Reality TV is one of pop culture's most talked-about topics across social media, but nothing captured the zeitgeist quite like the first wave of reality shows. In 2025, reality television is still very popular, with huge shows such as Love Island , Selling Sunset , and Love Is Blind dominating our screens. While these shows definitely still have moments of "I can't believe they just did that", the 2000s were even crazier. There was much more drama and fallouts, with less pressure from backlash due to minimal social media…and trust me, there are archives of shows.

Even though I consider myself a reality TV expert based on how many shows I've watched, I sought a second opinion from someone who has been in the business for years.

Claire Powell – founder of The CAN Group

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