Shark Tank

(I gave this 5 stars but there was a malfunction and it only shows 4)"Shark Tank" gives every person who ever had a great idea but didn't know what to do about it -- hope and a chance to see dreams come true, but contestants have to work hard for it! It's a once in a lifetime opportunity to "take a meeting" with five of the best and any one of them can change your life.. The mix of the judges makes for great chemistry.. Each has a unique personality and p.o.v. They can be brutally tough, especially if the entrepeneur doesn't come well prepared. You go on that show you better know your numbers -- or you're likely to embarrass yourself and walking away kicking yourself. It's interesting, fun and sometimes maddening to see the judges interact with each other. But you get the sense that their squabbling is played up for the camera. Barbara Corcoran, the real estate mogul who turned $1,000 into an empire, is my favorite. She's straight-up with advice but even if she loves an idea, if it's not in her "lane", she won't get involved.(but I get the feeling that after the cameras are off she just might arrange for you to meet someone she thinks can help you.) In fact, they're all that way. Last week, I loved the two sisters with "Tippy Toes" dancing/aerobics for tots. I instantly envisioned after school programs for teens, too, so "Teen Tippy Toes" can't be far away, nor can a kiddie sportswear line, aerobic equipment for the younger set be far away. Last season, I pegged the teacher/musician who developed an DVD program that makes learning about Shakespeare fun the big winner. I love being right! With a shark's help his program was picked up by the world's largest educational publishing house. Sometimes you'll want to scream at the TV, "SCHMUCK, TAKE THE DEAL!", when a stubborn contestant clings to his/her way of doing things and you just know they'll never make it big. A few words about the others: I can't recall all their names, but watch the show and you'll recognize Robert, the strong, silent one, "The Mouth", who's loves to recite such profundities as "Don't cry over money, it'll never cry over you" But he's as rich as he is obnoxious, Damien, the "rap" clothing tycoon w/ the doorknob sized earring who knows what he wants and drives a hard bargain, And then there's "newbie" billionaire mogul Mark Cuban, a disaster on DWTS -- good thing he's a lot better at making money than dancing! :If you've ever seen a great product or idea and thought "Why didn't I think of that?" this show is for you and it grows on you, too. You'll learn a lot from the Sharks. Fridays @ 9PM (PST).