As happy as I am for Caitlyn Jenner's Vanity Fair cover issue, in which she announced to the world that she is finally free to live as her true self, there's one thing I was nervous about: Her reality show, I Am Cait . Not because I'm not curious about her thoughts and feelings, or supportive of her journey, but solely because of the precedent set by Jenner's family. I'll tune in for a Keeping Up with the Kardashians marathon as happily as the next person, but that show and its spinoffs don't exactly set the industry standard for the tasteful handling of material. Instead, anything is up for grabs, and cameras are invited into every moment, no matter how intimate or mundane.
So, naturally, I was worried that Caitlyn Jenner's show would take the same exploitative tone and leave me with a bad taste in my mouth. If there was one thing I knew I didn't want Jenner's story to turn into, it was a storyline. Which is why I'm so relieved to say that, now that I've seen the promo for the eight-part docu-series, premiering July 26 on E!, all my worries are wiped away. And the main reason why is because Jenner is just so excited. The show seems to be her just sharing new experiences with us, letting us in on her journey as she goes shopping for clothing, rides motorcycles (because she's still the same person with the same interests!), and finds her center in a family working to fold her back in.
I feel crazy saying this about a reality show coming from the Kardashian-Jenner clan, but I Am Cait looks like an utterly unself-conscious celebration of the woman that Caitlyn Jenner is, which is more than I ever thought to hope for. Take a look at this trailer and just try not to get your heart-warmed.
Image: E!
