The Real Housewives of Orange County are the new top dogs (no pun intended) in the Bravo lineup, as the series has spawned three spin-offs in 2008 alone: the New York and upcoming Atlanta housewives shows, and Date My Ex: Jo & Slade, which premieres tonight (Bravo, 10 PM). This seems to be a new trend for these ensemble reality shows: pluck one person out of the chorus line, a la Tiffany "New York" Pollard, and try to build a new franchise around them.

Jo De La Rosa was a housewife for a couple of seasons before deciding to move on to bigger things; namely, trying to become a singer in Los Angeles (good luck) and having her ex-fiancé judge the merits of men selected by Jo's friends as possible love matches. In what certainly seems like the most masochistic thing I can imagine a man doing, short of that one freak in The Da Vinci Code, Slade has to live with all of Jo's suitors and then quiz them about the dates. If all goes as planned, Jo will wind up with the man of her dreams, and Slade will get to wash the sheets after the honeymoon. Have some pride, man! Being on TV isn't everything.

Heidi Fleiss: The Would-Be Madam of Crystal (HBO, 9 PM): A documentary about the Hollywood Madam might not sound very interesting at this late date. But a documentary about Fleiss's attempt to open a Nevada brothel for women before getting sucked into the world of exotic bird care? Admit it: you're now intrigued. Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato directed.

Nashville Star (NBC, 9 PM):I wouldn't say that the boorish, leering John Rich has been a positive thing for Nashville Star, but kudos to him for his comment last week admitting that NBC brass had a role in choosing this year's finalists. I can't blame Rich for wanting to wash his hands of this forgettable bunch. Tonight, the final five perform original songs, which I'd like to believe can't possibly be a worse idea than it sounds.

The Closer (TNT, 9 PM): Brenda investigates the hit-and-run death of a paroled murderer; Fritz becomes immobile after throwing out his back. Paul Michael Glaser, of all people, guest stars this week. Don't tell me Starsky has gone bad; I need some illusions to cling to.

Wanna Bet? (ABC, 9 PM): The premise of this new game show is that regular folks attempt to perform crazy stunts, and celebrities bet on their ability to pull them off. Bets are paid off with contributions to charity. These stunts had better be worth watching on their own, because otherwise expecting people to tune in to a game show with absolutely nothing at stake seems futile. The British comedy team of Ant and Dec hosts.

Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations (Travel, 10 PM): A fan of Bourdain's from Jeddah wins the honor of showing off the cuisine of Saudi Arabia. This fan happens to be female, so I'm wondering if there were all sorts of chaperones trailing Bourdain in addition to the usual crew. The food of Saudi Arabia sounds potentially interesting, but I'm guessing imminent fear of losing a hand if you flirt with your host might interfere with digestion.

Legally Blonde the Musical: The Search For the Next Elle Woods (MTV, 10 PM): The new star of the Broadway musical gets chosen tonight after the two finalists have a several-song audition with the entire cast and orchestra present. Considering what's at stake -- the producers can't very well play up drama at the expense of getting rid of women with talent -- things were played relatively straight. But having seen the prospects' warts and all, it's still hard to imagine any of them carrying an entire Broadway show.

Saving Grace (TNT, 10 PM): Grace looks into the disappearance of a young man who, like her, lost a family member, his father, in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. Also, Ham separates from his wife, meaning he can now sleep with Grace without having it officially be cheating. These little life complications always seem to work themselves out.

The Mole (ABC, 10 PM): I've said in the past that I'm not a big fan of the "visit from home" episodes of reality shows, because let's face it, it's not like any of them have been hanging out with Lewis & Clark. It's been what, a couple of weeks? Anyway, the final five face a big test of memory prior to the next elimination. And if my intuition is right for a change, it's not going to be Clay eliminated, since he's the title character.

Weeds (Showtime, 10 PM): Nancy finds that it's not all that easy staying out of trouble on her new job; Isabelle is forced to go back to living with Celia; Silas gets closer to an older woman, played my ex-harmless TV crush Julie Bowen. You knew the producers weren't going to go very long without rustling up a new love interest for Hunter Parrish.

Secret Diary of a Call Girl (Showtime, 10:30 PM): Just for the record, we LOVE our anonymous internet commenters, but not everyone is as lucky. Take Belle, whose business falls off after she is slammed online. The hard times force her to accept a client who isn't up to her usual standards, and she eventually reevaluates the escort life ... though not too much, since we still have a few weeks to go.

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