The Reality TV Shows We'll Be Watching in 2025

From 'The Traitors' to 'The Golden Bachelor, Season 2,' here's the best of the year's unscripted shows

Tim Appelo,

AARP

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Published January 07, 2025

Alan Cumming in 'The Traitors'

Euan Cherry/PEACOCK

"Humankind cannot bear very much reality," said T.S. Eliot, but the same cannot be said of TV viewers, who can't get enough of unscripted drama. TV programmers love it too, since it's a lot cheaper to make unknown people into stars than it is to pay actor and writer salaries. And the drama is often way better than the scripted shows. Here are the notable shows this year:

Yes, Chef! (NBC)

Two culinary superstars — billionaire brand-maker Martha Stewart, 83, and humanitarian/chef José Andrés, 55 — pair up to counsel and judge a set of 12 talented chefs previously held back by their egos and sheer hot-headedness. Each episode features two challenges that reward culinary chops and grace-under-pressure leadership. The ultimate prize: $250,000 and much improved stove-side manner. Episodes air Monday nights and stream on Peacock the next day.

The Traitors (Peacock)

Not going to lie, our favorite reality show is hosted by Alan Cumming, 59, who’s also the dazzlingly witty song and dance man who hosts AARP The Magazine’s Movies for Grownups Awards. But don’t take our word for it: last season’s premiere was America’s No. 1 unscripted series, and both show and host won Emmys. His dramatic murder mystery game set in a Scottish castle stars a murderer’s row of reality TV stars: Survivor's Rob Mariano, The Real Housewives of New York City 's Dorinda Medley, and Tom Sandoval from Vanderpump Rules. Cumming promises “the most treacherous season yet.”

The Voice (NBC)

John Legend, Michael Bublé , Kelsea Ballerini and returning coach Adam Levine try to create the next big singing sensation. (Sorry, viewer fave Reba McEntire, 69, quit for her own sitcom, Happy's Place.) One contestant will get a record deal and big money — but will this be the season they finally launch a star on a par with American Idol’s Kelly Clarkson?

Survivor (CBS)

Three tribes battle for a million bucks on Fiji’s Mamanuca Islands, noted for perfect beaches, stunning sunsets and a clear lagoon that's infinitely calmer than the stressed contestants.

American Idol (ABC)

Lionel Richie, 75, Luke Brian, and newcomer judge Carrie Underwood join host Ryan Seacrest, 50, on the beloved music competition show. She replaces judge Katy Perry, who's sold 143 million records and quit to go sell some more. Granted, Carrie only sold about 85 million, but Idol fans will welcome her, since being a contestant on the show launched her to fame 20 years ago. “It’s a full-circle moment!" said Seacrest.

The Amazing Race Season 36 (CBS)

On the reality show that’s also a travel show with bits of Anthony Bourdain DNA, host Phil Keoghan, 57, sends 14 pairs of friends from Los Angeles to Hong Kong, Japan, Portugal and Miami, where one team will win a million dollars.

The Golden Bachelor, Season 2 (2025 or 2026)

The second season of the show that made grownup romance the hottest thing on TV starts filming this summer, and both The Golden Bachelor and The Golden Bachelorette’s first seasons aired in late September, so we bet this one will too (though it could air in 2026). The lucky guy courting all those ladies is former NFL star Mel Owens, 66. After his 1981-89 NFL stint, Owens became a Merrill Lynch financial advisor, then attended the University of California Hastings College of Law and became a partner in the Orange County, California firm Namanny, Byrne & Owens, specializing in seeking justice for people with sports-related injuries. “As the Golden Bachelor, he’s eager to meet someone who shares this vision and finally find that perfect teammate he’s been waiting for in his golden years,” according to his Disney bio.

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Tim Appelo covers entertainment and is the film and TV critic for AARP. Previously, he was the entertainment editor at Amazon, video critic at Entertainment Weekly, and a critic and writer for The Hollywood Reporter, People, MTV, The Village Voice and LA Weekly.