The 24 best reality shows on Netflix
From matchmaking adventures to baking challenges to, of course, the "Queer Eye" Fab Five, here's the best reality TV viewing that Netflix has to offer.
Reality shows are perfect for when you're looking for something light. And though you can scroll TikTok to keep up with what's going on, the shows on EW's list might have you putting your phone down! Whether you're in the mood for romance with Love Is Blind and Love on the Spectrum, or looking to escape to a life wildly different than your own with Selling Sunset, Netflix has all the must-watch content you crave.
Here are the best of the best reality shows on Netflix, as of August 2024.
Alone (2015–present)
This History survivalist competition strands a group of 10 people in the wilderness, each of them having to rely on their own skills, with no interaction with their competitors. Their only objective is to outlast the others without needing to be medically evacuated or quitting. The winner receives a grand prize of $500,000 ($1 million in later seasons). Only the ninth season of Alone is streaming on Netflix at the moment, and it's set in Northeastern Labrador in Canada with some of the worst weather conditions contestants have had to face. Survivor fans who miss when the show was more focused on, well, surviving, should enjoy the grueling aspects of Alone. —Kevin Jacobsen
Related: How the women of Alone survived isolation, starvation, and grizzlies — and why they'd do it again
The Amazing Race (2001–present)
For those who love the thrill of competition but don't enjoy the backstabbing of Survivor or Big Brother, The Amazing Race is for you. (Though, to be fair, there is some backstabbing in the form of roadblocks…) Each season, a group of either 11 or 12 teams of two square off in a race around the world, completing various locale-specific tasks along the way. The team that arrives last to the pit stop each episode is typically eliminated, with the eventual winning team taking home $1 million. Joining its fellow CBS reality stalwarts, there are just two seasons of The Amazing Race on Netflix at the moment. Netflix subscribers who get a taste for any of these three shows can find every season of Survivor, Big Brother, and The Amazing Race on Paramount+. —K.J.
Where to watch The Amazing Race: Netflix
Related: Phil Keoghan explains why Amazing Race has 'a new lease on life'
American Ninja Warrior (2009–present)
American Ninja Warrior has tested the physical strength and agility of willing participants since it premiered in 2009. While various changes to the format have been put in place over the years, the central conceit remains: Get through the obstacle course without falling. Contestants compete in a qualifying round first, with those who complete the course in the shortest amount of time advancing to the semifinals, where they compete again for a spot in the National Finals. With two past seasons available for streaming, it's hard not to get invested in contestants' inspiring displays of athleticism, pushing themselves to the limit no matter what challenges lie ahead. And who hasn't watched American Ninja Warrior and not wanted to try scaling the Warped Wall? —K.J.
Where to watch American Ninja Warrior: Netflix
Related: How an American Ninja Warrior viewer saved a contestant's family
Big Brother (2000–present)
Survivor's indoorsy sibling Big Brother is another favorite of strategy-game lovers. Inside the walls of a house, strangers from all walks of life conspire against each other as they compete for a hefty cash prize. The competition series has been a favorite of CBS viewers since the year 2000, with numerous twists and turns to the game along the way. Like Survivor, only two seasons of Big Brother are available on Netflix at a time, with seasons 6 and 17 currently streaming. Fans of the series may recognize these as memorable seasons of the series, with the first appearance of fan-favorite Janelle Pierzina in the former and the dominant player Vanessa Rousso in the latter. —K.J.
Where to watch Big Brother: Netflix
Related: Julie Chen Moonves wants Big Brother to continue casting older contestants
The Boyfriend (2024–present)
Courtesy of Netflix
Shun and Dai Nakai on 'The Boyfriend'The Boyfriend brings together nine queer Japanese men in a beachside cottage and follows the relationships that form from there. Beyond the limitations of being just a dating show, the series explores sexual identity and friendship among the men as they work together at a coffee truck and get to know each other intimately. Eschewing overblown drama or scandalous moments, there is a refreshingly down-to-earth tone to The Boyfriend that sets it above other reality series. —K.J.
Where to watch The Boyfriend: Netflix
Related: The 16 best shows to watch during Pride Month
The Circle (2020–present)
To catfish or not to catfish — that is the question. The Circle is a social (media) experiment where contestants become neighbors in a decked-out apartment complex. As with every good reality TV show, there is always a catch. The twist here is that the players never meet face-to-face. Instead, they are isolated in their apartments and communicate exclusively through television screens and only with text.
