I Thought Netflix's Next Top Model Docuseries Would Be A Fluff Piece. It's Much More Than That

When I first heard about Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, I thought the new Netflix original series was going to be somewhat of a fluff piece highlighting the long-running reality show’s impact on pop culture. Though I suspected the three-parter would touch on some of the more infamous moments from model-turned-Hollywood-star Tyra Banks’ uber-popular show about models looking for a big break, I didn’t think it’d go as far as it did.

Don’t get me wrong, the 2026 TV show does champion various people (both contestants and judges) involved with ANTM, but it’s far more biting than I had imagined before watching it with my Netflix subscription. While I do have some problems with Reality Check, there’s something about it that makes it much more than a lighthearted exploration of a pop culture phenomenon.

Though The Buck Got Pushed Around, Reality Check Held People Accountable

Like any documentary or docuseries about a massive culture event like America’s Next Top Model, I had a feeling that if Reality Check touched on some trickier topics and incidents, the buck would be passed around. That does end up being true to a degree, as the reality show’s producers often say things to the effect of “it was a different time,” or “that was the production side, and I had no part in it directly.” However, this doesn’t mean people aren’t held accountable.

One of the most damning segments is the one detailing Shandi Sullivan cheating on her longtime boyfriend following a party in Italy, and the production team’s unwillingness to stop the incident from happening. This harrowing chapter becomes a major part of the docuseries, and the powers that be, like Tyra Banks and Ken Mok, are pressed on the issue multiple times. Does it make up for one woman’s life being upturned for TV drama? No, but it’s a start.

The Series Also Did A Great Job Of Highlighting The Issues With Reality TV In The Early 2000s

The phrase “hindsight is 20/20” comes up in Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model more times than I can count. While a cliche at this point, especially when looking at something from 20 years ago through a modern lens, this argument isn’t without merit in the docuseries. Though I personally think the producers let the show’s major players get away with a little too much at times, the series does do a remarkable, albeit painful, job of highlighting just how rotten reality TV was in the early 2000s.

Shows like ANTM were marketed as reality TV, but there was very little that was real about them (aside from some real drama with real consequences). I’m not saying modern shows are any better, but this competition series came out when the format was still in its infancy and those making the shows didn’t fully understand the ramifications of their actions. I’m not defending some of the shadier and morally bankrupt actions of the show’s producers, but this was a different time.

All of this is to say that Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model was a somewhat shocking deep-dive into one of the biggest TV shows of the 21st century. Could it have gone further? Yes, but this one leaves you with a lot to think about.