What reality TV shows are Australians watching? 7 readers weigh in

Reality bites.

One of the first things I did when I moved to Australia was figure out a way to watch the American Bachelor. I’m not even American, I’m Canadian. But as any true fan knows, they always squeeze one or two Canadian contestants in there, armed with bad maple syrup jokes. Sure, the show can be corny and over-exaggerated, but it was the slice of familiarity I needed at the time.

Reality TV gets a bad rap. It’s often dismissed as tacky and shallow – as many pop culture phenomena with a mostly female fanbase are. But after a long day of work, sometimes I need to shut my brain off and bathe in the perverse melodrama of MILF Manor. Is that so wrong?

Interested to hear how others navigate the world? Head to our Life section.

Also, if you really break it down, reality TV isn’t surface-level at all. It gives viewers a new framework to see the world by offering them perspectives they may never otherwise see. Even though it might be thoroughly produced and edited, we get a glimpse into the minds of others. People are put into strange interpersonal scenarios (or physical scenarios, à la Naked and Afraid), and we get to observe how they react.

Then we ask ourselves, what would I have done in that situation? How would I react if I found shady texts on my husband’s phone? How would I secretly locate the hidden immunity idol? It gives us the space to consider and debate these situations without having to really be in them ourselves.

ExpressVPN found Survivor, Married At First Sight, and The Block are the top three reality TV shows Australians love talking about online. As an ode to my absolute favourite television genre and the endless talking points they offer us, I asked seven Australians about their top reality watch and why they’re so obsessed. 

Erin, Indian Matchmaker

The Netflix show, which follows a Mumbai-based matchmaker as she attempts to bring couples together, has just aired its third season. “I feel like it’s great to see a diverse representation of culturally-diverse dating on TV,” says Erin. “Especially since people assume that culturally-diverse dating doesn’t involve agency.” 

Talli, Jersey Shore

The pop culture phenomenon needs no introduction. It practically birthed the reality TV genre we know and love today. “The [cast] were living the dream, kind of,” says Talli. “A normal person would be like, ‘What the hell, I’m drinking every day, this is bad’ but no – they are so content with it.”

She says despite their “insane” behaviour, the core cast is humanised by their relationships with each other. Plus, the outfits, activities and language are so specific to a certain time and place, it’s almost like watching a period piece.

Nick, Alone

The long-running series throws 10 people deep into the wilderness and sees who can last the longest. “Alone is amazing for showing how far we’ve come as humans but also what we’ve lost from technological advancements,” says Nick.

“There’s a lot to learn about genius survival techniques… that the contestants adopt to scrape by each day. However, you also see how terribly we want to be around other people through their struggle with isolation. I’ve learnt so much about our relationship with nature from this show.”

Brydie, Love Island UK

According to the research, Love Island was the seventh most popular show in Australia in 2022. “It’s such an interesting study of love, sex and gender perceptions in the 21st century,” Brydie says. 

It’s got it all: drama, romance, competition and plenty of bickering. The UK version is the original, which makes sense as to why a lot of Australians still watch it even though we now have a franchise of our own. 

Liam, Most Extreme Elimination Challenge (MXC)

The mid-2000s competition show saw two teams compete to win points through wacky challenges. “If you have not seen MXC you have not lived or loved,” says Liam. “This is the pinnacle of nostalgia – plummeting into the depths of human misery to find the limits of human popularity.”

Utterly of the era, the show is a fun throwback – Liam’s even created a drinking game for his rewatches. “Anyone who has not watched MXC needs to immediately drop everything they are doing and seek enlightenment from the mundanity of existence on this planet.”

Rebecca, Below Deck Down Under

Below Deck Down Under premiered on Peacock last year, and Rebecca has been hooked ever since. The show takes a look at the lives of crew members who work on ultra-luxurious mega yachts. “I think I love it because it’s like almost making fun of rich people,” Rebecca says. 

Kelsey, For the Love of Ray J

For the Love of Ray J is a lot like The Bachelor – except the bachelor is Ray J. “When I first started watching For the Love of Ray J, I thought I was in for the normal delicacies of reality TV – escapism, sloppy drunk girlie moments and maybe a shameful hookup,” says Kelsey.

“This show surprised me by having Ray J live alongside the girls. This created a sense of intimacy and raw and real moments that I was not expecting,” she says, adding the cast of 14 women on the show really sold it for her. “Each one seemed to have that unique 2000s flair,” she says. 

“Lip gloss, glowy skin and thick asses were a requirement to even walk through that room, and I’m grateful. If you want to watch real, beautiful women playfully scrap with each other and give lap dances in the jacuzzi, this is the show for you.”

In collaboration with ExpressVPN.