Each member of The Circle can see only a few carefully selected photos and a short bio from their fellow contestants. Just like online dating (or Craigslist shopping), you never really know who's on the other side of the screen. The goal is to be the most-liked contestant and the last one standing to take home a huge cash prize. With surprise celebrity appearances and shake-ups to the rules along the way, The Circle is giving us life. —Emily Smith
Where to watch The Circle: Netflix
Related: The Circle boss explains how they got the Spice Girls to play as catfish
The Devil's Plan (2023–present)
This addictive South Korean reality show emphasizes social strategy above all else — even in its challenges. Twelve contestants who are all titans in their fields are confined in a house for a week without contact with the outside world, each playing with "Pieces," a form of currency they can use to create social bonds and advance further in the game. Each episode, the contestants compete in a Main Match to gain more Pieces, as well as a Prize Match to add to the prize money. Players who lose all their Pieces are eliminated from the game, which proceeds until only two remain and the one with the highest number of Pieces wins.
While some TV watchers continue to dismiss reality shows as brainless, The Devil's Plan is a strong counter-argument, valuing analytical problem-solving and game theory above petty personal drama. —K.J.
Where to watch The Devil's Plan: Netflix
Floor Is Lava (2020–present)
Did you ever pretend that the floor was lava as a kid? This show takes the activity of jumping around your house without touching the ground and kicks it up a notch by making the floor, well...lava (or, rather, dyed slime, but still). Instead of leaping from pillow to table to couch, contestants are parkouring their way through American Ninja Warrior-style obstacles like moving platforms, vertical nets, intense monkey bars, and even an "active" volcano. That means, if you fail to complete a task, you end up in the "actual" lava. The intensity is turned up hot on this remake of the childhood classic game. Great to watch with the entire family. —E.S.
Where to watch Floor Is Lava: Netflix
Related: This Netflix game show is fire: Why you should watch Floor Is Lava
The Great British Baking Show (2010–present)
Refined is not a common descriptor of reality TV, but The Great British Baking Show has something most other shows in the genre don't: an elegant approach to competition. Contestants cheer each other on and even help each other out as the clock winds down. This evolved species of reality TV has struck a chord with charmed viewers across the globe who enjoy watching amateur bakers compete and improve with a bit of class. The show takes place over 10 weeks, and contestants must quickly adapt and learn new skills as the difficulty level continues to rise. It's a heartwarming competition where tension mounts, but comic relief and empathy always abounds. —E.S.
Where to watch The Great British Baking Show: Netflix
Related: The Great British Baking Show: Paul Hollywood shares his Victoria sponge recipe
Indian Matchmaking (2020–present)
With a Rolodex of beautiful singles and training in ancient techniques such as Kundali, star Sima Taparia introduces us to traditional matchmaking practices executed in her modern way. Sima Aunty, as she is affectionately called on the show, certainly has the best intentions, but not without a pit of pushback. Will her hopeful singles find their happily ever after? She must be doing something right, given Netflix continues to renew Indian Matchmaking. Three seasons are now streaming. —E.S.
Where to watch Indian Matchmaking: Netflix
Related: Indian Matchmaking creator talks controversy, Emmy nod: 'Almost no one said it's inaccurate'
Love Is Blind (2020–present)
Would you marry someone you've never seen face-to-face? Is love truly blind? Love Is Blind, hosted by Nick and Vanessa Lachey, seeks to answer these questions as they place contestants in pods, separated by a wall, to get to know each other without ever looking at one another. After multiple meetings with numerous potential matches, these singles must decide if they're ready to propose.
But the verdict doesn't end there. After being whisked away on honeymoons with their newly betrothed, the couples spend three weeks counting down to decision day at the altar. There, they must decide, in front of their fiancé, family, friends, and millions of us watching at home, if they'll say "I do." —E.S.
Where to watch Love Is Blind: Netflix
Related: Watch first Love Is Blind season 5 teaser
Love on the Spectrum (2019–2021)
Everyone deserves love. And, in today's world, anyone who wants it should be able to find it. Enter Love on the Spectrum, an Australian matchmaking show featuring individuals with varying forms of autism. The condition often causes difficulty with communication, which can make dating or even meeting someone all the more difficult.
But have no fear, Love on the Spectrum follows the cast's journeys to find love with a compassionate rather than voyeuristic eye. First dates, blind dates, relationship coaching, speed dating, finding love, and breaking hearts — all of these common human experiences help to normalize an often misunderstood community. Autism is a spectrum, and the show aims to shine a spotlight on a few of the many ways it can present — and it's practically guaranteed to open your heart and mind. —E.S.
