Reality-TV Sound off

[Jetfire]

Reality TV has gotten a bad rep recently for how low it goes; but most of us watch some of it, in some form or another. So here's the chance. What TV shows do you watch (in the Reality category) are your guilty pleasures? Which are you proud that you watch?

Reality Competition shows count too; I'll separate them; but admittedly it can be hard at times to figure out which ones are Reality TV shows and which are Game Shows (or even Sports) nowadays.

For me, let's see....

Proud Viewer Reality:
Holmes on Homes (and the rest of Mike's series)
Canada's Worst Driver
Canada's Worst Handyman (both are almost competitions but not quite; but I love both shows regardless)
Judge Judy and People's Court are high enough to qualify for me.

Guilty Pleasure, Reality:
Judge Joe Brown, Judge Mathis
Hoarders/Hoarding:Buried Alive
Restaurant Nightmares
Storage Wars

Proud Viewer, Competition:
The Amazing Race,
Top Chef,
Masterchef
America's Got Talent
Chopped
Face Off

Guilty Pleasure, Competition:
Survivor has almost dropped to this level.
The Great Escape.
Hells Kitchen
Next * Star (Food Network/Design/Iron Chef/etc....). Some almost jump up to Proud Viewer.
American Ninja Warrior

[TheHuckster]

Proud Viewer:
Holmes on Homes
Househunters
Really, many of the HGTV shows qualify for this.
I'm not sure if this qualifies, since it's more about the talk of Reality TV than anything, but I love The Soup.
Iron Chef

Guilty Pleasure:
I know you listed Judge Judy as high enough, and I agree that among judge shows it's higher quality than the trashier ones like Joe Brown, but after watching a couple episodes I still tend to feel like I should take a shower. But, I have to admit, there are times I'm in a mood to watch it.
Also, it's an old show, but I still enjoy Crank Yankers and similar prank shows.

Below Guilty Pleasure:
Every other blue moon, I might watch a few minutes of Maury for trash entertainment value, but I haven't been able to stomach an entire show. Maury is the TV show equivalent of a really cheap vodka that you drink one shot of for quick effect, but never more than that for fear that you'll end up with a very messy bathroom and a night + morning of regrets.

[Jetfire]

Hehe well, the rankings are your own view of the show.. .One person's Proud to watch can be another's guilty pleasure, or something worst.

And yes, a lot of HGTV's offerings tend to be at the Proud stage, or at least the Guilty stage; though it can be hard to consider if they would be reality or just Home Improvement or other types of show.

House Hunters and Property Virgins are two shows that, while I don't watch regularly, I don't mind saying I watch. I find they can often be educational even for people who are starting to shop around. Or at least eye opening.

Jim Curak's shows (Real Reno's and Builder Boss) are right on the border between Proud and Guilty for me. Sometimes I really like what I see on the show, and what he accomplishes; but at the same time, something about him just rubs me the wrong way that I feel bad for watching it. (Unlike Mike who I could watch all day, as could a lot of people, male or female. ).

Bryan Baulmer's shows are another set that are on the border for me. Disaster DIY are Proud to watch, but Leave it to Bryan and House of Bryan left me cooler to him. Still like him better than Jim at least.

[TheHuckster]

House Hunters and Property Virgins are two shows that, while I don't watch regularly, I don't mind saying I watch. I find they can often be educational even for people who are starting to shop around. Or at least eye opening.

You're absolutely correct. Both shows have some educational value, and the hosts are real-life realtors. What I like most about the episodes is most of the time the house buyers have to compensate in some way. They have a budget that they gave themselves, and they have to deal with choosing between houses that don't always fit their wishlist to a T. It's something anyone who's had to find a place to live can relate to, and house buying can be a very emotional experience, as well.

I especially enjoy House Hunters International. Some of the places the people on that show are moving into are quite exotic compared to my New England hometown and a lot of the cultural elements (i.e. lack of appliances that are ubiquitous here) are interesting.

[Aethian]

I agree with you on almost all of those Jetfire...in fact I'm watching JJ right now.

Saw a beautiful home on Holmes on Homes a couple nights ago...the fact they had to destroy part of the fireplace cause of crumbling stone almost made me cry. That and seeing Mike Jr... *fan waves and sighs*

[telecom_goddess]

I tend to watch HGTV stuff ...like For Rent, Househunters, Selling New York. I watch Storage Wars sometimes only because I like to keep an eye on stuff that may be valuable in case I run into something similar at my flea market.

