Something good that’s come out of the pandemic has been a lot of new reality tv shows, especially on Netflix. The issue, though, is that there are so many that it’s hard to know where to start. Here’s a guide on some of the best.
The Circle:
In this show, contestants can only talk to each other through the social media platform called the circle. This allows for people to come on the show as themselves but also as a “catfish” where they essentially pretend to be someone they know. They can put anything they want on their profile and nobody knows who they are until they get eliminated or the finale. Challenges and chats with other players happen throughout the show which tests a player’s ability to gain popularity. It’s really interesting to watch how easily social media can be faked or altered without other people realizing and the catfish factor adds a lot to the show.
Nailed It:
Nailed It is a show where people who classify themselves as bad bakers try to make complicated and detailed desserts. Contestants are given a short period of time to make their creations, often having to sacrifice on quality or design. The result of this is a much more entertaining show with drastically different expectations vs. realities. If you like the concept of baking shows but don’t like when it’s boring or overcomplicated, this show is really refreshing.
Motel Makeover:
This is a show that follows two women who have previously made a successful motel that are now trying to take their design abilities into a second motel. They start with an outdated motel that’s basically falling apart and try to make it more modern and functional. Their method of designing the motel focuses a lot on creating “instagrammable” backdrops so there’s a lot of elements of more retro and colorful decorations. The show is also filmed during COVID so there’s a lot of challenges that come with that. It’s a really fun show to watch if you have an interest in design or shows with dramatic transformations.
Love is Blind:
Contestants in this show go through rounds of speed dating where they find people that they connect with but this is all done with a wall between them. They know nothing about the appearance of the other person and eventually pick someone, hoping that their relationship will last when they go back out into the real world. This forces contestants to focus more on personality and less on looks, which is a lot different than typical reality tv. It gives enough twists to differentiate itself from other reality tv shows but still has a main focus of forming relationships, making it the perfect combination.
Selling Sunset:
The premise of this show is following Los Angeles real estate agents through their life of selling million-dollar homes. It goes into the behind-the-scenes of what drama and competition occurs within the agency, making it an interesting perspective to watch. It also shows a lot of the most expensive homes in Los Angeles, so there’s design and tours incorporated throughout the show. If you like house-related shows and reality TV, it’s a perfect mix of both.
Any of these shows are a great start to reality TV on Netflix, and starting any of them will give you a great introduction to the reality TV that Netflix has to offer.