E!’s Scouted tries to make modeling look like a magical fairy tale for everyone.
In E!’s latest reality series Scouted, two pretty faces in the U.S. are found, developed on a local level and then sent out to the famed One Modeling Agency in NYC to determine if they have what it takes to be America’s Next… wait, wrong show. Don’t get your model reality shows mixed up because the in-house modeling gods at One make it clear they harbor a lot of disdain for what Tyra’s reality show has “taught” young girls what good modeling technique is. The fearsome foursome of Michael, Dani, Julia and Dani see a lot of up-and-coming faces in their swanky NYC office and they know when a girl has that special something. They also can tell when someone doesn’t really have it in them to compete in the international fashion world. They ask prospective models, “Would you do anything to be a model?” Some girls get all dewy-eyed and jump to say yes but then there are the ones that look at them like they’re a little nuts and say “No.” While the foursome gets pinched when they hear that answer, I want to whisper, “Right on, girl!” to encourage the real consideration of a modeling career.
Hey, I watched The Devil Wore Prada with an open mind and I get that loving fashion doesn’t make one inherently evil or vapid. However, let’s be honest, modeling for many young women is the entry point into a life of extreme dieting, rejection based completely on the physical, and a lack of self-esteem. It can also be a ticket to the world and a bright, wealthy future but you do have to ask at what cost as some of the girls scouted from obscurity in this show do over the season.
Scouted tries to weave the fantasy that being picked off the street by a modeling scout is akin to a fairy princess dream that will make everything right and well all know it’s not. It’s a life changing choice that should be looked at for the pros and the cons and this show isn’t being honest about the cons in the opening episode which features Gillian (15) and Jennifer (18).
Gillian is a natural, fresh-faced beauty from Texas that gets selected at an open call at Parkes Casting. After her hips are measured and the scouts give her some creepy leering once-overs, Gillian’s interviewed and comes off like a star. Gillian and her mom are then brought in for a special meeting where she’s told that she’s going to be sent to NYC to be possibly groomed for a contract. The young woman is thrilled but her mom is concerned that her husband’s cancer treatment will be an impediment to this possible new career. The heartstrings are kicked into high gear as Gillian hopes her dad will be allowed to fly to New York with her and there’s a lot of forced drama as we learn he can go between treatments.
In New York, the One team go urbane nuts for Gillian as they ask her about her interest in fashion and why she wants to be a model. They explain the process and it’s really a sycophantic love fest for young Gillian as the New Yorkers stare at her like fresh meat. Mom gets nervous after thinking Gillian might be too young but dad says timing isn’t always perfect and she should go for it. The next day, Gillian is made up model style with lots of makeup and red lipstick. She does her photo shoot like a pro and captures both feminine shots and androgynous shots that show flexibility.
In San Francisco, Jennifer and her mom are called to lunch with her local modeling scout, Kristen. Jennifer is a year into her grooming and there have been some problems. She’s developed a reputation with some clients as undependable. Jennifer admits she’s made some mistakes but then mom chimes in defensively on behalf of her daughter. It gets tense but Jennifer feels like the constructive criticism is good. Kristen wants to test Jennifer at a mock client call and Jennifer agrees. Aside from forgetting her portfolio, she does well with the coach. Kristen is pleased and is submitted to NYC.
At the One office, the meeting goes a little different as mom becomes a stumbling block out of the gate. She says she is Jennifer’s manager and Michael gets concerned that if Jennifer makes the cut, that One will be making all the decisions. Mom says she won’t cause conflict but you can tell the foursome are worried. It comes out that Jennifer was homeless for a good part of the last year and that created some of her issues that concerned Kristen. Making it to New York now feels surreal and like a big chance for change as she tearfully tells sympathetic Julia and Dani.
The next day Jennifer is dressed in a yellow dress, given a new, hip haircut and poses for her photo shoot. Mom is worrying just in Jennifer’s eye line so the mood is off. The scouts try to get Jennifer to relax but that only happens when mom heads into another room to cry out her stress. Now alone with the photographer and her handlers, Jennifer changes clothes and really opens up to the camera. She looks more natural and they get her to stop with the posed model moves that are unnatural.
Scott, the president of One, comes in to look at the photographs for both girls and here’s where it gets gross. Gillian gets picked apart for her baby weight and not being perfect. Jennifer gets picked on for her lack of model toned legs but she’s gets thumbs up for her 22” waist… cool! It’s an ugly peek into what they will face every day in this career and it leaves a bad taste in this viewer’s mouth.
At separate meetings with the girl’s and their families, Gillian gets told she is getting signed. Jennifer is told that they love the gap in her teeth but she’s not ready for NYC yet. The end cards reveal that Gillian plans to finish her sophomore year of high school then hit NYC in the summer of 2012. Jennifer goes back to local SF modeling but is dropped by Kristen. While it looks like black and white endings for both girls, it feels maybe more like Jennifer dodged a bullet with education and a stable future to look forward to while Gillian has modeling which could steal her sweetness and youth before she needs to let that go. Only time will tell but Scouted now has me worried for a whole new group of young women tempted by what people’s obsession with beauty can provide them.
This review originally appeared on TV Geek Army.
