The 10 Best Reality TV Shows Of 2025, Ranked

We don't always enjoy reality these days, but we do love reality TV.

While it's true that unscripted fare is often less expensive and faster to produce than most scripted series, make no mistake: Reality shows are just as compelling and addictive as their scripted counterparts. Need convincing? Look no further than our below ranking of the 10 best reality shows of 2025 (because the past year of TV was so strong, we want to linger in it a little longer; check out our picks for the year's best broadcast shows, too.)

Not every reality show made our list for cutthroat gameplay or vicious arguments between cast members; in some cases, like Netflix's "Great British Baking Show" and "Love on the Spectrum," we come for the cozy vibes and low-stakes entertainment. That said, we do love some cutthroat gameplay and/or vicious arguments between cast members — so you won't be surprised to see series like Peacock's "The Traitors" and Bravo's "Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" on our list, too.

Keep scrolling for our full ranking of the past year's 10 best reality shows, then drop a comment and tell us: Which show(s) would you add to the mix?

Like a beloved dessert from Mom's recipe book, we love indulging in this sweet slice of TV comfort food every autumn. (It's an annual tradition in our house.) Netflix's endlessly warm and charming U.K. baking competition knows it has a recipe that works, so thankfully, they don't tinker with it too much. The amateur bakers are always a colorful bunch of eccentrics — this year, we took a particular shine to bubbly Ukrainian immigrant Nataliia — and the delectable creations are always a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds. Hosts Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond add a dash of silly humor to the tent (we just adore the way Fielding says "buttercream"), and judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith have perfected a tough-but-fair approach that keeps it real but encourages the bakers to reach their full potential. A cozy delight that never disappoints, we'd give this show a Hollywood handshake if we could. — Dave Nemetz

It was a case of mo' victories, mo' problems for the Wrexham AFC football club in Season 4 of FX's crowd-pleasing soccer documentary, with the scrappy underdogs fighting their way up to the more prestigious League One. That meant owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac needed to shell out more cash to compete with the likes of rival owner Tom Brady, and many of the players we've grown to love over the past three seasons had to take a backseat as fresh legs took over.

But the heart of "Wrexham" has always been in the town itself and its fiercely loyal fanbase, and that remained true in Season 4, especially with a tear-jerking farewell to elderly Wrexham fan Arthur Massey, who passed away midway through the season. The victories on the pitch were thrilling, yes, but it's the small victories away from the pitch that make "Wrexham" truly special. — D.N.

C'mon, take one look at the above photo from the "Big Brother" finale, and tell us you're not curious about what went down in Season 27. You'd be lying! No, it was not a perfect season of "Big Brother," or even one of its best. The season-opening Mastermind twist, which started off strong enough, petered out in later weeks, and we're still not ready to forgive the show for reducing Rachel Reilly's terrific gameplay to a random backyard competition that got her evicted with no house vote. But the CBS series managed to course-correct in the season's final weeks, thanks in large part to Morgan and Vince's way-too-close-for-comfort partnership. It was bizarre, it was morally ambiguous, and we couldn't look away. Add in Ashley's underdog victory on finale night, and a surprisingly satisfying conclusion to the Mastermind arc (Eric Stein? In 2025?!), and you've got a "Big Brother" season that stuck the landing against all odds. — Rebecca Luther

The women of "Married to Medicine" did so much in 2025: They channeled Beyoncé in a glamorous "Cowboy Carter"-themed photoshoot; Toya threw a baby shower for her beloved Birkin bag; Dr. Heavenly blindsided Phaedra by inviting her ex-husband to the couples trip (!); and Dr. Jackie met with former Vice President Kamala Harris for a conference on women's health. Rarely can reality TV deliver such a mixed bag of affairs, but "Married to Medicine" isn't like those other shows. It's founded on real friendship — relationships that endure even when the cameras are off — and a commitment to public service, all of which leads to unique conflict and personal storylines. Since it isn't part of Bravo's mega-popular "Real Housewives" universe, the series can sometimes be tossed to the side by even the staunchest Bravo fans. But 2025 proved that "Married to Medicine" is not the network's side piece; it's a powerhouse of its own, full of personalities who always bring laughter, tea, and vulnerability to our screens. — Claire Franken

Twenty-five years and soon-to-be 50 seasons later, Jeff Probst and his team are still producing reality TV that's both engaging and, most importantly, real. From a potentially life-threatening venomous snake bite to the Joe and Eva moment that highlighted a young woman's autism story, no show in the genre is delivering moments this heartfelt and genuine. The CBS staple is fearless in its approach to change. Sure, not all of its bells and whistles hit their mark on the first try, but you don't stay on the air for 25 years without trying new things and adapting — which is the very same thing the competition series asks of its participants. The new era (Seasons 41-49) may have changed the game a tad from its early days, but considering its solid casting, rapid-fire gameplay, and very worthy recent winners, we're seated and eagerly anticipating the "Survivor 50" bloodbath, MrBeast be damned. — Nick Caruso

Peacock's addictive summer dating show has been on a real hot streak since bringing in "Vanderpump Rules" alum Ariana Madix as host, and that streak continued with this year's sizzling edition, which gave us big laughs, shocking twists — and one pairing so toxic, they may need to decontaminate the villa before the next cast arrives.

