Top 7 Reality TV Shows That Will Make You Feel GREAT About Your Relationship

There are many of the opinion that reality tv, or television in general, can be a major time sink.  Perhaps that may be the case, but I will argue that there is nothing better on a drizzly weekend than binge watching a gripping drama series or losing myself in the silly antics of a reality tv cast. 

I rarely feel the need to justify this behaviour, nor should anyone, but I have found that one benefit in indulging in mindless reality tv is often the perspective it gives me toward my own life. Somehow after watching a few (or an abundance of) episodes full of catastrophic problems about love and relationships, I tend to feel pretty darn good about everything I face on a daily basis.

Nothing will make you appreciate the love you have for your partner, how fortunate you are to have one, or even the calm and quiet of a peaceful life quite the same way as reality television. Below are my top 7 choices to make you feel happy that you have someone special to cuddle up to after a marathon binge watch.

No spoilers ahead.

1. Temptation Island

This show just wrapped up its third season on USA Network.

The premise is simple: It takes three couples on the verge of collapse and brings them to a tropical locale in which they agree to live with a house full of attractive singles. Essentially, there is one house with the three attached men and roughly two dozen single women throwing themselves at them, and the reverse in the second house.

The couples agree to go on dates with the “singles” in some bizarre social experiment to determine whether or not their partner is the one for them, or if they are meant to move on, either alone or with someone new. At bonfires, the “attached” are shown cryptic videos of their partners that show little glimpses of their journeys, but that is all they see until the conclusion of the show.

More often than not, those glimpses confuse and mislead more than offer clarity.

The show is a fun- and drama-filled ride that makes you root for some couples while wondering how some ever got together in the first place.

2. 90 Day Fiancé

Be warned. Once you discover the 90 Day Fiancé universe it might consume more time than you are willing to devote. The show began as a fairly intelligent program about the culture shock of foreigners coming to the USA on a K-1 (fiancé) visa. It’s now turned into drama more scripted than the average soap opera.

The original has just begun its ninth season on TLC and Discovery+. Beyond that, the show has gained such popularity that the spin-offs have been challenging to keep track of.

Here are a few of the 90 Day Fiancé spin-offs:

• Before the 90 Days
• The Other Way
• The Single Life
• Love Games
• Darcey and Stacey
• The Family Chantel
• Happily Ever After
• Pillow Talk
  • This one is absolutely hilarious. It’s where the cast watches the show and adds commentary.

To demonstrate just how addictive the franchise is (and how gullible we all are for watching), another set of shows was added to the line-up, which was the “Strikes Back” series, in which the cast read and responds to Tweets and the Pillow Talk crew… so essentially, the cast watching the cast, watching the show.

And we all watched this again.

3. The Ultimatum

As we have discussed previously, not all ultimatums are necessarily negative, but if you are at the point of needing one in your relationship it is probably not all roses.  It does make for some popcorn-worthy tv, however.

This Netflix series is super-bingeworthy and can easily be digested in one sitting (seriously). What’s not enjoyable about watching beautiful, young couples make life-changing decisions about taking the next step together or facing complete and utter heartbreak?

This show is perfect for someone who craves drama, but wants to leave it on the screen.

4. Bachelor Nation

What would this list be without the Bachelor franchise? Love it or hate it, it is iconic and deserves to be mentioned.

I have randomly watched seasons of the Bachelor, Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise (even that terrible Bachelor in Paradise Canada version… what were they thinking?), and the Listen to Your Heart special.  All I can say is that everything that has ever been said about this show is probably true. There are some terrible aspects of it and there are some wonderful aspects of it.

What I do know, is that I know what it is and that’s why I watch it.

When I watch a season of the Bachelor, I know what I am getting. I am not getting an epic love story. I am getting drama, fluff, and pretty dresses, and to see a little bit of the world.  Consider me well aware that when I drink my wine and watch the elaborate dates, I feel good knowing that I don’t need any of that.

I am more in love with my man sitting on the couch than in a silly helicopter flying over a volcano in Hawaii. And I somehow feel better than those women.

5. Ghosted

This MTV show co-hosted by Bachelor alum Rachel Lindsay is oddly entertaining. It features people contacting the show for help in investigating why former paramours have suddenly left their lives. Some of the results are surprising.

Although there are only two seasons so far, there is plenty of material for a third, and beyond.  Ghosting seems to be a dating trend that is occurring more frequently. A show like this may help get people answers.

6. Catfish

Catfish has been around forever. Seriously. It began when the show’s host Nev was Catfished and created an award-winning documentary about the experience. Now prominently featured on MTV and featuring delightful ex-beauty queen Kamie (although we still miss Max), the show aims to help the lovelorn discover if the person they have been courting online is the real thing. Or, if they have been duped by a catfish.

The show always takes you on a twisty-turny ride. It keeps you guessing and makes you so happy to have a physical person to cling to in this virtual world.

7. Are You the One?

If you enjoy total debauchery, this is the ultimate show.

Set yourself up for eight seasons of MTV’s pure gold. This dating-reality show hybrid features a bevy of singles competing to find their scientifically chosen perfect match. To boot, the contestants aim to also win a cash prize.

Seem simple? Hardly.

The house is full of roughly two dozen contestants who know only that their soulmate is one of the players. The object of the game is for all couples to find each other within ten tries and they can split a prize of a million dollars, however, should there be even one “match-up” where no couples are correct, the prize is substantially reduced.

The eighth season upped the ante by making the cast sexually fluid, meaning no one knew the gender their match would be, thus making it that much harder to get all matches correct.

Usually, mid-way through the season the contestants realize that they need to stop finding true love that is judged solely on physical characteristics and find the person that actually completes them. Until that realization, it is nothing but fights and sex.

It reminds me how challenging dating can be and how happy I am to be coupled up.

Final Thoughts on Reality TV and Relationships

Although I generally enjoy being mentally stimulated, there are definitely (a lot of) times when I enjoy nothing more than doing nothing except lounging in front of the tv with a mind-numbing reality program.

I find that doing this gives me a greater appreciation for the simplicity that I have in my own life.  I can explore the things that I find fascinating—the drama, the heartbreak, the scandal—without actually having to invite the fallout into my own peaceful existence.

The few reality tv programs that I listed are just the tip of the iceberg of what is available to explore, but they are choices that I love using to wind down with at the end of a long day.  Hopefully, you will enjoy these suggestions and use them as I do.

If you are really fortunate, they are even better appreciated with a cuddle partner.