Best Reality TV Shows — Yourlist

Best Reality TV Shows

a Yourlist ranking · the crowd decides the order

From backstabbing tribal councils to sky-high baking tents, which reality show reigns supreme? Vote and rank these staples of unscripted TV.

What counts: Ranking blends cultural impact, longevity, critical/audience reputation, and influence on the genre; season counts and years are approximate and rounded, especially for long-running or internationally franchised shows.

The show that basically invented modern competitive reality TV and is still outwitting, outplaying, and outlasting after two decades.
Years on Air: Seasons: 45Network:
added by IJRin 3 rankings
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Turned drag culture into a mainstream phenomenon with unmatched personality, wit, and legacy.
Years on Air: Seasons: 16Network:
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The Amazing Race
A globe-trotting endurance test that proved reality TV could be both a travelogue and a nail-biter.
Years on Air: Seasons: 35Network:
added by IJRin 3 rankings The Amazing Race
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The gold standard of competitive cooking shows, prized for genuine culinary skill over gimmicks.
Years on Air: Seasons: 21Network:
added by IJRin 4 rankings
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A heartfelt reboot that turned makeovers into genuine emotional storytelling.
Years on Air: Seasons: 8Network:
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The Great British Bake Off
Impossibly wholesome baking competition beloved for its gentle tone and technical rigor.
Years on Air: Seasons: 14Network:
added by IJRin 5 rankings The Great British Bake Off
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The house that launched a thousand alliances and defined the social-strategy genre.
Years on Air: Seasons: 26Network:
added by IJR
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Shark Tank
Real entrepreneurs, real deals, real drama—business reality done right.
Years on Air: Seasons: 15Network:
added by IJRin 3 rankings Shark Tank
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Made fashion design a spectator sport with iconic 'make it work' energy.
Years on Air: Seasons: 20Network:
added by IJR
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Home cooks chasing culinary glory under Gordon Ramsay's fiery gaze.
Years on Air: Seasons: 14Network:
added by IJRin 2 rankings
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The singing competition that kickstarted the modern talent-show boom and countless careers.
Years on Air: Seasons: 22Network:
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Blind auditions and celebrity coaches gave the singing-competition genre a fresh twist.
Years on Air: Seasons: 25Network:
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Jersey Shore
Chaotic, unfiltered, and unforgettable—GTL culture at its most iconic.
Years on Air: Seasons: 6Network:
added by IJRJersey Shore
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Keeping Up with the Kardashians
Built a media empire out of everyday family drama and redefined modern celebrity.
Years on Air: Seasons: 20Network:
added by IJRKeeping Up with the Kardashians
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The dating-show juggernaut that spawned an entire franchise of roses and heartbreak.
Years on Air: Seasons: 28Network:
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Celebrities, ballroom glitter, and surprisingly fierce competition for two decades.
Years on Air: Seasons: 33Network:
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The Real Housewives
A sprawling multi-city franchise of glamour, feuds, and unforgettable one-liners.
Years on Air: Seasons: —Network:
added by IJRThe Real Housewives
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Sun, villas, and coupling drama that became a massive global dating-show hit.
Years on Air: Seasons: 11Network:
added by IJRin 3 rankings
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Tyra Banks turned modeling competitions into must-watch, meme-worthy TV.
Years on Air: Seasons: 24Network:
added by IJR
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Superyacht chaos mixing hospitality drama with high-seas soap opera energy.
Years on Air: Seasons: 11Network:
added by IJR
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