The Agency

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Agents get ugly in a show not modeled for kids.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this reality series gives new meaning to the adage "Beauty is skin deep." It examines the inner workings of a modeling agency, and -- surprise, surprise -- reveals it as a harsh, ultra-critical world. And, beautiful as they may be, its ruthless, competitive inhabitants aren't very appealing. Of particular concern: The show reinforces many of the negative body-image messages that the modeling world is known for (very thin women are referred to as "Pillsbury doughboy" and "fat cow").

  • The cast is made up of abrasive, obsessive type-A agents who are eager to discover the next Heidi Klum. In the process, they backbite, fight loudly, swear frequently, and pick their clients apart with unapologetic glee. Lots of negative messages about body image; models are regularly measured and told to lose weight by dieting and working out. A model whose hips measured 37 inches was referred to as a "fat ass."
  • Not much besides the inherent competitiveness of the industry.
  • Lots of partial nudity, but not really of a sexual nature. Men and women are seen disrobing for work purposes.
  • So many profanities are strewn around that some sentences are incomprehensible because of the bleeps.
  • Given that the show centers around modeling, fashion brands pop up intermittently. The show is sponsored by Jenny Craig.
  • Alcohol flows freely at dinners and other get-togethers.

What's the story?

In THE AGENCY, viewers meet the men and women who work at Wilhelmina, one of the most successful modeling agencies in the fashion capital of New York City. Through its doors glide stunning Amazons determined to make it in fashion; the agents they meet inside are the gatekeepers who decide who's in or out. Of them all, Becky Southwick is the harshest, an equal-opportunity critic who spews venom even at models who seem beautiful beyond belief. What she values, she says, is "tall, skinny, and can walk like demons."


Is it any good?

 

While there's something strangely appealing about taking a peek behind the curtain -- what makes for a good walk, how a simple trim transforms one guy's look from good to great -- The Agency unfortunately reinforces stereotypes, both about the modeling industry and about what its "experts" consider to be acceptable standards of beauty. Despite the industry's body mass index controversy, thin is still very much in vogue. The show also unearths double standards: The agents are shown more than once discussing how the male models are too thin, whereas the women almost always can't be thin enough. What is clear after just a few episodes is that there are very specific, even mysterious, conditions to which a model's look must hew.


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about the rarefied-but-brutal world of modeling: How different are its standards from the real world? Which is more valued -- inner or outer beauty? Why? And for that matter, who's deciding how beauty is defined? Why does modeling seem so appealing when it's so competitive and cutting? And how do the modeling world's values trickle down to popular culture?


This review was written by S. Jhoanna Robledo
Adult
April 9, 2008
 
Murder
It's bad, very bad. Please don't let your kids watch this without you present.

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This review was written by S. Jhoanna Robledo
TV rating:NR
Network:VH1
Cast:Becky Southwick, Sean Patterson
Genre:Reality TV

This review was written by S. Jhoanna Robledo
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

 

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