You might be surprised to discover this, but Amazon Prime Video has a solid selection of reality TV programming.
They kind of have everything, from classics like The Girls Next Door and The Simple Life to original content like Beast Games.
The Watch With Us team has added two great shows to our list of the best reality shows you can watch right now on Prime Video.
Our first selection is Ultimate Survival Everest, a thrilling and groundbreaking look at tackling a terrifying natural marvel.
Ultimate Survival Everest (2024)
Veteran mountain climber Ben Webster has traversed Mount Everest before, but it’s a whole new ball game this time, when, for the first time, each climber on his Team Discovery will have footage shot from their perspective. In this breathtaking reality series, viewers get an intimate look at the trials and tribulations of attempting to climb one of the world’s toughest peaks. Ultimate Survival Everest charts the intense physical demands, emotional tolls and physiological transformations that come with going over 8,000 meters above sea level.
Ultimate Survival Everest is an exhilarating look at the demands of climbing Mount Everest that favors raw, honest and brutal authenticity over sensationalized narratives. The series captures the slow, painful process of climbing the mountain and the challenges that come with it, along with fascinating educational insights, stunning footage and genuinely engaging dynamics between the team members.
‘The Girls Next Door’ (2005-2009)
This series takes a look at the day-to-day lives of the ladies who live with Hugh Hefner in his legendary Playboy Mansion in LA. From events like Fight Night and the Midsummer Night’s Dream party to the Playboy Jazz Festival, Playboy test shoots, birthday parties and more, The Girls Next Door pulls back the curtain on Hefner’s famous girlfriends from Holly Madison to Kendra Wilkinson. But in addition to showcasing the many fun events that take place at and around the Playboy Mansion, The Girls Next Door also highlights the real inner lives and personalities of the Playboy Bunnies.
The Girls Next Door was an instant hit when it premiered in 2005, although by the time season six rolled around, the ratings were less great, leading to the show’s ultimate cancellation in 2009. But when The Girls Next Door was good, it was classic, beloved for its addictive mix of fantasy lifestyle voyeurism yet surprising moments of relatability. It isn’t just a fun glimpse at what goes on in the Playboy Mansion, it also allows the Playboy Bunnies to showcase who they are beyond their glossy centerfold images.
‘Tribunal Justice’ (2023-Present)
In this reality courtroom series, legal professionals Tanya Acker, Patricia DiMango and Adam Levy take on real cases in the Los Angeles area and collectively adjudicate them. From car collisions to unpaid loans, scummy landlords and apartment fires, these judges will do whatever it takes to deliver justice and reach a verdict — even if they can’t make everyone happy.
In addition to the drama presented by the cases, the deliberations between the disparate personalities of the judges also provide ample entertainment value in Tribunal Justice. Fans of the show agree that if you love Judge Judy, this is the next courtroom reality show to watch. It’s also fascinating to watch the judges debate based on their own individual experiences practicing the law. Overall, Tribunal Justice is both a fascinating and highly watchable series.
‘Unspeakable’ (2022-Present)
Alongside other YouTube stars such as ZHC and Preston, Nathan Graham pulls wild stunts and pranks, in addition to competing in challenges with his friends and collaborators in this extremely entertaining reality series. The show is fantastic entertainment for both kids and adults, and features some actual creative ingenuity. Challenges have included building a life-size LEGO house and filling a home with packing peanuts.
While mindless, the show is safe and appropriate for parents to show their children, and is generally a positive, high-energy and goofy bit of prank-filled fun that is light-hearted and never mean-spirited. Simply put, it’s a show about being silly and doing stupid things just for the pure joy of it.
‘Pop Culture Jeopardy!’ (2024-Present)
A lot of people love Jeopardy!, but some of us aren’t so great with science, geography and history knowledge. Enter Pop Culture Jeopardy!, hosted by SNL’s Colin Jost, a spin-off show focused on everything there is to know about movies, television, celebrities and more. The show is formatted as a bracket tournament consisting of eighty-one teams that compete in twenty-seven knockout rounds to get to the quarterfinals, semifinals and then finals, after which the winning team receives a grand prize of $300,000.
