The clothes we wear affect who we see ourselves as and thus how we act. Or at least that is how fashion "expert" Angela Buttolph sees it and she feels it is important that those with a rather bland personae and personal issues tackle their problems by forcing themselves to wear a different outfit each day over one week to change themselves, open their hearts and confront their fears. In episode one of the series, we tackle Diane Metcalfe, a mumsy housewife who has lost her individuality in a daily routine of responsibility, school runs, cooking, cleaning and such. Angela forces her into a series of outfits to help her explore herself and rediscover her youthful spontaneity.
I will rarely (if ever) review a television series until it is finished (unless I'm reviewing a season of one) and I don't like the reviews of those who judge a whole season/series after watching one episode. Sadly, I have no intention of watching a further episode of these series because I fear that my IQ will drop and that my eyes will attempt to leave to save themselves. Basically this is the nadir of the already low standard of make-over shows that attempt to change people by tackling aspects of their life they are doing wrong (dress, cleaning, partners, diet etc). However the reasoning behind this series is, well, b*llocks. I could debate the logic behind what Buttolph is saying but the easiest way to demonstrate it is to watch the programme. The lack of reality, change or progress is seen in the delivery everything is staged.
The family conversations are fake and unconvincing which I suppose could be down to a bad relationship or nerves before the cameras, but the passer-bys are clearly staged, from the arty young man to a couple of teenagers who supposedly find Diane attractive when she is dressed as lamb. Diane herself doesn't seem to change a bit and is actually forcing herself to become the person that Angela tells her to be although you can see it in her forced manner that she doesn't buy it for a second. Although they look a bit awkward, Diane and her family are reasonably good sports but every single passer-by has the decency to look embarrassed on their behalf.
Just to give you an idea of how pointless and pathetic the whole thing is, let me talk you though Diane's week. Day 1 is a horrible orange outfit with a beret and a wig. Diane poses around looking arty and creative but she doesn't convince. Day 2 sees her dressed as a particularly unfashionable goth teenager. Even a 14 year old would look stupid and Diane certainly looks absurd and her attempts at throwing teenage strops for the camera are just laughable. Day 3 sees her dressed as a low rent, East London 40-year old tart in leopard skin. It makes no difference to her attitude and just makes her look like she has no taste. Day 4 sees her dressed like Madonna circa "Like a Virgin", a look that Madonna herself gave up on decades ago. On this day Diane at least has the decency to acknowledge that she looks like a tw*t and that she is being a bad mother by embarrassing her children in public. Day 5 saves the best for last and sees Diane dressed as a Playboy Bunny to liberate her saucy side just the side you want to liberate in a school playground. At the end of the show, everyone tries to tell the camera how much Diane has changed as a result of Angela's "help" but it is all unconvincing and I saw no evidence of anything. You do have to wonder why they bothered to put themselves through all this nonsense but then when you write to the BBC you clearly want to be on TV and you'll take whatever they offer you.
Overall, the degree to which this stinks can be seen in the distance that even Buttolph has put between it and her she appears at the start and end in person but otherwise is seen on video tape in daily segments that were clearly all filmed within a ten minute window she could be bothered to give the show. The logic is terrible, the "help" is just plain stupid and the whole show is a waste of time that only succeeds in making other reality shows like How Clean is Your House look like works of important television yes, that's how bad and pointless this tripe is.
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