Summer TV Review: Plain Jane

Photo courtesy of Matt Kennedy and the CW All Rights Reserved

The CW has been advertising their new reality show Plain Jane for months now. I've been so excited to watch this show. When the previews started airing I hated that I would have to wait until the end of summer to watch a single episode. I am a firm believer that confidence in women is key! There are so many bad situations in my life that I could have avoided if I had more self esteem. True beauty does come from within but let's be honest, the outside package counts too.

My biggest problem with the show is that it is premised on the idea of catching a man. These girls are all on the show because they think they need to be "hotter" if they are going to have any chance of landing their dream guy. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be the best you possible and we women are all guilty of spending a few extra minutes in front of the mirror when there is a guy we like. However, I have a serious problem with the idea that these girls somehow need to change themselves to get a guy. If a guy that is your friend didn't notice you without 4 inch heels and a skin tight dress then you may need to find another guy. Creating a fake you to please a man is only going to bring you misery. Trust me I know.

At the end of the show, the newly transformed girl presents herself to the object of her affection and reveals her secret love for him. Waiting for the guy to recover from the shock and embarrassment is nothing short of awkward. And could you imagine if he said not interested. What would happen to that poor girl?

But the show was not all bad. At the end when this week's "plain jane" Cristen revealed her secret crush to her friend of 6 years, he told her that he had a crush on her since college and just never told her. See? He liked her exactly the way she was before all the hair and makeup. That to me was beautiful.

The show ended with pictures of the new couple and they seemed pretty happy together. Suprisingly Cristen looked like herself just with perfectly tweezed eyebrows and a chic new haircut. By the time the show went off I found myself thinking I was perhaps a bit too quick to make a negative judgment. Maybe they didn't try to change this girl but just tried to give her the tools to be a more improved happier version of herself. It definitely seemed to work.

I think I'll keep tuning in...

Plain Jane airs Wednesday nights at 9 EST on the CW.