Host Jost does a great job stepping into Ken Jennings’ shoes in this highly enjoyable competition series. Pop Culture Jeopardy does a great job blending old and new subjects, a mixture of playable yet still challenging clues and an easy-to-follow format that is appealing to both diehard fans and casual viewers alike. The first season is currently available to stream on Prime, but don’t hold your breath for season 2 — Pop Culture Jeopardy! is moving to Netflix later this year.
‘The Pasta Queen’ (2024)
Descendant of an Italian pasta dynasty, The New York Times bestselling author and TikTok star Nadia Caterina Munno travels to Italy to get back to her cooking roots. The Pasta Queen follows the eponymous chef as she traverses across four regions of Italy and spotlights their various cuisines and the ingredients that are used. These travels are then juxtaposed against step-by-step guides from Munno in her kitchen back home, so that viewers can make delicious, authentic Italian dishes without having to travel thousands of miles away.
While some TikTok stars struggle to transition to television, Munno seems to have a flair for the theatrics and a natural camera presence. She always keeps things entertaining, but she also knows how to be genuinely informative. Ultimately, The Pasta Queen manages to be fun while also unmistakably homey, as it transitions between home cooking sessions and travelogs where Munno’s bold personality fits right in with the Italian locals.
‘Beast Games’ (2024-Present)
Viral phenom Jimmy Donaldson, aka Mr. Beast, created and hosts this game show in which one thousand contestants — the largest cast for a reality TV show ever — are put through tests of strength, intelligence and mental fortitude for a chance to win a record-setting cash prize of $5 million. The show is based on Donaldson’s viral video titled “$456,000 Squid Game in Real Life!,”which was in turn based on the Netflix show Squid Game. When the show debuted, it became Prime Video’s most-watched unscripted series of all time.
Despite legal issues regarding conditions on the show, Beast Games remains trending on the site and is currently gearing up for the premiere of season 2 in January 2026. Fans ultimately love the show for the high-stakes drama, the psychological aspect to many of the challenges and the sheer spectacle of the production values and large cash prize.
‘Kitchen Nightmares’ (2007-2014)
With his trademark cutting commentary, Chef Gordon Ramsay travels around the United States helping restaurants in need of turning things around. Ramsay visits restaurants and examines problems with not just the food quality, but also cleanliness, inadequate staff, poor management and subpar aesthetics. Each episode, Ramsay searches for solutions for the eatery in question and gives them a new start, refreshing the look, menu and overall standards. However, once he leaves, it’s up to the business to stay the course.
As ever, Ramsay is a supremely watchable television personality despite (and because of) his acerbic criticisms, and watching him deal with restaurants well below his standards of quality is undeniably addictive. With plenty of family drama and shocking restaurant conditions (we love to see a cockroach or two), Kitchen Nightmares is also surprisingly endearing with just how invested Ramsay does seem in wanting to change these restaurants for the better.
‘Cosmic Love’ (2022)
What would you try to find your perfect match? This dating show gives the spiritual world a try by pairing up contestants based on their astrological signs. Air, fire, earth and water are all represented on Cosmic Love, as each one sees if they’ve found they’re soulmate from a pool of singles. The series’ matchmakers are astrologist twins Ophira and Tali Edut, aka the AstroTwins, guiding contestants with the help of a luminous orb known as the Astro Chamber.
But the dating pool can also date each other in addition to the four “elements,” leading to some supremely messy drama. While the use of astrology adds an interesting layer of self-reflection to Cosmic Love, it’s also hilarious to watch people consult an orb for dating advice. Overall, Cosmic Love has all the goofiness and entertainment value of a great reality show.
‘The Simple Life’ (2003-2007)
Wealthy socialites Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie pull up their bootstraps in this amusing series that brings high-class city girls to the country. In the first season, Hilton and Richie leave their plush lives and credit cards behind in favor of a family-run farm for five weeks to experience a new kind of living, and subsequent seasons see them working as camp counselors, doing internships, waiting tables and catching crawfish.
