Reality-TV Index

A recurring guide to which shows are worth investing in, and which ones to avoid.

By Tara Ariano & Sarah D. Bunting
Published Jul 16, 2006

Bridezillas
WE, Sundays, 10 p.m.
The Premise
Wedding stress turns engaged women into shrieking, sobbing harpies, for your entertainment.
Should you bother watching?
Yes; it’s a cheap thrill, but it’s a reliable one. Granted, several brides don’t have “wedding stress” so much as “personality disorders.” (And “spineless grooms.”) Still, the weepy meltdowns, tacky tiaras, and inebriated bridesmaids make for riveting, if horrifying, fun.

Last Comic Standing
NBC, Thursdays, 9 p.m.
The Premise
American Idol (people compete in talent search) meets Big Brother (people live together), but with comedy.
Should you bother watching?
Sure—at least until the good comics have all been kicked off. Thanks to the show’s Survivor-style challenges, the gimmicky outlast the good, which means long lives for shrill deadbeats like Roz and quick ejections for talents like the funny, and already ousted, Doug Benson.

Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency
Oh!, Tuesdays, 10 p.m.
The Premise
“First supermodel” Janice Dickinson (ex of America’s Next Top Model) starts an agency of her own.
Should you bother watching?
No. A little of Janice’s squawking—say, three minutes’ worth—goes a long way, so a half-hour is hard to take. ANTM offers sharper insights, while this show’s both dull (Janice loves her office’s interior design) and fake (Janice tries to help a homeless girl; freaks out on her).

Big Brother: All-Stars
CBS, Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, 8 p.m.
The Premise
Several losers (and one winner) of past Big Brother seasons get another chance to compete for money by loafing around a fake house.
Should you bother watching?
Maybe. Some of America’s picks to reenter the house were pretty uninspired (Erika? Who’s that?), and the show doesn’t get rolling until the houseguests are down to single digits. But like Big Brothers of yore, if you give it time, it will reliably suck you in.

America’s Got Talent
NBC, Wednesdays, 9 p.m.
The Premise
Ever fantasize about walking down an endless pier full of terrible buskers, with Regis Philbin at your side? No? Well, NBC has!
Should you bother watching?
Hell no. This is Ed McMahon’s worst Star Search nightmare. We could go on about the jugglers, balloon artists, and the 8-year-old stand-up comic. Instead, consider this quote from judge Piers Morgan: “Rappin’ Granny, you are what this show is all about.” Amen.