8 Shows Millennials Grew Up Watching That Would Probably Never Be Made Today
oneinchpunch | Shutterstock While boomers and Gen Xers grew up with "The Brady Bunch" and "The Wonder Years," millennials had a much different viewing experience in childhood.
This generation may have fond memories of watching these television programs, but they certainly would never air today. Because even though they were well-loved, they turned out to be problematic in their own ways.
These shows millennials grew up watching would likely never be made today
1. 'America's Next Top Model'
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"America's Next Top Model," often called "ANTM," premiered in 2003, with showrunner and model Tyra Banks making a sizable impact on the lives of many millennials. At the time, reality TV was somewhat new but becoming extremely popular, and it was fun to get a look into the lives of aspiring young models experiencing challenges to build their portfolio and skillset.
But today, millennials tend to look back on this time through a new lens, especially with the release of the bombshell Netflix documentary "Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model." From humiliating contestants to making them pose in questionably-themed photo shoots, this show would certainly not be made today.
2. 'The Biggest Loser'
"The Biggest Loser" showed millennials that extreme dieting and exercise is something that bigger people should aspire to do. The show was centered around overweight and obese individuals who wanted to become leaner and healthier. They were put on crazy diets and exercise regimens, and then were weighed each week.
According to information from the documentary "Fit for TV: The Reality of 'The Biggest Loser,'" trainers sometimes recommended as few as 800 calories per day. They had contestants do intense workouts, at times for as long as eight hours a day, leading to exhaustion.
Unsurprisingly, this method of extreme weight loss didn't actually work for participants in the long run, nor is it sustainable for everyday people. In today's world, we've come a long way as far as body positivity goes, so humiliating people on television like this wouldn't fly anymore
3. 'Extreme Makeover'
While many are familiar with the spin-off called "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," this show featured less attractive people undergoing plastic surgeries to become more beautiful. Back then, millennials were taught beauty could be created from the outside, and what lay within didn't matter as much.
People from this generation likely remember sitting down to watch each week, feeling happy that "ugly" people were given another chance to be "beautiful." Instead, it made them believe they could change their body with enough money.
4. 'Gossip Girl'
Almost every millennial remembers watching "Gossip Girl" every week, hoping Blair and Chuck would get together, or if Rufus would talk about making waffles. While it wasn't a reality TV show, it gave us a fictional taste of what life was like for Upper East Side teenagers.
Unfortunately, despite how entertaining it was, the show romanticized how the characters manipulated and ruined lives all the time. As pop culture writer Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal explained, "Watching as a parent today, it's a tough pill to swallow watching a show that glamorizes bullying, blackmail, and backstabbing."
5. 'Dance Moms'
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"Dance Moms" was a cultural phenomenon for young millennials, and featured dance instructor Abby Lee Miller coaching young girls whose moms stirred up absolute chaos in the dance studio. The dance routines and dynamics between the girls and their moms was fun to watch, but the way Miller treated the kids was inexcusable.
Today, a show on television like this would raise immediate red flags. In fact, some millennials still think about all the negative consequences that environment had for the girls on the show.
6. 'Courage the Cowardly Dog'
"Courage the Cowardly Dog" was an animated show unlike anything millennials had seen. Though it was supposed to be child-level horror, anyone who watched it growing up found it genuinely terrifying.
It's a creepy show, filled with unsettling images and a dog who just wants to do right by his owners, without actually being able to communicate all the strange things he witnesses. While the show is appreciated by millennials for its horror themes and tropes, it would spark outrage amongst parents today.
7. 'The Swan'
Echoing a similar sentiment to "Extreme Makeover," each episode of "The Swan" featured two women who were considered "ugly ducklings." Over a three-month period, they would undergo extreme procedures and body transformations, and whoever was the "most attractive" would compete in a beauty pageant.
It was entertaining for millennials to watch how much these women changed, but it also sent a message that young women who don't adhere to traditional beauty standards need to be "fixed." It goes without saying that this was deeply problematic and wouldn't be considered anywhere remotely ethical by today's standards.
8. 'The Office'
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"The Office" was originally a British mockumentary that was adapted into an American version in 2005. Over time, it's gained a cult following of loyal viewers and re-watchers. And while most millennials have watched this show, there were tons of questionable things that happened throughout its nine seasons.
Even the show's executive producers and even cast member Rainn Wilson don't know if this show would fare well today. The show was never meant to do real harm, just to make light of certain things and bridge the gap between people for the purpose of comedy.
Luke Aliga is a writer with a degree in Technical Writing and Communication who covers relationships, culture, and human interest topics.
