Two things:

1. There are plenty of entries in the “fake reality show” category of comedy, some of them (Queen of Jordan, The Joe Schmo Show, Total Drama Island) better than others (Drawn Together*); the Burning Love series tops them all, primarily thanks to Michael Ian Black’s hideously accurate portrayal of an inexplicably smug, dead-eyed dating-show host.

2. This show has been almost impossible to watch for years. At first, I think it premiered on Yahoo! Video, where it was almost immediately yanked; then it was picked up by E! and now it’s only available on, I think, Hulu Plus? If you have ever liked anyone from The State, Party Down, Veronica Mars, or Wet Hot American Summer, you will find something to love here. It is astonishingly good, thanks in no small part to Ken Marino and in…even no smaller part…to June Diane Raphael, who is so talented and charming and gorgeous that it makes me want to spit poison at Paul Scheer.

(Ken Jeong’s character was a real misstep, but they luckily did away with him quickly and the second season doesn’t repeat the error.)

*I love Tara Strong and Cree Summer as much as any of you, but it wasn’t a good show. I know you have fond memories of it. Watch it again. It wasn’t a good show.