Models of the Runway
By Kari Croop,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Project Runway strutters get pretty tame spin-off.
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What's the Story?
MODELS OF THE RUNWAY shadows the 16 models who work the catwalk for Project Runway designers, offering a behind-the-scenes look at what it's like to be a human clothes hanger on one of the most popular fashion shows on television. But it's also a competition for the models, in that only one of them will survive elimination and ultimately win the grand prize: a fashion spread in Marie Claire magazine and $25,000 from L'Oreal Paris/Skin Genesis.
Is It Any Good?
Models isn't must-see television, but Runway fans will likely stick around for the extra half-hour to watch it, if for no other reason than it gives them a chance to see more of Heidi Klum -- and the often "dramatic" model selection rounds in which the Runway designers choose who they want to work with the following week.
The show is as slickly produced as Runway and gives off the same hip vibe. But while Runway lets viewers watch designers sew their creations from start to finish -- a typically fascinating process that makes it clear how much skill is involved in making clothes -- Models lets us watch, well, models ... who basically walk down the runway and back. They have their own distinct personalities, yes. And most have far more going on for them than their looks. But the truth is, they don't really do much.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why the Project Runway models got their own show. Do you think they're interesting enough for their own program? Would you watch if you weren't already a fan of Runway?
Why are most high-fashion models tall and thin? Is it an impossible standard the industry created, or do they really look better in the clothes? How do "real women" compare?
Does the show make modeling look difficult? Do you think any girl (or guy, for that matter) would make a good model? What are the characteristics of a successful runway walker?
TV Details
- Premiere date: August 20, 2009
- Cast: Heidi Klum
- Network: Lifetime Television
- Genre: Reality TV
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Last updated: February 24, 2022
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