Top 10 Worst Reality Shows

By Cassandra Senior

Reality shows are cheap to produce-no actors, few writers-and feed into the need of many people to snoop around the lives of others minus the risk of getting caught. They were fun for awhile, but then...they just got weird. Premises were mean, ridiculous or filled with D-list celebrities. And then, faster than we could say "scripted-drama," reality shows were becoming the go-to type of show for prime-time. Well-written, well-produced and well-acted shows like Jericho, Veronica Mars, Arrested Development and Firefly were no more. The reality show was the hot, new player in town, and scripted shows became an endangered species.

In the hopes of a new prime-time, here are 10 reasons (in no particular order) why reality shows need to rest-in-peace.

•1. Armed and Famous (CBS, 2007): Airing for only 4 episodes, Armed and Famous followed 5 "celebrities" as they trained to be reserve officers in Muncie, Ind. Probably the most notable part of this series happened after it was pulled, when a woman filed a lawsuit claiming she was handcuffed for 30 minutes before La Toya Jackson and Jack Osbourne realized they were at the wrong house.

•2. Married by America (FOX, 2003): Despite a ploy to boost rating by placing the show after American Idol, Married by America never really reached great heights. Maybe it was because it completely degraded the union of marriage. The plot of this gem was that America would choose each week who would have to live (and usually fight) with who. In the end, America would choose two couples who would get the chance to get married. Smart people, all four declined.

•3. Temptation Island (FOX, 2001-03): How this show lasted 3 seasons is beyond me. Four couples move to an exotic paradise and test their love for one another by spending time (read: sleeping/making out) with sexy model-types. The question in the end is make-up or break-up. Personally, I think that if you need to do this show, it's probably break-up.

•4. Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire (FOX, 2000): This show is just about as close as you can get to prostitution before doing jail time. Fifty ladies competed to marry a multi-millionaire they never got to see. He, however, got to see and ask questions of them, of course. In the end, Rick, the multi-millionaire, and Darva, the winning girl, got married live on stage. They also had their marriage annulled on the honeymoon cruise. Turns out Darva wasn't aware this would be completely against her morals until after she won the fabulous prizes. It also turned out that Rick misrepresented himself in terms of income, career and the fact he had more than a handful of restraining orders from past girlfriends. A clear example of why background checks are a good idea for reality show contestants.

•5. Mr. Personality (FOX, 2003): Pretty much DOA when Monica Lewinsky presents herself as the host. It is your average Bachelor-esque show with the exception that the twenty men vying for the girl wear incredibly creepy masks.

•6. Forever Eden (FOX, 2004): Guests can live at this posh, exotic hotel for months or even years. It was never really made clear how someone went about winning or losing, but if you did lose, the eviction ceremony contained a purposeless giant green apple? Only 7/25 episodes were aired on FOX, but it turned out the winners split a measly, combined total of $260,000.

•7. The Will (CBS, 2005): This list is not in order, but if it was, The Will would probably take the top prize. An Arizona billionaire decided it would be fun to make his friends and family (wife, son and ranch hand among them) compete in the degrading games that have become reality show staples. The lucky winner gets a sure spot in his will (and the billionaire's love? Probably not, but his son and wife can hope). CBS gave us a break and canceled it after one episode.

•8. Who's Your Daddy? (FOX, 2005): My other pick for number one is this gem. It's easy enough to explain. An adopted daughter meets a roomful of men who could be her biological daddy. If she chooses the right one, she gets $100,000. If she chooses incorrectly, that guy gets the money. But don't worry, FOX made sure that either way she would meet her dad. Because they are classy that way.

•9. The Littlest Groom (FOX, 2004): This aired as a two-part special (what, he's little so he gets a little show?). Just like The Bachelor just with a pint-sized bachelor and a surprise twist that he wasn't just going to date other little people but full-size women as well.

•10. My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiancé (FOX, 2003): An elementary school teacher is promised money for her and her family, if she convinces them she's getting married to some dude. Of course, there must be a twist, and in this case, the fiancé is an actor who has been hired to be ridiculously rude, crude and obnoxious. The teacher doesn't know that though. In the end, she wins the money, but not before almost getting disowned from her family for ruining their last two weeks and playing with their emotions to win money. They got over it once each member was given a hundred grand, though.

These are just 10 of the worst reality shows I've come across. Others that almost made the list include: The Swan, Tori and Dean: Inn Love, A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila, Farmer Wants a Wife, Britney and Kevin: Chaotic, Who Wants to be a Superhero, and I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. See, there are just so many!