It’s a very mixed bag on IMDb’s Top 250 TV list, with all manner of bingeworthy entrants making the cut. What might come as a surprise to some, however, is that out of this whopping pile of shows, only three of them sit within the category of reality television. Yes, according to IMDb users, watching three to four guys pull pranks on each other, a tall Englishman struggle to drive a tractor, or a tent full of masterfully crafted cake is enough to be considered among the best TV shows of all time.
So, what does this impressive reality TV trio consist of? If you couldn’t discern from the previous descriptors, the top three reality shows on the list include “Clarkston’s Farm,” “Impractical Jokers,” and “The Great British Baking Show.” Perhaps it doesn’t come as a surprise given that these are some of the more popular reality shows out there, but these three certainly stand out — even if the last two are pretty far down the list.
Falling in at the 238 spot, “The Great British Baking Show” (also called “The Great British Bake Off”) is hosted by Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond, who joined the show in 2023, and has made its way in among the elite. The show that comes with Hollywood handshakes and carefully placed pastries has worked so wonderfully because it’s the most anti-competitive cooking show out there. Instead, the focus is on everyone trying their best, evoking laughter, and attempting not to go a whole episode without questionable innuendo.
Clarkson’s Farm is the most popular reality show
After watching Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood passing polite words of wisdom and judgment to avid bakers, the next reality show is a bit further up the list. It’s also consistently more hilarious as four lifelong friends make fools of each other. At number 217, “Impractical Jokers” is the second-highest reality TV show to make its way into the Top 250. Since 2011, the show has earned a firm thumbs up as The Tenderloins — James “Murr” Murray, Brian “Q” Quinn, Sal Vulcano, and formerly Joe Gatto — push each other to hilarious limits and conceiving some of the best pranks captured on television.
On the other side of the reality TV spectrum is “Clarkson’s Farm.” If you knew diddly squat about former “Top Gear” and “The Grand Tour” frontman Jeremy Clarkson before, this charming and often hilarious reality series will fill you in. “Clarkson’s Farm” sits at the 29th spot on IMDb’s Top 250 TV list. Etching behind David Attenborough’s “The Blue Planet” as one of the greatest shows on earth, the Prime Video series sees Clarkson adapting to the country life, so far spanning five seasons.
With these three entries, you’re guaranteed to get some enjoyment, at which point we’d advise binging one of them immediately.