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Find a cosy spot on your couch over the long weekend and get a dose of reality TV

We're living in uncertain times and our daily lives have been vastly affected by the Covid-19 global pandemic. The long weekend is here and we're still advised to stay home, but that also means we have more time to binge-watch some good ol' TV. One of the best distractions from the current state of the world is to do what you enjoy most and focus on what makes you happy—even if it means watching how other people live and tuning in to their drama.

Reality TV may not be for everyone but as a genre, it has evolved over the years and social experiments have become the norm. Forming friendships online at the risk of getting catfished? Getting engaged without ever meeting your partner in person? What's next? While we wait for the next reality series to take the spotlight, here's a list of our favourites below so get comfortable and prepare to sink further into your couch as you watch these.

(Related: All-Time Favourite TV Shows To Binge-Watch on Netflix and Amazon As You Stay Home)

1. Too Hot To Handle

We’ll just cut to the chase: This show involves a group of attractive singles who are given a US$100,000 celibacy challenge. The group of 10 meet each other and mingle at a beach resort in Mexico for four weeks, and this goes on for eight episodes. All the contestants are forbidden from doing anything raunchy with one another or they will face a monetary penalty and lose up to US$20,000 from the total prize fund. The show has quickly become a hit online and gained fans from all over the world. If you’re a fan of Love Island, chances are you’ll probably enjoy this frivolous series as well.

Available on Netflix

(Related: The Best Shows to Watch on Netflix While You're Social Distancing and Staying Home)

2. Love is Blind

These days, reality shows are taking on a different format and are presented as "social experiments". And Love Is Blind is one such experiment. Nick Lachey (Yes, that guy from US boyband 98 degrees) and his wife, Vanessa, host this show where single men and women look for love and get engaged—before meeting in person. Watch as the participants enter dating pods and get to know each other through conversations about everything from romance to religion and see which couple actually follows through with their engagement by tying the knot. Expect lots of twists and turns as couples meet each other’s families, deal with old flames, move in together and of course—plan their weddings.

Available on Netflix

3. The Circle

The contestants on this series are literally “quarantined” in their own allocated apartments within a residential building and do everything within their means (read: flirt, lie, befriend etc) as they work their way towards a US$100,000 cash prize. They’ve never met each other before and can only communicate via, you guessed it, The Circle—a programme specially created for the show that acts as a messaging service for all the contestants. Get ready for a whole lot of silly web interactions, bromance and some major drama—because what is a reality show based on social media without some catfishing?

Available on Netflix

(Related: Netflix Has a New "Party" Extension That Lets You Enjoy Movie Nights With Friends Remotely)

4. Keeping up with the Kardashians

The world has witnessed everything from Khloe Kardashian’s messy love life to Kylie Jenner’s secret pregnancy, and now 18 seasons on—reality TV’s "First Family" has evidently shown no signs of slowing down (even though Kourtney ‘left’ the show but that’s a whole other topic). Whether you hate them or love them, Keeping Up With The Kardashians has undeniably become one of the most successful reality TV shows of the 2010s. Prepare to be entertained by the trials and tribulations of a tight-knit family living in some of the most exclusive areas of Los Angeles and get an inside peek at their beautiful homes, fast cars and growing brood.

Available on Hayu

5. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is the sixth instalment of The Real Housewives franchise, and believe it or not—it has aired 10 seasons. The show is exactly what its title is about, as cameras follow a group of women residing in a California district with the famous postal code as they go on with their daily lives. The current cast consists of Kyle Richards, Lisa Rinna, Erika Girardi, Dorit Kemsley, Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave, Denise Richards and Garcelle Beauvais. Just pretend you're on Rodeo Drive, sip on a flute of champagne and watch these ladies enjoy their lavish lifestyles that only Beverly Hills can provide.

Available on Hayu

6. Cheer

This one's for all the cheerleaders among us—both former and aspiring. The docu-series cum reality show gives an inside look at the lives of a cheerleading squad from Navarro College in Corsicana, a small town in Texas. The show follows the 40-member team on their journey as they gear up for the annual National Cheerleading Association’s championship, which is arguably the biggest moment for these cheerleaders. The Navarro cheerleaders are considered among the best in the country and viewers will witness the amount of hard work, sacrifice and challenges that go into the team's preparation for the championship in Daytona, Florida. 

Available on Netflix

7. Terrace House

For those who have never understood the concept of reality shows, especially one that is based on, well, watching people live their daily lives—hear us out. This Japanese reality show is centred on a group of six regular folks, both men and women, who move in together while the cameras roll. They’re given a home and a car and there is no script—which makes the show all the better. The constant drama and love triangle situations keep the audience hooked but we’d have to say that one of the best elements of the show is the panel of Japanese celebrities who give their two cents about the characters on the show. Their comments are hilarious and relatable at the same time because more often than not, we find ourselves agreeing with them.

Available on Netflix

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