The continuing success of America's Next Top Model has bred what success and familiarity always breed - imitators, contempt and pressure.
Cycle 10 has already been cast and is due to air in March - but the pressure to move up the premier increases as the writers strike lengthens.
The contempt premiered on VH1 October 7th. America's Most Smartest Model was a tongue firmly in cheek competition series where seven men and seven women competed for the title and $100,000. Turns out watching model wannabes pretending to be dumb - you know, like the Beauties on Beauty and the Geek; that's all pretend, right? - was so much fun that VH1 is holding an online competition right now with the winner getting to appear on the next edition of the show. The only problem is; the audience for the show skewed female only slightly less than the customer demographic for Tampons does. In consequence, my girl Sindia from Cleveland is getting her gorgeous bottom kicked by a bunch of pretty boys.
As for the imitators; when America's Next Top Model 10 premiers, two new modeling competitions will already be in progress. Season 1 of Make Me a Supermodel premiers January 2nd, on Bravo. Deadline for applications to this competition series for male and female models was October 20th, 2007. Attendance at one of several open casting calls held across the country was mandatory. Bravo's Make Me a Supermodel is a U.S. version of a show by the same name that had a good first season in the U.K. in 2006. Season 1 will be hosted by Nikki Taylor and Tyra's good friend, Tyson Beckford. It starts with 24 contestants who are whittled (chopped?) down to 14 in a single episode, in a programming decision that many thought The Bachelor had under copyright. As per usual in the genre, the contestants will share living quarters (NYC loft) throughout the twelve week competition. Winner gets $100,000 and a modeling contract with New York Model Management.
Another modeling competition, possibly premiering as early as January, is coming from an unlikely source - TV Land, a cable network primarily known for The Andy Griffith Show marathons. On October 5th, 2007, TV Land and Wilhelmina Models finished open casting calls for She's Got the Look (known at the time as The Next Great Supermodel). Filming, with 20 contestants, began in NYC Oct. 20th. In keeping with TV Land's appeal to the over 54 demographic, this 6 part reality series features women, age 35 and over, who exude "sophistication, beauty and confidence."
Either one or both of the two new entrants has a chance to find an audience with the networks unable to provide anything but reruns in high-viewing winter months. We could see both She's Got the Look and Make Me a Supermodel peaking for their finales just as America's Next Top Model 10 premiers. If they aren't scheduled opposite each other, they might all do well
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