Dancing with the Stars: Juniors

This exuberant spin-off of a long-running reality competition favorite is a genuinely enjoyable watch, thanks to the enthusiastic young cast of stars and pros. There's a decided absence of hesitation among the contestants who, regardless of their dance skills (or lack thereof) coming into the competition, throw themselves into training and performing with gusto. Even when their stage work gets a little off beat, they obviously have fun doing it and seem to revel in the opportunity to learn something new. The whole package makes for great family entertainment.

The only thing missing in Dancing with the Stars: Juniors is audience involvement that helps drive the drama of the contest. Because eliminations are determined onsite by the judges and the live audience, viewers at home are left without any say in the results, which is a big miss for a show that has such broad appeal for families. Even so, there's a lot to like about the contestants' enthusiasm for the challenge, the diversity among the cast members that defies stereotypes about dancing, and the lessons in teamwork and perseverance that the endeavor holds for them. Oh, and the dancing itself is pretty spectacular considering many of the juniors are grade-school age.