The 16 best reality shows on Netflix, from "Love Is Blind" to "The Circle" Kevin Jacobsen, Emily SmithFebruary 1, 2026 at 9:00 PM 0 Nicole Byer on 'Nailed It!'; (Clockwise from upper left): Noel Fielding, Matt Lucas, Prue Leith, and Paul Hollywood on 'The Great British Baking Show'; Nick and Vanessa Lachey on 'Love Is Blind' Adam Rose/Netflix; Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions; Greg Gayne/Netflix It's been fashionable since the early 2000s to consider reality shows inferior to scripted or traditional documentary series.
- - The 16 best reality shows on Netflix, from "Love Is Blind" to "The Circle"
Kevin Jacobsen, Emily SmithFebruary 1, 2026 at 9:00 PM
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Nicole Byer on 'Nailed It!'; (Clockwise from upper left): Noel Fielding, Matt Lucas, Prue Leith, and Paul Hollywood on 'The Great British Baking Show'; Nick and Vanessa Lachey on 'Love Is Blind'
Adam Rose/Netflix; Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions; Greg Gayne/Netflix
It's been fashionable since the early 2000s to consider reality shows inferior to scripted or traditional documentary series. Even some who regularly watch reality TV refer to them as "guilty pleasures," as if watching them is inherently shameful.
Contrary to popular belief, reality television actually boasts some quality storytelling, offering endless entertainment to viewers who are interested in human nature, seeking escapism, or marveling at impressive displays of talent. Netflix is one of the better streamers for reality TV, hosting hundreds of hours for your binging pleasure, from messy dating shows to riveting game show competitions.
Ahead, we're recommending 16 reality shows streaming on Netflix right now.
01 of 16
The Boyfriend (2024–present)
Shun and Dai Nakai on 'The Boyfriend'
Courtesy of Netflix
The Boyfriend brings together nine queer Japanese men in a beachside cottage and follows the relationships that form from there. Beyond the limitations of being just a dating show, the series explores sexual identity and friendship among the men as they work together at a coffee truck and get to know each other intimately. Eschewing overblown drama or scandalous moments, there is a refreshingly down-to-earth tone to The Boyfriend that sets it apart from other reality series. —Kevin Jacobsen
Where to watch The Boyfriend: Netflix
02 of 16
The Circle (2020–present)
Trevor St. Agathe as Imani on 'The Circle' Netflix
To catfish or not to catfish — that is the question. The Circle is a social (media) experiment where contestants become neighbors in a decked-out apartment complex. As with every good reality TV show, there is always a catch. The twist here is that the players never meet face-to-face. Instead, they are isolated in their apartments and communicate exclusively through television screens and only with text.
Each member of The Circle can see only a few carefully selected photos and a short bio from their fellow contestants. Just like online dating (or Craigslist shopping), you never really know who's on the other side of the screen. The goal is to be the most-liked contestant and the last one standing to take home a huge cash prize. —Emily Smith
Where to watch The Circle: Netflix
03 of 16
The Devil's Plan (2023–present)
Lee Si-won and Ha Seok-jin on 'The Devil's Plan' Everett Collection
This addictive South Korean reality show emphasizes social strategy above all else — even in its challenges. Twelve contestants who are all titans in their fields are confined in a house for a week without contact with the outside world, each playing with "Pieces," a form of currency they can use to create social bonds and advance further in the game. Each episode, the contestants compete in a Main Match to gain more Pieces, as well as a Prize Match to add to the prize money. Players who lose all their Pieces are eliminated from the game, which proceeds until only two remain and the one with the highest number of Pieces wins.
While some TV watchers continue to dismiss reality shows as brainless, The Devil's Plan is a strong counterargument, valuing analytical problem-solving and game theory above petty personal drama. Season 3 is coming in 2026. —K.J.
Where to watch The Devil's Plan: Netflix
04 of 16
Floor Is Lava (2020–2022)
Competitors on 'Floor Is Lava'
Adam Rose/Netflix
Did you ever pretend that the floor was lava as a kid? This show takes the activity of jumping around your house without touching the ground and kicks it up a notch by making the floor, well...lava (or, rather, dyed slime, but still).
Instead of leaping from pillow to table to couch, contestants are parkouring their way through American Ninja Warrior-style obstacles like moving platforms, vertical nets, intense monkey bars, and even an "active" volcano. That means, if you fail to complete a task, you end up in the "actual" lava. The intensity is turned up hot on this spin of the childhood classic game. —E.S.
