During the holiday season, it can be hard to find fresh episodes of your favorite TV series. With the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes delaying the start of the broadcast TV season, that’s even harder this year. And as much as we love A Charlie Brown Christmas, Die Hard, Love Actually and Last Holiday, you can only watch your holiday favorites so much before you reach your limit. Without scripted programming to choose from, you might turn to reality TV. Sometimes you just want to lose yourself in a ridiculous dating series, drama filled friendships and intense baking contests. To offer some guidance, we’ve put together a list of our reality TV guilty pleasures.
Suggested Reading
The Great Christmas Light Fight - ABC/Hulu
If you’re one of those people who thinks there’s no such thing as too many Christmas lights, then this ABC competition is for you. The Great Christmas Light Fight offers a fascinating look at how these families create their amazing displays. Not to be cliche, but it really is fun for the whole family.
Big Brother Reindeer Games - CBS/Paramount+
Nine former houseguests return for a holiday themed competition that features a $100,000 prize. Premiering Dec. 11 at 8 p.m., the six episode special is hosted by Big Brother all-stars Derek Xiao (Season 23), Tiffany Mitchell (Season 23) and Jordan Lloyd (Seasons 11 and 13).
Squid Games: The Challenge - Netflix
If you watched the critically-acclaimed South Korean drama Squid Games, you know how serious the competition is. It’s literally life or death. In the popular reality competition spinoff, 456 contestants compete in a series of creative games based on the drama, with a record-breaking $4.5 million at stake.
Holiday Baking Championship - Food Network/Max
Baking is an essential part of holiday activities. Cookies, pies, cakes and gingerbread are all required eating. In addition to getting caught up in the drama of the competition, it’s also a fantastic place to find new recipes.
Married to Medicine - Bravo/Peacock
Like all of Bravo’s reality shows, Married to Medicine is easy to get lost in. It follows a group of women in Atlanta who are doctors or married to doctors. Their intertwined lives leads to over the top drama, which will absolutely cost you several hours of your life.
Love is Blind - Netflix
Personally, I can’t imagine getting engaged to someone without ever meeting them in person. Of course, that doesn’t mean I can’t waste an entire day with this Netflix hit, judging the people who do.
The Real Housewives -Bravo/Peacock
Beverly Hills, Potomac, Orange County, New York, New Jersey, Atlanta, it really doesn’t matter which city they’re in. There’s no better guilty pleasure distraction than the unbelievable antics of The Real Housewives.
Bachelor Nation - ABC/Hulu
At this point, no one is taking The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise or The Golden Bachelor seriously. After years of failed romances, it’s more of a hate-watch or mockery now.
Queer Eye - Netflix
Unlike some of the other choices on this list, it’s the positivity of Queer Eye that makes it impossible to turn off. Once you see one emotional transformation, you’re hooked.
The Mole - Netflix
Who doesn’t love a good mystery? The Mole has all the backstabbing messiness you’d expect from a reality competition, but it also adds the extra element of trying to figure out who The Mole is. You cannot look away.
Married at First Sight - Lifetime/Hulu
People love judging others’ relationships. No show encourages that impulse more than Married at First Sight.
90 Day Fiancé - TLC/Max
No dating/relationship show is messier than 90 Day Fiancé. Watching these couples try to form a genuine connection in 90 days is fascinating and awkwardly embarrassing.
LEGO Masters: Celebrity Holiday Bricktacular - FOX/Hulu
NeNe Leakes, Marshawn Lynch, Kelly Osbourne and Rob Riggle team up with former contestants to build holiday-themed LEGO masterpieces. Will Arnett hosts the two night special airing Monday, Dec. 18 and Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 8 p.m.
The Amazing Race - CBS/Paramount+
Yes, vicariously traveling the world with the teams is a lot of fun. But what makes this show so addictive is putting yourself in their place during the challenges. And also figuring out which team you’d double cross.
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