Reality TV shows are a genre of television programming that document purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unknown individuals rather than professional actors. Reality TV shows tend to be interspersed with “confessionals”, short interview segments in which cast members reflect on or provide context for the events being depicted on-screen. Competition-based reality shows typically feature gradual elimination of participants, either by a panel of judges or by the viewership of the show.
Here are the top 10 best reality TV shows to watch right now.
1. Terrace House
Terrace House is an unscripted reality television show about six strangers who move in together while the viewer watches what happens as a result. The group is composed of three girls and three boys aged from their teens to their 30s. Viewing drama comes from watching members pursue romance with each other and dealing with the differences in their personalities, morals, hopes and dreams.
The show provides access to a furnished house and two cars, all of which are equipped with cameras, in a fly on the wall style. While in Terrace House members keep their day jobs and are allowed to go about their daily lives as they please. At various times the cameras will also follow members to other locations, such as restaurants or their work. Should one of the housemates decide to permanently leave the show they are replaced by a new member of the same gender.
2. Money for Nothing
Winner of `The Great Interior Design Challenge’, Sarah Moore gets brought into more renovation projects on the show `Money for Nothing’. In this series, Moore meets different people up and down the UK who are throwing out what they consider to be worthless goods. In each episode, the designer takes three of these worn-out, overused goods and gives them a new life. The items are transformed beyond recognition and given a bespoke edge, which in turn gives them a higher value. Any profit made on the products sold is returned to the original owners.
3. MeatEater
A healthy appetite and a willing palate are essential traits for fans of “MeatEater.” From hunting turkey in Florida and elk in Kentucky, to grizzlies in British Columbia and antelope in New Mexico, avid outdoorsman, author and TV personality Steven Rinella pursues a wide variety of prey during thrill-ride, challenging adventures. Then, holding true to his “field to plate” philosophy – nothing he kills on “MeatEater” goes to waste – Rinella displays his culinary prowess by preparing the day’s harvest for a mouthwatering meal.
4. Queer Eye
More than a decade after the original series went off the air, Netflix reboots the “Queer Eye” franchise with a new Fab Five and a new setting, trading in the concrete jungle of New York City for communities in and around Atlanta. The style experts forge relationships with men and women who often have different beliefs from them, leading to moments of social commentary interspersed with style advice.
Advising people in need of lifestyle makeovers are food and wine specialist Antoni Porowski, interior designer Bobby Berk, grooming consultant Jonathan Van Ness, fashion designer Tan France and culture expert Karamo Brown, who reality TV fans may recognize as one of the housemates on “The Real World: Philadelphia.” David Collins, who created the original show, is on board as an executive producer.
5. The Great British Bake Off
Twelve amateur bakers are on a quest to be named the Great Britain’s best baker. The group of amateur bakers compete against each other in a series of rounds, attempting to impress a group of judges with their baking skills, with a contestant being eliminated in each round, with the winner being selected from the contestants who reach the finals. Over the course of ten weeks, the contestants will be judged on their skills at making cakes, breads, pastries and desserts of all kinds. The show has become a significant part of British culture and is credited with reinvigorating interest in baking throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, with many of its participants, including winners, having gone on to start a career based on bakery.
6. Highway Thru Hell
The men of the Jamie Davis Heavy Rescue company battle the treacherous Coquihalla Highway in British Columbia. Because it is one of the most economically important, most travelled trucking routes in North America, the crew must do whatever it takes to keep the road open. Truckers face steep hills, lethal drop-offs and major rockslides. The value of the cargo and the need for urgent delivery require the rescue crew to respond when truckers get into trouble. Owner Jamie handles the bills, the employees, keeping the clients happy, and the mighty `Rotator’.
7. Skin Wars
Actress Rebecca Romijn hosts this competition series that pits 10 body painters against one another in challenges that test the contestants’ technique, artistic ability and creativity. Competitors are eliminated throughout the season en route to a three-person finale, the winner of which earns a $100,000 cash prize, a year’s supply of paint, and a spot as a guest artist at body-painting trade show IMATS. Judging the contest are TV host RuPaul, artist Craig Tracy and Las Vegas-based body painter Robin Slonina. The contestants include a former college track star, a certified hypnotherapist, a former professional wrestler, and an award-winning artist who also is a firefighter and a paramedic.
8. Dating Around
Dating can be tough, so it may be a good idea for singles to go with quantity over quality when hitting the scene to increase their odds of matching with someone.That’s what happens on “Dating Around.” Each episode features a single who goes on five first dates that are filled with flirty banter, awkward exchanges and – hopefully – moments of true connection. Once the quintet of blind dates is over, the dater is tasked with picking one match who is worthy of a second date. The dating show takes an honest and compelling look at the real world of wooing potential mates.
9. Tidying Up with Marie Kondo
When people lead busy lives, their homes sometimes become cluttered with things piling up over time. In this series, renowned tidying expert Marie Kondo tries to help folks declutter their homes – and their lives. Whether she’s helping a harried couple with young children become more organized or showing a retired couple how to reclaim their space, Kondo assists her clients in clearing out the clutter and choosing joy in a series of inspiring home makeovers.
10. Too Hot to Handle
Hosted by a cone-shaped virtual assistant named “Lana,” the show revolves around a group of adults – all of whom primarily engage in meaningless flings and are unable to form long-lasting relationships – who are placed together in a house for four weeks. While there, the contestants must go through various workshops, all while being forbidden from any kissing, sexual contact or self-gratification.
The idea behind this is to foster genuine connections between the participants. The contestants start with a $100,000 grand prize that gets reduced any time a rule is broken. Each season starts with 10 new contestants, although later new additions occasionally join throughout. Similarly, contestants who are unable to form connections in the house or commit to the process are sometimes kicked out.
