America's Next Top Model, the reality television show hosted by Tyra Banks, was known for it's outlandish challenges and problematic elements. All that and more is being scrutinized in a new Netflix documentary called Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model, coming to the streamer on February 16.
In the years since the show went off the air, it has been the subject of controversy as people look back at its more problematic elements. In 2022, Business Insider published an exposé about the show's production, which former contestants called "psychological warfare."
Now, the show is being looked at with fresh eyes in a documentary that features the show's host, along with the judges: noted fashion photographer Nigel Barker, Jay Manuel, and Jay Alexander. Former contestants and winners — including Whitney Thompson, Giselle Samson, Shannon Stewart, Shandi Sullivan, Dani Evans, and Keenyah Hill — will also appear in the three-part docuseries.
According to the project's official logline, Reality Check "exposes the show’s complicated legacy and asks a provocative question: how far are we willing to go for entertainment?"
The docuseries' press release also includes a statement from one of the executive producers, Jon Adler of EverWonder Studio, who said, "America's Next Top Model was a groundbreaking force that forever shaped pop culture, but there's more to its complicated legacy than meets the eye. Whether you tuned in weekly or recently discovered the show, Reality Check will reveal fresh insights and intimate reflections on the drama, controversy, and personalities that defined this iconic series."
"We can't wait for Netflix's global audience to see what really happened behind the scenes of America's Next Top Model and the cultural moment it created," added executive producer Jason Beekman of Wise Child Studios. "Reality Check is a fun, fast-moving nostalgia trip that also examines real issues of gender, race, exploitation, and personal conflict. And Netflix is the ideal partner for our first documentary series, which reflects Wise Child's focus on telling character-driven stories that are both compelling and highly entertaining."
