One woman wonders about another: "Did she have a boob job?" Another says, "You're a spoiled brat.")

More pluses: Models are actually told they're too thin, which is refreshing. The contestants also keep getting reminded that models are much more than their looks -- that they need to sparkle and shine, personality-wise. (It's unclear, though, for whose benefit this point is constantly hammered, theirs or the viewers'.)

Perhaps it's unfair not to judge Australia's Next Top Model on its own merits, but, then again, it was inspired by a series that's grown to become a bona fide pop culture phenomenon. So it's hard not to compare the two. And, unfortunately, this one may have a hard time getting a callback. The first "model" was too beguiling, too alive, and too enticing for this series to stand out.

Fans may also enjoy (surprise!) America's Next Top Model, Project Runway, and Ugly Betty.

Rate It!

Content		CS	adults	kids
Content
Sexual Content Minor bantering, though nothing too risque. Nudity behind the scenes at runway shows.
Violence Petty bickering.
Language Some bleeped-out words ("damn," for the most part), but noting too excessive.
Message
	Social Behavior Some yelling and cattiness. Women compare bodies and critique their looks aloud, which could be an issue for young viewers still trying to develop self-confidence.
	Commercialism Nothing too outageous. Name-checks of magazines and labels.
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco Some drinking in bars.