reality tv

Naked contestants and three wives: 6 reality TV shows you'll become weirdly obsessed with.

 

The world is a weird place right now, which makes it the perfect time for weirdly niche reality shows.

You see, we don’t have very many other options: There’s MasterChef of course, but that’s about… it, at the moment. The latest season of Bachelor In Paradise is coming, hopefully sometime in the next decade, and production of many other shows including The Bachelor were halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is exactly how we imagine a reality TV job interview would go. Post continues below video.

Video via Mamamia

So we’re getting desperate for content. That got me thinking about the time I started watching a reality TV competition about glass blowing – as a joke – when my boyfriend and I were arguing about what to watch, but then four hours later we rose from our couch, experts in glass technique and passionate supporters of glass blown to look like a chandelier made out of meat.

I want to share the joy and knowledge that came from that afternoon with you, plus more, with a selection of strangely niche, yet very watchable reality TV shows to get into this weekend.

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Blown Away, Netflix.

blown away netflix
Image: Netflix.

Okay, I know.

A glass blowing competition does not sound that exciting, but it is - trust me.

In terms of the passion and technique of the craft, Blown Away is like the MasterChef of glass blowing. But it also has the drama of less wholesome reality shows, like drama between contestants and a lot - like, a lot - of snark.

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Plus there's only 10 episodes of 23 minutes each, so it's a quick and easy watch you can get through in an afternoon.

Finding Prince Charming, Stan.

finding prince charming
Image: Logo.

Lance Bass plays Osher in Finding Prince Charming, which is basically The Bachelor but with gay men and a smaller flower budget (there's 'black tie' ceremonies instead of roses).

The show received a tonne of bad press when it aired in 2016, but it's extra fun to watch when you know it's not going to be good.

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A fun game is to pick out all the signs of its tiny budget: Check out the Christmas lights on the trees outside the house. It's like they didn't even try.

And watching 'Prince Charming' Robert try to tie the black ties he gave to his chosen suitors in episode one is comedic gold.

The Big Flower Fight, Netflix.

the big flower fight
Image: Netflix.
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Netflix loves niche reality competition shows and I'm forever grateful.

This is basically The Great British Bake Off with flowers instead of cakes, and a little less charm. But still! Watch it!

The challenges are out of this world huge: Thrones built to fit a giant and gigantic sculptures of animals, made entirely from flowers and vegetation and basically, even if you've never ever had an interest in... flowers, you'll become invested thanks to the incredible talent and craft and the hectic time crunches they have to pull it off.

60 Days In, Stan.

coming to Stan March 2020
Image: Stan.
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I would never voluntarily enter a prison and live among its general population for two months, because that's madness, but I sure as heck enjoying a reality show where other people voluntarily enter a prison and live among its general population for two months.

That's exactly the premise of 60 Days In and it's as terrifying as it sounds.

Naked and Afraid, Foxtel, 9Now and YouTube.

naked and afraid
Image: Disney Channel.
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At the beginning of Australia's lockdown measures, my colleague Gemma shunned the phenomenon that is Tiger King in favour of a show about random survivalists who are dropped into an unforgiving environment, made to take their clothes off, and left to survive for weeks without any help.

Bold decision, Gem.

After days of her telling me about how good - in a not-good-so-therefore-great kind of way - it was, I gave in, and watched full episodes of Naked and Afraid on YouTube like it was 2015.

My plan was to watch one episode just to see how such a stupid premise would work, but... suddenly it was midnight on a Friday, I'd seen five episodes and was conjuring up survival plans in my head.

Upon further investigation, season one of Naked and Afraid is available on Foxtel and season two is on 9Now, and it's official; I'm going to return to the safe space that is naked men and women spearfishing and eating dubious berries tonight.

Three Wives, One Husband, Netflix.

three wives one husband
Image: Channel Four.
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In 2017, a camera crew followed the lives of Enoch Foster and his two, soon-to-be-three wives, and their more than 20 children. The four episode series documents the families for an entire year - everything from births, disagreements between wives, funerals, how husbands tackle Valentine's Day and date nights, and just ordinary family life.

Oh, and did we mention they live in the side of a rock in the Utah desert.

What niche reality TV show would you add to the list? Let us know in a comment.

Feature images: Netflix, Logo and Discovery Channel.