While the series received some criticism at the time for its “vacuous” nature, audiences couldn’t help but have a fun time with The Simple Life, enjoying its tongue-in-cheek humor and how entertaining it was to watch Hilton and Richie navigate fish-out-of-water situations like working on a farm.
‘Judy Justice’ (2021-Present)
Judy Sheindlin (aka Judge Judy) returns to family court — and our screens — with Judy Justice, a successor to her daytime series. Despite the higher production values, new set and fresh look, fans should have no fear — this is the same sharp, candid and honest judge you’ve known and loved for so many years. Plus, it’s now a family business — Judy’s granddaughter, Sarah Rose, joins as her grandma’s law clerk. The cases are more complex and the episodes are longer, but you’ll still recognize Judy’s signature style as she tackles these real-world conflicts.
Reality TV fans will find Judy Justice enjoyable due to its blend of drama, humor, and insightful commentary provided by the ever-charismatic star.
‘Second Chance Dresses’ (2018)
If you love Say Yes to the Dress but can’t help feeling sad about all those beautiful gowns yellowing in the back of a closet after that one special day, Second Chance Dresses is the show for you. In this sadly short-lived British reality series, host and Love Island alum Olivia Bowen (née Buckland) picks out secondhand wedding dresses for hopeful brides-to-be.
What’s really charming is that the shoppers get to interact with the brides who are selling their gowns, allowing them to bond and share their love stories. It’s a surprisingly emotional experience, and we love the way it turns vintage shopping into entertainment.
‘Wear Whatever the F You Want’ (2025-Present)
Clinton Kelly and Stacy London were known for their brutal honesty in What Not to Wear, a popular reality show where they gave makeovers to people whose friends and family nominated them because of their perceived “bad” style. In Wear Whatever the F You Want, the fashion gurus take a very different approach. Briefed in advance on their subjects’ dream aesthetic, they help them create a new wardrobe that helps their outside appearance reflect how they see themselves.
Wear Whatever is a warmer, fuzzier program, but it still showcases Kelly and London’s style and talent. It’s a positive spin on the makeover show, one that seeks to make the participant more themselves, rather than transforming them into someone else.
‘Making the Cut’ (2020-2022)
Iconic fashion figures Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn, hosts of Project Runway, reunite for another fashion competition show, Making the Cut. In this series, Gunn and Klum don’t just test competitors on their design skills, but on their business abilities as well. Designers need to prove they have what it takes to run a global fashion brand.
The show culminates with the winner receiving $1 million to invest in their brand, along with the opportunity to sell their final collection on Amazon, providing both a financial and commercial launching pad. Competitors produce big-budget runway shows and travel to fashion capitals like Paris and Tokyo to complete their challenges. Fans love Making the Cut for its glamorous settings, high-stakes competition, and the familiar dynamic between Klum and Gunn.
‘Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan’ (2004-2016)
We all love our furry friends, but sometimes their neuroses can make them downright annoying—or even dangerous. When this happens, it’s best to call in an expert like Cesar Millan, a professional dog trainer known for his unique ability to rehabilitate unruly and aggressive dogs. Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan involves Millan traveling to various locations to help dog owners address behavioral issues with their pets.
Each episode typically features multiple cases, ranging from minor disobedience to severe aggression, highlighting Millan’s expertise in understanding and communicating with dogs through what he describes as a ‘calm-assertive’ approach. It’s a must-watch for dog owners seeking solutions or those who simply enjoy a fascinating view inside the animal mind.
‘Portrait Artist of the Year’ (2013-2020)
As anyone who’s ever taken a middle school art class can tell you, painting accurate portraits of people is really hard! This British series takes the best painters from around the U.K. and challenges them to not just paint accurate portraits, but to elevate them to creative heights. Each season, the talented painters are challenged to create likenesses of celebrity “sitters” like Sophie Turner, Sir Ian McKellen, Hannah Waddingham and many more.
Portrait Artist of the Year blends high-stakes competition and artistic exploration. The series appeals to audiences with its behind-the-scenes peek into the creative process and the personal stories of the artists, which add depth to the competition. It’s a beautiful examination of painting as a storytelling medium that fosters an appreciation for the arts.
