Netflix has developed itself for almost a decade to create a one-stop streaming service for all sorts of movies and TV. You can find everything on their app from award-winning movies to popular must-watch television. Every genre is present, from sci-fi adventures to compelling human dramas. Even Netflix reality shows are present on Netflix and there’s a lot that Netflix has to offer. With this in mind, here are Netflix’s best Netflix reality shows to check out.
1. Nailed It
Nailed It is a baking show that doesn’t feature top bakers showcasing their best work. Instead, amateur bakers take on difficulty re-creating edible masterpieces and don’t always make it work. But that’s what makes this show so fun. Watching someone try and sometimes fail to replicate complicated cakes and pastries is an enduring experience, where there’s plenty of optimism coursing through the judges who are more impressed by attempts than offended by the ugliness of the food. Nailed It has become such an intoxicating hit that it has even inspired spin-off series as well.
2. Top Gear
Top Gear is one of the most popular motor shows on television and you can thankfully find it on Netflix as well. With its fast pace and charismatic hosts, it’s hard not to be dazzled by the playful test drives of this fascinating show. Sure, it’s an insightful show about the different types of cars discussed and driven, complete with unique commentary on the world of motorsports. But it’s also just a lot of fun for the talks between hosts James May, Richard Hammond, and Jeremy Clarkson. Their chemistry makes this show far more than just a car show; it’s THE car show and has remained so for two decades.
3. The Circle
Based on the British show of the same title, The Circle is a reality where deception becomes a strategy. Players are placed in a special living environment but do not interact with each other face-to-face, instead only speaking through text messages. This gives the participants the chance to either be themselves or play the role of someone else. It’s a fascinating reality series for tapping into how easy it is to be someone else on social media and questions how willing we are to alter ourselves in an online environment. Depending on how the players are rated by other players, there’s a cash prize on the line, making the experiment all the more compelling for that factor.
4. Old Enough
In the same way that it’s fun to watch kids say the darndest things, Old Enough is a reality show all about granting kids their first best of independence. In Japan, children are presented with the opportunity to run their first errand all by themselves. This leads to kids picking up fish from the market and food from the store with some cute and entertaining results as adults provide commentary over the action. It’s a compelling series that has all the allure of watching your child take a bigger step into the world and find their footing as they grow up. At the same time, it’s just fun to watch what happens when one of the kids drops a fish they’re bringing home.
5. The Floor is Lava
A common kids’ game has been pretending the floor is lava and jumping on furniture. The Floor is Lava takes this childhood game and turns it into an absurdly exciting physical challenge show. Contestants have to traverse various rooms of many traps while trying to avoid the lava on the floor that looks much closer to lava than just relying on their own imagination. Hosted by Rutledge Wood, this is a surprisingly exciting dose of physical reality television with a clever concept.
6. Baking Impossible
How long does it take for a chef and an engineer to make a compelling cake? That question is given an answer in Baking Impossible, where baking becomes a tricky project of design and deliciousness. Not only must the cakes crafted be highly desirable in terms of how they look and taste, but they also need to meet structural concerns to ensure the towering designs can hold together. This is an absolutely intoxicating show for those who want a baking show that considers function as much as form.
7. Sexy Beasts
Blind dates take on a whole new definition with Sexy Beasts. The dating players of this show go on dates with people dressed up like animals. They have no clue how the other person looks as they’re slathered in elaborate costumes that mask their faces. This leads to dates that look silly but forces the players to consider the personality of the person they’re dating, looking beyond the wild costumes. Of all the dating shows on Netflix, this is one of the weirdest for the aesthetic alone and worth watching on that merit alone.
8. Busted!
Busted may be one of the most intriguing ideas for a celebrity game show to come out of South Korea. The show features a host of famous Korean celebrities forced to solve a murder case. Think of it like a murder-mystery series where the actors are unsure of where this is all going. What makes the series even more exciting is that there’s actually some serialization with the mounting murders, building up the season to a surprising conclusion. Those who are big into K-dramas will certainly want to check out the series just for the talent assembled. Murder mystery lovers, however, may also love this thriller approach to a game show format.
9. Is it Cake?
Mikey Day hosts this baking show about the most unlikely of cakes. Based on the social media trend of tricking eyes with cakes, the show features skilled bakers baking the most absurd cakes. This includes everything from sewing machines to toys. The best part is that the judges are forced in deciding which part of a set of objects is really a cake. You won’t believe your eyes at the types of cakes created in this show and how surreal it looks to cut right into them.
10. The Great British Bake-Off
Of course, it’d be impossible to craft this list without bringing up one of the most irresistible baking shows on the planet. The Great British Bake-Off still continues to dazzle audiences with its stunning showcase of competitive bakers and highly-scrutinizing judges. The series has become legendary not just for the rousing competition but for the dry wit that has led to a handful of online memes. It’s no wonder why the show has garnered international success and led to many spin-offs.