7 Reality Shows on Netflix Actually Worth Watching

Chef’s Table; Image: Courtesy

Show: Chef’s Table

What: Netflix’s original program Chef’s Table has been described as the “anti cooking show.” You won’t find panic-inducing competitions or cutthroat kitchen masters on a tear. Instead, you’ll watch six in-depth profiles of world-renowned chefs as they talk about what brought them to food and how they’re pioneering their own style of cooking. Expect beautiful, cinematic shots and plenty of food porn.

Watch if You Like: Top Chef

Long Way Down; Image: Courtesy

Show: Long Way Round

What: Two guys, two bikes and one massive cross-country road trip. That’s the premise behind Long Way Round, a compelling miniseries that films actors Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman as they ride for months on motorbikes through Siberia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Alaska before finally ending up in New York. The show was so successful in 2004, they followed it up three years later with Long Way Down.

Watch if You Like: American Chopper

Obsessed; Image: Courtesy

Show: Obsessed

What: Do you often find yourself drifting into the self-help section of a bookstore? How about watching a marathon of Intervention? Then we’ve got just the fix you need: Obsessed. The A&E docu-series sheds light on folks with extreme anxiety disorders, from OCD to hoarding. But it’s not just a voyeuristic look at mental disorders. The second half of the show follows the subject as they undergo cognitive behavioral therapy in an attempt to overcome their afflictions.

Watch if You Like: Hoarders

American Pickers; Image: Courtesy

Show: American Pickers

What: If you love a good flea market find, American Pickers was made for you. The History Channel hit throws the spotlight on longtime pals Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz as they scour the country for vintage treasure in barns, basements, junkyards, you name it. When the dynamic duo come across an interesting piece, you get to see how much they pick it for and what the real value of the object is. It’s downright addicting.

Watch if You Like: Antiques Roadshow

Marriage Boot Camp: Bridezillas; Image: Courtesy

Show: Marriage Boot Camp: Bridezillas

What: Marriage Boot Camp: Bridezillas is a deliciously trashy mishmash of Bridezillas, The Real World and The Amazing Race. During the show, five couples previously featured on Bridezillas live together in one house where they attempt to save their marriage during a two-week boot camp, run by counselors Jim and Elizabeth Carroll. Once they complete a series of obstacles and drills, the couples have to decide if they want to stay married or walk away. It’s the guilty pleasure you won’t want to admit you actually watch.

Watch if You Like: Real Housewives

The Killer Speaks; Image: Courtesy

Show: The Killer Speaks

What: A&E’s gripping true crime series takes you on a journey through the minds of convicted killers. Each episode focuses on one crime, told through a montage of news clips, police footage and interviews with investigators and family members of the victim. But what sets this bone-chilling show apart from others is the firsthand account from the killer, who explains what he did, how he did it and why. You may have to watch this with the lights on.

Watch if You Like: Forensic Files

Whisker Wars; Image: Courtesy

Show: Whisker Wars

What: Thom Beers, the mastermind behind Storage Wars, Deadliest Catch and Ice Road Truckers, is the narrator and executive producer behind Whisker Wars, a hair-raising docu-comedy about the competitive world of beard tournaments. It’s fascinating, hilarious and just plain weird.

Watch if You Like: Niche, hipster shows that no one else will understand…


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