The Best Reality TV Shows of All Time

56.

Reality shows are our most popular guilty pleasure.

Since 1983's An American Family Revisited, which later inspired MTV's Real World, viewers have been enamored with watching others live their lives or some variation of their lives. Just last TV season, The Bachelor, The Voice, and Survivor ranked in the Top 20 of the most-watched shows.

But while reality TV is often criticized for dumbing down content, there’s a lot to be gained from watching the ongoing tales of other people’s lives.

Whether it’s watching a classic rags-to-riches story, being inspired by incredible weight loss journeys, following someone chasing after their dreams, getting a radical makeover, or just living their-day-to-day drama-filled life, these shows allow viewers to escape into someone else’s shoes, even if it’s just for a brief time. While some shows can be positive influences, we admit that isn’t always the case. But even controversial moments like when Snooki got punched when she confronted a man who stole the Jersey Shore group’s drinks, or when New York spit on Pumkin on Flavor of Love, gave us invaluable lessons on what not to do in high-pressure moments.

In the alternate world of reality shows, housewives don’t have to be wives, the biggest loser is actually the winner, and an average-looking guy can have groups of gorgeous women fighting over him. And now, with social media, fans have more access than ever to reality stars’ lives. Whether it’s fake or real, it’s damn good TV. Here are the best reality TV shows of all time.

55.The Four (FOX)

The Four is the latest singing competition show to join the ranks, but this series has a secret weapon—Diddy and DJ Khaled, two artists who are known for stealing the spotlight and making anything exciting. The concept for the Fergie-hosted show is interesting as well, as there are no on-screen auditions. Instead, four singers with different styles compete against oncoming challengers who are all trying to be the final four winners. The winners are named iHeartRadio’s "On the Verge" artists and earn a recording contract with Republic Records (through Universal Music Group). Aside from the show itself, it’s really fun to watch Diddy promote the show on his Instagram.

54.Say Yes to the Dress (TLC)

Shopping for a wedding dress can be a monumental, yet, stressful ordeal. Luckily, Say Yes to the Dress gives a lucky few some help in finding the perfect dress for their special day. The series takes place in New York City’s Kleinfeld Bridal and follows soon-to-brides in the journey of choosing their dream wedding dress, along with the help of their friends and family. There's even two Atlanta spinoffs at Bridals by Lori, one of which helps people pick out bridesmaids dresses, because those are usually the real disaster.

53.Dancing With The Stars (ABC)

Dancing With The Stars combines the best of what reality series’ have to offer: celebrities, strangers getting together, and fierce competition. The concept is simple: take a bunch of celebrities and match them up with a professional dancer. So far, Nicole Scherzinger, Mel B, Mario Lopez, Mya, Rob Kardashian, Zendaya, and more have participated in the series. Most of the celebs do a decent job, but there have also been a few standouts over the years, who have either been really bad or really good. DWTS shows us that even the most talented athletes (Ochocino) or popular hip-hop artists (Master P) can have two left feet when it comes to the dance floor. But this show is mostly great for bringing Alfonso Ribeiro back into the spotlight for his epic “Carlton Dance” and some other impressive moves.

52.College Hill (BET)

After the success of Real World, BET tried to emulate the same magic of the hit reality series with their own show, College Hill. Instead of random 20-something strangers coming together to live in one house, BET followed the lives of HBCU students who lived in the same house. Similar to Real World, College Hill brought drama, drama, and more drama; in other words, a quintessential college experience. Unfortunately, the series only lasted for seven seasons and reruns are hard to come by, so you’ll just have to take our word for it.

51.Next (MTV)

If you thought being rejected by someone you like is bad, try doing it on national TV. In MTV’s Next, main contestants were set up on blind dates, while other potential suitors waited in an RV for their own turn. At any moment, the main contestant could say “next” to end the date. It was highly embarrassing for the suitor, but it didn’t come without benefits. The person who got “nexted” received $1 for each minute the date lasted for. So while a good date might leave you with $60, a bad date might send you home with $1. Ouch.

