Summary
- RuPaul's Drag Race season 15 premiered with 16 new queens, expanding the franchise internationally with new series in , Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and .
- Darcey & Stacey season 4 follows the tumultuous relationship statuses of the twins, adding more drama to their already successful spin-off from 90 Day Fiancé.
- Survivor seasons 44 and 45 continue to test islanders' limits in Fiji, with season 45 still airing, following the shocking victory of season 43 in 2022.
From The Real Housewives of New Jersey, dozens of new and current fan-favorite series dropped in 2023. Although the genre isn't everyone's favorite cup of tea, there's no doubt that reality programs have shaped and influenced pop culture for decades. With enough drama, entertainment, and some serious tearjerkers to go around, hundreds of individuals have found themselves shot into the spotlight by initial appearances on reality television, such as big names like Tiffany "New York" Pollard, the Kardashian-Jenner family, and even former One Direction member Harry Styles.
While many explosive antics and controversial moments in 2022 can't be topped, there were plenty more in store for reality television fans as soon as the clock hit January 1st. In addition to several popular series and fan-favorite characters set to return, many new series were also set to debut in the next few months in 2023. Due to the writers' and actors' strikes, the best reality TV series took over in the absence of scripted media. What were the most anticipated reality TV series at the beginning of 2023?
RuPaul's Drag Race: Every Season From Worst to Best Ranked
RuPaul's Drag Race seasons and spinoffs remain popular. However, some installments are definitely better than others, and it's time to rank them all.
RuPaul's Drag Race Season 15
Watch on Hulu
The RuPaul's Drag Race franchise had a busy year in 2022, and RuPaul's empire expanded in 2023. RuPaul's Drag Race season 15 premiered on January 6 with 16 new queens ready to compete for the title of America's Next Drag Superstar and a move from VH1 to MTV. In addition, several international editions of RuPaul's Drag Race returned and debuted in 2023, including Drag Race season 2, Canada's Drag Race season 4, and new series in Mexico, Brazil, and .
Darcey & Stacey Season 4
Watch on Discovery+ and TLC
Twins Darcey and Stacey Silva initially made a name for themselves on Darcey & Stacey will return for season 5, their fourth season certainly brought the drama.
Survivor Seasons 44 and 45
Watch on Paramount+
Although Mike Gabler's Survivor season 43 victory in December 2022 shocked millions of viewers, Survivor season 44 and 45 aired in 2023. The latest Survivor seasons were filmed back-to-back in 2022, and on March 1, longtime host Jeff Probst returned with two new batches of islanders ready to test their limits in Fiji. While Survivor 44 has concluded, season 45 is still airing.
The Real Housewives Of New York City Season 14
Watch on Peacock
The Real Housewives of New York City dominated headlines in 2022 after Bravo announced that the long-running series would be split into two shows in 2023. The brand-new cast for RHONY season 14 was announced at BravoCon 2022 in October, although Lizzie Savetsky left the reality show halfway through production in November 2022. RHONY: Legacy, on the other hand, featured fan-favorite RHONY housewives. Ramona Singer, Dorinda Medley, Luann de Lesseps, Sonja Morgan, Kelly Bensimon and Kristen Taekman appeared on RHONY: Legacy. RHONY season 14 and RHONY: Legacy are wrapping up their seasons and living up to the hype.
The Bachelor Season 27 and The Bachelorette Season 20
Watch Current Seasons on ABC or Hulu
The Bachelorette season 19 in mid-2022 and was announced as the next Bachelor lead in September after being rejected by Rachel Recchia, who is now appearing on Bachelor In Paradise. The Bachelorette season 20 was also highly anticipated and featured Charity Lawson choosing Dotun Otolenko in the finale.
Married At First Sight Season 16 and 17
Watch on Lifetime
MAFS season 17 dropped on October 18, so maybe the series' track record can still be resolved. Regardless of the success of the marriages, viewers keep tuning in for more.
The Voice Season 23 and 24
Watch on NBC and Peacock
The Voice season 23 returned to NBC on March 6 with Kelly Clarkson, new coaches Niall Horan and Chance the Rapper, and Blake Shelton, who announced that The Voice season 24, which premiered in September 2023.
The Traitors
Watch on Peacock
Based on the original Dutch program, the American version of The Traitors USA season 2.
Love Is Blind Seasons 4 and 5
Watch on Netflix
Last but certainly not least, Love Is Blind seasons 4 and 5 premiered in 2023. The Netflix show, which has already filmed season 6, will return with hosts Nick and Vanessa Lachey and took place in Seattle and Houston, respectively. In addition, Love Is Blind: Japan season 2 returned in 2023, while a new spin-off, Love Is Blind: Sweden, was announced at the end of November 2022. While the series isn't quite as popular as the 90 Day Fiancé franchise, it certainly gave the franchise a run for its money.
