I don't expect I'll watch it, but The "Baby Borrowers," on NBC tonight, is a reality show that might actually contribute something to society:
The show is based on a controversial British series in which teen couples considering parenthood are given a taste of what it might be like. In many cases, the participants succumb to soul-crushing stress. Rifts in the relationships develop. Frayed nerves, tears and arguments are plentiful.
Executive producer Tom Shelley claims it's an "entertaining, family-friendly" program with a vital "Scared Straight"-style message for teens: Think twice about sex and pregnancy. Along those lines, NBC has partnered with the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy to deploy "The Baby Borrowers" as an educational tool.
The only problem is that the ones who would benefit most from the message probably won't be watching, and the ones who do tune in won't be the ones who need to see it. Maybe some schools should get tapes of the series and show them in health class.
