Bridalplasty: America's Greatest Reality Show that was Canceled After One Season

by Katie Chilton

There are only two things my parents told me I wasn’t allowed to watch as a child: The Hangover Part 2 and Sister Wives. And I listened, but that meant I watched every other movie and show available to me as a child. I watched a lot of reality TV as a child. E! Network and TLC were my favorite places to be, and one show has left a lasting effect on me. 

Back when Netflix was in the early stages of streaming, a young me discovered the greatest show ever created: Bridalplasty. It consisted of 12 brides competing to win their dream wedding. BUT… they could also win their perfect body. If they won a challenge, they were rewarded with the plastic surgery of their choice (mostly nose and boob jobs, but you could also get your teeth fixed!). The winner received their dream wedding and every plastic surgery on their list, all paid for. The presenter was Shanna Moaker (Miss USA 1995) and the plastic surgeon was the Dr. Terry Dubrow (yes, the one from Botched). In the pilot, Dr. Terry Dubrow marked up all the contestants and told them what they needed done, creating the list of procedures that they would get throughout the show and if they win. Let me emphasize that he decided what had to be done. When a bride was eliminated, Shanna would say something like “You will still have a wedding but it won’t be perfect” OUCH. Was she right? Probably.

As for the dynamic of the show, it was crazy. One of the contestants, Jenessa, was a stone-cold bitch, and I LOVED her. Her goals were to turn everyone against each other, spread gossip, and win. I won’t give away the ending, but she was the moment, win or lose. Allyson was also a favorite of mine, and the enemy of Jenessa. Allyson was there because both she and her fiance had lost their jobs and had no health insurance; she had a lot of reasons for being on the trashy show. Meanwhile, Jenessa was there just to be there. Jenessa had money and a fiance she forced to propose to her. She didn’t need the prizes, but 10-year-old Katie needed her. 

(the one and only Jenessa)

I think it’s obvious why this show only lasted one season. Due to the fact that giving medical procedures as a prize is NOT okay in the medical world, I see how it was hard to continue with this show. Also, this show might have possibly been like a little teeny tiny bit sexist as it portrayed women as flawed and needing to be fixed with plastic surgery or else they couldn’t be the perfect bride. But a lot of the women on the show, like Allyson, came to fix problems they couldn’t have outside of the show; one contestant has previously had breast cancer, and she wanted to be able to fix a botched surgery from that. I’m not trying to defend this show, but I am. It was crazy and wild and I need another season! Overall, it probably did more harm than good, but man did it make for good entertainment. 

I just know you are wondering what happened to the contestants after the show—and honestly, I don’t know. I hope they are all well, and I will do some internet prowling later to make sure Jenessa is still slaying and girl-bossing. But I do know that one of the contestants, Lisa Marie, was killed by the man she was having an affair with. So that was a twist I didn’t expect. But I hope you all watch it because it is one of a kind.