Where to watch Floor Is Lava: Netflix
05 of 16
The Great British Baking Show (2010–present)
Contestants on 'The Great British Baking Show' Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions
Refined is not a common descriptor of reality TV, but The Great British Baking Show has something most other shows in the genre don't: an elegant approach to competition. Contestants cheer each other on and even help each other out as the clock winds down. This evolved species of reality TV has struck a chord with charmed viewers across the globe who enjoy watching amateur bakers compete and improve with a bit of class.
The show takes place over 10 weeks, and contestants must quickly adapt and learn new skills as the difficulty level continues to rise. It's a heartwarming competition where tension mounts, but comic relief and empathy always abound. —E.S.
Where to watch The Great British Baking Show: Netflix
06 of 16
Indian Matchmaking (2020–present)
Akshay Jakhete on 'Indian Matchmaking' Netflix
With a Rolodex of beautiful singles and training in ancient techniques such as Kundali, star Sima Taparia introduces us to traditional matchmaking practices executed in her modern way. Sima Aunty, as she is affectionately called on the show, certainly has the best intentions, but not without a bit of pushback. Will her hopeful singles find their happily ever after? She must be doing something right, given that three seasons are now streaming. —E.S.
Where to watch Indian Matchmaking: Netflix
07 of 16
Love Is Blind (2020–present)
Salvador Perez and Mallory Zapata in season 2 of 'Love Is Blind' Netflix
Would you marry someone you've never seen face-to-face? Is love truly blind? Love Is Blind, hosted by Nick and Vanessa Lachey, seeks to answer these questions as they place contestants in pods, separated by a wall, to get to know each other without ever looking at one another. After multiple meetings with numerous potential matches, these singles must decide if they're ready to propose.
But the verdict doesn't end there. After being whisked away on honeymoons with their newly betrothed, the couples spend three weeks counting down to decision day at the altar. There, they must decide, in front of their fiancé, family, friends, and millions of us watching at home, if they'll say "I do." Season 10 begins Feb. 11, and multiple international spinoffs are also available to binge. —E.S.
Where to watch Love Is Blind: Netflix
08 of 16
Love on the Spectrum Australia (2019–2021)
Ruth and Thomas on 'Love on the Spectrum Australia' Netflix
Everyone deserves love. And, in today's world, anyone who wants it should be able to find it. Enter Love on the Spectrum, an Australian matchmaking show featuring autistic individuals. The condition often causes difficulty with communication, which can make dating or even meeting someone all the more difficult.
But have no fear, Love on the Spectrum follows the cast's journeys to find love with a compassionate rather than voyeuristic eye. First dates, blind dates, relationship coaching, speed dating, finding love, and breaking hearts — all of these common human experiences help to normalize an often misunderstood community. Autism is a spectrum, and the show aims to shine a spotlight on a few of the many ways it can present — and it's practically guaranteed to open your heart and mind. (There is also a U.S. version of the show on Netflix.) —E.S.
Where to watch Love on the Spectrum: Netflix
09 of 16
The Mole revival (2022–present)
Alex Wagner on 'The Mole' Julian Panetta/Netflix
Avid reality show obsessives hold a special place in their heart for The Mole, which aired for five seasons on ABC in the 2000s and gained a cult following. Netflix revived the reality competition after 14 years, while keeping the same general format: A group of contestants competes in a series of challenges, with success leading to more money for the group pot. Among them, however, is a mole chosen by production to sabotage these challenges while trying to stay undetected. All players are then quizzed on who they think the mole may be, with the lowest-performing contestant eliminated at the end of every episode.
The fun of The Mole is in putting yourself in the contestants' shoes; like them (well, all but one of them), the audience is not informed of who the mole actually is until the very end. —K.J.
Where to watch The Mole: Netflix
10 of 16
Nailed It! (2018–2022)
Guest judge Rosanna Pansino, Nicole Byer, and Jacques Torres on 'Nailed It!' Adam Rose/Netflix
Nailed It! Mexico, Nailed It! Holiday, Nailed It! France... spinoffs galore only means one thing: This show is tasty! Comedian Nicole Byer hosts the original Nailed It!, a show that transports amateur bakers from their home kitchens to a TV studio, where they attempt (and often fail) to replicate professional desserts for a grand prize of $10,000. Hilarity clearly ensues.
Clueless contestants paired with a quick-witted host, world-renowned chocolatier Jacques Torres, and guest judges (Wayne Brady, Reggie Watts, Sam Richardson, among others) make for one bingeable episode after another. —E.S.
