Hot Tubs And Cold Shoulders

If TIME magazine is doing an article on dating shows," jokes Jillian Barberie, host of EX-treme Dating, "it must be about the End of Civilization As We Know It." Au contraire, Jillian! The overweening drive for instant fame, near instant sex and a little money on the side is civilization as we know it--and it's thriving. Dating series have become to the 21st century what sleazy talk and courtroom shows were to the late '90s: a ubiquitous TV staple that offers a sneak peek at the national id--and the occasional blurred-out bare chest. Following Blind Date, the granddaddy--or sleazy uncle--of the...