The CW meets Little Miss Sunshine with Crowned

This idea is either profoundly sick or profoundly brilliant. I haven't decided which. The CW has announced an eight-episode reality competition focused on mother-daughter teams working to win a beauty pageant. Now, from what I understand, this is a "mother-daughter" pageant not a "stage mom who wishes to live vicariously through the daughter who robbed her of her youth" pageant. The teams on Crowned will have their relationships tested through clothing, swimwear, interview and dance competitions.

Celebrity mother-daughter pairs will act as guest judges. I have my fingers crossed for a bitter Carrie Fisher-Debbie Reynolds meltdown, or a tearful Tori and Candy Spelling reunion. (I can just see Carrie handing out the vodka and vicodin cocktails to the little misses. "Here, honey, you're gonna need this. Let me give you my therapist's number.")

Seriously, this show could get ugly. Do you remember that HBO documentary from a few years back - Living Dolls: The Making of a Child Beauty Queen? I would say that it was terribly sad except I only remember it being shown in drag bars with a bunch of queens cackling it up at the horror. Just goes to show you how I spent my youth - skipped right over the pageants, went right for the To Wong Foo pageantry.