50.Growing Up Gotti (A&E)

Before there was Mob Wives, there was Growing Up Gotti, which chronicled the life of Victoria Gotti, daughter of mob boss John Gotti, and her three sons. A benevolent matriarch with “the warmth of an ice pick” and three loyal sons—what else would you expect from a mob family?

49.Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC)

Throw Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in the same category as The Biggest Loser: well-meaning, but ultimately harmful. The show’s premise was to provide a family facing severe hardships with a brand new home, catered to their every need. Sounds good, right? Unfortunately, it’s been criticized for its opportunistic approach to identifying families in need, as well as financial hardships families have faced after receiving their new homes. But for 10 seasons, it was a guaranteed tear-jerker.

48.Million-Dollar Listing (Bravo)

If you’re bougie (or aspire to be), Million Dollar Listing is for you. Get a look at high-end real estate properties and try not to let your jaw smack the floor when you see their price tags. It’s Cribs meets House Hunters.

47.Wife Swap (ABC)

First of all, if you’ve never seen an episode of Wife Swap, you’re in for a treat. Second of all, Wife Swap could never happen in today’s political climate. In the show, two vastly different families swapped wives for two weeks. In the first week of the show, the wife had to adapt to the family’s lifestyle. In the second week of the show, she was allowed to implement her own rules and habits into the household. At the end, the couples involved met up to discuss their experiences, which usually resulted in drama and sometimes in violence. Ah, reality TV at its finest.

46.Celebrity Rehab (VH1)

Perhaps the most exploitative of all of the shows on this list, Celebrity Rehab gave viewers a peek into the lives of famous people undergoing treatment for drug and alcohol addiction. Multiple cast members relapsed and eventually died, bringing controversy to VH1 and Dr. Drew. The show ended in 2012, and honestly, good riddance.

45.Fear (MTV)

Fear focused on a group of contestants left at an allegedly haunted location for two nights. Throughout the episode, the contestants were given a number of dares that involved exploring the location and confirming whether or not it was actually haunted. Not gonna lie, this show fucked us up a little bit. Mostly because, like, who would ever agree to do this?

44.Basketball Wives (VH1)

You hear a lot of whispering about what goes on in the love lives of professional basketball players, so it’s no surprise that Basketball Wives has been a hit. You know what they say: behind every successful man is a woman with unbelievably gif-able facial expressions.

43.Hell's Kitchen (FOX)

Another long-lasting reality TV banger, Hell’s Kitchen features celebrity chef and known hardass Gordon Ramsay overseeing two teams of chefs competing for the job as head chef of a restaurant. It’s super entertaining, especially when contrasted with the adorable clips of Ramsay dealing with kids on Masterchef Junior.

42.A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila (MTV)

Say what you will about the exploitative nature of reality dating shows, but A Shot At Love With Tila Tequila was good—and it was centered around a bisexual woman. Not bad for Bush-era television, eh?

41.Duck Dynasty (A&E)

Ah yes, a show about a Louisiana family who specialize in duck hunting equipment—what could possibly go wrong? A lot, as it turns out. Many Americans were charmed by the Robertson families’ long beards, Southern twang, and so-called down-to-Earth nature, until Phil Robertson’s controversial GQ interview in which he made homophobic comments. Yeah, we could have seen that one coming.

40.The Biggest Loser (NBC)

In its prime, The Biggest Loser was an awesome feel-good show: you had contestants who were overweight working their asses off to get healthier, feel more confident, and motivate their family members to do the same. Unfortunately, the show has been unofficially cancelled amidst accusations that contestants were overexerted, malnourished, dehydrated, and given weight-loss pills to achieve the rapid weight loss seen on the show. Is nothing sacred?

39.Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (Bravo)

Queer Eye is back, baby, and it’s good again. If you’ve already blown through the new season, consider digging around for the old episodes, with the original “Fab Five.” If you’ve never heard of it, here’s what you need to know: five gay men help one man revamp his wardrobe and living space, and offer grooming and lifestyle tips. The show was initially geared toward making over straight men, but the title was eventually shortened and thus the gender and sexual orientation of the person varied, because who doesn’t want a make-better?

