TVSquad

Call it a sign of a successful show or the end of an unmitigated disaster, but the reign of Jon & Kate is officially over and joy has replaced tyranny in the universe.

In short, TLC's newest reality hit Cake Boss has officially taken over the coveted 9 p.m. slot on Mondays vacated by Satan's favorite show, Jon & Kate Plus 8.

For those of you who have not left your cave in the last month, Jon & Kate officially left the airwaves last Monday thereby stitching the hole that its pure evilness created in the annals of time and space and staving off the unholy apocalypse. And in case your wondering, no, I never liked the show.

Even if you've never seen a single episode of the TLC mega-hit Jon & Kate Plus 8, chances are you've been hearing a lot about it lately. Specifically, the rumors of infidelities, open marriage contracts, and staying together not for the kids, but for the cameras. One should always take tabloid stories with a grain (or a pound) of salt, but when the issues make their way onto the actual show? Perhaps there is something to them.

TLC just released a two-minute clip of the May 25 season premiere of Jon & Kate Plus 8 (video also after the jump), and, well, it's awkward, to say the least. One of the hallmarks of the show is that Jon and Kate always squeeze onto a love seat together to do their interviews. In the season premiere, however, each one is sitting alone on the couch. Gone is the playful banter; in its place is a woman who looks as though she's spending every ounce of her energy trying not to scream, and a man who just looks beaten down by life. It's not exactly the family-friendly entertainment viewers are used to.