Often referred to as the guilty-pleasure genre of television, reality TV allows viewers to let go of their minds while watching. These series are often purely for entertainment, and unlike episodic fictional shows or documentaries, don't require the focus investment of the viewer. That is not to say that viewers aren't engaged, rooting for their favorite contestant to win or even mimicking the lifestyle choices of reality stars.
Reality audiences are solid judges of character when deciding if a series will last or not, and these series have withstood the test of time: some have broken off into spinoffs or secondary series. From survival, competition, partying lifestyles, and everything in between, there's a reality TV series for everyone. Based on their entertainment value, cultural impact, or a combination of these assets, these are the best reality series of all time.
25 'Pawn Stars' (2009 - )
Creators: Brent Montgomery and Colby Gaines
Since its premiere in 2009, Pawn Stars has become a strong favorite among reality TV show viewers as it puts the spotlight on Las Vegas’ Gold & Silver Pawn Shop. Pawn Stars was able to captivate viewers by giving them a glimpse into the world of pawnbroking, often choosing to highlight the dramatic negotiation over the historical and one-of-a-kind items brought into the shop.
Some of the memorable moments in Pawn Stars include rapper Flavor Flav bringing in a bronze statue of O.J. Simpson and the cast’s pranking one another. However, Pawn Stars has been criticized for its inauthentic confrontations and weird crossover with the Nickelodeon TV Show iCarly. Despite that Pawn Stars has become a cultural phenomenon, with the shop becoming one of Las Vegas’ must-visit tourist attractions.
Pawn Stars
- Release Date
- July 19, 2009
- Seasons
- 19
24 'The Masked Singer' (2019 - )
Creator: Craig Plestis
The Masked Singer puts a playful twist on the singing competition genre. Based on the reality TV show competition with the same name that’s based in Korea, The Masked Singer puts celebrities in elaborate costumes that hide their identities. The contestants perform each week in front of a panel of judges and a live audience and the signer with the least amount of votes is unmasked and kicked off the competition.
What makes The Masked Singer a hit is its unique format that doesn’t put an emphasis on competition. Instead, it focuses on talent and how fun it is to guess the celebrity behind the mask. The Masked Singer’s lighthearted and entertaining format has allowed it to carve out its space in the reality TV show competition niche.
The Masked Singer
- Release Date
- 2019-00-00
- Cast
- Nick Cannon , Jenny McCarthy , Nicole Scherzinger , Ken Jeong
- Seasons
- 10
23 'The Traitors' (2023 - )
Creator: Marc Pos
The Traitors is a reality TV show that offers a fresh take on the party game Mafia. In it, contestants are divided into Traitors and Faithfuls, with the latter doing their best to uncover the Traitors among them. On the other hand, the traitors should work to plant seeds of dissent among the Faithful and eliminate them all.
What differentiates The Traitors from other competitive TV shows is its focus on social and mental tactics instead of physical challenges. This in turn, culminates in dramatic reveals and a riveting game of betrayal and trust. Despite being only in its second season, many consider The Traitors one of the best reality TV shows of all time due to its intricate and entertaining social gameplay that will surely keep viewers on the edge of their seats.
The Traitors (US)
- Release Date
- January 12, 2023
- Cast
- Alan Cumming , Kate Chastain , Cirie Fields , Arie Luyendyk Jr.
- Seasons
- 2
22 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition' (2004 - )
Creators: Brady Connell and George Verschoor
Instead of people going through surgery and styling to achieve a drastic transformation, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition helps deserving families get the home of their dreams. Each episode features a family who is facing extreme hardships. With the help of designers and contractors, the family’s home is renovated and repaired in just under a week.
The combination of home renovation and moving family stories has allowed Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to gain a loyal following. Each episode promises viewers hope and renewal and highlights the importance of community and giving back. However, several controversies have plagued Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, including the authenticity of the renovation work for the selection of families. That said, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition has undoubtedly pulled communities together for a common cause and has inspired countless viewers.