38.Catfish (MTV)

Long before the days of finstas and alt accounts, we were introduced to catfish profiles—people on the internet pretending to be someone else, AKA the reason your parents probably never wanted you to have a MySpace. Catfishers are specifically intent on making someone fall in love with them. Obviously, this still happens today, and thus the series lives on, offering catfishing victims a way to confront their catfishers and sometimes even reconcile and continue the relationship. If you learn nothing else from the series, please remember that you should never, ever call your cousin a fat Kelly Price.

37.Hoarders (A&E)

Not for the faint of heart, Hoarders was perhaps the most effective way to motivate yourself to clean your room. The show documented the struggles and treatment of people living with compulsive hoarding disorder, and made us all think twice about holding on to those Valentine’s Day cards from our third-grade classmates. The original series also birthed Hoarders: Then And Now, Hoarders: Family Secrets, and Hoarders: Overload, in case you haven’t seen enough dead cats yet.

36.Little People, Big World (TLC)

This show should maybe be called “Little People, Big Franchise.” It’s withstood the test of time, running for 12 seasons on TLC. What began as a program intended to educate people about dwarfism has become a cultural phenomenon, but it’s not without its controversies. Cast members have made headlines for DUIs and divorce, proving that the Roloffs really are like any other American family.

35.The Newlyweds (MTV)

Jessica Simpson asking if buffalo wings came from actual buffalo, Jessica Simpson asking if Chicken of the Sea was chicken or tuna, Jessica Simpson saying “ow” multiple times while cooking a romantic dinner for two. If there’s one thing this show taught us, it was that naivety can be charming. If there’s another thing this show taught us, it’s that buffalos don’t have wings. You learn something new every day.

34.The Apprentice (NBC)

Before he was the narcissistic leader of free world, Donald Trump was the narcissistic host of NBC’s The Apprentice. The show centered around Trump putting a group of relatively unknown businesspeople and entrepreneurs through the ringer for the chance at a $250,000 dollar starting contract to run one of his companies. The show became a pop culture staple over the course of its 15 seasons and even produced spin offs such as The Celebrity Apprentice, hosted by Arnold Schwarzenegger, and The Apprentice: Martha Stewart. But if we’d known then what we know now, we never would have allowed Trump so much time on our TV screens. Lesson learned.

33.Cheaters (The CW)

It’s one thing to get caught sliding in somebody’s DMs by your significant other, but when you are actually caught in the act of cheating by a camera crew, there’s no talking your way out of that one. That’s the predicament many people found themselves in on Cheaters, when hidden cameras placed by the “Cheaters Detective Agency” would catch people in the act of adultery. The show brought a whole new meaning to “sex, lies, and videotape.”

32.Project Runway (Lifetime/Bravo)

Aspiring fashion designers across the world clamor to compete on Project Runway, where contestants compete against one another to create quality, fashion-forward garments in a limited amount of time. Heidi Klum is the main judge/hostess, and has been joined by Nina Garcia, Rachel Ray, Zac Posen, and Michael Kors. It’s a cool way to observe aspiring designers’ creative processes, as well as track fashion’s progress through the years.

31.Fear Factor (NBC)

Have you ever sat around with your friends and asked each other how much money it would take for them to do something uncomfortable, outlandish, or disgusting? That was Fear Factor, a show where contestants were subjected to anything from eating buffalo testicles to laying in body bags full of insects in a morgue drawer and having to unlock their way out. Weak stomachs, you've been warned.

30.Man vs. Wild (Discovery Channel)

Hosted by Bear Grylls on The Discovery Channel, Man vs. Wild was basically a mix of Fear Factor and Survivor. Grylls took on wildlife, eating larva, snakes, and drinking deer blood, amongst other things. The legend of Bear Grylls could hold up against the legend of Chuck Norris at this point.

29.The (White) Rapper Show (VH1)

Though it only lasted for one season, The White Rapper Show produced some hilarious moments from contestants such as John Brown, aka The King of the Burbs. The awkwardness of the contestants was what made the show such a laugh out loud hit. The show even featured guest appearances from hip-hop heavyweights Just Blaze and Juelz Santana. Honestly, Macklemore could never.

