Andy DehnartHow is 2021 almost over, and yet feels like it just started? That’s how it feels to me. After the pain and uncertainty of 2020, this year has felt accelerated. It feels like just yesterday it was a year ago, and we were unvaccinated, and now here I am, boosted, and full of gratitude for everyone who made that happen.
Life has come fast, and so has all the reality television. Pandemic or not, reality shows kept being produced. With various kinds of restrictions, some of them changed for the better; others were the same as always. But either way, people put their lives on their line to bring us entertainment. I’m grateful to them, too.
The sheer quantity of reality TV that premiered this year—I mean, just look at it all—means that I did not watch every reality show that airs. That’s quite impossible!
My general goal was to at least sample all new reality series, though I even failed at that, and still have a list of shows I’d like to watch. What I did watch has a slight bias toward competitions and documentary series, which were my original loves (The Real World and Road Rules).
Meanwhile, a lot of reality shows—some of which I watch—keep churning out familiar and similar episodes, year after year, season after season. Those tend to not make my year-end list.
With all those caveats aside, my selections for best reality shows of 2021 are below, preceded by a list of scripted shows, and some honorable mentions.
I’d love to know what you watched and loved this year, especially if I missed it. Add your picks in the (newly revived!) comment section below.
And thanks for reading reality blurred this year: for reading my reviews, discussing with me, disagreeing with me, sending me your tips and suggestions and typo reports.
Watching reality TV is better with friends, and that includes Internet friends. Thanks for another great year of doing that. Okay, on to my 2021 lists!
My favorite scripted shows
While my focus on reality blurred is unscripted TV, I watch plenty of scripted TV too. Here are some of the shows that I particularly loved this year.
When I made this list, I was amazed at how many have direct or tangential connections to reality TV:
- The White Lotus, HBO, written and directed by Survivor and Amazing Race contestant and auteur Mike White
- Only Murders in the Building, Hulu, which both imitated and parodied true crime while being just a very watchable series by itself
- What We Do in the Shadows, FX, a brilliant mockumentary series
- Abbott Elementary, ABC, which has only aired one episode so far, but it was a near-perfect pilot. Created by Quinta Brunson, it’s in the style of The Office, and has Survivor and The Office cinematographer Randall Einhorn as an executive producer
- Star Trek: Lower Decks, Paramount+, which has Survivor winner John Cochran and Survivor player David Wright among its writers
- Ted Lasso, Apple TV+, which last year gave us joy when I needed it, and this year processed grief and depression when many of us were also struggling to do the same
- Dickinson, Apple TV+, which I cannot recommend more highly, and keeps getting better and better
- Hacks, HBO Max. Jean Smart is a national treasure, but the supporting cast makes this an amazing series.
- Succession, HBO. Fuck off.
My favorite reality TV of 2020
Before the big list, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Framing Britney Spears, a documentary series that had real-world impact
- Legendary season 2, HBO Max. So much talent, and now, without a studio audience, the TV show became a lot more watchable in its second season.
- Big Brother’s Cookout alliance. The CBS show is still the same summer trash as always, but an alliance of six managing to stay together until the end of the game was an impressive accomplishment.
- Hoarders, A&E, which has just been excellent with its expanded episodes
- Squeaky Clean, Quibi (RIP) and now Roku Channel
- Sunderland ‘Til I Die, Netflix
- Small Fortune, NBC
- Nadiya Bakes, Netflix
- Bling Empire, Netflix
The best reality shows and documentary series 2021, including broadcast, cable, and streaming reality TV.
Paramount+’s The Real World Homecoming: New York was reality TV for those of us who grew up with reality TV: a nostalgic portal back to the 1990s that also explored fame, aging, and personal growth—or a lack thereof.
Each episode of this truTV show had Top Chef alumni making and remixing fast food for a celebrity, and that produced a whole lot of fun. It was low-stakes but highly entertaining.
