'America's Next Top Model' pits the boys against the girls starting Friday

‘America’s Next Top Model’ is one of the few reality shows I will admit watching.

Now, keep in mind, I’m not pretending that ‘America’s Next Top Model’ is great television. In fact, ANTM is more of a guilty pleasure for when I’m feeling mean.

What am I talking about? I find a perverse pleasure in watching a grown woman fall apart because she has to get her hair cut – or because the makeup artist is purposely trying to make her look bad out of jealousy.

Yeah, I’m immature that way. Sue me.

The truth is, ANTM actually had a decent heart at one time. Sure, it was early in the show’s run, but it was there.

Somewhere along the way, though, ANTM lost its way.

A lot of fans will tell you that ANTM lost its way when it cut longtime judges and model talent help Jay Manuel, Jay Alexander and Nigel Barker.

The show was created by Tyra Banks, and she was the central figure in the show from the beginning, but it was her backup that was most endearing.

When the three individuals were let go for monetary reasons, Tyra brought in Kelly Cutrone and Rob Evans as judges. Neither Cutrone and Evans have any personality at all, though, and the chemistry that used to exist on the judging panel evaporated.

In addition, Banks decided to let fans have some input and vote on their favorites -- something fans

had been clamoring for since the show began.

I’m not sure how others feel about it, but I think the most recent season was the worst in the show’s history. I miss both Jays and Nigel a great deal – and what used to work on the show has completely disappeared.

Up next is ANTM’s first ever showdown between guys and girls – which starts Friday on the CW.

In an interesting twist, I will watch reruns of ANTM on Oxygen with more gusto than I do new episodes of the show over the past two years.

This could be the show just getting long in the tooth – or it could be an actual decline. I tend to believe it’s a mixture of both.

Still, I’m willing to give it one more shot. I’m actually kind of interested in Tyra trying to make everything about herself when there are male models in the room. She does it with everything else. Why should this be any different?

Either way, I have a suspicious feeling that this will be the final cycle of ANTM I watch live. The CW was smart to premiere it when it did.

A lot of the summer shows are ending their runs and the fall shows won’t start for another six weeks or show. This gives ANTM a clear shot at a bored audience – which might actually help ratings.

What do you think? Is ANTM past its prime?