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, 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 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
Netflix
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.
Watch The Circle on Netflix.
Everett Collection / Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection
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.
Watch Tiger King on Netflix.
Netflix / Courtesy of Netflix
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.
Watch School of Chocolate on Netflix.
Netflix
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.
Watch Love Is Blind on Netflix.
Netflix / KIT KARZEN/NETFLIX
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.
Watch Cooking With Paris on Netflix.
Netflix / Stephanie Keith/Netflix
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.
Watch Lenox Hill on Netflix.
Netflix
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.
Watch The Big Flower Fight on Netflix.
Everett Collection / Adam Rose / Netflix
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!
Watch Nailed It! on Netflix.
Everett Collection / Christopher Smith/Netflix
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!
Watch Queer Eye on Netflix.
Everett Collection
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.
Watch Rhythm + Flow on Netflix.
Everett Collection / A&E/Courtesy Everett Collection
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!
Watch Tiny House Nation on Netflix.
Everett Collection / Copyright Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection
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!
Watch Tidying Up with Marie Kondo on Netflix.
Everett Collection / Copyright Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection
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.
Watch Zumbo’s Just Desserts on Netflix.
