Idol, Rock the Cradle, Step It Up and Dance

Alright. We've got some serious business to discuss here. Namely, the state of reality competition television. I know...heavy stuff, right?

I've been watching a fair amount of TV lately (Yay for unemployment!) and happened to catch all three of the above listed shows yesterday. While Idol is now in it's seventh season, Born to Rock and Step It Up and Dance are brand spanking new. And with any luck, there won't be a second season for either of them.

First, let's get the Idol talk outta the way. I've had mixed feelings about this show the entire time its been on the air. The auditions can be good for a laugh, and its always fun to choose early favorites. But, as long as I've been watching the show, NO ONE has topped Frenchie Davis:



If she made an album tomorrow, I would buy it. Talent like this is out there, but since Frenchie, we just haven't seen it (except for David Archuleta. They should just give him the win now. Jeeez, the kid's good. Not Frenchie good, but still pretty damn amazing).

Oh wait...I forgot about this guy:



And he's from Cal! GO BEARS! Civil engineering represent! What what!!!

Next on the chopping block is MTV's latest atrocity entitled Rock the Cradle. The premise is similar to Idol, but the contestants are all offspring of once famous rock, hip-hop and R&B stars. What's in a name, you ask? A LOT. Bloody hell, these kids are bad. For all it's shortcomings, at least the Idol contestants can sing! With the glaring exception of Al B. Sure's! son (who was so memorable, I didn't even catch his name), its possibly the strangest mix of "singers" who would be laughed off of the stage, if it weren't for their parents' names. Yeah, it's every bit as bad as it sounds. The only bright spot? The blond bombshell Jesse Blaze Snyder, who bears a striking resemblance to one o-chem lab partner of old...

Up next: Bravo takes a stab at the popularity dancers everywhere have enjoyed since So You Think You Can Dance? became a huge hit with Step It Up and Dance, hosted by none other than Elizabeth Berkley of Saved By the Bell and Showgirls fame. I'm all for any show that doesn't make dance look like a joke (*cough* Dancing With the Stars, Your Momma Don't Dance *cough*), but I'm not sure I'm entirely sold on this one yet. The premise: a bunch of professional dancers square off in weekly competitions, group style. Boring! And the dancing...not all that great. I'm hoping it gets better. I want it to get better! PLEASE let it get better!

Thank god there's hockey on tonight.