Best Reality Shows on Netflix (February 2024)

Reality is a beloved category of television, from highbrow to low. Thankfully, Netflix understands just how great this genre is, offering a wide variety of options, from their own creations to older choices to discover. So many options, in fact, that it can be hard to decide which are worth watching. To help you out, we’ve narrowed down the selections on Netflix to the best of the best. Check out our list of the best reality shows on Netflix below.

Didn't find what you're looking for here? Check out the best drama, comedy, or thriller shows on Netflix, or see our recommendations for the best shows on the platform overall.

Is it Cake?

Rotten Tomatoes: 67% | IMDb: 5.9/10

At the intersection of quirky baking shows and social media trends is the competition reality series Is it Cake? Hosted by Saturday Night Live’s Mikey Day, Is it Cake puts its 9 bakers to the ultimate test – can they make cake look like everyday items? In each episode, 3 of these talented bakers have to convincingly recreate things like fresh produce, handbags, and bucket hats out of cake to fool a panel of judges. The winner of the group receives a cash prize, and a bonus if they can determine which money-related object is cake. Is it Cake is part game show, part baking competition, and a lot of fun to watch. — Brynna Arens Watch on Netflix

The Ultimatum: Queer Love

Rotten Tomatoes: 88% | IMDb: 6.7/10

Netflix puts a new spin on an old classic with The Ultimatum: Queer Love, giving audiences a new host and new expressions of love. Host JoAnna Garcia Swisher (Reba) takes over for the Lacheys to bring in a new set of couples consisting of women and non-binary partners who are ready to draw a line in the sand to determine the future of their relationship. Like the previous series, the couples spend their time dating the other contestants in mock marriages to test whether they are in the relationship because they care or just because their partner is there. The series is a refreshing take on the typically heteronormative reality dating shows and is great about showcasing the concerns of people dating in queer spaces. Watch on Netflix

Love is Blind

Rotten Tomatoes: 57% | IMDb: 6.2/10

Claiming to be more of a social experiment than a reality dating show, Love is Blind was built on the premise of singles getting to know each other and proposing marriage before ever seeing their potential partner. After four seasons of dramatic storylines, Love is Blind is fully woven into pop culture conversations. Featuring married couple co-hosts Nick Lachey and Vanessa Lachey, Love is Blind introduces audiences to different attractive, like-minded, family-oriented young people each season before, narrowing them down to focusing on only the couples who can produce great television. Love it or hate it, Love is Blind is a trainwreck reality dating show lovers can’t turn off. – Yael Tygiel Watch on Netflix

Physical: 100

Rotten Tomatoes: 92% | IMDb: 7.6/10

A South Korean response to extreme challenge competition series, Physical: 100 has been compared to The Titan Games, Special Forces, and American Ninja Warrior. Created by Jang Ho-gi, Physical: 100 gathered a collection of one hundred diverse athletes with backgrounds ranging from weightlifters, gymnasts, and wrestlers to Olympians, special operations soldiers, and Navy SEALs. Through head-to-head individual and team challenges, Physical: 100 uses a tournament structure to narrow the field, aiming to uncover the ideal human physique regardless of gender, experience, and training and hand them a cash prize. – Yael Tygiel Watch on Netflix

Bling Empire

IMDb: 5.8/10

Originally described as real-life Crazy Rich Asians, Bling Empire began as a fascinating look at culture, assimilation, and status. The first American series to highlight an entirely East and Southeast Asian cast, Bling Empire focuses on a group of wealthy socialites from the Los Angeles area, and through its three seasons, the series has evolved from absurd to refreshing. Centering on a lavish and fun-loving group, including model Kevin Taejin Kreider, Christine Chiu (Dancing with the Stars), Anna Shay, and DJ Kim Lee, Bling Empire manages to entertain with trashy drama while also revealing an intriguing celebration of culture. – Yael Tygiel Watch on Netflix

The Toys That Made Us

Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDb: 7.9/10

The Toys That Made Us is a fascinating documentary series where each episode dives into the history and obsession with specific toys and some of the United States’ greatest toy franchises. Created by the brilliant Brian Volk-Weiss, a thorough investigator and skilled documentarian, and playfully narrated by Donald Ian Black, the series showcases the journey from conception to cult status of iconic playthings like Barbie Dolls, LEGOs, and Professional Wrestling Action Figures. Presented across four-episode seasons with cute anecdotes and flashy, exciting graphics, The Toys That Made Us captivates its audience with unexpectedly interesting content. – Yael Tygiel Watch on Netflix

Love on the Spectrum

Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDb: 8.6/10

Love on the Spectrum is a striking and raw docuseries about a selection of endearing young adults living on the autism spectrum who embark on dating adventures. Through these honest stories, Love on the Spectrum follows as these individuals handle vulnerability, seeking partners, dating, and even heartbreak. Although with unique circumstances, Love on the Spectrum reveals universal truths of love and companionship. Unmasking both similarities and differences with neurotypical family members and friends, Love on the Spectrum provides an organic view into the lives of the people it features. – Yael Tygiel Watch on Netflix

Cheer

Rotten Tomatoes: 93% | IMDb: 8.1/10

Cheer took the world by storm when it premiered in 2020 – and for good reason. The show follows the cheerleading team at Navarro College in the small town of Corsicana, Texas. Led by their intense yet caring coach Monica Aldama, the school has won a record number of championships, and the series shows all that it takes to premiere for such an event. The team uses grit and determination to overcome tragic pasts and injuries and make their dreams come true. The series won several Emmys for its first season and has been nominated for three more for its second season. – Taylor Gates Watch on Netflix

My Unorthodox Life

IMDb: 5.7/10

My Unorthodox Life follows fashion mogul Julia Haart and her children Batsheva, Miriam, Shlomo, and Aron. This reality series shows what their life is like since Julia left her husband and the family’s strict Orthodox Jewish community and brought her kids with her to New York City. They have all adjusted differently to life outside the community. Miriam has followed in her mother’s footsteps and embraced the world completely because she is now free to embrace her bisexuality. Batsheva, the oldest, is more hesitant because so much of her life was spent living life by incredibly specific rules. Shlomo is trying to find the balance between honoring the religious traditions he grew up with and finding his own path in religion. Aron, the youngest, splits his time between Julia and her ex-husband, who still lives in the community. Julia wants her kids to have the opportunity to find their own voice and place in the world without the predetermined roles dictated by their community. My Unorthodox Life has a lot of heart – it’s abundantly clear how much Julia cares about her kids – while also featuring plenty of escapism through watching their wealthy lifestyle and the growth of Julia’s fashion empire. - Brynna Arens Watch on Netflix

Selling Sunset

IMDb: 6.6/10

Selling Sunset is a show that features beautiful homes and even more beautiful people, high price tags and even higher drama. Featuring the realtors at The Oppenheim Group in Los Angeles, Selling Sunset has become a bit of a cultural phenomenon – and for good reason. It’s an endlessly entertaining guilty pleasure. From the rivalry between Chrishell and Christine to Davina’s struggle to sell a $75 million house, there’s never a dull moment in this soapy series. - Taylor Gates Watch on Netflix