CBS’s Tough As Nails filled in when Survivor wasn't able to film new seasons, and the Phil Keoghan-hosted and co-created series was worthy of the timeslot.
It has well-designed challenges and great contestants who deepen their connections with each other as the season progresses, thanks to a format that keeps the eliminated contestants around.
I hope it becomes as much of an institution as The Amazing Race or Survivor.
Netflix's Baking Impossible used Great British Bake-Off contestant Andrew Smyth's strengths and turned them into an excellent show, one that allowed bakers and engineers to collaborate and create some spectacular things.
The reboot of the HGTV's Design Star design competition—which first aired on Discovery+ and then HGTV, following the footsteps of most Discovery+ shows—had a new, single-location format that worked so well that I hope they keep it even when they are able to film in other locations.
Watching Showtime's Couples Therapy feels like a privilege: to sit in Dr. Orna Guralnik's (made-for-TV) office, listening to her patients and observing her patience with them as she tries to help them improve their relationship.
Bravo's Top Chef Portland was ultimately tainted by its winner's shitty behavior. But that doesn't change the rest of the season, which was full of talented, charming chefs—both as contestants and part of the judging panel.
In another example of COVID restrictions actually improving a show, the all-star panel was a delight, and I'm glad it's returning for Top Chef Houston.
Later, Top Chef: Family Style was a spin-off worthy of the Top Chef name—because it seemed just like a strong season of regular Top Chef, just with pairs that included a kid.
Independent Lens's enthralling PBS documentary reality series Philly D.A. used its extraordinary access to see what happens when someone tries to change the system from inside.
Perhaps because I had low expectations for a surfing competition, ABC's The Ultimate Surfer really surprised me. Besides offering a chance to watch people who are great at their sport, there was also an interesting strategic/social game, too.
The TV station featured on HBO's Small Town News may be small, but it's occupied by big, lovable characters, and that produced some really wonderful television.
Melissa
Tuesday 21st of December 2021
What We Do in the Shadows is my absolute favorite!!! Another that made me consistently laugh out loud was Resident Alien on SyFy.
Do talk shows count as reality? I LOVE Desus & Mero on Showtime, whatever category you want to put them in.
Only other recommendation I have if you didn't watch it is The 100 Foot Wave on HBO; I thought it was fascinating and now I want to go to Portugal to watch these surfers. Maybe some day.
Thanks for bringing back the comments! You're right, reality TV is better with friends, even internet friends. :)
Andy Dehnart
Tuesday 21st of December 2021
You're welcome, Melissa! I'm so glad I found a solution—and slightly embarrassed that, after all the research and weighing options, the easiest and best solution was just sitting right here, built into WordPress. 😆
Thanks for the recommendation—I actually started 100-Foot Wave, but must have forgotten to finish it, so I need to do that! It really had some breathtaking cinematography.
Michael Harmstone
Friday 17th of December 2021
My pick is - unsurprisingly - Belgian Mole's season this year. Filmed in Germany "at the height of the second wave of Corona", they set out to film an entirely normal season with minimal references to the pandemic. In nine episodes, I think there were only two or three direct references to the time it filmed in which was very refreshing.
The big twist this season? That everyone had to earn their place - the Mole included. Ten people were selected, but a group of ten who missed out by a whisker competed against them in the first challenge - if an intruder managed to defeat the contestants, they all took an immediate test and execution. If the intruder who defeated the contestant was the alternate Mole? The Mole got a red screen.
Then we get delights like their take on Carpool Karaoke (a challenge with half of the group in paddling pools in the back of a van hurtling around a race track, while the other half learn a piano piece. If they play a note that isn't in the piece, the van does a brake check), their corona-friendly family visit episode (putting the family members in transparent globes and giving everyone the night off to be able to have conversations) and a particularly spectacular challenge at final four, where they had to face-first rappel down a hotel and look in on a scene that one of the others was taking part in, describing it to the other two without saying a banned word. Saying a banned word dropped them to the ground immediately.
Such a delightful season from a delightful production team.