Reality television on Netflix runs the gambit in terms of content. Competition shows include physical challenges and survival adventures alongside programs that allow contestants to show off skills in the kitchen and other rooms in the house. Reality dating shows on Netflix like Love is Blind, allow viewers to watch relationships of others blossom or wilt from the comfort of their own couch.

This is what makes reality TV the perfect thing to watch when it’s time to turn off your brain and zone out. Escapism, glimpses into other ways of life, and watching the ups and downs of other people’s lives can be a welcome relief from one’s problems and challenges. And, after a long day, reality TV on Netflix is often exactly what you need.

Here is a look at some of the best Netflix reality TV shows that offer mindless entertainment in all the best ways.

8

Queer Eye

Queer Eye is a reboot of the original series from 2003 featuring a new Fab Five who offer help and guidance on topics like food and wine, grooming, organization, fashion, and relationships. The experts include Emmy Award-winner Jonathan Van Ness, a beloved fan favorite, and Tan France, a reality TV veteran in his own right.

The Netflix series has nine seasons available, often set in a different city in the United States.

The addition of Jeremiah Brent (he replaced interior designer Bobby Berk) for Season 9 brought new life to the show, proving that, in the words of Brent,

7

Married At First Sight

With 18 seasons available on Netflix, Married at First Sight introduces viewers to new singles each season who agree to get married when they first meet a potential partner. As the couples get to know each other, the realities of marriage and lifelong commitment become clear.

Married at First Sight is a way to look at the complexities of relationships that are far removed from one’s own life. After their respective weddings, the couples go on honeymoons and, when they return, decide if their relationships were truly meant to be.

6

My Unorthodox Life

My Unorthodox Life is a glimpse into the life of Julia Haart, a former member of the Haredi Jewish community in New York. Haart is a Russian-born entrepreneur and fashion designer who left the ultra-Orthodox Jewish way of life with her children in 2013.

Haart explained in 2021 that she wanted to make My Unorthodox Life after she realized how successful she’d become and what telling her story could mean for others:

“I didn’t tell a single soul anything about my past. Zero. Like, if guys would ask about my past, I would literally make [expletive] up. I didn’t want people to know my story. I didn’t want to be a victim. But after my first collection, I thought, I’ve accomplished a little something. I had come to a place of personal comfort. And I hoped that someone would watch this and say, OK, if this crazy bitch did it, I can do it.”

My Unorthodox Life is a look into two different worlds in many ways, allowing for the ultimate escape with a hefty mix of empowerment and inspiration, too.

5

Selling Sunset

Selling Sunset is about the real estate agents who work at The Oppenheim Group and their clients in Los Angeles. The competition among high-end property sellers is intense and carries over into their personal lives.

The relationships in Selling Sunset are arguably more interesting than anything involving the lavish lifestyles of the agents and their clients. Heather Rae El Moussa and Tarek El Moussa continue to make headlines, while former actress Chrishell Strause’s marriage to Justin Hartley was a large part of her first two seasons on the show.

4

The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On

One of Netflix’s most popular reality dating shows, The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On, is hosted by Nick and Vanessa Lachey. Couples have to decide if their relationship stands up to potential matches with other partners, ultimately choosing happiness or heartbreak.

The idea behind the show is that relationships have come to a breaking point, one that essentially amounts to taking the next step or cutting ties. Three seasons and a practically palpable uncertainty make The Ultimatum a fascinating peek into the lives of others struggling with hard choices.

3

Is It Cake?

What’s more mindless than looking at an object and deciding if it’s the actual thing or a cake designed to look like it? Is It Cake? is a fun and low-stakes reality show that blends game show and cooking show vibes.

Is It Cake? also sparks culinary curiosity, perhaps even causing viewers to wonder if they could actually bake and design something comparable.

2

The Great British Baking Show

There may be no better salve for the soul than The Great British Baking Show. As a cooking competition that pits bakers against each other for three challenges in each episode, The Great British Baking Show (called The Great British Bake Off in the United Kingdom) is simultaneously lighthearted and intense all at once.

The hosts of The Great British Baking Show have changed during its 15 seasons, as have the judges. Current hosts Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding engage in witty banter that may just be the best combination on The Great British Baking Show to date. Staple host Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith currently provide feedback to bakers with grace and positive energy, but do offer real and honest feedback.

1

Love Is Blind

Love is Blind, another reality show on Netflix hosted by Nick and Vanessa Lachey, places groups of men and women into pods and introduces them to one another without ever seeing each other’s faces. After pod dates, cast members decide if there’s a person on the other side of the wall that seems like they could be a lifelong partner.

Once the pairs see each other and spend time together, things change, and it’s up to them to make it work and follow through on their respective trips down the aisle. Love is Blind is as mindless as any viewer wants it to be, although it can be a challenge to not get invested in the lives of the couples on screen.

In fact, viewers can tune in on Valentine’s Day for the brand-new Season 8, which sees pods opening up in Minneapolis, Minnesota.