28.The Anna Nicole Show (E!)

There is a case to be made that The Anna Nicole Show featured the most story arcs of any reality television show, and each was equally entertaining and interesting. From Nicole’s “dry spell” to her poodle’s weird obsession with having sex with inanimate objects, this show checked all of the boxes for premier reality entertainment.

27.RuPaul's Drag Race (Logo)

Rupaul, the world’s most famous drag queen, leads the search for “America’s next drag superstar” on RuPaul’s Drag Race. He hosts, serves as a judge, and mentors each of the contestant, with equal parts shade and love. The show has provided moments of excitement with guest judges like Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, Khloe Kardashian, and Neil Patrick Harris. If you want to jump in, check out the current season of Rupaul's Drag Race: All-Stars on Logo.

26.American Idol (FOX)

It can be argued that no reality television show has produced more household names than American Idol. Contestants like Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia Barrino, and Jordin Sparks have all gone on to varying levels of success following their wins. Even non-winners like Jennifer Hudson, Adam Lambert, and Chris Daughtry have gone on to have successful careers. Though the show isn’t quite the cultural juggernaut that it used to be, it remains one of the most iconic and recognizable talent shows on television.

25.Top Chef (Bravo)

One of the premiere cooking shows in reality television, Top Chef pits aspiring chefs against one another in various culinary challenges to see who can really stand the heat. Contestants are judged by various award-winning chefs, and the show has produced various spin-offs, including Top Chef Masters, Top Chef: Just Desserts, and Top Chef Junior. A sixteenth season of the show has been announced for 2018.

24.16 and Pregnant (MTV)

Perhaps one of the most raw reality television shows, 16 and Pregnant was a documentary style reality television show that followed the lives of teenage girls during their high school pregnancies. Exploitative? Yes. Entertaining? Also yes. Even the spin-off series Teen Mom lasted for six seasons.

23.Jon & Kate Plus Eight (TLC)

Jon & Kate Plus Eight was basically Cheaper By The Dozen in reality television form. The show followed the lives of Jon and Kate, a married couple, and their eight children, who each had vastly different personalities. The final episode aired on Nov. 23, 2009, when it was announced that Jon and Kate were getting a divorce. The show would continue on as Kate Plus 8 after the split, but it was never quite the same.

22.Toddlers and Tiaras (TLC)

Everybody has heard of the obnoxious parents at their child’s sporting events—the one who takes the event way too seriously, reliving their glory days through their child. But seeing mothers do the same over child beauty pageants on Toddlers and Tiaras is even better (read: worse). The show caused so much controversy due to outfits for the children in pageants and behavior of the parents that it had to take a hiatus from 2013 through 2016.

21.The Osbournes (MTV)

Taking a look into the life of “The Godfather of Heavy Metal,” you might not know what to expect, and honestly watching The Osbourne’s was still an unpredictable affair. Ozzy Osbourne, his wife Sharon, and their two children Jack and Kelly provided MTV with one of their most recognizable shows ever. The show tackled some of the Osbournes’ most vulnerable moments, such as Ozzy overcoming a near fatal ATV accident and Sharon’s battle with cancer.

20.Love & Hip Hop (VH1)

One of the most successful franchises in reality television, Love & Hip-Hop has provided viewers with some of the most iconic moments in reality TV history. Whether it was Ray J pushing Princess Love into a pool, Tahiry saying no to Joe Budden’s proposal, or Stevie J pulling Joseline Hernandez’s used pregnancy test out of his pocket, this show is the gift that keeps on giving. Its most recent gift? The queen, Cardi B—okurrr?

19.Bug Juice (Disney Channel)

Summer camp was all about building camaraderie with your peers and team building. Disney’s Bug Juice followed the lives of 20 kids aged nine to 12, and their experiences at camp. This show definitely takes you back to a simpler time; we feel old just talking about it.

18.Cops (FOX)

Cops gave viewers a glimpse of a day on the job of law enforcement, primarily their wild encounters with civilians. Prostitution, drug busts, and routine traffic stops gone awry were just some of the many antics that made Cops one of the longest running reality television series over the course of 30 seasons and 23 years.