Where to watch Nailed It!: Netflix
11 of 16
Old Enough! (1990–present)
Child participant on 'Old Enough!' Netflix
Do not scroll past this Netflix show and definitely do not be deterred by the subtitles (most of us leave the closed captioning on anyway, right?). Old Enough! is a long-running Japanese television show, now available in the U.S. (one season is on Netflix), that follows Japanese children ages 2 to 5 as they run their first errands... solo!
Every task serves up adorableness in droves as these tiny humans navigate adult chores alone for the first time, such as traveling to the store to purchase flowers for grandma, or running home from the fruit fields to make juice for mom. Whether they get distracted along the way or complete the task without a hitch, you'll be grinning from ear to ear. —E.S.
Where to watch Old Enough!: Netflix
12 of 16
Queer Eye (2018–2026)
Bobby Berk, Jonathan Van Ness, Karamo Brown, Antoni Porowski, and Tan France on 'Queer Eye' Christopher Smith/Netflix
A revamp of the early 2000s hit Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Netflix's Queer Eye crew burst on the scene in 2018 with a mission to change the lives of everyday people. Throughout 10 seasons, they've done just that, and along the way, changed hearts and minds as well.
Hair stylist Jonathan Van Ness, counselor Karamo Brown, chef Antoni Porowski, interior designer Bobby Berk (through season 8; Jeremiah Brent takes over in season 9), and fashion expert Tan France are the fairy godparents dreams are made of. Each brings their unique charm and encouragement to every encounter as they transform lives from the inside out (even if there's apparently drama behind the scenes). —E.S.
Where to watch Queer Eye: Netflix
13 of 16
Selling Sunset (2019–present)
Mary Fitzgerald and Chrishell Stause on 'Selling Sunset' Netflix
If tiny homes and #vanlife are the way of the future, the stars of Selling Sunset did not get the memo. The show follows premier real estate agents of the Oppenheim Group in Los Angeles as they battle through absurd home deals and all the drama that comes with them.
From the creators of The Hills, Selling Sunset provides viewers with romance, petty drama, luxurious homes, and a game of trying to remember which Oppenheim twin is which. There are nine seasons to binge as well as multiple spinoff series on Netflix. —E.S.
Where to watch Selling Sunset: Netflix
14 of 16
Somebody Feed Phil (2018–present)
Phil Rosenthal on 'Somebody Feed Phil' Netflix
There are numerous reality shows in which the host invites the viewer on a culinary trip around the world, but few hosts are quite as enthusiastic as Phil Rosenthal. The Emmy-winning creator of Everybody Loves Raymond brings his foodie passion to a new city each episode, from Bangkok to Venice to New York City.
Through locals sharing their cuisines with the affable host, he forges cross-cultural connections, while also making his fair share of dad jokes along the way. The Emmy-nominated docuseries has aired eight seasons on Netflix and has also spawned a companion book, Somebody Feed Phil: The Book, featuring recipes and behind-the-scenes details from the series. —K.J.
Where to watch Somebody Feed Phil: Netflix
15 of 16
Squid Game: The Challenge (2023–present)
Contestants on 'Squid Game: The Challenge'
Courtesy of Netflix
Squid Game, the massively popular South Korean drama set in a dystopian world in which financially insecure contestants compete in a series of deadly games, got its own reality TV spinoff with this controversial yet highly watchable show.
Like the series on which it's based, Squid Game: The Challenge assembles 456 contestants to battle it out in an arena — without the whole death part, thankfully. As EW's critic writes, the competition "manages to serve up palpable suspense and authentic human drama without murdering a single contestant." —K.J.
Where to watch Squid Game: The Challenge: Netflix
16 of 16
The Ultimatum: Queer Love (2023–2025)
Yoly Rojas and Xander Boger on 'The Ultimatum: Queer Love'
Courtesy of Netflix
This spinoff of The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On centers exclusively on women and nonbinary couples across the queer spectrum. As with the original series, The Ultimatum: Queer Love features one half of the couple wanting to take the next step by getting engaged, while the other is uncertain, and puts their love to the test.
They come together with four other couples in a house where each has to choose a new partner for three weeks, after which each person decides whether to go back to their original partner or continue with their new one. Emotions run high and loyalties are tested, making for maximum drama. —K.J.
Where to watch The Ultimatum: Queer Love: Netflix
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: "AOL Entertainment"
Source: Entertainment
Published: February 01, 2026 at 08:45AM on Source: PRIME TIME
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