Squid Game, and 7 More Gripping Reality Shows to Stream on Netflix Today
For those enjoying almost non-scripted drama.
While we all enjoy a good fictional high-stakes thriller, there is one genre that can deliver even more adrenaline: the reality series. Although many are used to associating reality with constant romance, like Love Island or The Bachelor, or dubious personalities, like Keeping Up With the Kardashians, there is a whole realm of compelling and exciting game shows.
If you love a good game of deduction, a scary challenge, or a survivalist setting, here are 8 reality shows you can stream on Netflix today.
Outlast (2023-...)
This is your typical survival show with a twist. Instead of fighting for their own survival, the players are divided into teams. In said teams, they will have to put aside their differences, as well as their own egos, and learn to work together to win.
The first season pitted the players against the hardships of the Alaskan wilderness, with the winning team taking home a $1 million prize. The show has also been renewed for season 2, but details have not been made public yet.
The Devil's Plan (2023-...)
This South Korean reality game show pitted twelve local celebrity contestants against each other in a variety of challenges to win a cash prize of ₩250,000,000.
The celebrity contestants had to figure out the clue that would lead them to the precious safe by winning pieces in various deduction, board or card games. Unlike survivalist shows, The Devil's Plan is perfect for those who like the competitive nature of reality series without the grossness that comes with living in the wild.
28 Days Haunted (2022)
Based on the theories of Ed and Lorraine Warren, 28 Days Haunted is as much a social experiment as it is a reality show. The only caveat is that if you don't believe in the paranormal and aren't willing to stretch your imagination, there's no need to watch.
However, if you are a fan of ghost stories, you will definitely enjoy the struggle that three teams will go through to survive in three extremely haunted locations for 28 days, as it is believed that this is exactly how long it will take for the investigators to break through all the barriers between the living and the dead.
Alone (2015-...)
The History Channel's own survivalist TV show is also available for streaming on Netflix. What makes it even better is that the stakes were doubled for the 7th season, as the contestants had to fight for twice the prize: $1 million instead of $500,000.
The show has a classic premise of throwing players into the wilderness with limited equipment and seeing who would be the last to survive in a very challenging environment.
The Trust: A Game of Greed (2024)
If you prefer psychological drama to the physical torture of contestants, The Trust would have been the perfect show for you. Flown to a luxurious villa in the Dominican Republic, 11 contestants had to bond and participate in games that would directly affect the amount of money they would take home.
As you can imagine, trust is almost non-existent when it comes to money, but it's only by revealing the ugly and vulnerable truth that the players could stay in the game and take home a piece of the $250,000 pie.
Survivor (2000-...)
Running for more than two decades on CBS, Survivor has become the most popular and recognizable reality show, used as the basis for many other series in the genre. And you can tune in every day with a Netflix subscription!
The rules are simple: two teams of 8+ players are taken to a beautiful tropical location to survive for 39 days, constantly facing mental and physical challenges. Of course, there's a grand prize of $1 million to be won.
Squid Game: The Challenge (2023-...)
To say that this show made a lot of noise in 2023 would be an understatement. Based on the K-drama, Squid Game, the reality show featured 465 players competing for the largest TV game show prize of $4.56 million.
Though the show attracted many viewers with its unprecedented scale of production, it also received a lot of backlash and concerns about the safety of the players. However, the Squid Game reality show has been renewed for season 2, so more madness will be coming soon.
The Mole (2001-...)
Originally aired on ABC in the 2000s, The Mole has made a very successful comeback on Netflix, tapping into both viewer nostalgia and a truly compelling format. Forced to add money to the pot that will eventually go to the winner, contestants often bring out their worst, greed-driven qualities.
Just like The Trust, this show is a perfect choice for those who like to watch a challenging show, but one that pays much more attention to the interpersonal drama, rather than the mental and physical games that the players are involved in.