Where to watch Love on the Spectrum: Netflix
Related: See the trailer for Love on the Spectrum, Netflix docu-series about dating on the autism spectrum
The Mole revival (2022–present)
Avid reality show obsessives hold a special place in their heart for The Mole, which aired for five seasons on ABC in the 2000s and gained a cult following. Netflix revived the reality competition after 14 years, while keeping the same general format: A group of contestants competes in a series of challenges, with success leading to more money for the group pot. Among them, however, is a mole chosen by production to sabotage these challenges while trying to stay undetected. All players are then quizzed on who they think the mole may be, with the lowest-performing contestant eliminated at the end of every episode.
The fun of The Mole is in putting yourself in the contestants' shoes; like them (well, all but one of them), the audience is not informed of who the mole actually is until the very end. The second season of the revival dropped on June 28. —K.J.
Where to watch The Mole: Netflix
Related: Notice anything familiar about The Mole?
Nailed It! (2018–present)
Nailed It! Mexico, Nailed It! Holiday, Nailed It! France... spinoffs galore only means one thing: This show is tasty! Comedian Nicole Byer hosts the original Nailed It!, a show that transports amateur bakers from their home kitchens to a TV studio, where they attempt (and often fail) to replicate professional desserts for a grand prize of $10,000. Hilarity clearly ensues. Clueless contestants paired with a quick-witted host, world-renowned chocolatier Jacques Torres, and guest judges (Wayne Brady, Reggie Watts, Sam Richardson, among others) make for one bingeable episode after another. —E.S.
Where to watch Nailed It!: Netflix
Related: How the producers of Nailed It! and Top Chef highlight diverse stories in Hollywood
Old Enough! (1990–present)
Do not scroll past this Netflix show and definitely do not be deterred by the subtitles (most of us leave the closed captioning on anyway, right?). Old Enough! is a long-running Japanese television show, now available in the U.S. (two seasons are on Netflix), that follows Japanese children ages 2 to 5 as they run their first errands... solo! Every task serves up adorableness in droves as these tiny humans navigate adult chores alone for the first time, such as traveling to the store to purchase flowers for grandma, or running home from the fruit fields to make juice for mom. Whether they get distracted along the way or complete the task without a hitch, you'll be grinning from ear to ear. —E.S.
Where to watch Old Enough!: Netflix
Related: Parental guidance: 10 kid-friendly entertainment picks you might have missed this summer
Queer Eye (2018–present)
A revamp of the early 2000s hit Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Netflix's Queer Eye crew burst on the scene in 2018 with a mission to change the lives of everyday people. Since its debut, they've done just that, and along the way, changed hearts and minds as well. Hair stylist Jonathan Van Ness, counselor Karamo Brown, chef Antoni Porowski, interior designer Bobby Berk, and fashion expert Tan France are the fairy godparents dreams are made of. Each brings their unique charm and encouragement to every encounter as they transform lives from the inside out. Season 8 — Berk's last as part of the Fab Five — is set in New Orleans. —E.S.
Where to watch Queer Eye: Netflix
Related: Watch Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness try to tame David Letterman's beard
Selling Sunset (2019–present)
If tiny homes and #vanlife are the way of the future, the stars of Selling Sunset did not get the memo. The show follows premier real estate agents of the Oppenheim Group in Los Angeles as they battle through absurd home deals and all the drama that comes with them. From the creators of The Hills, Selling Sunset provides viewers with romance, petty drama, luxurious homes, and a game of trying to remember which Oppenheim twin is which. There are seven seasons to binge (the most recent having dropped in November), as well as a spinoff series Selling Tampa, also on Netflix. —E.S.
Where to watch Selling Sunset: Netflix
Related: Chrishell Stause helps A-list client Simu Liu find a home on Selling Sunset season 4
Snowflake Mountain (2022)
The term "snowflake" has been weaponized against progressives by conservatives who see them (specifically the younger generation) as whiny and entitled with no life skills. Snowflake Mountain gathers a group of contestants who (at surface level) appear to fit this brand. They live at home with their parents, boast luxurious lifestyles, and live the "kidult" life with no qualms.
The 10 contestants selected for the show believe they're on a journey to a luxury villa, but instead get dumped on the British countryside. There, they are forced to compete in wilderness survival tasks in order to remain on the show and win the grand prize of $50,000. Along the way, the hope is for them to gain the life skills they need to get out of their parents' basements (even if it's a mansion basement). The contestants and their tough-love mentors grow and change as each episode progresses, supporting, encouraging and offering a shoulder to cry on. Will all of these "kidults" return to the real world with a new lease on life? Gotta tune in to find out. —E.S.
