Das Kapital

Reality Competitions are the most capitalistic form of television. Television as we know it is already an inherently capitalistic medium, where every episode of a show must argue for itself convincing the viewer not only that what they’re watching is good, but that they should tune in next time. Reality Competition amplifies the dynamic by passing this burden, at least partially, from the show itself to the contestants, who must convince judges and/or audience members to not kick them out of the show they’re on in the hopes of eventually winning a cash prize. With this in mind, let me tell you that I’ve never seen a more nakedly capitalistic show than Making the Cut. 

A couple years ago, Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn left Project Runway (which was stuck in an undeniable rut and has had a renaissance since) to create their own fashion competition. The result is Making the Cut, which airs new episodes every Friday on, you guessed it, Amazon Prime. A company symbolic of obscene, unrestricted wealth couldn’t be a more perfect fit for a show that searches to crown not only a visionary artist, but the leader of the next “international fashion brand.” This last bit seem to be a reaction to the criticism that, despite airing for almost twenty years, Project Runway has produced very few major designers, and results is a show where contestants are though of not only as designers, but as entrepreneurs. This is most evident in the judging panel, which allows contenders who are up for elimination to argue for themselves in the hopes of getting a second shot.

The show’s biggest strength is featuring a give-no-fucks Naomi Campbell as a judge. Its biggest weakness is the deep feeling of disgust one gets from seeing a contestant argue that he’s a talent with enough drive to succeed in the fashion world in front of judge Nicole Richie only to be eliminated, or have the judges declare that he simply “didn’t want it enough.” From the people who told you to turn yourself into a brand comes turning yourself into an investment, an entertainment, and eventually, a humiliation. But hey, at least you can buy the winning design on the show’s Amazon store right after watching. That’s as long as you’re a “small“, of course.