The 12 Weirdest Reality Shows Ever

It’s amazing what we humans today have at our disposal for entertainment — everything from prestige dramas to reality TV. While it’s hard to distinguish what counts as the “first” reality television show, the genre really took hold in the early 1990s. Since then, reality TV has become a favorite for many viewers. Mark Twain once said that truth is stranger than fiction, and reality shows seem to prove that. There have been some absolutely bizarre reality TV programs to grace our screens over the years. Let’s revisit them, shall we?

Finding true love has never been easy, but plenty of reality shows aim to give hopeful romantics a shortcut — no matter the cost. Have you ever considered marrying someone you’ve only met that day? How about going on a blind date disguised as a dolphin? It seems that the reality TV machine is always churning out new ways for young, attractive people to get together — with millions of people watching, of course. Other shows have different objectives, from forcing a young kids to govern their own society to dangling a role in a horror film in front of a group of aspiring actresses.

Despite their bonkers premises, some of the shows below managed to be successful enough to warrant multiple seasons. Others were so negatively received, they were promptly canceled after appearing on air. One show in particular didn’t even make it to the finale before receiving the boot.

Here are the 12 weirdest reality shows in the history of television.