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The catwalk lights are back on.
In Netflix's new docuseries "Reality Check," the legacy of "America's Next Top Model" is put under a harsh, unfiltered spotlight, and this time, its creator has something to say.
After years of criticism and viral backlash, 52-year-old supermodel and media mogul Tyra Banks sits down on camera for the first time since the show wrapped in 2018.
Directors Daniel Sivan and Mor Loushy insist there was no creative control, no advance screenings and no special treatment.
Banks, they say, will watch it like the millions of subscribers at Netflix, with fresh eyes.
It took months of conversations before she agreed to participate, but when cameras rolled, emotions followed.
According to the filmmakers, she was "very emotional," determined to tell her side as former contestants and judges shared theirs.
The series revisits infamous moments, including her explosive clash with Tiffany Richardson and the now-viral tirade that once played as camp but today feels unsettling.
Former insiders such as Jay Manuel, J. Alexander, Nigel Barker and producer Ken Mok join past competitors to confront accusations of body shaming, race swapping photo shoots and manipulative storylines.
Contestants like Dani Evans and Shandi Sullivan describe makeovers, weight critiques and even alleged misconduct that blurred the line between reality television and real harm.
But with power came scrutiny, and a pandemic era rewatch reframed once accepted behavior through a far sharper lens.
Sivan says no one showed up for damage control; instead, participants appeared ready to own both the beauty and the ugliness.
Banks does not dodge the criticism, though she notes production decisions were often collaborative and shaped by a very different cultural moment.
The result is not a tidy redemption arc but a complicated portrait of ambition, impact and the cost of chasing "top model" perfection.
For viewers old and new, it's a chance to reconsider who was really being judged.
On and offscreen.
