The 16 Best Reality TV Shows in 2022, From ‘Joe Millionaire’ to ‘My Mom, Your Dad’
Turn these on, shut brain off.
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Sometimes, you just gotta sit back with your beverage of choice and stream some silly reality TV. But if you’re done with your latest favorite show and wondering, “What reality show should I watch next?” don’t you worry your pretty little heart. I’ve got a bunch of recs that’ll satisfy whatever your craving is: Whether you love the Kardashians, gotta have your Love Island, or if you can’t live without Vanderpump Rules, we’ve got some new, fresh shows that’ll be exactly the vibe you’re looking for. We’ve also got some hits you maybe never got into but really should and some shows you might’ve stopped watching but should def pick up again. Let’s be honest, you’re never wasting your time binge-watching something wild and hilariously OTT, but some of these shows are a ton of hours.
Also, we assume you already know about the reality TV juggernauts: the various Bachelor shows (more on that ending here), American Idol, and Big Brother, to name a few. So this is a list of shows you maybe didn’t know you should be watching or should add into your regular rotation. Here are the 12 best reality shows of 2022 you can either watch right this second or ~very soon~.
The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On
This show is basically the definition of toxic. Each couple has one person in the relationship who is dragging their feet on getting married, and in this show they temporarily partner up with someone else to figure out whether they want to go back to their original relationship or not. It's truly wild.
Lizzo's Watch Out For The Big Grrrls
This show is technically a reality competition where people try to gain a spot as one of Lizzo's background dancers, but, sorry to be a cliché, it's really about so much more than that.
The Real Housewives of Dubai
Can you believe this is the 11th city in the Real Housewives franchise? ELEVEN. And honestly... the money in this show? These women are RICH-rich. You'll love it.
Dated & Related
Yes, this title does give House of the Dragon incest vibes, and I think it's intentional. But actually, it's a dating show where each contestant goes into the villa with their brother or sister, and they basically have to wingman (or woman) for each other. Awkward!
Premieres on September 2
Getting Curious With Jonathan Van Ness
Queer Eye’s Jonathan Van Ness explores the subjects they’re obsessed with, including hair (duh), bugs, snacks, figure skating, and why the binary is BS. And, tbh, his enthusiasm is absolutely contagious—you’ll feel like you’re hanging out with cool ppl who are also teaching you stuff.
About Last Night
This is a ~raunchy~ take on a celebrity game show. Steph and Ayesha Curry host three celeb couples competing to see who knows their partner best to win $20,000 for their fave charity. But really, it’s just a chance to make some wild sex jokes and learn, um, a whole lot about famous couples.
Rupaul’s Drag Race (Season 14)
If you’ve never watched, WYD?? The latest season of the best show ever is still nailing it: This season had its first cishet man as well as five trans contestants. The competition is, predictably, fierce, and the guest judges range from J.Lo (!!) to Nicole Byer, Lizzo, Taraji P. Henson, Dove Cameron, and Alicia Keys.
Joe Millionaire: For Richer or Poorer
If you’re like me and you watched the original 2003 version of Joe Millionaire, you might be surprised they brought it back—it was basically tricking a bunch of women into thinking their Bachelor-style guy was super rich when he was not. This is a lot more fun: There are two guys, one’s a millionaire and one’s working class. Which one is which? The ladies are on the case!
Great British Bake Off (Season 13)
On March 22, we’ll get The Great Stand Up to Cancer Bake Off, which is a five-part series and means the classic show is giving us more episodes early (VERY needed). We’ll also get new episodes in September. And Junior Bake Off just closed their applications in March!
Love Is Blind (Season Two)
Season 2 of the “fall in love without seeing the other person” premise continues to be OTT—although this time you’ll probably be saying a lot more of “Wow, you really shouldn’t marry someone you’ve never rlly met, huh?” (On the plus side, the whole season is up and you can binge the whole damn thing right this second.)
Top Chef: Houston (Season 19)
As Padma puts it, “the most prestigious cooking competition” is just as watchable as it ever was: getting to know charismatic chefs, diving into the local food scene, watching the judges teach us about food, and having hilarious reactions they ingest some truly terrible stuff.
Below Deck Sailing Yacht (Season 3)
The now-iconic franchise (the original, plus four spin-offs) has a lil something for everyone, and you’re never far away from the next shenanigans-on-a-boat show. Sailing Yacht features Captain Glenn Shephard, a luxury sailing yacht, a typically off-kilter crew, and—in the case of season 3—some infamous “omelette drama.”
Too Hot to Handle (Season 3)
The so-bad-and-that’s-what-makes-it-great show is back! And the hot youngs are still barely keeping themselves from hooking up to win a cash prize. It is, predictably, hilarious—this season marks the fastest rule break ever, lol.
My Mom, Your Dad
This is either the worst idea ever or totally inspired: Parents of adult kids go on a dating show, but their kids are secretly behind the scenes pulling the strings. Would I be on the show? Absolutely not, but it sounds like something you’d wanna watch other people do.
The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City (Season 2 and 3)
If you are a Real Housewives fan or have ever been, apparently Salt Lake City has all the things you love about the show: Fighting. Villains. Wild family dynamics. The feds. And in this case, some pretty fraught, vulnerable religious drama. It’s...incredibly watchable.
Queer Eye Germany
Until we get the American version back, this spin-off is the adorable buddy comedy/uplifting makeover story we need in our lives. You will absolutely fall in love with the German Fab Five (it’s Fab Fünf, actually), and you will absolutely cry a couple of times throughout the season.
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