Makeover - Self-improvement

Among the crop of reality TV shows that have made it on the television screen, a new type of reality TV show is emerging. Capitalizing on America’s love of a feel good story, these makeover - self-improvement reality TV shows can be pretty polarizing. People that enjoy this type of reality TV shows love these shows and see them as motivating and inspiring. Critics of these types of shows argue that they reinforce negative values and are superficial.

Regardless of how you morally feel about reality TV shows that revolve around makeovers and self-improvement, you can’t argue that these types of shows are entertaining. Contestants are extremely happy about the changes that these shows allow them to make and their exuberance is contagious. Viewers can’t help but feel happy for the contestants on shows like Extreme Makeover regardless of how they feel morally.

Reality TV shows in the vein of makeover or self-improvement category range all over the place on the scale of outrageousness. Extreme Makeover is a relative straight ahead show that features stories of individuals that had applied for an extreme makeover and receiving one. Plastic surgery procedures are performed on these contestants and also changes are made on their wardrobes. The changes made on Extreme Makeover are pretty incredible and the joy of these participants is apparent.

The popularity of Extreme Makeover has convinced ABC to create a spin-off that is based on the premise of self-improvement. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is a show that makes entire family’s dreams come true. On this Emmy-nominated show, a family is chosen by the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition team to have their homes radically redone. Home walls are moved, floors are removed, and a family’s home is radically changed all in seven days. A fascinating show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition continues on the path of Extreme Makeover of making regular American’s feel better about their lives by making seemingly-impossible dreams come true.

On the outrageous scale of reality TV programs based around makeovers and self-improvement is Fox’s outrageous reality TV show, The Swan. The Swan is similar to Extreme Makeover in that it provides plastic surgery procedures for its contestants. However, a twist is added as all of the contestants on The Swan who have received plastic surgery then compete against each other in a beauty contest. A bizarro Miss America, The Swan is always a fun, trashy thing to watch on TV, and these types of reality TV shows will always be wanted on television.

In between these two extremes is MTV’s I Want a Famous Face. On this show, contestants obtain plastic surgery that will help them look like a famous celebrity. Although this show has its share of critics, including Kate Winslet who reportedly cried when she saw a contestant undergo plastic surgery to look like her, it’s a pretty interesting show. Many of the contestants want to go into the entertainment business and feel that getting plastic surgery to look like Brad Pitt will help their career. Love it or hate it, I Want a Famous Face like other reality TV shows of this type are always interesting to watch. Find out more about these shows right here.