Lizzo's Watch Out for the Big Grrrls

I'm not a big girl but I can appreciate the intent and purpose of this show. I certainly can't dance like these girls do. I'm glad they're being given the opportunity to showcase their gifts and chase their dreams! Who doesn't love that???

A hater. That's who. Ignore them.

I've never written a review for imdb before but when I saw the disgusting review bombing, I felt compelled to do so.

I am a fat woman, and I have never seen a show with so many fat people in it that didn't base its premise around fixing our bodies, especially for fat and trans women of color! The people who are saying this show "promotes bad habits/unhealthiness/etc" haven't even watched this show. They just see fat woc and immediately dismiss it without giving it a chance. Its literally about dancing. Where fat women. Exercise. Constantly on screen. We are not promoting an unhealthy lifestyle for simply existing in our bodies. Fat people and fat women will always exist. Statistically you probably have a fat friend and to those of you typing vitriol of us all over the internet, how do you think they would feel if they could read the things you say about us online?

I love that in this show you can see how the women are positively impacted by a space that Lizzo has created for these women to feel comfortable in their own skin. Before Lizzo, I know I have never thought I was allowed to be sexy, to learn how to accept my body as is, and it brought me to tears to see these women grow and improve throughout their personal and professional lives.

You can tell that Lizzo has control over this show and its premise, she discourages toxicity and looks to foster a group that builds each other up which is a rarity on reality television. This show is such a joy to watch, the women are so talented and always managed to surprise me. I hope this show opens the eyes of people who are straight sized and create more opportunities for fat people around the world to exist in peace.

Thank you Lizzo, for creating opportunities for these women who would not have it otherwise. You've changed the world and me. Watch this show with an open heart.

I have to say upfront that as someone in their 50s, I am not the target audience for this show. So while all the "you go girl" and "slay queen" sentiments make me wince, I can see that a younger audience would find it inspirational.

Lizzo herself comes across as a fun lady, somewhat bawdy and sweet at the same time, but I think the show has pigeonholed her into being a hyper-positive role model. All people are a combination of good, bad, positive, critical, mean and kind, but we are only allowed to see the good facets of her personality, making her a one-dimensional host.

I would love to see what her full personality is like. The parts where the camera lingers after she delivers yet another platitude are quite telling - she's almost laughing at herself, joking around. I would have like see more of that.

The contestants themselves aren't really all that exciting - LIzzo is the star of the show, and I think most people are aware that shows like this only exist to prop up the host and increase their fan base. Their journey also lacks any real tension because the eliminations are not part of every show, and it's reasonably obvious who is going to make the cut.

All in all, it's a a good time passer and for some it will be more than that. Someone a lot younger and less cynical than me.

I was shocked when I came on here to see people's reviews of this show and found that the ratings have essentially been brigaded by people who hate Lizzo and/or fat Black women loving themselves unapologetically. If competition reality shows aren't for you, that's fine. But writing hateful reviews about the size of the show's cast is shameful behaviour. Yes, this show centres women whose BMI puts them in the 'obese' category. Nowhere (at least, from what I noticed) does the show say that non-fat viewers need to gain weight, or that there are zero health risks associated with being fat.

If you think this show is 'promoting obesity', watch one of the hundreds, if not *thousands* of shows on Amazon Prime where fat people only feature as the butt of fatphobic jokes, or in stereotypical roles (like as nannies). The world is not going to end because of one show where fat people are celebrated.

Anyway, onto the show itself. I didn't have high expectations from a celebrity-fronted reality show, so I was pleasantly surprised by how good this is. Lizzo comes across well and you don't need to be a super-fan to be interested. She seems happy to sit back and let some of her talented contacts go on camera to impart their wisdom about fitness, self love, choreography, and more. The self improvement angle reminds me of Queer Eye, but unlike Queer Eye, this is an extremely female-centred show. I'm not exaggerating when I say that cisgender men practically don't exist in this series. It'll ruffle some people, but as far as I'm concerned, it's a refreshing departure from the norm in TV in that respect! And Lizzo doesn't have time for the stereotype of women as 'catty' and incapable of forging bonds with others that they see as competition. Of course there's drama. It's a reality competition show! But the toxicity is really kept to the minimum compared to other shows that are obvious influences in other ways, such as America's Next Top Model or RuPaul's Drag Race.

If you love to see talented, diverse, and confident women on in the performing arts, you need to see this! Especially if you're dying for some body positive TV since Shrill got cancelled.

Didn't realize how this important it was to see myself and those around me represented in the dance community. Would've loved a show like this as a teen!