Mariah's World

Mariah’s World isn’t breaking any molds. But because the supreme diva Mariah is the star, there’s a certain ridiculous, hilarious, hyper-stylized charm to the proceedings.

Though it may seem counterintuitive, the docu-series does offer a candid view of the singing sensation. The tapes have presumably passed rigorous screening before making it onto the E! network, but there’s still a spontaneous quality to the proceedings.

There’s a fascinating sideshow here--Carey’s tough manager--otherwise this is a by-the-book celebrity reality series that just happens to star one of the world’s biggest celebrities.

The real reason why “Mariah’s World” seems stale is that it comes off as a TV remake of “Madonna: Truth or Dare,” and Madge did it better in 1991.

There's entertainment value here for Carey fans, of course. But if you're not a fan, Mariah's World certainly isn't going to turn you into one.

Carey is unwilling to cede control of her carefully-wrought image to the show’s producers; as a result, she’s a spectral presence on her own show. (James Packer, her fiancé at the time of filming, is even more absent.) It’s startling to see Carey, usually volubly chatty, weighing her words so carefully in the confessional and draining them of their typical backspin of askew wit.

Carey may not be acting in Mariah’s World, but she’s still putting on a show, and not a terribly interesting one at that.