If you’re like me, you’ve at one time or another been sucked into one of MTV’s insidious marathons — the network has a knack for putting out shows that can be impossible to turn off, from The Real World to The Osbournes to The Hills to Jersey Shore. More than once, I’ve lain on the couch and hated myself for continuing to watch, but the trainwreck is impossible to turn off and I have to see what happens next. This is why it’s particularly disappointing that MTV’s latest foray into Facebook games, I Woo You, is so pathetic. Tacky and tasteless would be acceptable, but boring is inexcusable.

Those who choose to boot up I Woo You (which is a terrible name, and has anyone young enough to have ever watched MTV ever used the word “woo”?) will first design an avatar, selecting from among the free or pay options in each of the categories. Next, you’ll choose one of three MTV shows — Disaster Dates, Downtown Girls, or Real World — and then choose who you want to play the dating game with. Each game offers random “free” date options, other random selections that can be purchased with the in-game currency you earn, or virtual avatars of actual people from each show that you can unlock by spending real money (it works out to about $1 per person). You can check out occupation, interests, and a “fun fact” to help guide your selection, though none of these things seem to have much bearing on how your potential date will answer questions.

Fun fact about David: he enjoys minty gum.

Once you’ve selected your potential date, you select a question category, which come in flavors like Cupid’s Arrow and Dating 101, and then you and your date ask each other questions. If you agree with each other’s answer enough times to score a high match percentage, you’re deemed a good fit and can go on a virtual date, which means you get to take a photo of you and the other person in the virtual setting of your choice. You can add decorations to each scene if you want, but it has no impact on anything.

The happy couple on their date in the subway.

The biggest problem with the game (besides the really annoying and repetitive announcer) is that there’s no motivation to keep playing. You can repeat dates as frequently as you want, but there’s no leveling up, you don’t gain any skills, you don’t develop a relationship with the people you date, you don’t earn any rewards, and you don’t unlock any new items without spending money. If you’re the type of person who is motivated by looking at a pretend photo of your pretend date at a pretend beach with a pretend person, then this is the game for you. If you’re not, then move along — there’s nothing to see here.

Social games can’t be held to the standards of a full-fledged console or PC game, but even by Facebook game standards, I Woo You is sleep-inducing. And coming from MTV, that’s unforgivable.