It’s nearly the 1 year anniversary of media mogul Oprah Winfrey’s OWN network. While the station has struggled in the ratings a bit since debuting in January 2011, Ms. Winfrey has remained committed to her brand of uplifting, enlightening  and educational programming. You won’t catch any low-brow cat fights or baby mama drama on OWN, but you will learn lessons to make your life more meaningful. There’s a lot to look forward to on OWN in the new year. There are the stand-out programs that are getting  a second season as well as new exciting additions to the lineup. Here are some of the shows that  you can look forward to in 2012 on the OWN Network that you might want to ditch the smutty reality TV for.

TV Rundown 1

Real Housewives of D.C.

CHANNEL: BRAVO

Season 1, Episode 4

You Like Me! You Really Really Like Me!

The other cast members are all wising up to the fact that the Salahis are insane.  We all know now about the infamous White House dinner fiasco, but in this episode, the ladies learn that the Salahis also snuck into the Congressional Black Caucus dinner and ended up being escorted out by security.  Stacie is particularly appalled by this and the ladies (and gents) cackle and gossip about Michaele and Tareq on the way to the wanna-be-celeb couple’s winery. Oh and the winery is full of security because Tareq’s mama counter-sued his behind about the property and according to him, she is determined to ruin the Salahi’s day with their “friends.”  I guess she doesn’t know that none of them are really friends. Cat leaves the dinner early because she’s an ornery English person and Michaele does her best to insult as many people as possible, especially Lynda and Mary.  An earlier scene at a birthday party for a hair stylist shows Mary and Michaele battling for the unofficial title of most beloved client. Weird. There is a touch of substance to the episode though. Stacie, who is adopted, finds her white birth mother and discovers that she has a Nigerian father who does not know she exists. Interestingly enough, she’s the most well-adjusted person of the cast. The episode ends with Tareq about to make some kind of explosive announcement. Of all the Real Housewives shows, this cast (with the exception of Stacie) seems the most inauthentic, which is quite a feat considering the women on the other shows.  Are you watching this version of “Real Housewives?” Which version is your favorite?

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