We tried to enter SharableThings in the 2010 CBC Dragons' Den, a "reality" television competition show for business ideas. The online entry attempt failed, which gave more time to research the show by watching old episodes, which in turn led to the conclusion that SharableThings and the Dragons' Den would make an unlikely couple.

To judge by a sampling of old episodes, the series follows a predictable formula. Usually a nice person, who has spent too much money to develop a product of questionable usefulness, accompanied by his family or a quiet friend or business partner, demonstrates and pitches the product.

The pitch reveals obvious flaws, which make the audience feel as wise as the entrepreneurs (the dragons) who are the competition judges (Star Chamber) and are to decide whether to invest their own money. The dragons' questioning uncovers the flaws and makes the proponent (with whom the audience now identifies) squirm. The proponent is devastated -- or occasionally defiant, in which case he comes in for special ridicule. Each dragon refuses to invest, declaring, "I'm out".

Occasionally, a dragon smiles and accepts a proposition, and a deal is done.

It leaves you aching for a St. George to wipe the floor with the dragons.

The tone is more polite, and less analytical, than the English version of the same show. The Canadian dragons come across as clear-eyed tight wads.

A waterless egg cooker on the English Dragons' Den series (it couldn't cook an egg) seems the archtype of the show's favourite business idea.

It seemed unlikely that SharableThings would be selected to enter the Dragons' Den, although we found ourselves secretly sharpening our sword. SharableThings does not have a simple product.

The Dragons' Den is television. While the Canadian show is quite nice (no Donald Trump or Simon Cowell here), hard thinking about difficult business models is not what it is about. The stakes are kept low and the playing field wildly uneven. It would be refreshing to see strong proponents with complex business proposals asking for serious money and causing havoc among the dragons, but that would not be television.

We ducked the Dragons' Den, afraid of falling on our sword?