Let’s be honest: reality TV is the ultimate guilty pleasure—and there’s zero judgment here. Whether you’re in it for the over-the-top drama, the unforgettable personalities, or just some good old-fashioned escapism, reality television has become a mainstay in our screens and group chats alike. In 2025, it’s more popular than ever, spanning every genre, mood, and streaming platform.
From luxurious real estate transactions to risqué romances and jaw-dropping betrayals, here are 15 must-watch reality TV shows that keep the genre on its toes.
1. Love Is Blind
Netflix’s hit dating experiment has become a global obsession. Watching strangers fall in love (and sometimes crash and burn) without ever seeing each other delivers a rollercoaster of emotions. Whether you’re rooting for forever love or bracing for the next awkward reveal, it’s addictive, unpredictable, and perfectly binge-worthy.
2. Jersey Shore
If reality TV had a poster child for chaos, Jersey Shore would be it. With iconic catchphrases, crazy bar crawls, and a cast that almost redefined the form, this series remains a pop culture hall of fame favorite.
3. Below Deck
Set on high-maintenance yachts with demanding guests and even more demanding crew tensions, Below Deck brings office drama to the high seas. The sea scenery is breathtaking, but the action is down below, where tempers flared, romance bloomed, and service levels clashed.
4. The Real Housewives Franchise
Whether Beverly Hills, Atlanta, or Salt Lake City, the Real Housewives franchise provides an ever-growing world of glamour, gossip, and opulence. Each city has its specific vibe, but one thing’s certain: drama with a capital D.
5. Selling Sunset
Million-dollar properties and next-level catfights turn Selling Sunset into a sparkling viewing experience. The series walks the line between high-end real estate transactions and interpersonal beefs and power struggles among The Oppenheim Group agents, who manage to remain chic through it all.
6. Singles Inferno
This Korean dating show combines romance with survival, isolating singles on a deserted island where only paired couples can escape to heaven. Its stunning production, slow romance, and emotional authenticity have turned it into a global phenomenon.
7. The Valley
A spinoff of Vanderpump Rules, The Valley follows the next installment for a fresh cast of friends as they deal with relationships, career goals, and growing up, still with all the mess and drama viewers have come to expect from the franchise.
8. RuPaul’s Drag Race
It is not only a competition, however, but a cultural phenomenon. Merging fashion, humor, performance, and emotional storytelling, it goes on to joyously celebrate the craft and perseverance of drag, with twists and lip-syncs that engage viewers.
9. The Bachelor (and Golden Bachelorette)
The Bachelor continues to be a reality TV powerhouse, and its new spinoff, The Golden Bachelorette, indicates that love tales don’t age. There are real emotional stakes, the roses are red again, and the franchise is as engaging as ever.
10. The Rehearsal
Nathan Fielder’s The Rehearsal is not your average reality program. Merging real-life moments with a meta, brain-bending narrative, it delves into what it means to practice the most difficult moments in life—and what occurs when you mix up reality with performance.
11. Say Yes to the Dress
Few programs better capture unadulterated emotional highs and lows than Say Yes to the Dress. Whether it’s tears of happiness or family drama in the dressing room, the search for the ideal wedding dress is as fascinating—and strangely comforting—as ever.
12. America’s Next Top Model
Tyra Banks brought the world of modeling to the small screen, providing us with legendary photo shoots, dramatic eliminations, and a lesson in how to reinvent reality television. ANTM added the term “smize” to the lexicon and made a lasting impact on fashion television.
13. Vanderpump Rules
Half workplace soap, half relationship thriller, Vanderpump Rules feeds off personal drama, friendship blowups, and the high-stakes intrigue of L.A.’s restaurant scene. It’s messy, honest, and always fun.
14. The Traitors
Combining strategy, deception, and psychological gamesmanship, The Traitors is reality TV with a dark twist. Contestants have to uncover traitors among them while juggling changing allegiances, so that each episode is a suspenseful mystery.
15. The Hills
One of the pillars of reality television in the early 2000s, The Hills created a mix between reality and scripted drama. Its high-gloss look, slow-burning rivalries, and indelible soundtrack framed a cultural moment, and its legacy continues to be seen today.
Reality TV isn’t a genre, it’s a cultural reflection, an entertainment drive, and, okay, a full-on lifestyle. If you’re a devoted fan or a curious newbie, these shows embody the best of what unscripted TV has to offer: drama, humor, heart, and just the right amount of mayhem.