10 Reality TV Shows You Will Become Obsessed With
Reality TV can be a lifesaver at times. However, most of us are all caught up with our favorite shows and have even been re-watching old ones. If you’re tired of re-playing old episodes and are looking for something new to watch than it’s time to turn to our tried and true. That’s right, reality television.
Whether you love it or hate it, reality tv can get you hooked after just one episode. No matter how dumb, over the top, or cheesy these shows can be, let’s face it, they kill a lot of time and become our guilty pleasures. Now is the time to indulge, get obsessed, and take your mind of all the things going on in the world with some great reality TV shows and we have a list of the ones you should start with.
1. Love Is Blind
If you haven’t heard about this show, you are missing out! This show made its debut in February of 2020 and has captivated audiences around the nation. This show is unlike any other reality dating show. The premise of this show is unique as single men and women date and get to know one another without actually seeing each other. That’s right. Couples enter what they call “pods” which are basically two rooms separated by a thin wall where they can hear the other person but not see them. This show follows couples from dates in the pods, their first face-to-face meeting, engagement, vacation, moving in, and finally to their weddings. It’s super interesting, and will leave you asking yourself: Is love really blind?
2. Too Hot Too Handle
This Netflix reality show is also different from other “dating” shows. Basically, lots of good-looking men and women are all living in a house together in a tropical location. Sound familiar? However, they’re not there to find love, they are there to win money and to gain “clout” for their social media pages. All they have to do is stay in the game until it’s all over. Seems easy enough right? Well here’s the kicker, they have to try to practice celibacy the whole time they are there. That’s right. They can not even kiss one another.
While they face this extremely hard challenge they also do little activities here and there that actually have a good meaning behind them. For one, they had to write words they have been called in their past that affected them in a negative way on their bare bodies. This brings some light to the show by highlighting how some people who are considered good looking and are popular on social media often suffer from issues of pain and depression. So if you’re looking for a unique reality tv show that offers some down-to-Earth moments, check this one out.
3. Survivor
I had to throw in this oldie but goodie reality tv game show! It made its television debut in May of 2000 and there’s a reason it’s been on for 40 seasons. If you haven’t heard of Survivor, it’s where around 20 American men and women are brought to a desolate part of the world such as an island or the jungle where they are meant to live for 40 days. This show is not just about surviving the harsh conditions, it’s mostly about strategizing.
Each week, a member of the tribe will be voted off the show, so it’s your job to stay in the game until the final three. Seems easier right? These games get so intricate and complicated as alliances are formed, immunity is won from the weekly challenges, and contestants get voted out. To add an extra twist, if you make it to the final three, the members of the jury (the people you voted out) get to decide who they want to win in the end. Each season is different and throws crazy new curveballs. 34 seasons are available on Hulu right now!
4. The Great British Bake Off
If you want a feel-good, funny, and charming little show to watch this is it. Not to mention all the yummy desserts you’ll get to look at. This show made its way to America on Netflix in 2010 and wow-ed us with amazing, creative desserts made by an amateur, British bakers from all ages, races, and backgrounds.
What I personally like about this show is that it’s different from typical American baking and cooking reality tv shows. The British just have a way about not being dramatic about losing or when things don’t go their way in the kitchen. They are all very uplifting and light-hearted about the competition. I recommend starting off by watching The Great British Bake-Off: The Beginnings. This was the show’s first few seasons before the British Network that they were on, canceled them. The newer season has new hosts and one new judge but both seasons are absolutely wonderful.
5. Queer Eye
Queer Eye has become one of those shows that have become globally popular. Everyone can enjoy this charming make-over show. Queer Eye is about five gay men, also known as the Fab Five, who each have special talents that make-over not only a person’s looks but their life as well. The people who are chosen are not only in desperate need of help, but are also very deserving and kind people.
In the very first episode, the guys all makeover an elder man (how sweet!) who is a little stuck in his ways. Johnathan gave him a great hair cut and introduced him to some skincare tips like sunscreen and moisturizer. Antoni is the cook, so he taught the man how to make healthier and higher quality versions of the food he already eats, like guacamole. Tan is all about fashion so he gave the man a complete makeover and helped organize his closet. Bobby is in charge of home design so he transformed the man’s living room and outdoor space to entertain his family members which would help with his loneliness. Finally, Karamo who is in charge of culture helped get the man back into his hobbies which was cars. It’s a great, well-rounded show.
6. The Circle
Another good Netflix reality show is The Circle as it is, again, not like any other reality tv show. The Circle can be described as a mix between “Big Brother” and “Catfish,” two other popular reality tv shows. In this show, contestants move into an apartment complex together but never actually meet each other as they all have their own apartments. They communicate with one another through a social media app. This allows them to hide their true identities if they choose. Throughout the competition, they have to rate one another through the app, and if a player has a low score they run the risk of being “blocked” or eliminated from the game. The one who survives the game gets the grand prize of $100,000. It’s definitely a different kind of game show with lots of reality TV elements also thrown in.
7. Nailed It!
If you want a baking show where the results look perfect and delicious. This isn’t it. We’ve seen those shows before and this one is way more fun and exciting. Instead of professionals, Nailed It! has three amateur bakers with poor track records attempting to recreate extravagant baked goods. The best baker by the end of the episode wins $10,000! One thing I really like about this show is that each episode has three new contestants every time, so they experience it is always something fresh and exciting. Be prepared to laugh and cry at the crazy results these non-bakers present.
8. 90-Day Fiance
We all love a good TLC show as they honestly bring us some of the best reality TV. This show, however, made audiences cringe, laugh, and take to social media to popularize this show with memes and more. 90-Day Fiance follows long-distance, international relationships usually between someone who is a U.S. Citizen and someone from another country. Watch as the couples navigate cultural and language barriers as well as the time crunch of their 90-day visa. They must decide if they are going to be married and live happily ever after in 90 days. Is it kinda trashy tv? Absolutely, but it’s so much fun!
9. The Masked Singer
We have seen all the singing competition/reality shows. The Masked Singer is something totally different. This show has famous celebrities who dress up in elaborate costumes and sing popular songs to four celebrity judges who attempt to guess their identity. They provide clues before and after their performances to help the judges and the audience discover who they are. The kicker is, the celebrity singer needs to also perform well in order to stay in the competition. The audience ultimately votes for their favorite masked singer, and the singer with the lowest votes will be forced to reveal their true identity. It’s almost like a catch 22 because you want to know who certain singers are but also want them to stay in the competition and keep performing. This is a fun show for the whole family.
10. Catfish
I had to include the classic reality tv show, Catfish, an MTV original. Since 2012, host Nev and Max would travel around the country to help people who felt that the person they were communicating with online, was not the who they say they are. The show has changed over the years after Max left, but the excitement, suspense, and loving-moments still get us today. Nev also worked with different celebrity c0-host for a while. This actually made the show even more interesting as it was nice to get a variety of different perspectives and styles of hosting. Start from the beginning, the middle, or even the most recent episodes and you’ll get a new and interesting storyline each time.