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
- Release Date
- December 5, 2003
- Seasons
- 9
21 'MasterChef' (2010 - )
Creator: Franc Roddam
MasterChef is perhaps one of the most well-known reality cooking shows across the world with its numerous international versions. What makes MasterChef a memorable show is its roster of charming home and amateur chefs — all of whom have to undergo challenges such as only using ingredients from a mystery box, creating a complex dish under a time limit, and cooking for a large group of people.
MasterChef has also achieved its success with the help of celebrity judges such as Gordon Ramsay, Joe Bastianich, and Aarón Sánchez. While the show has been incredibly entertaining, the emotional aspect of the contestant’s journey has been critiqued as some viewers found it overly dramatized. With that said, home chefs across America and the world aspire to be on MasterChef as it has discovered and nurtured successful chefs like Christine Hà and Whitney Miller.
MasterChef
- Release Date
- 2010-00-00
- Creator
- Franc Roddam
- Seasons
- 22
20 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' (2007 - 2021)
Creator: Ryan Seacrest
Keeping Up with the Kardashians is a reality TV show that birthed one of the most prominent celebrity families in the 21st century – the Kardashian-Jenner clan. From family drama and stylish fashion ventures to jaw-dropping extravagant vacations, Keeping Up with the Kardashians takes viewers on a rollercoaster ride through the lives of the Kardashians and the Jenners.
The show not only catapulted the family to global stardom but also sparked a cultural phenomenon. The Kardashians' unfiltered lives, personal struggles, and triumphs kept viewers glued to their screens. While Keeping Up with the Kardashians ended in 2021, fans can catch up with the famous clan in their new Hulu TV show aptly titled The Kardashians.
Keeping Up With The Kardashians
- Release Date
- October 14, 2007
- Cast
- Khloe Kardashian , Kim Kardashian , Kourtney Kardashian , Kris Jenner
- Seasons
- 20
19 'Fear Factor' (2001 - 2018)
Presenter: Joe Rogan
Those who wanted to push themselves to their limits joined the reality TV show Fear Factor. Since its premiere in 2001, Fear Factor put people through a pulse-pounding concoction of daredevil stunts, creepy-crawly challenges, and extreme gross-out tests.
This adrenaline-pumping show didn't just make hearts race, as the series also garnered multiple awards, including an Emmy for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program. Because it tapped into the viewers’ fascination with the extreme and desire to see people overcome their deepest fears, Fear Factor had an undeniable enduring appeal.
Fear Factor
- Release Date
- June 11, 2001
- Cast
- Joe Rogan
- Seasons
- 9
18 'Love Island' (2015 - )
Creators: Brent Baker, Mark Busk-Cowley, Tom Gould, Joe Scarrat
Love Island features British reality TV romance at its best and at its worst. The premise of Love Island is simple, a group of memorable single islanders is whisked away to a sun-soaked villa where they're expected to couple up – and sometimes recouple – while navigating love, competition, and drama.
Islanders must forge connections, survive "re-coupling" ceremonies, and avoid being "dumped" to win Love Island's ultimate prize. The dating show became a cultural phenomenon because it combined relationship drama with strategic gameplay. With its memorable catchphrases and juicy gossip, Love Island has nurtured a loyal following of reality TV fans.
17 'America's Next Top Model' (2003 - 2018)
Creator: Tyra Banks
Hosted by Tyra Banks, America’s Next Top Model is a high-fashion modeling competition show that follows aspiring models through a series of challenges, photoshoots, and runway walks. But in order to win, contestants must prove to Tyra and the judges that both have the look and personality to survive in the cutthroat industry.
What makes America’s Next Top Model a hit reality TV show is its conversations about body positivity and diversity in the modeling industry. While there have been plenty of eyebrow-raising challenges, its infamous makeover episodes, the iconic "smizing" lessons from Tyra, and the sometimes fiery contestant rivalries make it a very entertaining watch.
America's Next Top Model
- Release Date
- May 20, 2003
- Cast
- Tyra Banks
- Seasons
- 24
16 'Taxicab Confessions' (1995 - 2006)
Directors: Harry Gantz, Joe Gantz
Taxicab Confessions is a show that takes a candid look at the lives of everyday people as they share their most intimate thoughts and secrets while riding in a taxi. Using hidden cameras and microphones, Taxicab Confessions featured unscripted conversations between passengers and their cab drivers – often capturing tearful and emotional moments.
