“Two steps forward, one step back.” That’s the mantra we kept repeating while watching the premiere of MILF Manor on TLC. To us, the show feels like a parody of our tagline “Age Boldly.” Yes, women our age are stepping out of their comfort zone; yes, women our age are owning their sexuality. Hoorah for that. But damn, does it all have to feel so pathetic and creepy, especially with the much-hyped twist at the end of the premiere?

If the network wanted to be only mildly creepy, it could have called this show Cougar Castle.

We suppose it does because TLC, far from its days as The Learning Channel, is known for exploitation and for trading in stereotypes. The stereotype here is the voracious cougar. If the network wanted to be only mildly creepy, it could have called this show Cougar Castle. But TLC dials up the cringe by spotlighting the MILF (i.e., Mother I’d Like to Fuck) and bringing in the sons of these women.

So, eight women, ages 42 to 60, are looking for love among eight hunky young men at a gorgeous beach resort in Mexico. The hitch—each mother has a son among the young bucks and actually rooms with her son for the duration. Awkward! The presence of their sons instantly turns the sexuality of these women into something gross and disgusting.

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30 Rock Did It Better

Fans of 30 Rock may remember the satirical show MILF Island that appeared on an episode of the show. In the scene, characters were glued to the television in the office, as it aired the season finale of MILF Island. Its fictional concept: “20 super-hot moms, 50 eighth grade boys, no rules.” The sketch featured a tug of war between the MILFS and eighth grade boys on the beach and a catfight at a fictional cove on the island.

What are we to make of the state of television that the show is now for real?

What are we to make of the state of television that the show is now for real, except, thank God, the boys are not pimply pubescents? In Entertainment Weekly, Kristen Baldwin started her review of MILF Manor with this line: “Look, we’re all still coming to terms with the fact that MILF Manor is a real show and not some elaborate, performance-art prank from the writers at 30 Rock.”

“So is MILF Manor becoming Incest Inn?” asked Andy Dehnart in his blog, Reality Blurred. “Well, close enough: The producers blindfolded the women and had them feel up their own shirtless sons to figure out which one they are biologically related to.”

Who Would Do This?

We have so many questions about the show. But the first one is the question most rational people ask about every reality show: Who would do this? We’re trying to imagine the auditioning process or the ad: “We’re looking for older women who are beautiful, fit, sexy, and don’t mind making fools of themselves. And oh yes, you must have a son in his 20s or 30s who is beautiful, fit, sexy, and doesn’t mind making a fool of himself.” We can’t believe they found eight mother–son pairs. Or wait . . . given the obsessions of society these days, maybe we can believe it.

Contemplating the practicalities of a reality show is as useless as trying to rationalize the plot of The Matrix.

In any case, there is no way the eight women can be shocked—as they appear to be—when the eight hunky men are revealed and they spot their sons. The logistics of something like this could not be kept a secret. OK, we’ll stop since we know that contemplating the practicalities of a reality show is as useless as trying to rationalize the plot of The Matrix.

But all we can say is that we wish there would be shows that truly embrace the sexuality of older women. Please. Anyone?

Read More: Would You Watch a Reality Dating/Sex Show with Couples Our Age?