Pretty Wicked (Oxygen)

common sense media says

Pretty lame attempt at promoting inner beauty.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that teens will see a lot of inappropriate behavior modeled in this reality competition designed to reform 10 hand-picked "divas." The saltiest language (including "f--k," "s--t," and "c--t") gets bleeped, but plenty of audible words remain. There's also some drinking, smoking, and name-dropping when it comes to high-end labels -- and the girls dress and act suggestively, too (one even says that her special skills include "b--w jobs").

Positive messages: Because these girls were hand picked for their narcissistic behavior, you'll hear them say offensive, hurtful things; see them be rude to other people; and watch them tell lies to get what they want. In short, nobody in the house is a good role model ... but a few show promise of changing their ways. Ostensibly the show's message is to promote inner beauty, but that often pales in comparison to the contestants' "diva" ways.
Violence: Not applicable.
Sex: Contestants sometimes wear revealing clothing that shows cleavage and/or bare midriffs. One woman says hat her special skills include "sleeping, shopping, and b--w jobs." Another feels a fellow contestant's breasts to find out whether they're real. A third says of two dogs sniffing each other, "He's, like, licking her vagina."
Language: Strong language like "f--k" and "sh-t" (as well as "c--t") is bleeped, but it's used pretty often. Other audible words include "hooker," "skank," "nipple," "bitch," and "piss."
Consumerism: Several high-end brand names are mentioned, including Marc Jacobs, Coach, and Burberry.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: The contestants drink alcohol socially, and a few smoke cigarettes. The label on a box of Marlboro Lights is visible.

More on Pretty Wicked

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about what messages the show sends about inner and outer beauty. Are both equally important? Why or why not? What traits make someone beautiful on the inside, and what traits make their insides ugly? Families can also discuss whether a show like this truly has the power to change someone's behavior -- or whether it's all just for the sake of entertainment.

What's the story?

What's the story?

In PRETTY WICKED, 10 women move into a posh loft under the pretense that they're competing in some sort of beauty contest. What they don't know is that they've been hand picked for their "ugly" personalities. Over the course of several weeks, one woman will emerge victorious, proving that she's as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside -- and she'll be $50,000 richer for her troubles.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

As far as train wrecks go, there's plenty of carnage to go around in this reality competition from Oxygen (the same "woman-centric" network that brought the world The Bad Girls Club). Need examples? In the show's very first episode, the contestants are asked to throw a party for a group of mystery guests, who turn out to be blind men. "I don't know anybody that's blind," said the woman who ended up winning the challenge. "Their eyes are all, you know, messed up because they're handicapped and stuff. I felt really bad for them."

So, OK. The premise of ferreting out inner beauty sounds promising. But we promise you that your teens will learn plenty of iffy lessons along with the show's central message that personality is far more important than looks. And, really, it all seems rather pointless anyway. Why would you hold a competition in which the contestants aren't likely to care whether they get kicked off or not? After all, isn't it easier for them to go back to their old ways instead of trying to change?

TV themes & details

TV Details
TV Rating: TV-PG
Network: Oxygen
Cast: CariDee English, Jenn Berman, Mia Tyler
Genre: Reality TV
Where to watch: Oxygen

This review was written by Kari Croop
 
 

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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
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