Now that the holidays are over (finally), it’s time to unveil (or unleash, depending on the show) a new season of reality shows.

The new season of “The Apprentice” debuted this week with a twist.  The winning team lives in a mansion in Southern California and the losing team lives in the backyard.  Talk about giving new meaning to “being in the doghouse.” 

One of the most anticipated reality shows for wrestling fans is “Armed and Dangerous,” which will feature retired WWE Women’s Champ Trish Stratus.  By now you’ve probably heard about the show because of its wacky premise.  Celebrities sign on as rookie reserve cops in Muncie, Indiana, and patrol the streets with Muncie’s finest.  Trish and Erik Estrada I can picture as cops.  In fact, Estrada played one on TV for years in “CHiPs.”  The remainder of the cast, however, is a little offbeat: singer LaToya Jackson, Jack Osbourne of “The Osbournes,” and pro skateboarder Jason Acuna, better known as “Wee Man” of Jackass.

“Armed and Dangerous” debuts tonight (January 10) on CBS.  Another episode will air tomorrow night before the show settles into its regular Wednesday night time slot.  Check local listings for time and channel.

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“Surreal Life Fame Games” kicked off this week, too, with a cast of familiar faces.  Well, they’re all familiar faces (supposedly), but these familiar faces have graced past seasons of Surreal Life.  House guests this time around will be Joanie Laurer (formerly known as Chyna), as well as Ron Jeremy, Verne Troyer, Robin Leach, Vanilla Ice, Brigitte Nielsen, C.C. DeVille, Emmanuel Lewis, Tracey Bingham and Andrea Lowell.  I’m just glad they didn’t invite Omarosa back.

In the first episode, the guests arrived at the mansion in Las Vegas, and it soon became apparent what “Fame Games” means—competitions that will play out much like cruel junior high popularity contests.  Joanie lost the first game and was reduced to tears.  One thing led to another and she and Verne Troyer were banished to the “B List” side of the house where the accommodations could only be described as ultra tacky.  The fact that Joanie and Verne didn’t play well together during their previous season of “Surreal Life” is going to heat things up, and not in a good way.  Previews of upcoming episodes make it look like all the contestants eventually lose their freakin’ minds in their quest for the $100,000 prize.

I do want to note that this was a very different Joanie from her last “Surreal Life” appearance.  She looked healthy and pulled together.     

Check your local listings for this VH-1 show.  New episodes run on Sundays, with repeats throughout the week.  

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Also debuting this month will be Spike TV’s “Pros vs. Joes” which will fill the hour immediately following TNA Impact on Thursday nights beginning January 25.  This second season has a lineup of household names, including UFC’s Randy Couture.  Rounding out the cast will be Michael Irvin, Eric Dickerson, Wade Boggs, Jose Canseco, Darryl Strawberry, Dave Winfield, Bruce Smith, Roy Jones Jr., Andre Reed, John Starks, Vince Coleman, Kordell Stewart, Andre Rison, Tim Hardaway, Grant Fuhr, Roy Dibble, Rik Smits, Will Clark, Spud Webb, Kevin Willis, Mark Jackson, Claude Lemieux, Robby Ginepri and Cobi Jones.

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Enjoy the shows and thanks for reading.  See ya next week.