One week into MTV's new (hit?) show Rock The Cradle, and I'm convinced the world is near its end. Are we completely out of ideas?

Alas, the musical talent competition show won't die because, as a format, it has the potential to be endlessly entertaining. And in MTV's creation, they are pitting nine children of MTV icons against each other for a recording contract and a cool $100,000 in cash.

Another thing this show brings to the table is the return of at least part of the house band of CBS' RockStar, the best television studio band in existence until you prove me wrong. These cats can flat-out play.

But is the competitive talent any good?

Uh, not really. But there's some limited potential.

Take Jesse Blaze Snider, the son of Twisted Sister's Dee Snider. Unlike his competitors, Jesse grew up in a fairly modest home given that Dee blew most of his rock-n-roll money. And also unlike his competitors, he seems born to perform, one way or another. Not sure it's music, but it could be. Just can't tell yet.

Take this video from his band Baptized By Fire or BXF for short.

It's not the worst thing I've ever heard, and while he butchered a Led Zeppelin song his first week of the competition, he did Rebel Yell pretty darned well this week. However, the props might go mostly to the band, who has previous experience rocking out to the Billy Idol classic, as done by Lukas Rossi.

Nevertheless, it's not the potential winners of Rock The Cradle who provide interest, it's those celebuspawns who have no business being on the stage. Take Chloe Lattanzi, the daughter of Olivia Newton-John.

In this New York Times article, Chloe bemoans the fact that she grew up spending a lot of time alone in big houses. Part of the voyeuristic cheap-thrill we get from Rock The Cradle is in seeing what miserable lives (sarcasm intended, at least partly) these kids have lived.

After merely two episodes, I have to think Snider is the favorite to win out, although Lucy Walsh and Crosby Loggins -- the kids of Joe Walsh and Kenny Loggins -- aren't half bad. I have to admit, given that I'm a huge fan of Kenny, I'm rooting for Crosby.

But for judges like Larry Rudolph, who managed Britney Spears at the height of her career, Crosby is a bit too singer-songwriterish for him. What's crazy is how much he looks like his dad.

While I didn't think much of Jesse Money musically, neither did the voting public. She was the show's first elimination last Thursday. However, what I didn't realize until watching this YouTube video is what a body she has. Six-pack abs. And, uh, other assets.

Hey, I can't imagine how producers would be able to make this show a once-a-season type of event. It seems to me that the resources available, given that they require contestants to be able to sing at least a dab and be the children of famous musical icons, would be limited.

But what do I know?