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Reality Dating Shows: What Will They Come Up With Next?

From masks to big money, reality dating shows have offered over-the-top concepts from Day 1. The Bachelor franchise is still going strong in its 14th season. Since its inception in 2002, however, ways to find love on television have hit an all-time low. Let's take a look back at some of network TV's worst (and completely out-there) dating shows.

robyn-ross.jpg
Robyn Ross

Frommasks to big money, reality dating shows have offered over-the-top concepts from Day 1.The Bachelor franchise is still going strong in its 14th season. Since its inception in 2002, however, ways to find love on television have hit an all-time low. Let's take a look back at some of network TV's worst (and completely out-there) dating shows.

Show: Conveyor Belt of Love (ABC)
Ridiculous factor: 8 out of 10.
Concept: Five women check out 30 men as they come through on a conveyor belt. The men each get a minute to state their case and the women can choose to keep them or not.
Why we watched: The most recent to hit the airwaves, this show pokes fun at the over-the-top ways singles try to find a date on national television.

Show: Joe Millionaire (Fox)
Ridiculous factor: 7 out of 10.
Concept: Millionaire bachelor Evan Marriot dates a group of women, eventually deciding who he'll choose as his bride. The twist: While the women believed Evan to be rich, he actually was a working-class guy. The second twist? Upon learning her man is not really rich, if she chose to stay with him anyway, the couple would then receive a check for $1 million. 
Why we watched: We weren't the only ones — 40 million viewers tuned into the finale to see who Joe would choose and what would happen when she learned the rich man of her dreams had no money in his wallet. 

Show: Dating in the Dark(ABC)
Ridiculous factor: 9 out of 10.
Concept: Three single men and three single women share a house and can only get to know each other in the total darkness of a lightless room.
Why we watched: To see the look on the contestants' faces when the person they were interested in is revealed in the light.

Show: For Love or Money(NBC)
Ridiculous factor: 7 out of 10.
Concept: The bachelor narrowed his choice of 16 women to one — who then got to choose between starting a relationship with him or taking home a substantial cash prize (and having no further contact with the man).
Why we watched: It actually lasted four cycles, and we had to wonder with the slim chance of these couples really working out why any of the suitors wouldn't take the money.

Show: Mr. Personality(Fox)
Ridiculous factor: 9 out of 10.
Concept: The woman chooses her suitor out of 20 masked men, basing decisions on their personalities instead of looks.
Why we watched: Monica Lewinsky hosted the short-lived show.