Among the things that get on my nerves most about reality competition television is the way casting tends to try to build on past ratings success by casting look-alikes of previous contestants. I’m not just talking about the token minority or homosexual. I’m talking major doppelganger action. Because it deals almost entirely in superficial appearances, no show leads itself more to this observation than “America’s Next Top Model.”

Obviously this cycle has some new representations, with two plus-size models and a Latina girl (though clearly Jaslene is Anchal). But in general, almost every girl is a carbon-copy of a predecessor.

Most egregiously, Brittany’s wide-arched (is that the right nose part?) nose approximate’s last cycle’s runner up, Melrose:
BrittanyMelrose

Jael (”who seems like she just got out of Ja-el” –Miss Jay, in a fabulous one-liner) channels cycle 5’s Lisa, the crazy one:
JaelLisa

Renee is the 20 year old who looks like she’s 30, like last cycle’s winner Caridee (only waaay less likely to win:
ReneeCaridee

7 Comments »

  1. Comment by Fred Schroeder posted March 7, 2007 at 10:49 pm:

    This post begs the question of how long were you searching the internet for models?

  2. Comment by Don posted March 7, 2007 at 11:29 pm:

    For one hour ,while watching Top Model. With my wife. While drinking a beer and shooting at deer out the window of my Mustang.

  3. Comment by Fred Schroeder posted March 8, 2007 at 12:32 am:

    Was Ron Artest there too?

  4. Comment by Greg Sabin posted March 8, 2007 at 5:29 pm:

    Did you ever think that most tall, skinny white girls who crave attention all kinda look the same anyway?

  5. Comment by bob sanders posted March 21, 2007 at 8:23 am:

    None of these girls really look alike and do not act alike at all. Jael is quirky and fun, and looks nothing like Lisa. Renee is horrible and talks bad about everyone and has an excuse for why everyone wins the challenges besides her. Caridee was good at what she did and she wasn’t a wench like Renee. Brittany is a waaay better model than Melrose and Melrose was a HUGE know it all. Melrose was ugly too.

  6. Comment by Becky posted March 28, 2007 at 10:16 pm:

    Tonight’s featured quote from Top Model, “Well, girls, we heard that you learned to dress yourselves today!”

  7. Comment by anya posted August 21, 2007 at 11:00 am:

    i like thim they are asome.

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