Soy Georgina has become a huge hit for Netflix. After the first season premiered last year, the second season has once again conquered the public with the adventures and misadventures of this rich woman in her day to day life as a model and wife of Cristiano Ronaldo. And there is no doubt that Netflix has managed to hit the nail on the head when it comes to conquering the public with its reality shows. We can’t say that they are good, but perhaps that’s where their charm lies.
To celebrate this last great phenomenon of the platform, below we bring you something we know you’re going to like: 10 reality shows so embarrassing and outrageous that you can’t take your eyes off the screen. Many of them caused great controversy because of their subject matter, and others even led to subsequent lawsuits… but what is a reality show without controversy?
10. Sexy Beasts
Also from Netflix, this reality show is notable for featuring “furros” as contestants. For those unfamiliar with the concept, they are furry and a priori lovable animal characters, who are followed by various philias that are best not to bring up here.
This British reality show, airing in 2021, features singles looking for love while wearing furry disguises and special makeup to hide their true appearances. Contestants must choose their partner based solely on their personality, as they cannot see their date’s face until the end of the episode.
The program has been very popular for its original and eccentric concept, and has generated many memes and reactions on social networks. Even so, by focusing so much on the physical aspect, it has also been the product of some controversy.
09. 16 & pregnant
This U.S. reality show, which has been airing since 2009 and continues, follows pregnant teenagers in their daily lives as they prepare to become mothers. The program shows the challenges and difficulties these young women face, such as lack of resources and support, social and family pressure, and making difficult decisions.
Despite being widely criticized for its alleged promotion of teen motherhood and ridicule of its main characters, 16 & Pregnant has been very successful and has been followed by several spin-offs, including Teen Mom and Young & Pregnant.
08. Who’s Your Daddy?
This one is a bit of a cheat, because I had no real success and in fact it was cancelled after only one episode. However, I think it’s worth quoting because of how embarrassingly crazy its premise is.
The 200 U.S. reality show featured an adopted woman seeking to reunite with her biological father. There were several men posing as her father, and the contestant had to guess who the real father was to win a cash prize.
Evidently, the program was heavily criticized for its insensitive concept and exploitation of the participants’ privacy. In addition, it faced several controversies and protests from adoption and children’s rights groups.
07. Who wants to marry my son?
This Spanish reality show emerged in 2012, and takes a group of mothers to find partners for their unmarried children. The participants must pass various tests and appointments to prove their compatibility with the mothers’ children. If they have their approval, they will get the approval they are looking for.
Who wants to marry my son? has been one of the most popular and controversial reality shows in Spain, generating criticism for its sexist content and for promoting gender stereotypes. Despite this, it has generated several seasons and has led to the no less shameful spin-off Who wants to marry my mother?
06. The Gypsy Kings
This docureality first presented by Los Chunguitos has been running for seven seasons and a Christmas special entitled MORRI Crismas. The program follows several gypsy families in their daily lives and shows their culture, their way of life, their problems and their celebrations. While everything is being shown, the participants must overcome various challenges and family conflicts to win the final prize.
The program has been harshly criticized for showing only one part of the gypsy ethnic group and pushing them to the limits to make them look wilder. Nevertheless, it is a huge success in Spain.
05. Wife Swap
This reality show, which has been broadcast in the United States since 2004, brings two families to exchange wives for two weeks. During this time, the wives must adapt to the life of the other family and follow their rules and customs. Sometimes it even leads to an affair or divorce.
Wife Swap received a lot of criticism for its sexism and for promoting a stereotypical image of women. Despite this, it ran for several seasons and was one of the most popular reality shows of its time.
04. Fear factor
This American reality show was a huge hit in the early 2000s, pitting contestants against their worst fears and phobias in a series of dangerous and disgusting challenges. From eating live insects to jumping out of a helicopter, contestants had to push their physical and emotional limits to win a cash prize.
Morbidity, of course, was the reality show’s bread and butter. As was to be expected, it led to horrifying scenes that were later reprimanded, even by legal means.
03. Naked and Afraid
This Discovery Channel reality show mixes the typical dating show with Survivor or The Island. In this case, it consists of taking a man and a woman to an inhospitable area of nature to survive naked for 21 days. The participants have to face the lack of food, water and shelter, as well as deal with the weather and the local wildlife.
Beyond the controversy of having nude protagonists, the biggest controversies about this program have come from the treatment of its contestants, who often suffer injuries and illnesses during filming.
02. I Wanna Marry Harry
This British-American reality show, aired in 2014, featured a group of American women competing for the heart of “Prince Harry,” who was actually a lookalike doppelganger of the British prince.
The show generated controversy for its deception of the contestants and lack of transparency about the true identity of “Prince Harry”. In addition, it was widely criticized for its focus on superficiality and emotional manipulation of women.
I Wanna Marry Harry was cancelled after only four episodes due to low ratings and negative reviews. Although it was not one of the most popular or successful reality shows, its intriguing concept and focus on fame and wealth still make it stand out in the history of the genre.
01. The Swan
This 2004 American reality show is one of the most controversial in history. In it, a group of women considered “unattractive” were subjected to a series of plastic surgeries and training to transform themselves into authentic “swans“. The audience closely followed the transformation of the participants, which included everything from liposuction to facial surgery, and then voted for their favorite.
The Swan was widely criticized for promoting the superficial and unrealistic image of female beauty, and for exposing the contestants to intense public scrutiny. In addition to all that it represented for the contestants’ health, of course.
Some of the links added in the article are part of affiliate campaigns and may represent benefits for Softonic.
