Summary
- Reality TV shows can often be fake and misleading. Shows like "Long Island Medium" and "RuPaul's Drag Race" have been accused of using staged elements and manipulating storylines for entertainment purposes.
- Some reality shows, like "Survivorman" and "The Last Alaskans," offer more authentic and genuine portrayals of real-life situations. These shows provide valuable insights and information while maintaining a high level of authenticity.
- Despite their often exaggerated and dramatic nature, shows like "Undercover Boss" and "Judge Judy" are surprisingly accurate in their depiction of the real world. The events and interactions on these shows are organic and unscripted, adding to their authenticity.
For the last 20 years, reality shows have progressively taken up more space on the small screen, but some of the best reality TV shows are fake. Many willing participants and low production costs have inspired networks to develop new format variations to fill time slots. Reality television also staking a more significant claim in the public sphere; it has helped shape how viewers perceive the world and influenced politics and popular opinions. Even though most know that reality shows are misleading, fans still love to indulge in the fantasies they offer and discuss on-screen conflicts. From The Real Housewives franchise to Hell's Kitchen, reality TV has something to offer for everyone.
These shows are often described as guilty pleasures - but they do not have to be. While histrionics and memorable sound bites fuel a lot of reality shows, many others try to offer genuine insight into unfamiliar terrains. Reality television is an arena for both honest portrayals of everyday life and meticulously edited content, and it can sometimes be hard to distinguish between real and fake reality shows.
The Most Fake Reality Shows
Long Island Medium (2011-2019)
Stream now on Fubo & Discovery+
Long Island Medium documents the life and career of Theresa Caputo, a self-declared psychic. Caputo is best known for her spunky personality, voluminous blonde hair, and ability to speak with the dead. On her show, she often approaches strangers on the street to give them psychic readings. Psychics are often met with criticism, and Caputo is no exception.
According to Daily Mail, private investigator Ron Tebo has even called her a "vulture preying on the most vulnerable." Tebo claims that Caputo engages in "cold readings," which leads subjects into confirming vague statements. Caputo has also left some once-adoring fans with the same impression, so it is safe to say that the medium is probably not as omniscient as she would like us to believe, making this an entertaining but fake reality show.
Naked And Afraid (2013-)
Stream now on Hulu & Discovery+
Naked And Afraid is a survival show in the vein of Survivor, albeit with an obvious twist. The show transports participants to exotic locations, strips them bare, and films them while they attempt to live off the land. However, several former contestants have revealed that Naked And Afraid is not as upfront as intended. This bizarre adventure is supposedly heavily produced to breed conflict and create villains among the cast, and the production crew also supplies contestants with amenities that would not be available to them in the wilderness. Behind the scenes, they are handed prescription medication, tampons, and even vitamin B supplements.
RuPaul's Drag Race (2009-)
Stream on Hulu & Paramount+
RuPaul's Drag Race features contestants competing in drag. In a single season, they exhibit skills ranging from celebrity impersonations to lip-syncing. The show is best known for its fierce looks, snide comments, and incredible lip-syncs. Unfortunately, waistlines and contouring are not the show's only illusory elements.
According to a Vulture interview with former contestant Jaremi Carey, the show adds soundbites taken out of context to create storylines. Jaremi, Phi Phi O'Hara, returned to RuPaul's Drag Race because he was promised a redemption arc. Instead, he claims that producers were drumming up drama behind the scenes and goading him into saying things that would reflect poorly on him. Jaremi wasn't the only cast and crew member to call RuPaul's Drag Race a fake reality show.
The Real Housewives (2006-)
Stream now on Peacock
The Real Housewives is Bravo’s poster child reality TV show. The franchise follows affluent women from several different cities in the US in their day-to-day lives. In addition to going on frenzied shopping sprees and lavish vacations, the women argue over perceived slights and throw each other under the bus at every turn.
Although the show might depict a reality foreign to most viewers, it professes that all the interactions and relationships on the show are authentic. Curious onlookers who caught the New York cast filming in Southampton reported that the process looked like something you would find on a studio set. As per Jezebel, the cast would pause during their discussions to wait for camera set-ups and shoot multiple takes of the same "scene."
