Parents' Guide to

Making the Cut

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Fun fashion showdown rewards design and sales potential.

TV Amazon Prime Video Reality TV 2020
Making the Cut Poster Image

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What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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age 10+

Based on 1 parent review

PipSqueak241144
PipSqueak241144 Adult
May 12, 2020
age 10+

Fantastic Game show

Making the cut is a competition show, there is cussing but it’s mostly blocked out they’re is an occasional word that is not blocked out. In the first outfit one of the contestants make a dress wear you can see the models whole chest but it’s mostly blurred out. This is a fantastic game show that I would definitely recommend.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

MAKING THE CUT is an international fashion competition seeking to find the designer who has what it takes to build a global brand. Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn reunite to host 12 successful entrepreneurs and designers who will travel around the world, create high-concept and wearable garments, and feature them on runway shows. Klum, along with models like Naomi Campbell, designers like Nicole Richie and Joseph Altuzarra, and fashion editors like French Vogue's Carine Roitfeld, judges the creations. The winner of each challenge has the commercial version of their look featured immediately on Amazon.com for purchase. The winner of the overall competition receives mentorship to help grow every facet of their business, a million dollars to invest in their brand, and the chance to market it to consumers worldwide via Amazon.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (1):

This entertaining competition series offers some creative designer fun along with a glimpse into the commercial world of retail fashion. It feels nostalgic thanks to the happy return of Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn, who quickly settle into their iconic roles as hosts, mentors, and judges made famous by Project Runway (no references are made to that series). However, unlike Project Runway, Making the Cut requires contestants to push the boundaries of design without losing sight of the fact that their creations need to be understood and appreciated by the consumer to be commercially successful. Rather than watching contestants bicker as they sew garments from start to finish, viewers are introduced to a workroom process that looks more like that of a fashion business, which relies on off-screen garment stitchers and other makers to sew pieces based on the designers' patterns and technical instructions.

The partnership with Amazon gives Making the Cut a commercial edge, but given the show's overall theme about how to cultivate a successful retail business, the massive global retailer is a fitting participant. Meanwhile, the exchanges between the judges are limited, and their conversations with the designers are much less dramatic than the last-minute mishaps, glamorous runway shows, and outfits that completely miss the mark. Project Runway fans will appreciate the upbeat fun, and there's no doubt that a new generation of fashion-themed TV lovers will find Making the Cut a good fit.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Making the Cut's focus on designing clothes for the consumer. What does it mean when something is deemed "commercial"? How do clothing designers use their high-concept visions to create garments that people will buy for everyday use?

  • Fashion-themed television is very popular among teens, but it often features lots of clothing brands and retail outlets, and encourages people to buy. What can we do to help teen viewers understand when they are being marketed to?

  • If you've watched Project Runway, what does Making the Cut do differently? Which do you think is more entertaining?

TV Details

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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