The Learning Channel.

The name alone suggests a sophisticated line-up of intellectually stimulating programs made for inquisitive minds.

Then, there is the reality.

The programming on TLC is nothing more than reality T.V. The name “The Learning Channel” is nothing more than an attempt to dupe us into thinking we’re watching something that will expand our minds. Very few, if any, of the programs can be categorized as intellectually stimulating.

The bulk of TLC’s programming can be broken down into a few categories:

• Body-related

By this, I mean shows that focus on physical aspects of the individuals involved, such as “Little People, Big World” and “My 600 lb. Life.” I get, to a degree, that there can be some learning aspect to these, such as showing the challenges little people face in a world made for people of average height or the struggle of those who are well beyond morbid obesity. But they also have similar shows like “Our Little Family,” “Little Life on the Prairie,” “My Little Life,” “The Little Couple,” “7 Little Johnstons,” “The 685 lb. Teen,” “Family by the Ton,” “Too Fat to Transition,” “My Big Fat Summer” and “My Big Fat Fabulous Life.”

Are you noticing a trend?

What is the educational value of these? At what point is it just watching little people and large people simply because we can point our fingers and say, “Ooh, look at that?”

• Relationships/Weddings

Probably the first show to come to mind in this category is “Say Yes to the Dress,” because nothing is more educational and thought provoking than watching women shop for wedding dresses. And if that isn’t enough fodder to satisfy your wedding lust, there is also “Brides on a Budget,” “Four Weddings,” “I Want THAT Wedding,” “Linda and Drew Say I Do,” “Bridal Bracket,” “Married by Mom and Dad,” “My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding” and “When Harry Met Meghan: A Royal Engagement” to name a few.

Again, are you noticing a trend?

And when I say relationships, I mean unconventional ones, such as polygamist relationships highlighted in “My Five Wives,” “Sister Wives,” “Seeking Sister Wife” and “Brother Husbands.” Perhaps one limited series look into the life of polygamy households could be considered informative, as it is definitely out of the norm, but beyond that is overkill.

Then there is “90 Day Fiancé.” I will admit this is a guilty pleasure of mine. Each season, the show focuses on several relationships containing one partner from the United States and one from another country. In order to get married in the U.S., the foreign partners must get approved for a 90-day fiancé visa, giving them three months to get married or be sent back to their country, where they will have to try and apply for another visa.

While there is a bit of an educational aspect to it, primarily showing how difficult it is to get a visa and plan a short-term wedding while trying to overcome cultural differences, it is still a reality T.V. show. There is the constant bickering that highlights the show, because watching a healthy, functioning relationship is boring. Since they only seem to focus on the negative aspects of the relationships, it makes one wonder how much of it stems from real issues and how much of it is for the benefit of the camera.

And, of course, the show also focuses on relationships that make the viewer question if it is really about love or a green card, particularly if the foreign partner is significantly younger than their American other half. I would say that it might be a lesson on perceived stereotypes, challenging us to realize that most foreigners don’t have ulterior motives, but I don’t think TLC is that deep.

• Large Families

It began with “Jon & Kate Plus 8,” the show that chronicled Jon and Kate Gosselin and their eight children; one set of twins and one set of sextuplets. It is now “Kate Plus 8” since the couple’s divorce, but it was just the beginning of the multiple children angle.

Then came “17 Kids and Counting,” the story of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, who took the Book of Genesis very seriously when they read, “Be fruitful and multiply.” The show then became “18 Kids and Counting” and “19 Kids and Counting” and has recently produced the spin-off “Counting On,” focusing on the Duggar’s oldest children. I don’t know if people watched this show because of the sheer size of the family or because of the strict, very conservative way in which they raised their kids, such as not allowing them to kiss their significant others until their wedding day.

Either way, the shows popularity prompted TLC to go large family crazy. They now have “Hodges Half Dozen,” “Rattled,” “Out Daughtered” and TLC’s newest show, “Sweet Home Sextuplets.”

Once again, trend? Are you noticing?

The lesson here is if you have an exorbitant amount of children, TLC will give you a show.

• Child Exploitation

I’m sure the only show I would have to mention in this category is “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo,” which focuses on an overweight child pageant contestant who, like the Kardashians, is famous for no apparent reason. But, I would be remiss if I failed to mention “Toddlers and Tiaras,” the show that started it all, and another one of its spin-offs, “Little Miss Atlanta.”

And not to be outdone by MTV (a network that should also consider changing its name since you would never know that at one point it had anything to do with music), TLC also has “Sweet 15 Quinceañera,” essentially the Latin American version of “Sweet 16,” and “Unexpected,” which is a rip-off of “Teen Mom” (and should be called “Teens Making Bad Choices and Not Caring”).

Trend? Notice? Did you?

The lesson here is that the executive producers of TLC apparently have no souls.

Perhaps we’re simply observing the natural evolution (devolution?) of television. Just as The History Channel used to focus primarily on real history, but now shows programs like “Ice Road Truckers” and “Ancient Aliens,” I guess it is to be expected that TLC should follow the same route. After all, “The Jerry Springer Show” used to discuss serious topics before it became the trashy freak show that it is today. Way to lower the bar, former Cincinnati mayor!

But, if TLC insists on continuing down this path, it should do us all a favor by changing its name and cease trying to present itself as nothing more than reality T.V.

We are not learning anything.