Basketball Wives (2010-)
Stream now on Bet+
Basketball Wives follows the lives of women married to prominent basketball players. Shaquille O'Neal's ex-wife Shaunie and Doug Christie's wife Jackie were among the show's cast. The women usually get into outrageous disagreements and come together in "ponderosas" to work things out. However, not everyone has been happy about their participation in the spectacle.
According to Complex, former cast member Matt Barnes said participating in the show is his biggest regret. He revealed that the entire show is staged and scripted, a fake reality show. Basketball wife Tanya Young backs up his claims. In a detailed article from The Daily Beast, Young explains how producers pit women against each other and sow discord within the group.
Bridezillas (2004-2020)
Stream now on WEtv & Hulu
Marriage is a monumental passage in anyone's life, but the women on this show take getting married a step further. The brides-to-be often come across as demanding, spoiled, and stubborn. Bridezillas delivers on what the title promises. The most minor hiccups can knock the blooming brides off their rockers and provoke incredible reactions.
Not all brides have been equally pleased with the Bridezillas treatment. Per Salon, former participant Cynthia Silver says she was tricked into believing she was participating in a documentary titled Manhattan Brides. Additionally, according to Life & Style, Julia Swinton-Williamson, from the show's second season, had a similar experience and sued the show for misleading her.
Southern Charm (2014-)
Stream now on Peacock & Bravo
The trials and tribulations of wealthy young Charlestonians are displayed in Southern Charm. The show followed The Real Housewives formula and was an unexpected hit for Bravo. Despite its success, a cast member went public and voiced her concerns about the show's truthfulness. Danni Baird stated in an interview with Inquisitr that scenes were inserted into the narrative long before they took place.
It has also been reported that the show's most tumultuous couple did not even live in Charleston while they were filming the first season; they resided in Florida. Their unclear past may lead viewers to question how much of their relationship is correctly portrayed on the show and how much of this so-called reality series was fake.
The Voice (2011-)
Stream now on Peacock
The Voice has earned a primetime spot and high ratings from its winning formula. On the show, hopeful singers are coached by music superstars as they compete to win a record deal. Yet, according to one potential competitor, the contest is not as fair as it seems. As covered by International Business Times, Rock singer Adam Wiener stated in a Facebook post that he was courted by the show but declined the offer.
Wiener turned the opportunity down because of the restrictions put on contestants. He claimed that the competition was pre-cast and that the producers decided the music style he would perform and the specific songs. Wiener's revelations have some fans questioning what other aspects of The Voice might make it a fake reality show.
MasterChef (2010-)
Stream now on Hulu
MasterChef is a popular cooking contest that has been heating both televisions and kitchens across the globe. On the show, promising amateur chefs audition to compete for the title of MasterChef and 250,000 dollars. Despite the tempting premise, a former contestant has revealed all seasons of the MasterChef competition are almost entirely fake.
In a lengthy blog post recapped by Inquisitr, Ben Starr explained that participants had to agree to potentially fictionalized and humiliating portrayals of themselves. Starr also claims that editors would piece together different pieces of dialogue to create statements that were never uttered. Regarding authenticity, placing words in contestants' mouths is far from an honest depiction of the MasterChef experience, making it a fake reality show.
Vanderpump Rules (2013-)
Stream now on Peacock
The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star Lisa Vanderpump heads this show about the waitstaff in her restaurant, SUR. The staff has a tendency to poach each other's tent partners and steal alcohol and cutlery from their boss. Although the relationships on Vanderpump Rules are genuine, some indications exist that other aspects of the show may be contrived.
In one episode, a fan noticed that cast member Kristen Doute was shown intermittently with and without her necklace during a scene. There is a clear indication that the same scene was shot several times and pieced together afterward. As covered by Starcasm, Stassi Schroeder has also admitted that she was forced to fake a breakup for the reality show. This all points to the fact that Vanderpump Rules is staged for cameras.
The Most Real Reality Shows
Survivorman (2005-2016)
Stream now on Discovery+
In Survivorman, Les Stroud is dropped off in the wilderness with a survival kit. As he films himself, Stroud teaches viewers how to survive under the same circumstances. Survivorman is often described as one of the best survival shows on TV. No camera crew is following Stroud around, and he is pretty much left to his own devices. Although Stroud sometimes embellishes how much danger he is in, his show gives valuable insight and information into surviving in the wild. Stroud is the real deal, and so is his show.
