Just a few short weeks ago, A&E was a boring 60-and-over network with only one redeeming show, Airline. Airline is interesting because it cashed in on the reality craze and showcased the way airlines operate with a complete disregard for their passengers. The central theme being that South West frequently overbooks their flights by as many as 50 seats, and offers no apologies or excuses for this practice. It is simply business as usual for the budget airline. Needless to say, this was incredibly entertaining. But, to quote Lord of the Rings, “another ring was made.”

            That ring came along with Victoria Gotti. For those of you who haven’t yet seen Growing Up Gotti, (Mondays at 9:30ET) the show details the life of the infamous mob boss’ daughter and her three attractive and amusing sons. Victoria, now divorced from her convicted felon ex-husband, juggles her career at Star Magazine and raising her three teenage boys, all with an amusing Italian flare.

            The pilot episode focuses on Victoria as a working single parent. We learn that she is looking to sell her lavish six acre home because it is full of “too many bad memories” from her marriage. Later, Victoria goes on a blind date with a cocky bald man and lets him know she’ll be declining a second date in her own special way. This episode sparked my interest, but as I kept watching I knew that the best was yet to come.

            This week’s episode, “Loons Over Miami”, is easily my favorite so far. Victoria decides to take the boys (Carmine, the tall quiet one, John, the cute charismatic one, and Frank, the 14-year-old gentle giant of the house) and five of their friends on a vacation to Miami. Not completely out of her mind, Victoria does bring along two chaperones, Jeff, their slow-witted limo driver, and Brian (AKA “Quack Quack”) a loudmouth family friend. Victoria tries her best to lay out strict rules, the majority of which the boys break within the first 24 hours. They jump off of balconies into the pool, de-pants each other in the lobby, and pull off a hilarious prank on Quack Quack in his hotel room. The highlight of the show is when John, surrounded by his friends who no doubt rise every morning hearing the Godfather theme in their minds, try to muscle Jeff into setting up Quack Quack for the prank. They simply make him an offer her can’t refuse. My TiVo remote is running out of batteries from how many times I’ve hit rewind.

            I’m anxiously hoping A&E will seize the opportunity and put the show on DVD at the end of the season. For now, I’ll just have to wait until next Monday when I can get my Gotti fix.