| The Swan | |
|---|---|
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| Genre | Reality television |
| Presented by | Amanda Byram |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 18 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | |
| Running time | 45–50 minutes |
| Production company | FremantleMedia North America |
| Original release | |
| Network | Fox |
| Release | April 7 – December 20, 2004 |
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The Swan is an American reality television series broadcast by the Fox Broadcasting Company (Fox). It premiered on April 7, 2004, while its eighteenth and final episode aired on December 20, 2004. The series was hosted by Irish television presenter Amanda Byram.
Each episode of the series followed two self-proclaimed "ugly ducklings" who, over the course of a three-month period, experienced an extreme makeover from a team that included a personal trainer, therapist, dentist, and cosmetic surgeons. Whichever woman was deemed more attractive at the end of the three months would move forward to compete in a beauty pageant held at the end of the season. Following the pageant, whichever contestant received the most votes for the greatest transformation would be given the title "The Swan".
The Swan has garnered negative reception from critics and audiences. Criticism of the series often focused on the promotion of a negative body image for women. Despite the negative reception, The Swan premiered to high ratings and averaged around 9 million viewers over the course of its first season. Since its airing, several of the contestants have voiced either satisfaction or regret over their participation in the series. Additionally, several producers have defended The Swan, in which they claimed its purpose was to increase the self-esteem of its contestants. In 2013, Fox announced plans to revive the series as a two-hour television special titled Celebrity Swan, but as of 2018 it was no longer in development.[1][2]
- ^ West, Lindy (February 20, 2013). "Celebrity Swan is the Most Depressing Television Program Ever Conceived". Jezebel. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
- ^ White, Adam (2018-06-14). "When makeovers go wrong: why The Swan is one of the most horrific TV shows ever made". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-02-07.