The first American season averaged over one million viewers of which about 800,000 were adults of 18-49 years old (statistically the most active consumers). It was aired on Bravo cable channel known also for the Project Runway show.
What will be changed in the upcoming (March 4th) 2nd season are the judges, the host, the format and one of the "mentors", meaning pretty much for an average successful show. All the judges were replaced from supermodels Tyson Beckford and Niki Taylor, fashion casting director Jennifer Starr and Cory Bautista from New York Model Management by designer Catherine Malandrino, model Jenny Shimizu, model scout Marlon and a fashion photographer Perou, who's been also a judge in the original UK version of MMS. It will be now in single host-format - from a duo models Tyson Beckford and Niki Taylor, Tyson is the one who stays. From now on it is going to be the judges who get to determine the eliminations and finally eventual winner. Additionally an Australian 23-year-old model Nicole Trunfio will replace Taylor as a mentor to the female contestants.
There are 16 contestants altogether from the age of 18 to 30. Heterosexual and homosexual. Experienced and unexperienced. With children and without. Artists, students, sportsmen. Very typical mixture for such a show. It hasn't started yet, and we've already got emotional stories that hit one's heart. 22-year-old Karen wants to win for her family to "lift their spirits after they've suffered a family tragedy last year when one of her twin brothers died in an accident". 24-year-old Kerryn is "inspired by her brother, a Marine who received a Purple Heart when he was injured from a roadside bomb attack". 19-year-old Salome "puts in about 70 hours into two part-time jobs a week". And last, but not least 30-year-old Shawn is "inspired to win because his brother passed away a little over a year ago".
This series will require less of the viewers' engagement by changing the voting rules. Plus, after the first series it is already known, that all the contestants, not only the winner, will sign a contract with New York Model Management. I wonder how those are going to influence the number of audience.
More information, pics and videos here.