The best reality shows on Netflix
Netflix (2); CBS Nicole Byer on 'Nailed It!'; Noel Fielding, Matt Lucas, Paul Hollywood, and Prue Leith on 'The Great British Baking Show'; Jeff Probst on 'Survivor'
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.
<i>Survivor</i> (2000–present)
While you won't find all 40+ 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 two other seasons) on Netflix. —Kevin Jacobsen
<i>Big Brother</i> (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 10 and 14 currently streaming. Fans of the series may recognize these as the Dan Gheesling seasons, who is hailed as one of the best houseguests to ever play the game. —K.J.
<i>The Amazing Race</i> (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.
Watch The Amazing Race on Netflix
<i>The Circle</i> (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
<i>Queer Eye</i> (2018–present)
A revamp of the early 2000s hit Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Netlfix'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. You've got six incredible seasons to catch up on before the upcoming release of season 7. That's right, the Fab Five announced they're returning for a brand new season, filmed in New Orleans. The show's Twitter account shared: "Get ready for new adventures and more tears real soon." —E.S.
<i>The Great British Baking Show</i> (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.
Watch The Great British Baking Show on Netflix
<i>Selling Sunset</i> (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 five seasons to binge, as well as a spin-off series Selling Tampa, also on Netflix. —E.S.
Watch Selling Sunset on Netflix
<i>Old Enough!</i> (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.
<i>Love on the Spectrum</i> (2019–21)
Everyone deserves love. And, in today's world, anyone that 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.
Watch Love on the Spectrum on Netflix
<i>Love Is Blind</i> (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." There are four seasons available to binge now, with a fifth on the way. —E.S.
Watch Love Is Blind on Netflix
<i>Nailed It!</i> (2018–present)
Nailed It! Mexico, Nailed It! Holiday, Nailed It! France... spin-offs 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.
<i>Snowflake Mountain</i> (2022–present)
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.
Watch Snowflake Mountain on Netflix
<i>Indian Matchmaking</i> (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 renewed Indian Matchmaking for a third season (which streams April 21!). —E.S.
Watch Indian Matchmaking on Netflix
<i>Floor Is Lava</i> (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.
Watch Floor Is Lava on Netflix
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