I’ve never hidden the fact that I don’t like reality television. In fact, I’m rather vocal about it. However, I have to admit that I LOVE fashion/makeover/wedding reality shows. Say Yes to the Dress, for example, is a show I could watch every single day. So don’t be surprised by the fact that I actually kind of liked the CW’s newest summer reality show, Plain Jane.
The set up is fairly simple: stylist Louise Roe will take a plain girl and transform her – giving her a makeover and relationship advice. I’ve only seen the pilot episode so far, so I’m not certain whether each girl will be pining for a man in every episode, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that were the fact. Frankly, the episode was cute. The plain Jane was kind of dorky, but sweet. She had pretty big self-esteem issues, but that’s something all of us suffer from at one time or another. And as much as you can say that slapping a dress and some makeup on a girl cannot fix underlying issues, it sure can make you feel better. What I actually liked about the show was it didn’t just focus on this girl’s hair and makeup, but Louise actually made a point of trying to get this girl to overcome her fears – including one of snails (which are gross, so she’s not wrong) and a fear of talking to guys. So at least the fairy godmother in this case also tried to tackle underlying issues.
Of course Plain Jane sometimes feels a bit staged and cheesy (the ending in particular). But reality television isn’t really reality (*cough*TheHills*cough*). In the end, I was kind of rooting for the shy girl because what’s better than unrequited romance and the girl getting her guy in the end? They produce tons of movies about that kind of story because it works. Roe is very attractive, with great style and is very sweet to the girls instead of being condescending.
Plain Jane premieres on Wednesday, July 28 at 9:00 p.m. on The CW. If you like makeover shows, you should give this one a try. Below are some promos for the show.
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I particularly liked the ending. It had me smiling the whole time. Even if it may have been staged, which I dont think it was, I loved itand this is coming from a girl that doesnt watch alot of reality/fashion/dating shows
This show is SO obviously fake/formulaic…it becomes apparent first when the subject is forced to interact with men. It starts with one who is too THIS, then one who is too THAT, then suddenly, the interaction with guy #3 is JUST RIGHT.
Then, when the subject confesses her feelings to her crush, he always BEGINS with something like "If only you'd told me…" in such a manner that implies he doesn't feel the same…then, without fail, EVERY STINKING TIME, he does the quick-switch and confesses he DOES in fact feel the same.
And then they kiss. They always kiss. It's soooo fake….it's insulting.
I hate to say it but some plain janes will remain plain janes, despite any attempt at making them over. Take the latest episode of Plain Jane entitled Jane Plus. It always frustrates me when I see a reality makeover show celebrating a woman's 100 pounds weight loss – not because losing that amount of weight isn't worth celebrating. It's just that these shows infer that because of this weight loss, we're now supposed to think these women are gorgeous, and they simply are not. It's like the producers deliberately jump the gun on plus-size women. Do they deliberately find women who still need to lose more weight in the hopes that the right amount of camouflaging with thousands of dollars worth of hair extensions and clothing will take them across the fashion finish line? Despite the “right” clothes and makeup, it’s apparent that Angela still needs to lose more weight. She also needs 20 weeks of vigorous exercise, and maybe some veneers. Halfway through the show, I can already tell that Angela is just not going to get “there.” True, she did appear to get her man, but what she really should have been after was health and fitness. Maybe if Angela had also lost another 40 pounds along Transformation Way, her arms would have slimmed down and her large stomach wouldn’t protrude so much. When will these producers learn that no amount of clothing and makeup is going to help? The rabbit’s out of its hat. Angela can only look just so slim. People aren't blind, for the most part. Men can still see stomach rolls and flabby arms. Although I applaud Angela's weight loss so far, no amount of clothing is going to help her arms and stomach disappear. Her upper arms are large and misshapen, and her stomach rolls protrude through all of those form-fitting clothes Louise insisted on putting on her. Her legs are good and probably her best feature. So, why not feature them? Instead, at the end of the show, we see that Louise has put Angela in a long gown. Why? Because the dress goes with the horse-drawn carriage? Poor Angela is not ready to wear those clothes, her eye make-up looked garish at best, the red nail polish was horrible, and don’t even get me started on the hair that kept falling in her face. Not everyone can or should look like Kim Kardashian. Anglea's hair style and extensions overpower her small face, and the long gown is wearing her, not the other way around. I'd love to see Angela lose more weight and come back on the show wearing a shorter dress and less arm flab. No amount of bungee-jumping, buzzing bees, or Rodeo Drive hair stylists will ever make this girl Cinderella. Diet and exercise will.