Where to watch Snowflake Mountain: Netflix
Related: Fight Club author on accidentally inspiring the 'snowflake' insult
Somebody Feed Phil (2018–present)
There are numerous reality shows in which the host invites the viewer on a culinary trip around the world, but few hosts are quite as enthusiastic as Phil Rosenthal. The Emmy-winning creator of Everybody Loves Raymond brings his foodie passion to a new city each episode, from Bangkok to Venice to New York City. Through locals sharing their cuisines with the affable host, he forges cross-cultural connections, while also making his fair share of dad jokes along the way. The Emmy-nominated docuseries has aired seven seasons on Netflix and has also spawned a companion book, Somebody Feed Phil: The Book, featuring recipes and behind-the-scenes details from the series. —K.J.
Where to watch Somebody Feed Phil: Netflix
Related: Bon appétit! We devoured three rounds with Somebody Feed Phil host Phil Rosenthal
Squid Game: The Challenge (2023–present)
Courtesy of Netflix
Contestants on 'Squid Game: The Challenge'Squid Game, the massively popular South Korean drama set in a dystopian world in which financially insecure contestants compete in a series of deadly games, got its own reality TV spinoff with this controversial yet highly watchable show. Like the series on which it's based, Squid Game: The Challenge assembles 456 contestants to battle it out in an arena — without the whole death part, thankfully. As EW's critic writes, the competition "manages to serve up palpable suspense and authentic human drama without murdering a single contestant." —K.J.
Where to watch Squid Game: The Challenge: Netflix
EW grade: B+ (read the review)
Related: Squid Game: The Challenge producers on season 2 plans
Survivor (2000–present)
While you won't find all 46 seasons of Survivor on Netflix, the streaming giant does offer a sampling for your viewing pleasure. The long-running reality competition staple strands anywhere from 16 to 20 people in a deserted location, where they must fend for themselves, work together, and vote each other out until only one remains. The fun of Survivor is in watching alliances form and break, and, with no set rulebook for how to play the game, contestants have used all different strategies to make their way to the end. The beloved series continues to run every year on CBS, but you can find two previous seasons (which are occasionally replaced with other seasons) on Netflix. —K.J.
Where to watch Survivor: Netflix
Related: Jeff Probst almost plummeted to his death filming a Survivor stunt
Top Chef (2006–present)
David Moir/Bravo
Tom Colicchio, Kristen Kish, and Gail Simmons on 'Top Chef'The gold standard of cooking reality series has lasted on the air as long as it has for a reason. Top Chef has all the right ingredients, from the healthy competition between its "cheftestants" to the format itself. Each week, the chefs make dishes for the Quickfire Challenge, with the winner granted immunity or an advantage, followed by the Elimination Challenge, where contestants must prepare the best dish possible within a certain theme, after which the judges eliminate the worst-performing contestant. Seasons 6 and 15 of the Emmy-winning series are currently available to stream in full on Netflix —K.J.
Where to watch Top Chef: Netflix
Related: Yum! We visited the London set of Top Chef season 20
The Ultimatum: Queer Love (2023–present)
Courtesy of Netflix
Yoly Rojas and Xander Boger on 'The Ultimatum: Queer Love'This spinoff of The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On centers exclusively on women and nonbinary couples across the queer spectrum. As with the original series, The Ultimatum: Queer Love features one half of the couple wanting to take the next step by getting engaged, while the other is uncertain, and puts their love to the test. They come together with four other couples in a house where each has to choose a new partner for three weeks, after which each person decides whether to go back to their original partner or continue with their new one. Emotions run high and loyalties are tested, making for maximum drama. —K.J.
Where to watch The Ultimatum: Queer Love: Netflix
Related: Meet the newly formed couples on The Ultimatum: Queer Love
Wipeout (2008–2014)
Who among us hasn't desired some lowest common denominator, no-thoughts-head-empty entertainment after a hard day's work? Wipeout more than delivers on delighting our baser instincts, and its self-aware ridiculousness makes it all the more fun. Each episode features a group of willing contestants trying (and often failing) to navigate a series of obstacle courses, from bouncing on giant red balls to trying not to get sucker punched by mechanical boxing gloves. Color commentary is provided by the hosts, with puns galore. Thirty episodes are available on Netflix now, delivering hours of humiliating pratfalls, collisions, and zingers. —K.J.
Where to watch Wipeout: Netflix
Related: Wipeout is back! Why the return of the Big Balls 'was only a matter of time'
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.
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