With so many competitive reality TV shows to choose from, how does one know which ones are a must watch, which are “catch it if you can”, and which ones you should skip altogether?

After countless hours of reality TV indulging, I have compiled a list of the top 10 competitive reality shows currently airing that you should be watching. From long-running heavy hitters, to newbies in their inaugural season, this list covers the best of the best of your favorite guilty pleasure: reality TV.

10. Hell’s Kitchen, Fox (Season 14)

While Chef Gordon Ramsay has a unique relationship with the “chefs” competing to become the next head chef at one of his restaurants, Hell’s Kitchen is one of those shows that should have ended after a few seasons. In fact, season after season I ask myself why I am still watching this show, as nothing changes besides the disgustingly under qualified chefs that are vying for the position.

Positives:

• Chef Ramsay’s wildly inappropriate language to the chefs can be quite comical.

Negatives:

• The same location is used year after year.
• The same challenges are recycled each season.
• You can only watch mediocre contestants serve ice cold scallops, bland risotto, and raw beef wellington, so many times before it loses its entertainment value.

Final Decision: Although 4.09 million viewers turned in to the season premiere, I suggest you wait for Top Chef (season 13) to return in the fall to satisfy your hunger for cooking competition reality TV.

http://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/top-chef-will-return-for-season-13

http://www.topchefcasting.com/

9. American Idol, Fox (Season 14)

The past two seasons of American Idol have been nearly unwatchable. The fourteenth season, however, has rejuvenated the franchise and brought new life back to the struggling singing competition. If Idol can ditch its “themed weeks” in which the contestants are forced to sing songs that may fall outside the realm of their genre, Idol should be able to stay relevant for years to come.

Positives of season 14.

• This season has a handful of seemingly very talented singers that give stellar performances week after week.
• The judging panel is likeable, humorous, and on occasion, even gives useful advice.
• They ditched the horrid results show, and combined their results and performance show.
• There is no Randy Jackson. At all.

Negatives:

• Theme weeks are back. Does anyone really want to hear 12 Celine Dion songs in one night? Or ever again?
• The seemingly never ending audition episodes (which are finally complete)
• Idol always has that contestant who sings those brutal ballads that put you asleep faster than an Ambien washed down with a swig of Nyquil and a shot of whiskey for good measure.

Final Decision: 9.41 million viewers watched last Wednesday’s episode, and now that the top 12 will be chosen this week, expect the ratings to rise. Join or start an office pool and enjoy the last 2 months while rooting for your favorite.

Or…just watch The Voice.

8. Face Off, SyFy (Season 8)

The SyFy prosthetic makeup competition is back for its eighth season and is still delivering solid episodes.  Although this season got off to a VERY slow start, it has quickly redeemed itself by coming up with unique challenges that help the show to stand out from anything else currently on TV. Even if you have zero knowledge of makeup application, much like myself, Face Off educates the viewer on each step of the process that the artists go through to create their original pieces of work, and makes you feel like you could quit your job and become a professional prosthetic makeup artist.

Positives:

• Unique challenges, such as painting nude models as insects, and creating new, intelligent lead villains for a horror movie
• Competitors that actually have talent and a passion for their craft

Negatives:

• The host, McKenzie Westmore’s over dramatized reaction to each contestant’s elimination is rather irritating. Nobody has died McKenzie, they simply had a subpar makeup job on a mid-budget reality show on SyFy.
• Limited character development, as the format of the show does not lend itself to get to know the contestants as well as one may hope. This makes it difficult to “root” for a favorite, and leads to, what I call, “ho-hum” eliminations.

Final Decision: As one of SyFy’s most popular shows, Face Off has a steady viewership. 1.15 million people watched last week’s episode, which is not bad as far as SyFy is concerned. I suggest you watch at least one season regularly, if nothing else, you will educate yourself on the world of a makeup artist, and see some memorable transformations in the process.

7. Framework, Spike (Season 1)

Framework is to furniture making, as Ink Master is to tattoo artistry. They are basically the exact same show, with the same format, judging, and basis for eliminations.

1. Decide on an original piece of furniture/tattoo based on a theme for the week.
2. Panic because you don’t think you are going to finish your reclining chair/sexy pin up girl tattoo in time.
3. Fight with your fellow competitors because they think their chair/tattoo is better than yours.
4. Get judged by two people that know what they are talking about, and one musical, quasi-celebrity. (Granted, Dave Navvaro has tattoos, and Common has furniture, so I guess that does make them experts in their respected fields.)
5. Get eliminated based on who the judges think has the worst chair/tattoo.

Positives:

• The contestants create some unique furniture, and have talent.
• Everyone has furniture in their homes, so if Common is a judge, you feel as though you could be a judge. Feel free to judge away.

Negatives:

• The judges seem to hate just about everything the contestants create.
• I love spending money, Framework, tell me where I can buy these stools and ottomans that I desperately need in my house. Hook a brotha up, Common.

Final Decision: The jury is still out as far as Framework’s future based on their season 1 ratings, but I highly suggest you check it out. You will be amazed at how entertaining furniture making can be. Season 1 finale is this week, so Spike will likely be airing marathons leading up to Tuesday’s finale.

Also, Freddy Hill is one of my favorite people currently on my television watching schedule. I want him on all of my reality shows immediately.

6. The Challenge: Battle of the Exes 2, MTV (Season 26)

While MTV’s The Real World may be barely clinging to life, The Challenge is as entertaining as always. In its 26th (!) season, The Challenge shows no signs of slowing down, as it continues to evolve with the ever changing demands of its viewers. This season, Battle of the Exes 2, introduced “Battle of the Exiled” in which one eliminated team gets brought back from the dead, (no pun intended).

Positives:

• All of the arguing, fighting, and drama from the Real World, but on The Challenge, that person you loathe has a chance of being eliminated and disappearing from your TV screen.
• Unique challenges and nail-biting eliminations

Negatives:

• Johnny Bananas in his ELEVENTH season.

Final

decision: With an average of less than a million viewers a week, The Challenge may be nearing the end of its impressive run. I suggest you watch now, while you still can.

Come back next week to see which shows make the top 5. Which shows should make the cut? Let me know in the comments section.

Data from http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/

Made by Ryan Jacobson

Made with Excel