Previously in Test Pattern: Heatwaves And Airwaves When it rains, it pours. So when its wet, why not catch up on summer television? So you wanna be a VJ? You better be the world's biggest dork — that is, if you want to win. Leo's neo-geo news adventure a big waste ABC's 'Planet Earth 2000' fails to save the world — or the network's news cred. "Making The Band" makes the grade for reality-based TV Ever wondered how 'N Sync or The Backstreet Boys came about? Here's ABC's 'real-world' look at becoming a pop star. Billy's death gives new life to "Ally" Plus, news on MTV's new movie adventure and a chance to win $10 million bucks from your TV. Political farce: "D.C." does Washington But it's shows like "The West Wing" that really drive our love for politics...

It was funny, but not terrifically brilliant. It was evidence, however, that the boy band scene is ripe for good satire. Ever since New Kids On The Block hit the airwaves, these groups have begged for mainstream mockery.

MTV's "2Gether" is almost that satirical piece that's been just waiting to happen. The network's first television movie tells the story of a graying producer who loses his gig as - you guessed it - the manager of a chart-topping boy band. So, in an effort to prove he's still worthy, he assembles a brand-new boy bunch and ships it to Jacksonville to open, naturally, for his former boy brigade. Conveniently, this gives him the chance to introduce us to each member of the group: the Hunk, the bad boy, the young one, the good guy and the shy one.

And while you can't really pigeonhole the members of The Backstreet Boys or 98 Degrees into these exact categories, there certainly are cross-band similarities. Both acts have the blond cute member, both guy gaggles have the weird kid with freaky hair. So the premise works — but only marginally. 2gether, for example, has one member who's a 30-something fat guy. Would a real producer pick a balding fat man to join a boy band in quest to reach the magical number "five"? I think not.

Thanks to its gently crescendoing storyline and a brilliant score, the now heavily-rotated TV movie doesn't fail. But "2Gether" comes very, very close. Mostly, it's because the acting, writing and production values, well, suck. Big time. Even MTV celebs in cameo roles (like Carson Daly, of course) seem to recognize that this is a big joke. Daly seems to flub his lines, laughing to himself about the ridiculousness of the whole charade.

Maybe that's the point. The whole boy band scene is so ludicrous and formulated that "2Gether" is trying to show us that through its form. Instead, the movie comes off as cheap and corny. The acting encourages this; at times, you have to remind yourself that you're watching a real production, and not a bunch of high school kids screwing around. I'm not sure whether "2Gether"'s shallowness comes from director Nigel Dick's or first-time writers Mark and Brian Gunn's collective 'vision' or the cast's inability to act. It's probably a combination of these things. Despite the over-the-top situations and sets (they travel cross-country in a dilapidated motor home, for example — how Road Rules), 2Gether still try to be taken seriously. Any pretense of reality should've been eliminated to make this made-for-TV flick the perfect boy band parody.

Where "2Gether" does succeed is in the music. That the movie's big song has appeared on MTV's "Total Request Live" is testament to a lot more than MTV's finagling or record label promotion. It's actually catchy. (Which is why, of course, you can buy the soundtrack and download 2Gether MP3s.) That's ironic only because the lyrics are so damn stupid. The chorus to 2Gether's big hit is, "I know my calculus/You plus me equals us/Calculus." Another song goes like "Say it/Don't spray it/I want the news/Not the weather." These lines look dumb in print and sound even dumber if you think about it too hard. But if you just listen to the music - the lyrics and the sound together - it's great, just like most boy band songs. (Admit it: 'NSync's latest single, "Bye Bye Bye," is okay — if you like pop songs.)

To their credit, the actors in "2Gether" do all their own singing and dancing. And thankfully, they can sing and dance a lot better than they can act. The story arcs upwards so that by the time the finale arrives, it's immensely satisfying, despite our realization that it's idiotic and obvious. You can't help but smile and - gasp! - sing along as they overshadow their competitors and win the hearts of the audience.