The Top 10 Reality Series of 2010
5. Be Good Johnny Weir
Some people are born to topline a reality series: Ozzy Osbourne, Kathy Griffin, Tabitha Coffey, and even an Olympic competitor like Johnny Weir. The skating sensation's hilarious Showtime series Be Good Johnny Weir taught us that he's a zealous Russophile, a fabulous quipper, and a guilty-as-charged abuser of ankle-massage machines. So uncomfortable, yet so awesome.
4. Project Runway
We slummed through season six. We perked up in season seven. And in season eight of Project Runway, we clutched our TV screens, headbutted winner Gretchen Jones through the monitor, and vowed to avenge Mondo Guerra's undeserved loss. It was a heavenly rage. After two so-so years on a new network, Lifetime finally gifted us with a well-cast, well-judged year of fashions, fussiness, and the astonishment of Tim Gunn.
3. Jersey Shore
Has an ensemble reality show ever caused as hearty a ruckus as Jersey Shore? We lapped up the Situation's umber abdominals. We adored the Pixar-animated Smartcar known as Snooki. We sympathized with sensible Vinny, hollered along with loose-cannon JWOWW, and reviled the screen-hogging romance between Ronnie and Sammi. Best of all, pretension was totally verboten. For a cast of characters that looked like a pack of Chicken McNuggets, Jersey Shore was surprisingly sumptuous.
2. RuPaul's Drag Race
Not only is RuPaul reality television's finest emcee (Screw you, Emmys!), but his Logo Network competition series is downright ferocious. With a season-two cast of drag queens that included snobbish Raven, feathered Jujubee, and tepid winner Tyra Sanchez, it was hard not to get wrapped up in their tucked-n'-loaded sass. We may not have agreed with the winner, but you must admit that RuPaul's Drag Race is one of the smartest, feistiest reality series of all time. Let's play "Snatch Game"!
1. So You Think You Can Dance
Many fans would argue that So You Think You Can Dance had a defective seventh season: The underwhelming Mia Michaels replaced Mary Murphy, several dancers succumbed to injury, and no breakout star like tWitch or Russell truly emerged. But the essence of So You Think You Can Dance remained intact -- a supportive, eminently entertaining group of dancers came together, formed a rugged camaraderie, and danced hard every single week. Has a reality show ever been so demanding of its contestants? And has it ever had as gracious and wonderful a host as Cat Deeley? We cheered when Lauren bested Kent for the final win, and we roared in approval when Ellen DeGeneres performed a tribute to fallen dancer Alex Wong. In fact, it's fair to say Alex Wong's hip-hop routine (which Ellen reenacted) is the greatest reality moment of the year. Let's relive it and get out of our minds.
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Comments
Louis, I think you messed up here. I don't see "The Arrangement" anywhere on this list.
Ghetto flower-arrangement TV is so 2011. Until the new year strikes, it's too avant-garde.
Any reality series that enlists its contestants to design funeral arrangements for Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth is timeless.
Maksim Chmerkovskiy's lesiure suits? I don't know what show you were watching, but I've never seen him in a lesiure suit...he has dance costumes...but no leisure suits. This guy cleans up great!
Everything worn on DWTS is either a leisure suit or a feathery Charleston dress made out of old leisure suits.
Sooo agreed on RuPaul's Drag Race. I only wish you made it #1, where it belongs. Because there's nothing out there like it.
Glad you put SYTYCD number one. I love reality tv, but that show is far and away the best because it's made with so much supportive love for their art form. Unlike American Idol, you are seeing truly talented people working with even more talented choreographers. Cat is rad. Season 7 was a let down with stupid Mia Michaels (brilliant choreographer, terrible judge), but still had great routines. Totally enjoyable show.
Is she dead? Or just her famewhoring aspirations?
She must've given up fame if she went on The Arrangement.
That this list does not include The A-List renders it totally illegitimate! What other show revolutionized the way we watch pretty, boring, vapid people the way it did?!? And what about the Rowlf hair?
You can tell a lot about a people by what they consider "Entertainment". Jersey Shore, Survivor, Dancing with the Stars?
Enough said I think.
Bourgie, it needs another season to achieve maximum vapidity. Only then will its Rowlfian pleasures edify the masses.
I can't be the only one who watches that Bad Girls Club trash, right?
I love BGC. Why no mention?
I do agree on the Parvati comments. She should have won, but she did come in second, which is pretty impressive.
The Redemption Island idea seems intriguing. There was a rumor that Boston Rob and Evil Russell will be part of the new Survivor. I thought once I saw them both in the audience that it was true. They certainly didn't bring it up though, so maybe not.