
Once you start one episode, there’s no turning back. You’ve been warned: these reality TV shows are highly addictive!
We at Honeycombers aren’t afraid to tell you that we love our happy hour seshes, belting our lungs out at karaoke night, and thrifting great finds at vintage stores. And now, we reveal one more hobby of ours: binge-watching reality TV shows. These shows are so bad that they’re addictively good, and we know we’re not the only ones that love a bit of “trashy” entertainment every now and then! See if your fave series has made the list.
Reality TV shows for your next binge-watching session
1. Love Island (2015)

So, this one came so thick and fast that we actually had to ban ourselves from watching it. But, we aren’t stopping you from diving in! With over a dozen global iterations from the Love Island franchise, we suggest starting with the OG series from the UK. Here, singles move into a villa in the hope of finding love. They couple up each week and have a number of tests, parties, and curve balls thrown at them, with someone leaving regularly and new players coming in.
2. The Simple Life (2003)

We’re going back into the unofficial hall of fame of reality TV shows for this one, as we believe every generation should witness the hilarious hijinks that occur in The Simple Life. The early-aughts series that catapulted its stars, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie, to widespread fame had a relatively simple premise: Two wealthy girls abandon their luxuries to experience the life of everyday Americans working menial jobs. With the now heavily meme-d comedy of Paris and Nicole primarily resting on this “fish out of water” scenario, the show gives a glimpse into different walks of life. Not to mention, The Simple Life is also a perfect time capsule of iconic 2000s fashion – that’s hot.
3. The Ultimatum: Queer Love (2023)

There’s no drama quite like lesbian drama, and there’s plenty of it on full display in The Ultimatum: Queer Love. A queer spin-off of the heterosexual reality dating series in the same premise, this social experiment brings in couples who are all facing an ultimatum of marriage. After initially splitting up from original partners, newly formed couples live together for a short period before reuniting with their exes. At the end of the experience, each person faces a tough choice: either stay with your original partner or pursue your new relationship. If you thought straight relationships were messy enough, get ready to buckle in!
4. Vanderpump Rules (2013)

One of the most successful spin-offs from the Real Housewives franchise, Vanderpump Rules centres on Beverly Hills Real Housewife Lisa Vanderpump and the staff of her various restaurants. While season 1 revolved around the main cast, who were primarily the waitstaff and bartenders at Vanderpump’s restaurants in West Hollywood, the multiple seasons of this hit show eventually made proper reality stars out of all of them. There’s a lot of drama to go around, as you’ll soon discover the heavy amounts of “incestuous” relationships in the workplace (there’s no other way to put it, really…). Plus, Vanderpump Rules saw the birth of one of the most explosive eras in the history of reality TV shows: Scandoval.
5. 90 Day Fiancé (2014)

Have you ever heard of the K-1 visa? It’s the visa application process available for foreign fiancés of American citizens to fly to the US with the condition of 90 days to decide either to marry or leave the country. Did the government mean for this scenario to become a ripe reality TV premise in the form of 90 Day Fiancé? Maybe not, but prepare to see odd couples with large age gaps, foreign fiancés with potential ulterior motives for marriage, and American counterparts that seem to be taking advantage of their partner. Witness outrageous moments, from Russian bride-to-be Anfisa and her generously providing fiancé Jorge, to Mohamed and Danielle’s turbulent relationship. It’s an absolute trainwreck to watch, but we can’t seem to look away…
6. The Real Housewives (2006)

Considered to be one of the biggest franchises in the history of reality TV, the world of Bravo’s popular The Real Housewives series now includes Orange County, Beverly Hills, New York, Atlanta, Sydney, Melbourne, Vancouver, Auckland, and many more places around the globe. Who knew that financially comfortable, larger-than-life housewives living their day-to-day lives would become reality TV gold? Expect cheating scandals, fancy parties, catfights and, most of the time, small misunderstandings between the women that are blown completely out of proportion.
7. Love is Blind (2020)

Those participating in one of Netflix’s first batch of successful reality dating shows, Love Is Blind, enter a rather unique experiment to find soulmates. The catch here is that none of these love-seekers get to actually see the people they’re dating until they’ve already fallen for each other. Going on dates in separate pods, these hopeful singles can rely only on conversation – in an effort to see if love is truly blind. Watch these relationships progress through holidays, co-living, engagements, and finally (some) marriages, with a whole lot of wine and weirdness along the way.
8. The Bachelor (2002)

We can’t talk about the best reality TV shows without mentioning the behemoth that is The Bachelor. We all know the premise by now: A handsome eligible bachelor looking for the girl of his dreams gets mixed into a pool of young women, all vying for his love and attention. Each week, a girl is voted off the show at a rose ceremony until only one remains for a possible engagement. Get ready for extravagant dates (straight out of a rom-com), tears, and catfights, before you follow up with the multiple spin-offs, including The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise, and The Golden Bachelor.