The 70 Best Reality TV Shows to Help You Escape Your Mundane Existence
Whether you’re obsessed with The Traitors or Temptation Island, we’ve got you covered.
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In 2025, reality television is dominating just about every channel and streaming service. While Bravo boasts a plethora of ever-expanding franchises, such as Below Deck and The Real Housewives, Netflix has gone all in on a slate of “unscripted” shows viewers can’t get enough of, including Love Is Blind, Singles Inferno, and Selling Sunset. Meanwhile, the Vanderpump Rules spin-off The Valley found an instant fan base, and older shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race and The Bachelor continue to find new ways to surprise and delight (we’re looking at you, Golden Bachelorette). With so many reality TV shows to choose from, it can be difficult deciding which to commit to. From The Traitors to The Hills, here are 70 of the best reality television series you can stream in 2025.
RuPaul's Drag Race
The looks! The fashion! The shade! With 14 seasons and several spinoffs in the books (so far), Drag Race remains one of the most thrilling reality shows on television, as queens from all walks of life compete for the title of “next drag superstar” under the guidance of Mama Ru. Each week brings a new high-fashion runway looks, side-stitching skits, and life-saving lipsyncs. It's not just a competition show, it's a celebration of individuality. Now, sashay away and start your next binge.
Love Is Blind
We're only four seasons in, but Netflix's Love Is Blind has already taken the world by storm. In fact, new versions of the series have already popped up in Japan and Brazil, with more on the way. While there haven't been many success stories to date (thank goodness for Lauren and Cameron Hamilton), Love Is Blind is always fun to watch, even when it all goes horribly wrong.
The Kardashians
After 20 seasons on E!, the Kardashian-Jenner clan decided it was time for a change (and reportedly, a more lucrative deal). Cue Hulu's The Kardashians, a ludicrously glossy way for us all to watch Kravis make out, Kimye get divorced, and Khloé move the hell on from Tristan once and for all. We can't wait!
The Bachelor Franchise
Most of us have a love/hate relationship with ABC's The Bachelor franchise, but that's only because it manages to pull us back in every time we try and quit. Bachelor in Paradise is undoubtedly the franchise's most fun iteration, with The Bachelorette generally managing to be less-cringeworthy than The Bachelor. It seems likely that Bachelor Nation will be around for years to come, regardless of how many more scandals it faces.
The Golden Bachelor
After what feels like the longest wait, The Golden Bachelor has finally arrived to shake up the Bachelor franchise. Season 1 stars Gerry Turner, a 72-year-old widower searching for love and dishing out roses week by week, until he finds romance with one of many hopefuls.
Big Brother
Airing its 25th season in 2023, Big Brother needs no introduction. The contestants, known as HouseGuests, compete for a prize of $750,000, while having their lives filmed 24 hours a day. One by one, HouseGuests are voted out, until a lucky winner remains.
Selling Sunset
Netflix's Selling Sunset was an instant smash hit, and it's easy to see why. The glossy real estate show is as much about decadent properties as it is girl gang drama and flawless hair and makeup. Christine Quinn's beef with Chrishell Stause kickstarted the series, which is already in its fifth season. We hope it never ends.
The Traitors
Alan Cumming hosts this dramatic competition series, which includes some of reality TV's biggest stars. Twenty contestants move into a Scottish castle, where they take part in a murder mystery game. But three people in the group are traitors, and they're ready to sabotage everyone's chances of taking home the prize pot.
Summer House
It's not unreasonable to say that Summer House has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride since it started. Most of us are probably glad we don't have to spend every summer weekend drinking in the Hamptons, but that doesn't mean we don't enjoy watching other people do it. If you like your reality TV messy, and enjoy screaming at the screen when relationship red flags continually appear, then Summer House is most definitely for you.
The Below Deck Franchise
The Below Deck universe is expanding, and we are so here for it. Captain Lee, the Stud of the Sea, helped start the franchise, which has since added Mediterranean, Sailing Yacht, Adventure, and Down Under to its roster. The yacht staff never fail to entertain us with their witty one-liners, especially when the guests go from bad to worse. It goes without saying that Kate Chastain and Hannah Ferrier are missed, but Aesha Jean and Daisy Kelliher are pretty great too.
The Real Housewives Franchise
It can feel a little hard to keep up with The Real Housewives franchise, but that just means that there's a literal archive of seasons to dip into. If you've ever shared a GIF, then you're probably better acquainted with the series than you might think. Stop resisting the inevitable and start watching.
Bling Empire
Netflix's Bling Empire follows the lives of a group of ultra-wealthy Asians living in Los Angeles. It's unsurprising that this reality-version of Crazy Rich Asians was created by Keeping Up with the Kardashians producer Jeff Jenkins. Three seasons have been released to date, so it's the perfect time to get acquainted with Christine Chiu, Anna Shay, and the rest of the gang.
Temptation Island
Temptation Island is the ultimate relationship test. Several couples sign up to live in an idyllic location with some seriously hot singletons, to prove whether or not their relationships are strong enough to survive temptation.
My Unorthodox Life
Netflix's My Unorthodox Life follows Julia Haart, a former “ultra-Orthodox” Jewish woman who became a successful CEO and fashion mogul. The show focuses on Haart's family as they get to grips with their non-religious Manhattan lifestyle, and all that it entails. The show returned for a second season in December 2022, and it looks like the Haarts will be on our screens for years to come.
Queer Eye
Queer Eye's "Fab Five" need zero introduction. In fact, the success of Netflix's reboot has catapulted its stars to international fame, but they continue to deliver style, confidence, and kindness to people everywhere. With seven seasons streaming on Netflix, Queer Eye fans will never be short of content.
Catfish
It's hard to believe that people haven't gotten wise to online scammers after watching an impressive eight seasons of MTV's Catfish, but here we are. Nēv Schulman and Kamie Crawford make every episode entertaining, whether they're exposing con artists abroad or uncovering decade-long liars. And you can always go back to where it all began with the 2010 documentary Catfish, that tells Nēv's own internet romance disaster.
The Real World
MTV's The Real World was the first foray into reality TV for many of us (aside from Bug Juice, that is). The series has also undergone a myriad of transformations throughout the years—does anyone else remember Real World Ex-Plosion?! Thanks to Paramount+, '90s kids and '00s queens can relive their youth.
House of Villains
E!'s House of Villains brings together the reality TV contestants we all love to hate, as they battle it out for a cash prize and the title of America's Ultimate Supervillain. Season 1 stars Vanderpump Rules alum Jax Taylor, Love Is Blind's Shake Chatterjee, and Flavor of Love's Tiffany Pollard, amongst others.
The Simple Life
Paris Hilton. Nicole Richie. The early '00s. What more do you need to know? If you're eternally here for the return of velour tracksuits and pink bedazzled flip phones, then The Simple Life is the only reality show you need in your life.
America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
You’re going to be obsessed with Netflix’s newest sporting reality show. America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders reveals just what it takes to make it as a professional cheerleader. From a grueling audition process, with novices and professionals competing for the same spots, to an exhausting rehearsal schedule, it’s certainly not easy making it in this field.
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