Watch Little Miss Atlanta

Little Miss Atlanta is a captivating reality TV show which aired in 2016 on TLC. This show provides a behind the scenes look into the glamorous, fiercely competitive world of children’s beauty pageants in Atlanta, Georgia. Little Miss Atlanta encapsulates the feverish activity and spirited competition of the pageant circuit, with a deep focus on the greater Atlanta area - one of the most energetic, high-stakes, and competitive environments where such events frequently take place.

The show revolves around three well-established pageant directors, Kim Gravel, her sister Allisyn Varalla and Jana Bullock. They bring to the table their years of experience in the industry and thorough understanding of the pageant protocol, demanding rigorous discipline, killer instincts and a flamboyant personality from the pint-sized participants. Their goal is to bring out the star in every child and send the most deserving winner to the prestigious national competition.

Each episode of Little Miss Atlanta centers around four families of pageant contestants. It shows their intense preparation leading up to the pageant. Fueled by determination and strong will, these tiny contenders along with their doting and often-pushy parents, leave no stones unturned to secure a win each weekend. The nail-biting tension, celebrations and disappointments, diplomacy and drama make the show more than just about the glitz and glam.

The parents of the little stars play a rich variety of roles – from being their biggest cheerleaders to their strict taskmasters. In some cases, the parents’ dreams are almost symbiotic with their children’s ambitions, as they relive their own unfulfilled dreams through their kids. These often ambitious parents invest not just time and energy, but also a great deal of money in the exquisite yet pricey costumes, talent trainers, hair/makeup artists, and the pageant events themselves, in the hope that their child will take home the coveted crown.

While the show doesn't shy away from highlighting the cutthroat competition and drama, it also illustrates the emotional toll competitive pageantry can take on young kids and their families. It provides an insight into the complexities of the competitive child beauty pageant circuit, interwoven with the dreams, aspirations, victories, and setbacks experienced by the young contestants and their parents. Moments when kids rejoice at their victories or struggle to keep smiling after difficult setbacks are heartrending and often serve as a commentary on the intense pressure they endure.

In addition to the pageant life, Little Miss Atlanta delves into the personal lives of the contestants, providing viewers with a candid depiction of the children's ordinary life – school, homework, playtimes, and family dynamics – which are often complicated due to the relentless training schedule they follow. The show highlights the delicate task of balancing a child's normal life with the demand of being a pageant princess.

The pageant directors, Kim Gravel, Allisyn Varalla, and Jana Bullock, are instrumental in setting the tone of the show. Their exuberant personalities and their tough-love approach to mentoring lend a unique spunk to the series. Gravel, who is a Miss Georgia pageant winner, infuses her own experiences into guiding the contestants, often providing humor, wise counsel and reality checks whenever necessary.

Overall, Little Miss Atlanta is an enthralling voyage into the world of child beauty pageants – a world that thrives on glamour, competition, and high stakes. The show masterfully assesses the impact of this high-pressure environment on the young participants and their families, posing important questions about its long-term effects and the larger societal norms related to beauty, self-esteem, and power.

Throughout its run, Little Miss Atlanta struck a chord with both the critics and audience. While the world of pageantry it showcased was oscillating between the enchanting and the over-the-top, the human narratives that unfolded within this world resonated universally, making it an engaging series for fans of reality TV, as well as those with a general curiosity of the spectacle that is child beauty pageants. Whether you find pageants appealing or appalling, the multifaceted personalities, family dynamics, and intense competition make this show compelling viewing.

Little Miss Atlanta is a series that ran for 1 seasons (4 episodes) between October 5, 2016 and on TLC