20 underrated reality show gems you should be watching

Queer Eye for the Straight Guy

These underrated reality show gems are guaranteed to entertain you, but they’ll probably also lower your IQ. It’s totally worth it.

I really appreciate that we live in a world where I don’t have to hide my intense devotion to reality TV. In fact, the trashier the show and the more I feel like I need to just read an encyclopedia after to help my brain, the better. Reality has come a long way since those early Real World and Survivor days, and I’ve been here through it all.

I have compiled a list — not comprehensive by any means — of some of the most underrated reality gems in recent TV history. These shows run the gamut from sweet, to insane, to completely implausible. They all have their merit, however, and I hope I can convince you guys to try a few of them.

Some of the shows on the list get a lot of mainstream attention and have been making hashtag history for years, while others are lesser-known shows you might not have heard of before. There are shows on this list that are from a different time in reality show history. I urge you to consider them time capsules, and not hold them to our contemporary standards of decency (looking at you, Rock of Love). Consider them artifacts, time capsules, if you will, of days we hope to reclaim.

Most of the other series are on right now, and you can hop right into a season and get to watching right away.