Every week, television documentaries present us with so many unusual people, with so many strange and/or disturbing problems, you might find it hard to keep up with all of them. That’s where I come in! Here’s an unflinching look back at TV’s Week in Freak Shows.

Tough Love: Co-Ed (VH1)

Who Is This Now? Paj.

Why Are We Watching Him? He’s getting ready to go on a date, in drag.

How Did He Get Here? He’s an exotic dancer with a voracious sexual appetite, but he’s trying to learn new techniques in order to get into a relationship that will actually last.

What’s the Grossest Thing We See? Paj and the other Tough Love boot campers all have to get into drag, and while everyone else seems to roll with it for the sake of the exercise, Paj has to go out of his way to make sure we know how uncomfortable he is. Further, he describes how much Christopher seems to be enjoying it, and to warn that Paj and everyone else is getting “worried” about Christopher.

What Have We Learned? Gay panic lives, on VH1.

Watch the full episode here

Bridezillas (WE tv)

Who Is This Now? Angela.

Why Are We Watching Her? There were already cameras following her awful behavior in the run-up to her wedding; they just happened to be on her when her birthday fell through during the planning.

How Did She Get Here? She’s a jerk.

What’s the Grossest Thing We See? Angela starts the celebration by complaining that the guests started eating without her, even though she arrived more than an hour late. Then, when her fiancé’s brother Jason hands her a card, she pulls it out of the envelope, shakes it open (without reading it), and scowls. “Dude, there’s no money in it.” And she isn’t kidding.

What Have We Learned? Even real monsters can find love, if they’re very pretty.

My Big Fat Revenge (Oxygen)

Who Is This Now? Hillary.

Why Are We Watching Her? She’s planning to get back at an old boyfriend for a long-ago slight.

How Did She Get Here? For her birthday, Hillary’s then-boyfriend Alex gave her a ring that was two sizes too small and told her that, as soon as it fit her, she would be engaged. Things did not work out between them.

What’s the Grossest Thing We See? The details of the revenge aren’t important; the grossest thing that happens is when Hillary reveals herself and lists her grievances with Alex from their time together. When she describes his name-calling and the way he used to pinch her skin to remind her that she was overweight, Alex laughs at her.

What Have We Learned? There was probably no reason for Hillary to have crossed paths with Alex again.

Tara Ariano is the West Coast editor of Previously.TV.