reality tv shows

Reality TV shows are a genre of television programming that document purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often featuring ordinary people rather than professional actors. The genre gained prominence in the early 2000s with shows like Survivor, Idol, and Big Brother. Reality TV often includes "confessionals," where participants reflect on events, and many shows involve competition formats with gradual elimination of participants by judges, viewers, or other contestants. Popular subgenres within reality TV include reality competitions (such as Big Brother, American Idol, and Dancing with the Stars), dating shows (like The Bachelor and The Bachelorette), sports-related reality shows, and docuseries about people's lives or professions. Examples of current popular reality shows include The Traitors, Below Deck, Project Runway, Survivor, The Great British Baking Show, Impractical Jokers, and Big Brother, among others. Streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and networks worldwide offer a wide array of reality TV content ranging from competition shows, lifestyle series, dating shows, and documentary-style programs. Some top-rated reality shows to watch include RuPaul’s Drag Race, Shark Tank, America’s Next Top Model, and Married at First Sight.