JONAS

You could call this new sitcom a postmodern reality show if The Monkees hadn't done the same thing over 40 years ago. JONAS copies a number of its predecessor's goofy tropes, but it's got more of a bizarre twist on the sitcom-that's-more-real-than-fiction concept: The Monkees didn't exist as a musical group before their TV show; JONAS stars an already proven and popular tween act - Kevin, Nick and Joe Jonas - who play brothers in a hit pop band. Their band is called JONAS and they live in New Jersey with their family (where the real brothers grew up). Mom and Dad are played by actors, but younger brother Frankie, the real "bonus Jonas," as he's known, plays himself. (Even their real-life bodyguard "Big Rob" Feegans tries on the role of bodyguard to the Lucas brothers band.)

It's a mashup of truth and fiction that fans are already used to sorting out on their other favourite Disney series Hannah Montana. But is it any good? Two episodes air back to back tonight, and the best one lets the brothers get up to some slapstick shenanigans - the kind of goofing around we saw in their recent feature film. Plus, there are old home movies of Kevin, Nick and Joe (some real swoon-worthy moments for fans). The series also features the odd new song, sometimes accompanied by a wacky music video. For a lot of fans this is the real bonus behind JONAS.

Tonight, 6 p.m. on Family

Other shows where fiction plays with reality:

Hannah Montana (Daily at 5:30, Family). Pop star Miley Cyrus plays a pop star living with her dad (played by her real dad Billy Ray Cyrus)

Flight of the Conchords (Comedy/TMN). Season 2 of this sitcom starring real New Zealand performers trying to find an American

fan-base in New York recently ended.