6 Reality TV Shows That Got Us Through This Garbage Fire Year
More than any other year, 2020 has been the year when people have needed an outlet to escape their regular lives. And there is no better escape than watching reality TV.
Between the bushfires destroying millions of hectares of Australian bushland and parks, then the pandemic shutting down thousands of businesses, 2020 has been the definition of a shitshow. But thankfully, it was also a year when some truly addictive reality shows made their debut, like Netflix’s Love Is Blind and Too Hot To Handle. And on primetime TV, long-running series MasterChef Australia had its best season yet, bringing back a cast of all-star contestants.
In short, 2020 sucked but reality TV at the very least made it slightly more bearable.
6 Reality Shows That Got Us Through This Garbage Fire Year:
1. Love Is Blind
If you told me this show aired in 2019, I’d believe you. However, the new reality series actually dropped on Netflix in February, proving that 2020 has truly been the longest year ever. Love Is Blind was a phenomenon when it debuted, presenting an ingenious reality format, where a bunch of strangers meet and fall in love without seeing each other. This first meeting resulted in six marriage proposals, before the couples came face-to-face and had to see if their initial spark would translate over time.
It’s impossible to remember this show without Jessica, the series’ most divisive contestant. She famously attempted to swap fiancés during the show, obsessed over the age difference between herself and her husband-to-be, and fed her dog red wine. Shockingly, the show ended with two couples getting hitched for real and both marriages are still going strong. Meanwhile, I can’t even get a text back.
You can watch Love Is Blind on Netflix.
2. MasterChef Australia: Back To Win
With so much changing in 2020, it was comforting to cling to familiarity and seeing some of our favourite contestants from MasterChef return came at the perfect time, with the season premiering just as most of the nation entered lockdown. This season had everything: the chaos of Poh, Brendan and Reece’s wholesome friendship, three new (and improved) judges, AND Katy Perry. The season was pure joy.
You can watch on MasterChef Australia on 10 Play.
3. Too Hot To Handle
Another show that feels like a lifetime ago is Too Hot To Handle, which was another new reality format that Netflix debuted this year. The show saw sexy singles from the US, Canada, the UK, and even Australia converge on a tropical resort, but there was a catch. They couldn’t kiss, have sex, or share any kind of physical intimacy, or their prize fund would be cut.
This had hilarious results, as contestants consistently broke the rules: namely, Aussie lad Harry and his Canadian love interest Francesca who hooked up any chance they got, which aggravated Kelz, the island’s self-imposed accountant. The show was utter trash, and we request at least 10 more seasons.
You can watch Too Hot To Handle on Netflix.
4. Selling Sunset
Come for the fancy mansions, but stay for the drama. Selling Sunset offers the ultimate escape, giving a glimpse of the lives of a branch of L.A. real estate agents, a gang of glamorous women who sell houses to the rich and famous by day, and party through the night. The series feels like the sexy lovechild of The Hills and Million Dollar Listing.
The surprise success of a show is arguably due to the strong female cast: a perfect mix of characters who you can either love or hate. The ladies carrying the series are Chrishell and Christine, two absolute polar opposites. Chrishell is a sickly sweet and wholesome small town girl, while Christine is the ultimate diva, who says it like it is and doesn’t care who gets hurts in the process. While Season 1 was a stellar start, this year’s season proved that this show is here to stay for the long haul.
You can watch Selling Sunset on Netflix.
5. The Real Housewives Franchise
This reality franchise continues to provide unrivalled iconic reality TV content. The Bravo establishment has created a whopping 22 different versions worldwide, but this year there were three cities that stood apart as absolutely sensational TV. First up, Salt Lake City made its debut, providing a platform for a slew of new ladies, many of whom identify as Mormon, well…Mormons who still like to drink and party. It was something completely different for the franchise and the series is off to an encouraging (aka dramatic) start.
Potomac made its mark as the most exciting series currently airing, proving it can compete with the best of them as drama brewed this season between Monique and Candiace, while Giselle continued to be a messy queen who lives for chaos.
While on Beverley Hills, Denise went from being the quirky side-character last season to carrying the whole show this year. She clashed with Kyle, before the group turned on her for, well it’s hard to say why, but the general issue was that Denise wanted to keep some parts of her life private. The whole season was laced with tension, the reunion was truly hectic, and it all culminated in Denise announcing she was leaving the show earlier this year. If you’re not watching this show, you need to jump on it quick and lucky for you, there are 10 seasons in the back catalogue.
You can watch the Real Housewives franchises on Hayu.
6. RuPaul’s Drag Race Franchise
Speaking of reality TV franchises that show no sign of slowing down, RuPaul’s Drag Race continues to expand. This year saw a record-breaking three different US seasons, from All-Stars to Season 12 to a celebrity spin-off. All-Stars saw the likes of Shea Couleé (winner), Jujubee and Miz Cracker return, while the new season introduced us to queens like Jaida Essence Hall (winner), Crystal Methyd, and Gigi Goode.
Among the winners from the regular and All-Stars seasons, along with new series Canada’s Drag Race, all three were people of colour, and we can’t think of a better way to cap off the year.
We simply don’t deserve Priyanka.
You can watch RuPaul’s Drag Race on Stan.