Whoever Said Reality Was Stranger Than Fiction Definitely Watched These Netflix Reality Shows
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Sometimes, a dose of semifictional reality is just what you need! Yes, we're talking about reality TV shows, and you know what? There are tons of them on Netflix — probably more than you thought!
We all know about the buzzy reality titles like Queer Eye and The Great British Baking Show, but there are a ton of other reality shows on Netflix, from tense competition shows and docu-soaps to mellower lifestyle shows. There are even some reality shows that take you behind the scenes of places you would have never considered, like factories, hospitals, and more. And while much of what Netflix offers falls into the reality competition category, there are also plenty of shows outside that realm if you're not into watching a repetitive competition format for hours.
If you're tired of your usual reality show rotation, we've got plenty of suggestions for you that run the gamut. We've rounded up a variety of the best reality offerings currently on Netflix, from cooking shows to drama-filled picks and everything in between. Who knows, maybe you'll find a brand-new series that will completely capture your heart — or, if not your heart, your reality-TV-loving mind. Enjoy!
— Additional reporting by Hedy Phillips
The Circle
It's all a game of popularity with The Circle. Contestants are isolated in apartments, and the only way to communicate is through social media. That means they can be catfish or they can play the game as themselves. The ultimate goal is to win everyone over by being voted an influencer and having all the power.
Tiger King
Tiger King started as simply a wild reality show about an eccentric man who owned a zoo of sorts in Oklahoma that was full of big cats. But Tiger King's Joe Exotic turned out to be so much more than just that when the show landed on Netflix. Viewers quickly learned the dark side of some of the people involved in the zoos and "rescues" shown on the show.
School of Chocolate
In this reality competition show, the best of the best chocolatiers compete to win the top prize and become the master of chocolate. Along the way, they're learning from chocolate pros and creating some of the most beautiful and unbelievable chocolate sculptures you'll ever see.
Survivor
This game of survival has been around for decades and traveled all over the world. There are only a couple seasons on Netflix so far, but Survivor fanatics are already diving in. Watch as people compete in grueling challenges while forming alliances to get themselves to the end of the show to be crowned the ultimate survivor.
Love Is Blind
This reality dating show puts a unique spin on the typical way people meet. Secluded in separate "pods," the contestants can't see each other at all, and instead can only hear each other's voices.Contestants have to get to know each other without actually being able to see the other person, so they can develop an attraction and connection without looks playing a factor.
Cooking With Paris
If you thought you'd never see the day Paris Hilton has a cooking show, then same. But she does! On it, she hosts a number of her famous friends while they stumble through cooking a few dishes. The real high point of this show, though, is watching Hilton's personality shine.
Lenox Hill
Get an inside look at what a handful of New York City doctors go through on a regular basis with this intense reality show. While this was initially filmed before COVID-19 spread to the US, Netflix followed it up with a special episode detailing exactly how rough the hospitals were hit when the virus swept through.
The Big Flower Fight
It's nice to see reality competitions that are new and different, and that's exactly what The Big Flower Fight is. Florists and sculptors come together in this competition to design ornate and beautiful garden creations to win the top prize, and every episode showcases even more talent than the last.
Nailed It!
It's the antibaking competition: amateur bakers are tasked with re-creating complicated baked projects, with hilariously disastrous results. But whoever comes the closest to a nondisaster wins the trophy and the cash prize!
The Great British Baking Show
The soothing, mildly snarky hit is still a favorite even after several years. A group of talented amateur bakers compete in three challenges each week, but without the high-pressure editing or unpalatable ingredients of more extreme cooking competitions.
Queer Eye
The reboot of the classic makeover show is much more than superficial. The new Fab Five help guide the people they work with to overhaul their entire lives, body, mind, and soul — you'll wish they would come fix up your life!
Rhythm + Flow
Celebrity rappers Tip "T.I." Harris, Chance the Rapper, and Cardi B judge this competition, which offers a chance at stardom to up-and-coming rappers.
Tiny House Nation
Renovation experts John Weisbarth and Zack Giffin travel across America, designing and building tiny houses. And by tiny, we mean tiny: all the houses are under 500 square feet!
Tidying Up With Marie Kondo
After watching organization expert Marie Kondo help clean up the messy lives of her clients, you'll definitely be inspired to do some major reflecting and reorganizing for yourself!
Zumbo's Just Desserts
A group of home cooks get to show off their skills to pastry chef Adriano Zumbo in hopes of winning the top prize and taking home $100,000. The show actually originated in Australia, bringing Netflix on as coproducer in the second season.
Jeopardy!
What is the most Emmy-winning game show of all time? This classic game show, which has won a record 33 Emmys over its 36 seasons, shares plenty of trivia on Netflix. While the full series isn't available, you can catch up with several of the show's "tournaments" from over the years.
Storage Wars: Northern Treasures
A group of Canadian pickers bid on the unknown contents of auctioned-off storage units, hoping to strike it rich with items they can resell for a profit.
Interior Design Masters
A contract with a posh London hotel is on the line for these up-and-coming designers, who show their skills through a variety of challenges.
The Great Interior Design Challenge
Speed, style, and savings are the crucial elements to this competition, in which amateur designers are given tight budgets and tighter turnaround times to complete their decor challenges.
The World's Most Extraordinary Homes
Architecture and property experts travel across the world, taking viewers with them into some of the most beautiful and unusual private residences in the world. You won't believe some of the quirky and stunning designs!
Blown Away
A group of talented glass artists compete in a challenging glass-blowing competition. The prizes include an artistic residency and a hefty cash award.
Instant Hotel
It's a reality competition with a twist: homeowners who are competing with each other to have the best rental property are also each other's judges. Each team stays overnight in each other's rentals and rates their experiences — there's nothing more dramatic than judging your own competition!
Stay Here
With the rise of the short-term rental market, tons of homeowners need a little boost to help their properties stand out from the market. That's where designer Genevieve Gorder and real estate Peter Lorimer come in, bringing their unique expertise to help owners master the rental market.
Fake or Fortune
Plenty of people own works of art, but how many of them have been duped into believing they're real when they're not? An expert team analyzes paintings that are supposedly the works of great masters and determines whether they're real or fake.
The Final Table
Celebrity judges evaluate teams of top-tier chefs as they tackle iconic dishes from nine different nations — each one the native country of one of the judges. Pro tip: don't watch on an empty stomach!
Styling Hollywood
Jason Bolden and Adair Curtis, the married business owners of JSN Studio, are the go-to guys for styling the homes and fashions of some of Hollywood's biggest names.
Dancing Queen
By day, Justin Johnson runs a competitive dance academy, teaching dance to his young students. By night, though, he's drag artist Alyssa Edwards, a vet of RuPaul's Drag Race, and his fabulous double life will have you feeling like your own juggling act maybe isn't so bad after all!
Selling Sunset
The Oppenheim Group is one of the top real estate groups for luxury buyers in LA, but the dynamic gets shaken up with the hiring of a new agent.
Amazing Interiors
At first glance, the living spaces on this show aren't that unusual, but the owners soon reveal all the quirky, unexpected, and incredible details within.
Dating Around
It's a different kind of dating show that embraces the diversity and messiness that is 21st century romance. Each episode's star goes on five dates, one each with five potential partners, and sees where things take them.
Magic For Humans
With a light, playful approach to street magic, comedian and magician Justin Willman orchestrates magic tricks — from the simple to the elaborate — to delight bystanders.