Dark Side of the 2000s

Men's magazines like Maxim inject new energy into the magazine industry, but they leave a toxic legacy in their wake.

"Two and A Half Men" is a huge success until Charlie Sheen self-destructs; in a plot twist no one sees coming, he wages a public, hateful, and violent war against his producer.

Part game show, part reality TV, and steered by producers willing to manipulate the truth and their participants, "The Bachelor" is a ratings machine.

Radio king Howard Stern continues to draw attention with his on-air antics; when Opie and Anthony resurface, their hatred for Howard isn't enough to save the toxic friendship.

Stern stops at nothing to shock his loyal listeners, laughing in the face of common decency and the FCC; when rivals O&A challenge his popularity, war breaks out.

TMZ becomes the celebrity gossip machine. It's raw, real, and above all, irresistible. But success comes at a price that's too high for some of its content creators.

From child star to punchline, Lindsay Lohan may have lit the bonfire that burned down her life, but it's the rise of the ravenous 24-hour gossip cycle that nearly eats her alive.

TRL is the daily destination where celebrities and their fans mix, creating an unpredictable media circus where beefs, battles, and breakdowns turn into an awe-inspiring sideshow.

The Gosselin's marriage dissolves on TV. When the couple weaponize their fame in a messy divorce, they fracture the image of the perfect American family.