Yes, if there's a Hall of Fame for terrible reality TV couples, Jeremiah and Huda deserve to go in on the first ballot, as their constant bickering had everyone else in the villa praying for a mute button. But this season also gave us a dream meme couple in #Nicolandria and a giggly fan favorite in Amaya Papaya, along with countless one-liners and surprise hookups that kept us glued to our TVs all summer long. Sure, a lot of the couples are already splitsville... but hey, there's always a fresh crop of islanders right around the corner. — D.N.

"Love on the Spectrum" always makes us feel all the feels as we follow a cluster of memorable characters, all of whom are on the autism spectrum, as they search for love. But Season 3 was especially full of high points, making it an obvious pick for one of the year's top reality shows. Connor finally found the "demigoddess" he'd been searching for; Abby celebrated her longtime boyfriend David with the sweetest original song; Dani leveraged her love for animation to stage an honest conversation about intimacy; and Tanner continued to embark on dates with positivity and optimism. All in all, the show made us laugh, cry, and feel more hopeful about love than ever before, all while managing to avoid feeling exploitative or scripted — which is hard to do on the reality TV front! — C.F.

Peacock's "The Traitors" is just as electric as it's always been. Thanks to its astute casting that covers all bases — Bravo Housewives, CBS reality stars, Olympians, comedians, you name it — the characters that enter the castle are ready to play ("So. F***ing. Hard," as Rob Cesternino would say), delivering juicy moments that accentuate the game's highly addictive premise. Last year saw two former "Survivor" players (Boston Rob Mariano and Carolyn Wiger) enter the turret with a "Big Brother" legend (Danielle Reyes) and a "RuPaul's Drag Race" winner (Bob the Drag Queen), and boy, did this fearsome foursome cook, tearing each other to pieces and lighting the roundtable on fire. But let's not forget Alan Cumming, whose Shakespearean hosting style is both high theater and high camp. (His fashion choices? Put 'em in the Smithsonian!) The series may only have three full seasons under its cloak belt, but Cumming's castle has quickly stolen the reality TV limelight, and this belle of the ball doesn't seem to be slowing down any time soon. — N.C.

Now considered the Bravo gold standard, "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" has consistently raised its own bar every season, a trend that continued in full force this calendar year. January kicked off with the explosive conclusion of Season 5, including the now-infamous "game" where the women took turns reading the meanest text they've ever sent about their fellow Housewives. And 2025 continued to bless us with a sixth season that's now in contention for the show's best yet. Just think about all of the incredible gifts this season has bestowed upon us: Lisa's viral nickname for Bronwyn; the non-stop drama of the "Below Deck Down Under" crossover (Uni overboard!); the still-turbulent plane fiasco with Meredith; and the Greek tragedy that was Angie's group trip to Santorini. The fans of this top-tier reality extravaganza always show up hungry, and the ladies kept us well-fed all year. — Andy Swift

"Dancing With the Stars" has been a reliable ratings winner for ABC for years, but even we didn't expect the show to enjoy such a renaissance in 2025. Not that we're complaining! It's been years since "DWTS" gave us such a competitive season, with just about everyone in the Top 7 making a convincing case for the Mirrorball — and yes, that includes comedian Andy Richter, whose open-hearted attitude toward the competition won viewers over despite his technical shortcomings. 

Season 34 really had everything you could want out of a new "Dancing" year: the occasional shocking elimination (Lauren Jauregui, Whitney Leavitt); a little behind-the-scenes controversy (Maks Chmerkovskiy vs. Jan Ravnik); underdogs in the finale (Elaine Hendrix! Dylan Efron!); impassioned voting that only grew with each week; an evenly matched Final Two; and a wonderfully full-circle moment for Robert Irwin, who won the Mirrorball years after watching from the ballroom audience as his sister, Bindi, did the same. When it comes to scoring this season of "DWTS," the 10 paddle is all we need. — R.L.

Which reality shows would you put on a ranking of 2025's best? Hit the comments with your thoughts!