"The Unauthorized Full House Story," debuting August 22 on Lifetime, should be a lot of fun to watch -- or, if it's bad, to hate-watch. Despite the grumbling among fans who watched last year's "The Unauthorized Saved by the Bell Story" (whose scriptwriter, Ron McGee, also wrote Saturday's "Full House" movie), Lifetime is banking on these "Unauthorized" backstage tell-alls to drive ratings among nostalgia-minded viewers. (Coming in October: "Unauthorized" movies about the original "90210" and "Melrose Place.")



It doesn't matter that a lot of these showbiz TV biopics aren't very good, or feature unknown actors who bear little resemblance to the celebrities they're playing, or offer few genuine revelations from behind the scenes. By now, the format is a time-honored ritual, hitting specific beats along a familiar plot arc (usually a cautionary tale of rise, fall, and maybe redemption). Quality is almost beside the point. That said, some TV celebrity biopics are actually made with some artfulness and insight. Here, then, are some of the best and worst.