It was another great year for reality TV! So many new reality shows premiered in 2024, but for our list of the best reality shows of the year, we had to stick with a lot of the old reliables.
We saw new seasons of some fantastic reality shows in 2024, especially the dating and competition series. Those are some of my favorite shows. I'm much less into the Real Housewives type of reality show. After Jersey Shore, everything else hasn't lived up to the hype for me.
Enough about the shows I don't like, let's kick the list of reality shows I loved this year off with The Traitors!
The Traitors
The Traitors is easily one of the best reality TV shows of 2024, but it's been a long time since we've seen new episodes. The Traitors season 2 premiered on Peacock on Jan. 12, 2024, so it was one of the first new reality seasons of the year. It did not disappoint! It's one of my favorite seasons of reality TV this year, and that's why it deserves a spot on the list.
My favorite thing about this show is that it found the perfect formula blending exciting gameplay and deception with well-known reality TV stars and personalities. It makes for really fun and exciting series.
Hosted by Alan Cumming, The Traitors season 3 premieres on Peacock on Jan. 9, 2025. If you haven't watched yet, you can easily catch up on those first two seasons before the third season premieres this January.
Survivor
- Survivor 46
- Survivor 47
I don't think Survivor ever left, but it's definitely and officially back in 2024! There's no denying the popularity of these series, but the most incredible thing is the longevity. We're nearing 50 seasons of Survivor, and I could argue the game is as fun and fresh as ever. Survivor 46, which aired this spring, was wildly entertaining. Survivor 47, which just wrapped in December, featured some of the best gameplay we've seen in modern Survivor history.
Everyone knows what Survivor is in 2024, but host Jeff Probst and the producers made some big changes to the game after season 40, Survivor: Winners at War. In the new era, the season is shorter (26 days vs. 39 days), but the game is much more action-packed. It's not about outlasting as it is outmaneuvering these days. The players are superfans, students of the game, and they take on the challenge of Survivor to win and build a legacy. There's no other reality show like Survivor, despite the many shows that have used Survivor's format and tried to replicate its success.
It's been an incredible year for the iconic franchise, and I can't wait to see how the series continues to improve and build on its success. You can watch Survivor on CBS and Paramount+. Survivor 48 premieres on CBS and Paramount+ on Feb. 26.
Love is Blind
- Love is Blind season 6
- Love is Blind season 7
- Love is Blind: UK
- Love is Blind: Mexico
- Love is Blind: Sweden
- Love is Blind: Habibi
- Love is Blind: Argentina
When it comes to dating shows, Love is Blind is the best on TV by quite a long shot. In a space dominated by The Bachelor and its spinoffs, Netflix has become the leader in reality dating shows with Love is Blind.
In 2024, we saw two new seasons of Love is Blind US (season 6 and season 7). Season 6 premiered in early 2024, while Love is Blind season 7 just wrapped up this fall. We've seen some bad seasons of this show, but season 6 and season 7 were actually quite good! And, that's just the US version.
This year, Netflix launched five new Love is Blind series in the UK, Mexico, Sweden, Argentina, and UAE. And, that's already in addition to versions in France, Germany, Japan, Brazil, and more. This show is showing no slowing down!
Luckily, we don't have to wait too long for Love is Blind season 8 to hit Netflix. Hosted by Nick and Vanessa Lachey, Love is Blind season 8 is set in Minneapolis and premieres on Feb. 14!
Love Island
- Love Island US season 6
- Love Island UK season 11
- Love Island: All-Stars
- Love Island: Australia season
While I'm a huge Love is Blind fan, Love Island is my personal favorite of all the dating reality shows, Love Island UK, specifically, which had its 11th season air in the summer of 2024. But, Love Island US has been getting really good, too. Season 6, which also aired this summer, is by far the best season of the series. It's finally finding its footing and ramping up the drama!
On top of that, Love Island launched a new spinoff, Love Island: All-Stars in 2024. Basically, a bunch of the fan favorites returned for a shorter version of the series that got really spicy. Of course, the show brought back their exes and other people the Islanders dated the last time they were in the villa, too. It was incredible reality TV.
And, good news, Love Island: All-Stars is back for season 2 very soon! The new season premieres on ITV in the UK on Jan. 13, 2025, We probably won't be able to watch it immediately in the US, but it should be on Peacock sometime in January. Stay tuned!
Big Brother
Like Survivor, Big Brother is basically an American reality TV institution on CBS. When it comes to competition shows, this is easily one of the best and most popular reality shows on TV, so it definitely deserves a spot on the list.
Big Brother 26 premiered on CBS in 2024, and it was a great season of the series. Although ratings weren't spectacular, we saw some great gameplay over the season. And, I think fans really enjoyed the new season, which is all we can ask for in a show with more than two dozen seasons. As a franchise, the series might be slowing down with fewer spinoffs, lately, but overall, the original series seems to be as big as ever!
Big Brother 27 will premiere on CBS in 2025. Unfortunately, because of the schedule, Big Brother 27 likely won't premiere until the summer, or even late summer, so you have quite a while to wait.
Love on the Spectrum
Last but not least, Love on the Spectrum earns the final spot on the list of the best reality shows of 2024. This is the most wholesome reality show, probably, of all time. It just doesn't get better and more inspirational than this. It's so funny and so moving, as well.
For those who don't know, the series follows several people on the autism spectrum as they try to date and find love. The show returned for its second season on Jan. 19, and it was a huge hit.
Created by Cian O'Clery, Love on the Spectrum is already renewed for season 3 on Netflix. Of course, we'll share more information about the new season when we find out!
So, that's the list of the best reality shows of 2024! If you haven't seen all six shows, you now have a lpace to start.