The Last Alaskans (2015-2019)
Stream now on Discovery+
Alaska has been a popular destination for reality television makers. Alaskan Bush People, Edge Of Alaska, and Alaska: The Last Frontier are a few reality shows to come out of this state. Alaskan reality series often focus on curious characters and depict a somewhat romanticized idea of rural life. While it's easy to believe Alaskan Bush People is a fake reality show, that is very different from The Last Alaskans.
The Last Alaskans is a counterweight to other exaggerated representations of life in the land of the midnight sun. The show follows the remaining families living in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The people inhabiting these lands are restricted to only seven permitted cabins and have access to few modern amenities. Their daily struggles revolve around surviving the seasons and avoiding packs of roaming wolves. They have little desire for fame, and the show is about as honest a representation as one can find of people living in harmony with nature.
Undercover Boss (2010-)
Stream now on Paramount+, Peacock & Hulu
Undercover Boss has often faced ridicule because of the unconvincing disguises worn by the show's featured bosses. These CEOs and high-ranking managers do not dress up for amusement but to take on low-level jobs within their own company and eventually give back to the employees who may feel underappreciated.
Even though the show might seem like a fake reality show, it is surprisingly accurate. The titular bosses choose their disguises and undercover personas, and everything that happens while the cameras are rolling is entirely organic. The production crew never lets on what they are making, but they go through a rigorous selection process to decide who will appear on the show.
Judge Judy (1996-2021)
Judge Judy has entertained audiences with witty rebuttals and a keen sense of justice for over two decades. Despite the show's popularity, some cases brought before the judge have been so preposterous that audiences wondered if they were real or part of a fake reality show.
Viewers can lay their worries to rest; Judge Judy has 65 researchers sifting through the country's small claims court. When they encounter an exciting case, they contact the two sides to hear if they want to appear on the show. If this is the case, the claim must be taken out of court and into arbitration. Nevertheless, there are some details to which viewers are not privy. The two sides receive compensation for participating, and the outcome is decided before filming begins.
The First 48 (2004-)
Stream now on Peacock
Detailing crime and police work is a surefire way to draw viewers in. The First 48 is a real-life addition to the line-up of police shows that fill the TV schedule. In homicide investigations, the first 48 hours after a crime has been committed are considered the most important. When these hours have passed, the chances of catching the perp drop by 50 percent. The First 48 documents how homicide detectives catch the culprits during these crucial hours. Critics have been alarmed by the disproportionate number of Black criminals shown on the show. Although the series struggles to present a balanced perspective of crime in America, its depiction of what goes on in a police investigation is accurate.
60 Days In (2016-)
Stream now on Hulu & Netflix
60 Days In offers viewers a disturbing look into what goes on in the prison system—the series documents what happens inside prisons and follows several undercover prisoners sent in to obtain information. As documented by Business Insider, after the first season aired, multiple corrections officers lost their jobs. 60 Days In has become an international success and is broadcast in over 100 countries. A big part of the series' success is its unfiltered portrayal of the prison system and the reality for most prisoners. Even though it sometimes leaves valuable details out of the story, 60 Days In is still one of the most accurate reality shows on TV.
Terrace House (2012-2020)
Stream now on Netflix
Reality television usually fuels the flames of drama and pits participants against each other, but Terrace House does none of these things. The Japanese reality show captures awkward and relatable moments in the lives of six young men and women.
This show will come as a welcome surprise for viewers accustomed to Western reality television. The format is similar to Big Brother, with the six cast members living under the same roof, but the tone is entirely different. The cast tries their best to get along, and editors devote considerable screen time to dishwashing and other mundane tasks. This show is perhaps the only one of its genre that has no troublemakers and drama queens in the cast, and it's as far from a fake reality show as it can be.
The Great British Bake Off (2010-)
Stream now on Netflix
Culinary competitions have become massively popular over the last decade, and The Great British Bake Off is one of the most successful members of this genre. While several kindred shows are peppered with harsh scoldings and humiliating critiques, The Great British Bake Off prefers to highlight baking skills and celebrate amateur bakers.
A significant concern for the show's hosts is the representation of contestants in an honest light; former hosts Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc even walked off the set in protest once during filming. Perkins later explained in a tell-all with The Telegraph that producers drove competitors to open up about painful stories from their past. Thanks to its headstrong hosts, The Great British Bake Off now sticks to pastries and no longer tries to dredge up old memories.