Although it's a reality TV show most have forgotten, Taxicab Confessions was a trailblazer in the genre as it set the stage for unfiltered, reality-based storytelling. By revealing personal stories, confessions, and unique experiences from people from all walks of life, Taxicab Confessions allowed viewers to connect with the human experience on a deeper level.
15 'The Great British Bake Off' (2010 - )
Directors: Andy Devonshire, Scott Tankard
No reality series stirs the craving for sweets more than a trip inside the white tent for The Great British Bake Off. Also referred to as The Great British Baking Show by Netflix viewers, this competition series features 12 amateur bakers who must complete a series of weekly challenges in hopes of becoming the UK's Best Amateur Baker.
Currently judged by Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, both culinary and artisan baking experts, The Great British Bake Off's contestants are put to the test with a signature bake that demonstrates baking ability, a technical bake where they must all follow the same recipe, and a showstopper bake featuring elaborate and creative showcases.
14 '90 Day Fiancé' (2014 - )
Presenter: Shaun Robinson
Testing the limits of love, 90 Day Fiancé features couples who embark on the 90-day engagement visa process in the United States. Often meeting over the Internet or on epic international vacations, an American and their global partner get engaged and begin the process of reuniting in the United States with the hopes of getting married after three months.
Over the course of the nine seasons, it's a mixed bag on whether the 90 Day couples remain messy partners, tie the knot, part ways, or stay together post-nuptials. The wildly popular 90 Day Fiancé has produced double-digit spin-offs like 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days, 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After?, and 90 Day Fiancé: The Single Life.
90 Day Fiance
- Release Date
- January 12, 2014
- Cast
- Natalie Podiakova , Mike Youngquist , Azan Tefou , Yara Zaya , Jovi Dufren
- Seasons
- 9
13 'Shark Tank' (2009 - )
Creator: Mark Burnett
To a non-reality viewer, this may seem like a nature series, but to reality TV fanatics, Shark Tank is one of the all-time best. A Primetime Emmy-winning reality series, the contestants are passionate entrepreneurs who pitch investment opportunities to a room of some of the wealthiest and most successful investors like Mark Cuban and Barbara Corcoran.
The "Sharks," like Cuban and Corcoran, rotate throughout the seasons with guest "Sharks" making appearances. Successful brands like Bombas and Scrub Daddy saw their entrepreneur owners receive offers from investors featured on the ABC series.
Shark Tank
- Release Date
- August 9, 2009
- Cast
- Mark Cuban
- Seasons
- 11
12 The 'Real Housewives' Franchise (2006 - )
Creator: Scott Dunlop
What started in Orange County, California, bloomed into a nationwide phenomenon in reality TV. The Real Housewives of Orange County aired from 2006-2022. It featured the daily lives and drama of the five housewives and their families living in the wealthiest planned communities in the United States.
Since its inception, the franchise has cast bold personas, with numerous famous Real Housewives stars emerging from several major cities like New York City, Atlanta, New Jersey, Beverly Hills, and more. The women of this franchise are fierce and opinionated, providing dramatic reality entertainment to audiences around the globe.
The Real Housewives of Orange County
- Release Date
- March 21, 2006
- Creator
- Scott Dunlop
- Cast
- Tamra Judge , Vicki Gunvalson , Shannon Storms Beador , Heather Dubrow
- Seasons
- 18
11 'Hell's Kitchen' (2005 - )
Creator: Gordon Ramsay
Only mincing ingredients, not words, world-renowned chef Gordon Ramsay has graced the reality TV screen for decades. Hell's Kitchen features aspiring chef contestants competing in various intense culinary challenges, narrowing down double-digit competitors to a single winner.
Inspiring Ramsay's restaurant chain, Hell's Kitchen has entertained audiences for decades with Ramsay's bluntly explosive antics, dramatized for reality entertainment. The American version aired on Fox and entered its 21st late 2022 into early 2023.
