Fox debuts another reality gimmick
Just because it’s picked as the show of the day doesn’t always mean it’s good.
Sometimes, as with a traffic accident, you have to slow down and look.
Tonight at 8, Fox unveils “Trading Spouses: Meet Your New Mommy,” the latest “reality” gimmick show.
Tonight it’s two Dallas moms who switch families, and issues of race and class are involved.
Despite the racy title, nobody’s jumping into bed with anyone else. It’s just that some families are going to learn different parenting styles.
Someone, somewhere, no doubt will offer lip service as to the enlightenment everyone will experience, but mostly this seems like one more cheap idea fed into the gaping maw of the voracious prime-time schedule. These shows are created, burned out and discarded as fast as the producers can think up racy titles.
Prime-time economics and a dearth of creative ideas for fictional programming mean more gimmick shows are always just around the corner.
Highlights
Sitcom reruns, ABC at 8: “8 Simple Rules,” “I’m With Her,” “According to Jim” and “Less Than Perfect,” all of which are less than good.
“Navy NCIS,” CBS at 8: Repeat involving a serial killer of Navy officers.
“Last Comic Standing,” NBC at 8: The elimination and the yuks continue for two hours.
“Big Brother 5,” CBS at 9: The Orwellian soap opera continues.
“That ‘70s Show,” Fox at 9: Repeat with guest Alyson Hannigan as Kelso’s admirer from the police academy.
“Quintuplets,” Fox at 9:30: Repeat of the episode that finds the rivalry with another set of quints exploding into open warfare.
“NYPD 24/7,” ABC at 10: Murder of a Chicago man keeps the detectives busy. But it’s the behavior of some of the cops that has made this show controversial in New York.
“Amazing Race 5,” CBS at 10: All we know is the episode title — “I Got Electrocuted!”
“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” NBC at 10: Repeat finds a child dead after a late-night church service. What went wrong?
Family Fare
“Gilmore Girls,” WB at 8: Rory wonders if she’s up to the challenge of Yale. And great-grandma gives Richard and Emily a hard time. Repeat.
“Summerland,” WB at 9: Sarah is running away to Mexico and wants Bradin to come with her. Plus Ava has plans for Nikki that Nikki doesn’t like. New episode.
Cable Cast
“S.W.A.T.” (2003), HBO at 8: Over-the-top action and not much else in this high-octane cop thriller, with Colin Farrell and Samuel L. Jackson.
“Things I Hate About You,” Bravo at 9: Premiere. Mo Rocca hosts as couples compete to see who has more annoying little quirks.
“Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” Bravo at 10: John K. gets a makeover.
“Nip/Tuck,” FX at 10: Julia tells Christian her deepest secret, and the docs treat a mountain climber suffering from frostbite injuries.
“Crank Yankers,” Comedy Central at 10:30: Season premiere of the prank-calls-with-puppets show, featuring guest Ludacris.