I know Cindy Crawford, because how could I not, but also because I was 14 when Fair Game came out. Naomi Campbell I was aware of, but at least in part because of an assault she committed in Toronto when I was in my teens. Linda Evangelista I feel like I only became aware of through Jenn telling me about her. Christy Turlington…if you had mentioned her name to me, I would have said “I think I’ve heard the name but I can’t place it.” All of this is to say that I was mostly oblivious to these people as a teenaged boy who had zero interest in fashion and was far more interested in actresses as sex symbols than models.

For someone like me, who knows nothing about these people or this industry, this was educational. I knew basically nothing and so I learned more than I was reminded of. (I assume for people who were paying attention, this is much more a trip down memory lane.)

The film itself is pretty workmanlike. Talking heads and archival footage plus following the four titular models around. Someone criticized the film for essentially being a “Wikipedia article” and I can kind of see that, at its worst. But it’s a really good looking Wikipedia article. I was mostly interested and definitely learned things I did not know, about the industry, about their personal lives, about abuse in the industry (which I assumed but didn’t know about).

One of the great vices of documentary miniseries made for streaming is their length and this one does not overstay its welcome. It has four episodes and that’s plenty but it’s also not too many.

There’s no way I would have watched this on my own but I’m glad Jenn put it on. It’s hardly anything you need to seek out but I found it illuminating enough, for someone like me who knows nothing about this world, to watch. Also, I had no idea how beautiful Christy Turlington is. Just no idea.

6/10