List Rules Vote up your favorite reality shows with a competitive game angle
The best reality TV competition series, ranked by fans and critics. Reality shows are among the most-watched programs on TV, and they are easy to produce due to their low production costs, lack of staff, and quick turn-around. Early programs like "Survivor" and "Big Brother" gained international audiences who loved watching real people compete for money and fame. High-pressure situations, 24/7 filming, and clashing personalities ensured frequent drama as alliances and enemies were created and destroyed.
In that spirit, it's time to get competitive. Vote for your favorite reality competition shows to move them up the list. You can also customize and rank your own list by clicking Rerank.
1
2,075 852
SurvivorCBS Survivor is a reality game show produced in many countries throughout the world. In the show, contestants are isolated in the wilderness and compete for cash and other prizes. The show uses a ...more
2
1,406 825
Big BrotherCBS Big Brother is a television reality game show based on an originally Dutch TV series of the same name created by producer John de Mol in 1997. The series follows a group of contestants, known as ...more
3
832 1,052
America's Got TalentNBC America's Got Talent is an American reality television series on the NBC television network, and part of the global British Got Talent franchise. It is a talent show that features singers, ...more
4
1,563 707
The Amazing RaceCBS The Amazing Race is a reality television game show in which teams of two people, who have some form of a preexisting personal relationship, race around the world in competition with other teams. ...more
5
1,001 897
The VoiceNBC The Voice is an American reality television singing competition broadcast on NBC. Based on the original The Voice of Holland, the concept of the series is to find new singing talent contested by ...more
6
784 843
Fear FactorNBC Fear Factor is an American stunt/dare reality game show. It originally aired between 2001 and 2006, when it was cancelled. It was later revived in 2011, only to be cancelled again on May 13, ...more
7
486 660
The Price Is RightCBS, American Broadcasting Company, NBC The Price Is Right is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. The show revolves around contestants competing to identify accurate pricing of merchandise to win ...more
8
890 832
WipeoutABC Wipeout is a game show series in which contestants compete in what is billed as the "world's largest obstacle course". Wipeout is hosted and commentated by John Henson and John ...more
9
1,042 777
Project RunwayBravo Project Runway is an American reality television series on Lifetime, previously on the Bravo Network, created by Eli Holzman which focuses on fashion design and is hosted by model Heidi Klum. ...more
10
330 776
The BachelorABC The Bachelor is an American reality television dating game show debuting in 2002 on ABC. For all seasons, the show is hosted by Chris Harrison. There are three related series: The Bachelorette, ...more
11
391 693
Deal or No DealNBC Deal or No Deal is the American version of the international game show of Dutch origin of the same name. The show was hosted by Howie Mandel, and premiered on December 19, 2005, on NBC. The ...more
12
786 592
Hell's KitchenFox Broadcasting Company Hell's Kitchen (Fox, 2005) is an American reality competition television series based on the British series. World renowned chef Gordon Ramsay puts aspiring young chefs through rigorous cooking ...more
The BacheloretteABC The Bachelorette is a spin-off from the American competitive reality dating game show The Bachelor. In its January 2003 debut on ABC, the first season featured Trista Rehn, the runner-up date ...more
14
585 489
Top ChefBravo Top Chef is an American reality competition show on the cable television network Bravo, that first aired in 2006, in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges. They are ...more
15
926 641
America's Next Top ModelUPN, The CW Television Network America's Next Top Model is an American reality television series and interactive competition that premiered on May 20, 2003. It originally aired on UPN, whose merger with The WB created The CW ...more
16
929 539
Face Off Face Off is an American reality television game show on the Syfy cable network in which a group of prosthetic makeup artists compete against each other to create prostheses such as those found ...more
17
1,150 552
RuPaul's Drag RaceLogo RuPaul's Drag Race is an American reality competition television series produced by World of Wonder for Logo. RuPaul plays the roles of host, mentor, and source of inspiration for this series, ...more
cweib added The Ultimate FighterFX, Spike The Ultimate Fighter is an American reality television series and mixed martial arts competition produced by Fox Sports 1 and the Ultimate Fighting Championship. It previously aired for fourteen ...more
19
455 575
Dancing with the StarsCTV Television Network, American Broadcasting Company Dancing with the Stars is an American dance competition show airing since 2005 on ABC in the United States, and CTV/CTV Two in Canada. The show is the American version of the British television ...more
20
414 837
The ApprenticeNBC All-Star Celebrity Apprentice is a 2008 TV Program created by Mark Burnett.