17.Laguna Beach (MTV)

“The following program was shot over an eight month period in the city of Laguna Beach, California. The people, the locations and the drama… are real.” Yeah, okay. You probably didn’t believe that, but there is no doubt that Lauren Conrad and friends had the halls of Laguna Beach High School buzzin’ with hot gossip. Thank God for this show because no Laguna Beach means no The Hills, and that would have been an absolute travesty.

16.Intervention (A&E)

If there was ever a show that made you realize how good you’ve actually got it, it’s Intervention. The show follows people with shitty addictions to harmful substances and records each of their processes of towards rehab. Heroin and bath salts are no joke, kids.

15.Big Brother (CBS)

Who would have thought George Orwell would inspire a reality show? Contestants compete to remain in the Big Brother house, but there’s a catch; they’re mic’ed and on camera 24/7, so any scheming has to be done incredibly discreetly. They also participate in bizarre physical challenges, like holding a weenie pose in a life-size hot dog bun or stacking giant ice cream scoops. Life-size competitions make for life-sized drama, so it’s no surprise that Big Brother is going for 20 straight seasons in 2018.

14.Road Rules (MTV)

Do you remember what happened in the ‘90s and early ‘00s, when you binged all the Real World episodes? Eventually, you probably made the smooth trip to Road Rules. Who knew RV adventures could be so amusing? Not us. And honestly? Still not us, but the show remains iconic nonetheless.

13.The Amazing Race (CBS)

Supplementing the already impressive resumè of Jerry Bruckheimer, who is responsible for television favorites like CSI and Cold Case, The Amazing Race is a compelling and ever-dramatic race around the world to a million-dollar jackpot. Trekking through mosquito-filled jungles and swimming through shark-filled ponds, all to secure a bag. Yup, definitely been there.

12.Making the Band (MTV)

When his name was officially P. Diddy, Sean Combs took Making the Band viewers through the process of creating a successful music group. A sort of American Idol multiplied by Real World, two birds with one stone for the music and drama lovers alike. Plus, groups like Danity Kane and Day26 eventually actually dropped some decent slappers. However, the show accidently shot a second stone and hit whatever was remaining of our hopes for a new, quality R&B group.

11.The Simple Life (FOX/E!)

Put Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie in charge of a funeral home and what do you get? Cremated ashes spilled all over the floor and cleaned up with a vacuum. And that’s not even the worst of it. The Simple Life gave us an amazing opportunity to watch these ever-pampered, wealthy socialites do normal people jobs—it’s definitely worth going back and watching, just for the sheer satisfaction.

10.Survivor (CBS)

Survivor, which was inspired by the 1997 Swedish docu-series Expedition Robinson, is the be-all end-all of reality television. The Emmy-nominated reality competition show hit American televisions back in 2000 and has been keeping viewers on the edge of their seats ever since. The basis of the show is simple: a group of strangers are deserted on an island and must drop their first-world instincts to, as the title suggests, survive. The winner of Survivor gets a million-dollar prize and the title of Sole Survivor. The show has become an international phenomenon, with various spin-offs in other countries, a video game, and even a thrill ride at California’s Great America.

9.The Bachelor (ABC)

With about a billion seasons and a lake's worth of tears under its belt, ABC’s The Bachelor is the most well-known and successful reality dating show on TV to date. One eligible bachelor is presented with a pool of lovely ladies and, over the course of the season, must choose one to be his wife. The Bachelor is one of the most frequently noted guilty pleasures, because let’s face it: we love to watch beautiful people playing at the intricate game of love. Although the show is often criticized for its sexism and inauthenticity, The Bachelor's ubiquity is undeniable.

8.America's Next Top Model (UPN/The CW)

America's Next Top Model is the reality show that never ends—and we’re not mad about it. The show brings together aspiring models who compete for the title of America’s Next Top Model, a prestigious modeling contract, and the general approval of Tyra Banks. Despite the seriousness of the fashion world, there’s plenty of drama on the show, including this famous rant from Tyra herself. The show has produced some stars, namely Analeigh Tipton and Yaya DaCosta, though no actual top models. But let’s face it: viewers are in it to see average Janes turn into the stunners, drama, and combined fierceness of both Tyra and Miss Jay.