Hell's Kitchen
- Release Date
- May 23, 2004
- Cast
- Angus Deayton , Al Murray , Amanda Barrie , James Dreyfus , Jennifer Ellison
- Seasons
- 4
10 'The Voice' (2011 - )
Creator: John de Mol
Equal parts singing and competition, The Voice features four chart-topping musicians on the hunt for the best voices in the country. In a blind audition process, each coach faces away from the auditioning singer and must base their choice to turn the chair solely on the sound of the singing voice. If multiple chairs turn, the contestant chooses which famous artist they'd like as a coach.
Music sensations like Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Alicia Keys, Miley Cyrus, and more have taken the chairs for a spin throughout the seasons. The Voice is an Emmy-winning competition series that changed the singing competition game.
The Voice
- Release Date
- April 26, 2011
- Creator(s)
- John de Mol
- Cast
- Carson Daly , Blake Shelton , Adam Levine , Christina Aguilera , Gwen Stefani , kelly clarkson , Pharrell Williams , John Legend
- Seasons
- 25
9 'Top Chef' (2006 - )
Presenters: Katie Lee, Padma Lakshmi, Kristen Kish
Airing for two decades, this long-running culinary competition series is reality royalty. As they prepare savory and mouthwatering dishes, 15 best of the best aspiring chefs compete for the title of Top Chef with contestants (sometimes more than one) eliminated each week. A panel of food and wine experts judges the contestants and their dishes.
Padma Lakshmi has hosted Top Chef almost in the series' entirety, with head judge Tom Colicchio a staple from the beginning. Like any successful reality series, this cooking competition has forged multiple spin-offs like Top Chef Jr. and Top Chef Masters.
Top Chef
A reality competition show in which chefs compete against one another in culinary challenges and are a judged by a panel of food and wine experts, with one or more contestants eliminated each episode.
- Release Date
- March 8, 2006
- Cast
- Padma Lakshmi , Tom Colicchio
- Seasons
- 21
8 'The Real World' (1992 - )
Creators: Mary-Ellis Bunim, Jonathan Murray
One of MTV's longest-running series, The Real World remains a foundational reality series. Featuring a combination of personalities, seven or eight young adults are filmed 24/7 as they move into a temporary home in a new city. Just as it took inspiration from series like Beverly Hills, 90210, and Melrose Place, The Real World inspired MTV series like The Challenge, which still airs today.
The Real World aired on MTV from 1992 until 2017. The iconic series took a turn on Facebook Watch in 2019 and is currently in development at Paramout+. Trailblazing in its day, The Real World was hailed for capturing the cast as they confronted varying beliefs among roommates and for depicting an authentic young adult experience.
The Real World
- Release Date
- May 21, 1992
- Seasons
- 33
- Studio
- MTV
7 'Project Runway' (2004 - )
Creator: Eli Holzman
Putting fashion at the forefront of reality TV, this series launched fashion designers like Christian Siriano and Leanne Marshall into notable careers. Project Runway features amateur stylists and designers as they compete in various challenges to create stunning pieces, with a designer eliminated each week by a panel of judges.
Long-running judges of Project Runway include Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Tim Gunn, and Michael Kors. The winning prize package has evolved over the decades of airing, but Project Runway winners seek a cash prize to help launch their own fashion line and break into the industry.
Project Runway
- Release Date
- December 1, 2004
- Cast
- heidi klum
- Seasons
- 17
6 'The Bachelor' (2002 - ) & 'The Bachelorette (2003 - )
Creator: Mike Fleiss
Reality dating at its finest, The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, may be cringe-worthy for outsiders, but the gossip is oh-so juicy for those inside Bachelor Nation. ABC's crowning achievement in reality TV, The Bachelor features a single man dating several women over multiple weeks with the hope of eventually getting down on one knee at the end and finding his wife. The same concept goes for the woman lead on The Bachelorette.
Almost none of the relationships last, with only a few marriages happening and still going. Throughout 28 seasons of The Bachelor and 20 seasons of The Bachelorette, the pair of dating series have faced their fair share of controversy, from numerous scandals to a lack of diversity. While it's a very "what's the point?" type of series with its track record of relationship success, its loyal fans have allowed it to remain a staple in American reality TV.
The Bachelorette
- Release Date
- January 8, 2003
- Creator
- Mike Fleiss
- Cast
- Chris Harrison , Jesse Palmer
- Seasons
- 20