reality TV show reviews – reality blurred

A man with a ball runs from a shirtless man, who is pulling the first man's shorts and stretching the waistband by several feet

Physical: 100 is a visually spectacular but bulky strength competition

Netflix’s Physical: 100, a competition between 100 South Korean athletes, actors, and assorted physically strong people, is staged in beautiful spaces and features tough competition.

Alan Cumming stands in front of a dramatically lit castle at dusk

The Traitors is exceptional reality TV, from host Alan Cumming to its game of intrigue

I cannot recommend Peacock’s The Traitors more: it’s outstanding, and immediately won me over, from host Alan Cumming to the smart decisions producers have made while adapting the game of Mafia into a reality competition.

Two men in chef's coats cook in metal pans over a stove, with flames visible

Netflix’s Pressure Cooker is more Big Brother than Top Chef

Netflix’s newest cooking competition, Pressure Cooker, tries to merge Top Chef with Big Brother, a talent competition and a social game.

Chef Kathy Fang cooking on Chef Dynasty: House of Fang

Food Network tries something new with Bake It ‘Til You Make It & Chef Dynasty: House of Fang

Two new shows, Bake It ‘Til You Make It and Chef Dynasty: House of Fang—take Food Network in a welcome new direction, but aren’t always successful.

Chloe Fineman, Joel Kim Booster, and D'Arcy Carden celebrate together on Roku Channel's The Great American Baking Show: Celebrity Holiday

Do the Great American Baking Show and Lego Masters’ celebrity holiday episodes make holiday magic?

I highly recommend The Great American Baking Show: Celebrity Holiday, which is outstanding, and this week’s Lego Masters: Celebrity Holiday Bricktacular is, well, a slightly improved version of the original.

Collin Davison (backs to camera) taste Jessica Lawson's episode-one dish while host Jeannine Mai Jenkins looks on

America’s Test Kitchen: Next Generation: a satisfying return of the job interview competition

If you miss Food Network Star or Design Star, Freevee’s America’s Test Kitchen: The Next Generation will fill that void with an entertaining, informative competition that will bring its winner into the ATK family.

Bobby Flay and Carson Kressley pose in front of a Christmas tree for Beat Bobby Flay: Holiday Throwdown

Beat Bobby Flay: Holiday Throwdown is the best Beat Bobby Flay

Beat Bobby Flay: Holiday Throwdown, a special six episodes of the long-running show, offers quite a few welcome surprises as it brings Food Network stars into an expanded Beat Bobby Flay format.