Programming note: The Universal Channel ventures into reality TV territory with the ''ready to watch'' Launch My Line.

The Universal Channel (DStv 108) is venturing into reality television territory for the first time with the fashioncentric American reality show Launch My Line that will debut on the channel on Tuesday, August 10 at 22:00.

In Launch My Line with hosts Dean and Dan Caten, ten contestants are paired with ten professional fashion designers competing for the chance to start their own fashion label over the course of eight hour long episodes. I've watched the first episode screener that The Universal Channel sent me and in it the wannabee designers meet up with their experts, choose their names and logos and have to design their signature pieces in their first challenge with the clock ticking away.

As with these reality shows Launch My Line follows the classic lines: creating a sense of heightened drama and theatrics by enhancing trivialities, blowing up the smallest conflicts, adding pregnant pauses, placing contestants in situations and environments where they're under pressure to stir up emotions, and of course playing eccentric creative types like fashion designers off against each other who simply live for the external validation of their work from others. From the ''sweat shop'' conditions and artificial rules to build maximum tension and conflict in the alloted time, to the runway parade of their creations and the eventual judges' weighing in on the contestants' (shoddy) work, Launch My Line isn't TV coutour. However, as a ready-to-wear, ready-to-watch first reality TV addition to The Universal Channel programming slate, Launch My Line is an enjoyable (although obvious street corner knock-off) that's still a good springboard for The Universal Channel's future reality television aspirations.