TVLine’s Decade in Review: The 10 Best Reality Shows, Including The Voice, Shark Tank and RuPaul’s Drag Race
With all due respect to TV’s top-notch dramas and comedies, some of our favorite moments from the past 10 years happened without a script.
Although reality TV really took off in the early 2000s, the last decade has served up its fair share of quality unscripted programming. (Well, “unscripted,” in some cases.)
To that end, TVLine’s Decade in Review continues with a nod to 10 reality series that have made us laugh, cry and/or practice our lip-syncing skills in the mirror.
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We should note that some of the shows on our list did premiere before 2010. But given their sustained excellence, we decided to bend the rules a bit; as long as the show has also aired in this decade, it’s eligible.
In the attached gallery, you’ll find several competition series, which have brought plenty of dramatic tension to kitchens, runways and obstacle courses alike. But we’ve also recognized some low-stakes fare, including Netflix’s Queer Eye reboot, Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise and more. (And if gripping docuseries are more your thing, you’ll find that at least one of our picks is up your alley.)
Scroll through the attached gallery (click here for direct access) to see our list of the decade’s best reality-TV, then hit the comments with your own picks!
You included “Real Housewives of NYC” and “Vanderpump Rules,” but NOT “The Amazing Race”??? Egad!
AGT is my favorite, but I loved TAR for the ability to travel the world vicariously. Unfortunately, I lost interest several years ago after too many seasons of sports delays.
Sucks to be on the East Coast… I guess…lol
But yeah that’s def a fav of mine. And surprisingly Survivor has been really good again lately.
Eastern time is the greatest…until it’s not. 😂
AGT?
America’s Got Talent
Any reality show list without TAR isn’t a real list!
Exactly this!!!
No Survivor either. It may not have the impact now it once had, but it was the biggest reality show reality shows.
Despite the format, I’d argue that Ninja Warrior has reached the point of being a sport, more than it is a reality show.
My one that I enjoyed most was Face Off. Didn’t get much love, maybe because it was on Syfy but it was great
I loved Face Off, too, and was both surprised and disappointed when it was cancelled.
You had me at America Ninja Warrior and the Great British Bake off, but you lost me at the Real Housewives. Sorry. But you get bonus points for not including anything Bachelor, Love Island or any of those inane shows.
I notice Masterchef is not on your list, and I don’t have any particular issue with that, but I caught Masterchef Australia a few times and was shocked at how much more watchable it is than the American version.
I like Masterchef a lot too but darn it if I don’t like Masterchef Jr more. Those kids are awesome and without the fighting and attitudes, though this season of MC has been for the most part drama free.
To borrow a line from Jack Benny, there’s a best one?
RHONY is the best drama on television. I will fight you over it. I guess it’s been on longer than this decade, but I feel like House Hunters is missing. That show is comfort tv at its finest. I go to bed to House Hunters/House Hunters International almost every night. My husband and I play an awful game where we decide which couples will stay together based on how they talk to each other on the show.
Again for people that complain about the personal stories on ninja warrior,flip had always been one of my favorites but what he did and removed the mask season 5,as again that had to be hard