The only other reality show I do is The Real L Word.

[crashhelmet]

The only reality TV shows I watch are the Gordon Ramsay shows (he makes me want to be a chef), and The Sing Off. I watched season 2 of The Voice, only because a friend of mine was competing on it. Otherwise, I stay away from all of them if I can.

[Hyena Dandy]

I know my mom likes to watch Toddlers in Tiaras.

[Racket_Man]

Proud viewer Reality
All of the Mike Holmes shows -- I have learned MORE about renos, inspections, the right and wrong ways to do things, building/electrical/plumbing/HVAC codes than any other show like This Old House or HomeTime on PBS. I have watched with interest every show and I do notice things I missed on previous viewings.

Deadlyist Catch - up until this season I watched with rabid facination. After Capt'n Phil died and the drama with Edgar and Sig and the new younin Capt'n of the Ramblin Rose it seemed to loose its luster for me. Watching the divergances of the Harris boys is a bit exciting though.

Some of the HGTV shows do hold my interest such as Income Property, Property Brothers, and some of the DIY network DIY crossover shows.

Most of the Food Network competition shows really do not interst me anymore as they come off as elitist -- as in things I will never come in eating contact with, highbrow foods, etc.

Most of HGTV and Food Network's other shows hold little insterest. since they took off Ace Of Cakes.........

Since I work evenings (4p-2a) I do not really get to view much in the way of TV unless the channel does a marathon on the weekend.

[ExRetailDrone]

I haven't had cable in a few years and have been watching my reality shows online, so I honestly have no idea what exactly is even out there anymore. That being said...my list:

Proud Viewer:
Top Chef
Project Runway
Chopped
Pawn Stars

Guilty Pleasure:
America's Next Top Model
Project Accessory
The Next Food Network Star (partly because I really don't like watching actual shows about cooking as I find I learn nothing from them... so once the person wins, I'll never see them again )

[Aethian]

Whats fun with Pawn Star, or any of the pawn shows, is if when they are taping you take a trip down there and browse...so much fun to watch the action as it happens.

[crashhelmet]

Whats fun with Pawn Star, or any of the pawn shows, is if when they are taping you take a trip down there and browse...so much fun to watch the action as it happens.

Yeah. Every time I have friends or family in town, they want me to take them down to the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop where Pawn Stars is filmed. We've been in there a few times when they had the crew set up.

[fireheart17]

Guilty Pleasure:
America's Next Top Model

Also somewhat guilty, although I haven't seen the most recent series yet, since Australia free-to-air doesn't give a shit. (we are currently up to Cycle 9 and at last count, we got just past the episode with the gargoyle photoshoot, although I've followed Seasons 15-18 sporadically)

My own listing:

Proud:

Amazing Race Australia
Amazing Race USA
Hell's Kitchen (somewhere in between proud and guilty)

Guilty Pleasures:

America's Next Top Model
Masterchef Australia
The Voice Australia
Australia's Got Talent (somewhere between proud and guilty)

[Jester]

Most of the reality shows I watch are of the cooking competition variety.

I faithfully watch:

Top Chef
Hell's Kitchen
Master Chef
The Next Food Network Star
Worst Cooks in America (which is freakin' hilarious at times!)
Man vs. Food/Man vs. Food Nation
Dinner: Impossible (though I don't think it's on anymore)
Fear Factor (LOVE that show!)
The Biggest Loser

I occasionally watch:

Iron Chef America (not so much these days)
Chopped
American Idol (I usually just watch the auditions for the freak fests and whack jobs--two seasons ago was the only season I've watched all the way through)
The Voice (watched Season 1, missed most of Season 2)

I won't admit it to my friends, at least not when I'm sober, but I've also seen every show of both seasons of both Scream Queens (awesome!) and Face Off! (entertaining AND educational, especially to a movie buff/former broadcasting major like myself).

I refuse to watch things like the Bachelor/Bachelorette, Apprentice, Big Brother, Survivor (seen one episode ever), or really most of the dating type reality shows. But would gladly watch any season of The Bachelor or The Bachelorette if my only other choice was to watch any of the "Real Housewives" or celebrity reality show crap. Honestly, even the promos for them make me nauseous!

[AdminAssistant]

Dinner: Impossible has been replaced by Restaurant: Impossible, which is great if you want to watch Robert Irvine make a designer cry.