Reportedly, before Michael Jackson died suddenly in June, his brothers – and other family members – were putting together a reality show for A&E. After all, celebrity reality shows have a certain appeal, especially train wrecks like Being Bobby Brown or Hey, Paula. Not that the Jacksons were thinking that way. I'm sure they envision something classy and edifying.

Since Michael's death, the interest in this miniseries has escalated, much like the interest in all things Jackson. Will the brothers talk about Michael? How much? Will Michael's children be included in the show? All that and more will be answered when The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty debuts on A&E December 13, at 9 p.m. The plan is for two hour-long episodes to kick off the series.

There have been dozens, if not hundreds, of reality TV shows since the genre gathered steam at the start of this decade. There are the big and enduring ones -- 'Survivor,' 'Big Brother,' etc. -- but many were just hot messes (thanks, Britney Spears, Bobby Brown, Flavor Flav and various other fame-seeking tools!). Here are our picks for the 10 all-time worst, most ill-advised, absolutely, incredulously, jaw-droppingly awful forays into reality television. What are yours?

Yesterday was the season premiere of The Oprah Winfrey Show and the big "get" -- as you probably know -- was a two-part interview with Whitney Houston. According to Oprah, this was the best interview she's ever done. Now, was that hype or was it really a great interview?

Judging by part one, it was a pretty powerful interview for Oprah. She was on her game. The setting was an empty theater, just Oprah and Whitney. Presumably, this was a no-holds-barred session, so I expected Oprah to ask the tough questions about Whitney's dysfunctional marriage to Bobby Brown, her drug use, the days she spent holed up in a stupor. It wasn't exactly A&E's Intervention, but for Oprah, it was penetrating.

If you just watched the crowd while Whitney Houston performed in Central Park on Good Morning, America today, you might have thought that Whitney was doing great. However, if you had the volume on, you know better.

Sadly, Whitney Houston's GMA appearance was sad. Her voice cracked and she seemed to be struggling to sing one of her biggest hits, "I'm Every Woman," which ironically was used as the theme for The Oprah Winfrey Show for years. I say ironically because Whitney explained to the fans at one point that her voice was a wreck because she had talked too much during her appearance on Oprah earlier in the week. Ouch!

The entire appearance was enough to make you cringe. At one point, Whitney called her daughter, Bobbi Kristina, out to the stage to sing with her. Bobbi has grown into a beautiful young woman from the teenager she was on Being Bobby Brown, the infamous Bravo reality show starring Whitney and then hubby Bobby.

As it often is in show biz lore, Whitney Houston is on the verge of a comeback. On September 1 will be releasing a new CD called I Look To You, and some time in the preceding week, ABC will air a one hour Whitney Houston special. No word yet on whether it's going to be a concert format or an extended set of music videos or a mix of both, but the ultimate goal is clear: present Whitney in the best possible light and show off her big voice, one of pop music's most celebrated.

It will hopefully be a positive change of pace for La Houston. The last time Whitney was all over TV was when she "co-starred" on the Bravo reality series Being Bobby Brown. That slice of life, unscripted gem might have been the worst thing Houston ever did in her professional career.

Shocker! Whitney Houston, who provided the world with wonderful catchphrases such as "Hell to the no!" and "Crack is wack", has filed for legal separation from Bobby Brown. The couple, whose tumultuous marriage was showcased on Bravo's Being Bobby Brown, has been married for 14 years. If you've ever seen their show, you probably question the validity of the separation because Whitney tends to whine and pout and go off the deep end when she's mad at Bobby or doesn't get her way. So, a legal separation might just be a tactic... or the first step towards divorce. The court papers show Whitney and the couple's 13-year old daughter, Bobbi Kristina, moved out of their Georgia home and to Laguna Hills, CA.

I can't imagine what happened to spur Whitney to move across the country and file for separation. Their marriage survived drug addiction, Bobby's arrests, and a domestic abuse trial. Maybe he forgot to put the toilet seat down.

The Best:
1. My Name is Earl: I didn't think this was going to be any good when I first saw the commercials because it looked like another stupid sitcom about -- whoo-hoo -- rednecks. Jason Lee's a cool cat, though, so I tuned in for one episode... Boy, am I glad I saw it! Although Lee doesn't disappoint, Jaime Pressly's performance is absolutely hysterical and often steals the show. Definitely one of my favorite programs of the year.

2. The Daily Show: I've loved it. Sill love it.

3. The Colbert Report: I was a little worried about this show in the beginning, but quickly grew to love it. Stephen Colbert's got a good thing going on right now and I'm definitely looking forward to more.

4. Lost: I love it when a show/film has a strong ensemble cast. That plus deep, conflicted backstory and tremendous writing is must-see TV for me.

5. Project Runway: Okay, they're only a few episodes in, but Project Runway never fails to deliver. Classiest reality show, hands-down.