The Best Reality TV Shows of All Time

We're breaking down the best reality TV shows of all time. It's time to stop being polite and start getting real.

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Complex Original

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Reality shows are our most popular guilty pleasure.

Since 1983's An American Family Revisited, which later inspired MTV's Real World, viewers have been enamored with watching others live their lives or some variation of their lives. Just last TV season, The Bachelor, The Voice, and Survivor ranked in the Top 20 of the most-watched shows.

But while reality TV is often criticized for dumbing down content, there’s a lot to be gained from watching the ongoing tales of other people’s lives.

Whether it’s watching a classic rags-to-riches story, being inspired by incredible weight loss journeys, following someone chasing after their dreams, getting a radical makeover, or just living their-day-to-day drama-filled life, these shows allow viewers to escape into someone else’s shoes, even if it’s just for a brief time. While some shows can be positive influences, we admit that isn’t always the case. But even controversial moments like when Snooki got punched when she confronted a man who stole the Jersey Shore group’s drinks, or when New York spit on Pumkin on Flavor of Love, gave us invaluable lessons on what not to do in high-pressure moments.

In the alternate world of reality shows, housewives don’t have to be wives, the biggest loser is actually the winner, and an average-looking guy can have groups of gorgeous women fighting over him. And now, with social media, fans have more access than ever to reality stars’ lives. Whether it’s fake or real, it’s damn good TV. Here are the best reality TV shows of all time.

56. The Four (FOX)

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55. Say Yes to the Dress (TLC)

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54. Dancing With The Stars (ABC)

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53. College Hill (BET)

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52. Next (MTV)

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51. Growing Up Gotti (A&E)

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50. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC)

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49. Million-Dollar Listing (Bravo)

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48. Wife Swap (ABC)

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47. Celebrity Rehab (VH1)

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46. Fear (MTV)

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45. Basketball Wives (VH1)

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44. Hell's Kitchen (FOX)

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43. A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila (MTV)

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42. Duck Dynasty (A&E)

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41. The Biggest Loser (NBC)

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40. Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (Bravo)

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39. Catfish (MTV)

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38. Hoarders (A&E)

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37. Little People, Big World (TLC)

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36. The Newlyweds (MTV)

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35. The Apprentice (NBC)

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34. Cheaters (The CW)

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33. Project Runway (Lifetime/Bravo)

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32. Fear Factor (NBC)

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31. Man vs. Wild (Discovery Channel)

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30. The (White) Rapper Show (VH1)

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29. The Anna Nicole Show (E!)

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28. RuPaul's Drag Race (Logo)

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27. American Idol (FOX)

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26. Top Chef (Bravo)

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25. 16 and Pregnant (MTV)

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24. Jon & Kate Plus Eight (TLC)

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23. Toddlers and Tiaras (TLC)

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22. The Osbournes (MTV)

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21. Love & Hip Hop (VH1)

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20. Bug Juice (Disney Channel)

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19. Cops (FOX)

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18. Laguna Beach (MTV)

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17. Intervention (A&E)

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16. Big Brother (CBS)

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15. Road Rules (MTV)

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14. The Amazing Race (CBS)

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13. Making the Band (MTV)

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12. The Simple Life (FOX/E!)

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11. Survivor (CBS)

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10. The Bachelor (ABC)

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9. America's Next Top Model (UPN/The CW)

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8. Made (MTV)

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7. The Hills (MTV)

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6. The Real Housewives (Bravo)

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5. Jersey Shore (MTV)

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4. Flavor of Love (VH1)

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3. Keeping Up with the Kardashians (E!)

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2. The Real World (MTV)

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