Before the 1990s, the television landscape was full of network dramas and laugh-out-loud sitcoms. Then came reality television, an entirely new documentary-style genre that took off in the late 1990s and rose to prominence as one of the most successful formats on television. From wildly outlandish - and often controversial - dating shows like Temptation Island or Beauty And The Geek to experimental programs like Pimp My Ride and Punk'd, the reality television boom at the turn of the century brought a wealth of new, ambitious programming to American television that had a lasting impact on the entertainment landscape.
But not all reality series managed to stand the test of time, with many going off the air after only a couple of years. Only the strongest series managed to survive the evolution on television. Here are the longest-running reality television series still on television today, and how long they've lasted.
Hell's Kitchen (15 Years) 2005 - Present
Best known for Gordon Ramsay's iconic screaming rampages and vicious digs at contestants, Hell's Kitchen has managed to stand the test of time since it premiered as a cutthroat cooking competition helmed by one of the world's best Michelin-starred chefs. The series followed a group of young chefs who cut their teeth at Gordon Ramsay's famed restaurant, competing in challenges and dinner services with the chance to win a large cash prize and be hired by Ramsay at his restaurant.
The FOX series has been nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards during its tenure and has been a lasting guilty pleasure show for audiences worldwide.
The Bachelorette (17 Years) 2003 - Present
A spinoff that came one year after the first season of its parent show The Bachelor, The Bachelorette followed the same dating-show premise as its predecessor, following a woman who travels the world and dates a group of eligible men with the hope of falling in love and getting engaged to the man of her dreams. While the show took a three-season break between 2005 and 2008, it has arguably become more popular than The Bachelor in recent years, in large part due to more favorable casting decisions.
The Bachelorette is also known for having a leg-up on The Bachelor for relationships that lasted after the show, though both remain cultural phenomenons that attract a similar number of viewers nearly two decades later.
American Idol (18 Years) 2002 - Present
American Idol quickly became a sensation after its 2002 premiere, and in the 18 years since has stamped itself as one of the most iconic, culturally impactful television shows of the century. Audiences fell in love with the singing competition that took unsigned, unknown talent and turned them into bonafide pop stars. With a of judges that ranged from the legendary Simon Cowell to Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, and Katy Perry, there was always plenty of star power behind the judges' table.
In two decades of American Idol, the series has sparked the careers of such icons like Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, and Chris Daughtry. American Idol is synonymous with talent competitions, and its long run is proof of its lasting success.
The Bachelor (18 Years) 2002 - Present
The Bachelor has evolved into one of the most talked-about reality series of all time, attracting a fanatic group of fans who return to the show year after year. The series hasn't changed much since it premiered nearly two decades ago, centered on an eligible bachelor and a group of women who go on a journey to find lasting love, traveling the world and going on extravagant dates along the way. Though most of the couples from the show haven't gone the distance, fans have enjoyed the guilty pleasures of watching love, drama, and fights ensue on screen.
The Bachelor has found so much success that it spawned several successful spinoffs over the years like Bachelor In Paradise and Bachelor Pad, as well as multiplying into numerous global iterations of the original series.
The Amazing Race (19 Years) 2001 - Present
The Amazing Race was a great example of an ambitious series that had all the right ingredients for successful and engaging competition TV. Airing on CBS, The Amazing Race followed a group of nearly a dozen teams of two who race across the world deducing clues, learning the local cultures, and competing in fascinating challenges. Each week the last-place team on the race is eliminated, until the final leg with a winning team taking home a significant cash prize.
The Amazing Race crossed borders and was watched by millions of American households. Though the series has dropped off in popularity in recent years, it continues to be an iconic reality series from the new era of television.
Big Brother (20 Years) 2000 - Present
Big Brother immediately captured America's attention as a social experiment meets reality game show. The series boldly put a group of houseguests in an elaborate soundstage equipped with cameras and microphones to capture their lives 24-7 as they competed in challenges and evicted each other from the house, all whilst completely blocked off from the outside world.
Despite some controversy in the early seasons over the behavior of some of the contestants, the series became a cult favorite and found a broad audience that has spanned decades, and multiple international iterations of the show have been spun-off since.
Survivor (20 Years) 2000 - Present
Arguably one of the most ambitious social experiments of its time, Survivor's network CBS piggybacked off The Real World's success when it launched the series after the turn of the century. The series focused on a group of castaways placed in a remote area of the world, where they must fend for themselves to make food and create shelter, all whilst taking part in grueling challenges and voting each other off until there is one remaining sole 'survivor', who thus wins 1 million dollars.
The social nature of the series was fascinating to audiences, and the Emmy-award-winning show launched a larger reality tv fad in the early 2000s. The series has evolved since the first season thanks to new twists, immunity idols, and a faster pace of play, but it remains the same brutally challenging social game audiences can't get enough of.
The Challenge (22 Years) 1998 - Present
A spin-off of The Real World and Road Rules, The Challenge brought together familiar faces from both shows (and later other popular MTV shows like Are You The One) to compete in a series of seemingly death-defying challenges - and a grueling final race - for a large cash prize. Each season has a different theme, from the early days' Gauntlet and Rivals to Battle Of The Exes and War Of The Worlds.
Over two decades later, the show is still going strong, known for creating infamous rivalries and heart-stopping moments that have kept fans entertained all these years.
The Real World (28 Years) 1992 - Present
The brainchild of Jonathan Murray and Mary-Ellis Bunim that launched the reality television genre, The Real World was shocking and ahead of its time when it premiered on MTV in 1992. The premise was simple; a group of strangers from across the country picked to live in a loft together and have their lives taped. The series became a water-cooler event for its young adult audience and an American mass culture phenomenon in large part due to its progressive themes and engaging conversations regarding religion, gender, relationships, sexuality, and race.
The Real World created social responsibility in its target audience and - despite some controversy - was incredibly innovative and influential. In recent years, the show has moved away from MTV to Facebook Watch, where it's been revamped for digital.
Cops (31 Years) 1989 - Present
It's hard to imagine a television show lasting over three decades, but Cops has somehow managed to accomplish just that as one of the first-ever reality series examining the day-to-day of real-life cops as they take down criminals and protect their cities. It's strange to think the FOX-turned-Paramount Network series only started due to a 1980s writers strike that forced networks to look elsewhere for content, but audiences were glad it did, as the result has been a long-lasting documentary-style crime program that shows no signs of slowing down.
The series had an incredible influence on future series and permanently shaped the television landscape of the 1990s.