7.Made (MTV)

Believe it or not, there was once a time when MTV wasn’t waiting for teens to get pregnant, but, rather, looking to make their dreams come true. Crazy, right? Legend has it that the channel also used to play music videos, but we’re not so sure about that.

MTV’s Made was an hour-long docu-series that showed lucky kids given the chance to legitimately chase their biggest dreams with the help of professional “Made coaches.” Sometimes, Made was awkward and hilarious; other times, the show was genuinely emotional, namely whenever relationship experts helped insecure teens gain confidence and become “boyfriend/girlfriend material.” In all cases, Made was the ultimate in secondhand wish fulfillment, an entertaining but often inspirational option for MTV’s high-school-aged viewers.

6.The Hills (MTV)

Watching Lauren Conrad’s journey from one of the most tame cast members on Laguna Beach to fashion-forward socialite who navigated Los Angeles' swankiest places was truly a dream. The Hills felt trendy but accessible. If you and your friends fell victim to the show's addictive quality, its stars even became an extension of your friend group, one you shared inside jokes with that you still can't help but giggle at. Even with the super meta (and in some cases, super soul-crushing) ending, The Hills remains an example of peak reality TV. *chef’s kiss*

5.The Real Housewives (Bravo)

The Real Housewives began in 2006 as a reality TV descendant of Desperate Housewives—Bravo saw the success of ABC's hit drama and understood that there had to be a real-life counterpart to those characters, in the same way that Laguna Beach spawned from The O.C. From The Real Housewives of Orange County, the series expanded geographically and exploded. With seven different iterations—New York City, Atlanta, New Jersey, D.C., Beverly Hills, Miami—there's plenty of regional poison to pick from. The series overflows with batshit crazy drama, and The Real Housewives' ability to package that insanity in so many different but equally enjoyable ways it what makes the show one of the best to ever do it.

4.Jersey Shore (MTV)

It might be easy to forget about how much of a sensation Jersey Shore was, given that it was . a show that literally just followed around a bunch of exaggerated guidos and guidettes getting trashed on the New Jersey boardwalk. But its true icon status comes from the local politicians who asked MTV to cancel the show and Abercrombie & Fitch offering to pay to the cast to NOT wear their clothes. If you didn’t know, the cast is doing a reunion season this summer, so keep an eye out and get ready for T-shirt time.

3.Flavor of Love (VH1)

Flavor of Love was The Bachelor on steroids, complete with giant clock necklaces galore. The show centered around rapper Flavor Flav from Public Enemy and his quest to find true love, or whatever that looks like on a reality show. Flav himself is a character larger than life, so the kind of women attracted to him had to be able to keep up. Each personally named by Flav, the women bore memories into viewers' brains they'll never forget. The most memorable? Finalist New York (aka Tiffany Pollard), whose facial expressions have given us enough meme material to last a lifetime. Did someone say, “BEYONCE?!”

2.Keeping Up with the Kardashians (E!)

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, the Kardashians have had an undeniable influence on pop culture today. When the show premiered in 2007, Kim Kardashian was just a beautiful woman who had a sex tape with Ray J. Now, she’s a household name married to one of the most successful men in the industry, Kanye West. The Kardashian kraze has prompted many a scoff, but their success is downright enviable. The show is filled with drama for days, money you can't even imagine, and vagina jokes you're too square to dream up. Thanks, Khloe.

1.The Real World (MTV)

The Real World may not have been the very first reality TV show (that would belong to Dutch reality soap opera Nummer 28), but it’s certainly the one that made the genre a true phenomenon. Not only did the show, created by visionaries Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray, popularize the genre, the first 10 seasons were a legitimate study of how actual young people behaved and acted on camera. The result was raw, surprising, and totally compelling. Though later seasons fell into the same tropes that we see in most reality TV today, the first few seasons made an impression that will last forever.