The entries in this post are a real drag. Imposters duping unsuspecting viewers, reality TV shows missing key ingredients and a downright ugly and dated sitcom so awful it was washed off the schedule after 2 episodes like a bad makeup job. The networks who insisted on serving viewers this dreck learned fast people tune out as they do not like being insulted or delivered a bait and switch. If one is joining the party, check out the prior 35 entries and prepare to lower the bar further.
21st-25th: Shows The Made Viewers Sick
Deceit is an action best reserved for scripted shows, not for reality TV. Perhaps this series was ahead of its time as Prince Harry and Princess Meghan have been the focus of media and tabloid attention since 2020, but this series reeked like Axe Body Spray at a feminist convention. FOX experienced a downfall in 2014 to 4th place as its dependency on American Idol softened ratings, and this series continued said downfall. The deceitful action against viewers was "Harry" was an impersonator named Matthew Hicks. Critics and viewers who scorched the earth were justified as this series represented a bait and switch for some seeking a fix on the royal dynasty. Several have made a living as impersonator willingly disclosing they are famous for resembling a celebrity and gain interest. The question nearly 10 years is "Who is Matthew Hicks?" By participating in this insulting show, he ruined his chances of enjoying a natural gift of looking like the world' famous royal facecards.
Britney Spears leapfrogged to fame at a tender age, attracting a trail of parasites eager to watch her fall and feast on the carnage. UPN was one of said parasites, desperate as in their 11th season, their weak network failed to establish itself among the stronger networks. What was on display during these appalling 5 episodes turned what should have been a beautiful relationship with her marriage to Kevin Federline instead exposed every ugly moment the two experienced, otherwise known as marriage. Viewers thankfully treated this experience like a bad episode of ingesting shrooms and vomited back at UPN, who cancelled the series as it rated poorly for even their standards. Where the cruelty lies in this failed show though is Spears' downfall only two short years later with erratic behavior being devoured by paparazzi. Her mental health disintegrated leading to a still-existing conservatorship, losing custody of her two sons and divorcing. Thankfully South Park roasted all of the haters in a sympathetic episode which showed we the public destroyed a beloved icon, not any of these factors.
One should never tell an expectant mother how she should deliver nor raise her children. One does, however, have the right to criticize a television series for poor production values and failing to deliver crucial elements to viewers. With reality TV, those elements are engaging contestants and a picturesque setting. The setting was not the issue in this series as nature succeeded. And the contestants were believable. A third element however was glossed over with Born in the Wild. 
A show capitalizing on the latest social media trend? A gamble as said viewers are more enthralled being on social media instead of tuning in live to ABC on Tuesdays. 2014-15 marked a year ABC experienced a brief renaissance into 3rd place as it cornered the market on Wednesdays and Thursdays with fresh family comedies and sophisticated dramas which cornered the market on what females in the 18-49 demographic wanted, as well as respectable reality TV franchises on Mondays. Tuesdays, however, failed due to incompatible programming mashed into one block. Selfie, while it offered a non-family entry into the sitcom department, hardly innovated or presented solid writing to capture viewers. As stated earlier, why would viewers drop everything to watch ABC when getting on the net was far more entertaining?
If a show gets axed after two episodes in high-rated January, said show will hardly qualify for an award show. Drag humor is a nice punchy twist for smaller helpings such as a plot-driven twist, a SNL skit or even a featured player like The Drew Carey Show's Steve. But an entire series with two males in drag attempting to deceive their dimwitted folks they interact with? Sorry folks, but viewers couldn't suspend disbelief in the early 1980's when Tom Hanks did this on Bosom Buddies from 1980-82. Majority of viewers are not dragphobic, as evident from RuPaul's Drag Race regularly cleaning up in TVRG's cable ratings posts. But rather they are allergic to bullshit and refuse to suspend disbelief for such a preposterous premise requiring them to dummy down.
15. I Wanna Marry Harry (FOX) (2014)
14. Britney and Kevin: Chaotic, UPN (2005)
13. Born in the Wild, Lifetime (2015)
With a concept like childbirth, science needs to be adhered to some degree given the medical nature of childbirth. Born in the Wild did not seem to place emphasis on this, but rather an overload of feelings and emotions. There is plenty of space and time for that in an agonizing delivery, but viewers do want to know what is going on medically so they can keep up with the complexity of childbirth. Sorry, but to be a respectable documentary or reality TV series with health, science needs to be present to entice the educational crowd.
12. Selfie, ABC (2014)
11. Work It, ABC (2012)
Where Work It failed was it was hardly artful but instead relying on a tired trope as a joke. Work It hardly tried to be artful with its cast in drag, instead with their drag ensemble resembling a woman melted by too much plastic surgery. Contrast to RuPaul's Drag Race which its featured players are not only artful in their looks but also present a musical element known to the drag community which is valued. The key element why Drag Race succeeds over cheap plays like Work It is its stars are being honest and who they are, not deceitful hoping to pull one over a la Mrs. Doubtfire. Work It's reviled premise stood testament why ABC deserved to languish in 4th place in 2012.
Don't agree with the entries on this list or have other shows to offer up? Sound off in the comment section below.