21
820 426
The ChallengeMTV The Challenge is a reality game show on MTV that is spun off from the network's two reality shows, The Real World and the now cancelled Road Rules. It features alumni from these two shows, in ...more
22
423 559
So You Think You Can DanceFox Broadcasting Company So You Think You Can Dance is an American televised dance competition show that airs on Fox in the United States and is the flagship series of the international So You Think You Can Dance ...more
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (US)American Broadcasting Company Who Wants to Be a Millionaire is an American television quiz show based upon the British program of the same title, which offers a maximum prize of $1,000,000 for correctly answering a series of ...more
24
493 417
ChoppedFood Network Chopped is an American reality based cooking television series created by Dave Noll and Michael Krupat, with executive producer Linda Lea, and hosted by Ted Allen that pits four chefs against ...more
25
308 468
Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?Fox Broadcasting Company Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? is an American quiz game show on Fox. It is produced by Mark Burnett and is hosted by Jeff Foxworthy. The show premiered as a three-day special which began on ...more
26
508 617
The Biggest LoserNBC The Biggest Loser is an American competition reality show that debuted on NBC October 19, 2004. The show features obese people competing to win a cash prize by losing the highest percentage of ...more
27
435 721
American IdolFox Broadcasting Company American Idol is an American singing competition series created by Simon Fuller and produced by 19 Entertainment, and is distributed by FremantleMedia North America. It began airing on Fox on ...more
Minute to Win ItITV2, MundoFox, Seven Network Minuten is a TV Program.
29
423 167
ChrissyBaker added Ink Master Ink Master is an American reality competition on Spike in which tattoo artists compete in challenges assessing their tattoo and related artistic skills. They are judged by noted tattoo artists ...more
30
318 507
Iron Chef AmericaFood Network Iron Chef America: The Series is an American cooking show based on Fuji Television's Iron Chef, and is the second American adaptation of the series, following the failed Iron Chef USA. The show ...more
31
117 314
Love in the WildNBC Love in the Wild was a reality television series that debuted on June 29, 2011 on NBC. The show is created and produced by Endemol USA. The first season was hosted by Darren McMullen; season 2 ...more
32
292 311
Cake BossTLC Cake Boss is an American reality television series, airing on the cable television network TLC. The show follows the operations of Carlo's Bake Shop, an Italian American family-owned business in ...more
Last Comic StandingNBC Last Comic Standing is an American reality television talent show on NBC that aired from 2003 to 2010, then again in 2014. The goal of the program is to select a comedian from an initially large ...more
34
253 51
Jess Neary added American Ninja WarriorG4 American Ninja Warrior is a sports entertainment competition spin-off of the television series Sasuke, in which competitors try to complete a series of obstacle courses of increasing difficulty ...more
35
281 360
America's Best Dance CrewMTV, MuchMusic America's Best Dance Crew, often abbreviated as ABDC, is an American competitive dance reality television series that features both national and international dance crews. The show was produced ...more
36
246 394
Masterchef (UK)British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC One MasterChef is a BBC television competitive reality cooking show. It initially ran from 1990 to 2001 and was later revived in a different format known as MasterChef Goes Large from 2005 onwards. ...more
37
277 378
The Weakest Link The Weakest Link is a British television quiz show, mainly broadcast on BBC Two, but also on BBC One. It was devised by Fintan Coyle and Cathy Dunning, and developed for television by the BBC ...more
The X Factor (Australia)Network Ten, Seven Network The X Factor is an Australian television reality music competition, based on the original UK series, to find new singing talent. The first series of the show was broadcast from February to May, ...more
39
255 313
Top Chef MastersBravo Top Chef Masters is an American reality competition series that airs on the cable television network Bravo, and premiered June 10, 2009. It is a spinoff of Bravo's hit show Top Chef. In the ...more
40
232 284
HGTV Design StarHGTV HGTV Star, named HGTV Design Star for the first seven seasons, is an American reality competition show airing on the cable television network HGTV. It premiered July 23, 2006, and has completed ...more
41
202 304
Food Network StarFood Network Food Network Star (Food Network, 2005) is a reality television series. A contest to find a well rounded great chef with a unique point of view and hosting type of personality to host their own
42
261 251
Cupcake WarsFood Network Cupcake Wars is an American reality competition series which premiered on June 13, 2010 and aired on the cable television network Food Network. The cooking show is hosted by Justin Willman and ...more
The Great Food Truck RaceFood Network The Great Food Truck Race is a reality television series that originally aired on August 15, 2010, on Food Network, with Tyler Florence as the host. It features competing food trucks. The fourth ...more
44
230 302
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (GSN, 2002) is an American television game show based on the same-titled British program and developed for the United States by Michael Davies. The show features a ...more
45
69 223
Take Me OutFox Broadcasting Company Single women searching for love hope to find a match in this fast-paced and unpredictable dating series hosted by entertainer George Lopez. Each week, in front of a studio audience, brave ...more
46
153 161
HarleyCartee added CaptureThe CW Loosely modeled after "The Hunger Games" this CW competition show pits hunter against prey in a quest to win $250,000. Twelve teams of two will take turns hunting and capturing each other as they trek through the wilderness and survive on bare rations. Capture is an American reality competition television series on The CW that is hosted by Luke Tipple and premiered on July 30, 2013.
supergregory added King of the NerdsTBS King of the Nerds is an American competition series/game show that airs on TBS. It is hosted by Robert Carradine and Curtis Armstrong, both actors from the Revenge of the Nerds films. The series ...more
49
164 291
The Sing-OffNBC The Sing-Off is an American television singing competition featuring a cappella groups. It debuted on NBC on December 14, 2009, and is produced by Sony Pictures Television and Outlaw ...more
50
146 230
The Glee ProjectOxygen The Glee Project is an American reality television series from Oxygen. It served as an audition for the FOX musical comedy series Glee, and the prize for the winner was a minimum seven-episode ...more
