ONTD Original: 10 Forgotten Reality Shows of the 2000s
For over two decades, reality television has dominated the screens. During the 2000s, reality television was at it's peak, with hits such as Survivor, Big Brother, American Idol, Top Model, Real Housewives, and many more. While these shows achieved massive success and still run to this day (or in Idol and Top Model's cases, were cancelled and revived), some shows were big hits during their day and have become cult classics (such as The Hills and vh1's "of Love" franchise). Other shows however, have been largely forgotten. The following is a list of shows that ran during the 2000s that most people have forgotten about.
1. Rich Girls - MTV (2003-2004)
Rich Girls was an MTV series that ran for one season starring Ally Hilfiger (daughter of fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger) and her then-friend Jaime Gleicher, focusing on their final year of high school, followed by luxurious vacations and their lives as "rich girls".
2. I Want To Be a Hilton - NBC (2005)
After the sucess of Paris Hilton's show The Simple Life, NBC and Rick Hilton produced this summer show to keep Kathy Hilton busy while Rick had another affair as a competition to find a regular person and turn them into a socialite, by introducing them to the New York socialite lifestyle, having the contestants compete in lessons on etiquette, fashion, networking and more. The winner would recieve a $250K trustfund and a penthouse apartment.
3. Queen Bees - The N (2008)
Queen Bees, hosted by America's Next Top Model winner Yoanna House, aired on The N network in 2008 was created as a competition to teach a group of teen "Queen Bees" to become nicer people, where the winner the most points in the end would win $25,000, since we all know, it's so difficult to suddenly act nicer when there's money on the table. This show introduced us to Stassi Schroeder, who is now on Vanderpump Rules.
4. Pretty Wicked - Oxygen (2009)
Similar to Queen Bees, even hosted by a different former Top Model winner (Caridee English) but with slightly older women competing and a similar concept, this show featured a bunch of shallow women who primarily focused on their appearance to see who was the most beautiful on the inside.
5. Are You Hot? - ABC (2003)
In the opposite direction of the last two shows mentioned, this show (with the subtitle The Search for America's Sexiest People) featured judges Lorenzo Lamas and Rachel Hunter as they judged people purely by their physical appearance. Nothing else.
6. NYC Prep - Bravo (2009)
This wannabe reality version of Gossip Girl focused on teens in Upper East Side who lived in the "top half of the one percent", and featured Sebastian on an awkward date in the video above, besties PC and Jessie (the only only blonde on the show), and three brunette girls who all looked the same who's names I cannot even remember.
7. Farmer Wants a Wife - The CW (2008)
While this show has had more success in Australia and other countries, it ran for one season in the US. Before we saw Chris "Prince Farming" Soules (and drunk tractor driver) on The Bachelor, there was Farmer Wants a Wife. This show featured a bunch of high-maintenance "city girls" competing for the love of a handsome farmer in Missouri.
8. The 70s House - MTV (2005)
With the success and popularity of That 70s Show came The 70s House, in which modern-day 20-somethings lived in a Brady Bunch-looking house, wore 70s clothing, gave up their cellphones and MP3 players, and had to compete to see who could be the most "70s", after which the winner would recieve some modern day prizes. The show was hosted by Natasha Leggero (or "Dawn" as she was called in this for some reason), and occasionally brought back d-list celebrities from that decade.
9. Legally Blonde the Musical: The Search for Elle Woods - MTV (2008)
As Laura Bell Bundy's run as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde the Musical on Broadway was coming to an end, MTV produced this show (hosted by Broadway star Haylie Duff) to look for her replacement, as the contestants competed in weekly tasks focusing on their singing, acting and dancing, as the judges would be closer to determing who would be the next Elle Woods.
10. The Swan - Fox (2004)
Possibly the most controversial show on the list, was Fox's The Swan. This show not only fed off of women's insecurities and encouraged them to get dangerous cosmetic procedures, but also judged them in the end with a beauty pageant contest, the most beautiful of whom would be crowed "The Swan". Despite the criticism, it managed to run for two whole seasons before being cancelled.
12345678910
What are some more forgotten reality shows?
1. Rich Girls - MTV (2003-2004)
Click to viewRich Girls was an MTV series that ran for one season starring Ally Hilfiger (daughter of fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger) and her then-friend Jaime Gleicher, focusing on their final year of high school, followed by luxurious vacations and their lives as "rich girls".
2. I Want To Be a Hilton - NBC (2005)
After the sucess of Paris Hilton's show The Simple Life, NBC and Rick Hilton produced this summer show to keep Kathy Hilton busy while Rick had another affair as a competition to find a regular person and turn them into a socialite, by introducing them to the New York socialite lifestyle, having the contestants compete in lessons on etiquette, fashion, networking and more. The winner would recieve a $250K trustfund and a penthouse apartment.
3. Queen Bees - The N (2008)
Queen Bees, hosted by America's Next Top Model winner Yoanna House, aired on The N network in 2008 was created as a competition to teach a group of teen "Queen Bees" to become nicer people, where the winner the most points in the end would win $25,000, since we all know, it's so difficult to suddenly act nicer when there's money on the table. This show introduced us to Stassi Schroeder, who is now on Vanderpump Rules.
4. Pretty Wicked - Oxygen (2009)
Similar to Queen Bees, even hosted by a different former Top Model winner (Caridee English) but with slightly older women competing and a similar concept, this show featured a bunch of shallow women who primarily focused on their appearance to see who was the most beautiful on the inside.
5. Are You Hot? - ABC (2003)
In the opposite direction of the last two shows mentioned, this show (with the subtitle The Search for America's Sexiest People) featured judges Lorenzo Lamas and Rachel Hunter as they judged people purely by their physical appearance. Nothing else.
6. NYC Prep - Bravo (2009)
This wannabe reality version of Gossip Girl focused on teens in Upper East Side who lived in the "top half of the one percent", and featured Sebastian on an awkward date in the video above, besties PC and Jessie (the only only blonde on the show), and three brunette girls who all looked the same who's names I cannot even remember.
7. Farmer Wants a Wife - The CW (2008)
While this show has had more success in Australia and other countries, it ran for one season in the US. Before we saw Chris "Prince Farming" Soules (and drunk tractor driver) on The Bachelor, there was Farmer Wants a Wife. This show featured a bunch of high-maintenance "city girls" competing for the love of a handsome farmer in Missouri.
8. The 70s House - MTV (2005)
With the success and popularity of That 70s Show came The 70s House, in which modern-day 20-somethings lived in a Brady Bunch-looking house, wore 70s clothing, gave up their cellphones and MP3 players, and had to compete to see who could be the most "70s", after which the winner would recieve some modern day prizes. The show was hosted by Natasha Leggero (or "Dawn" as she was called in this for some reason), and occasionally brought back d-list celebrities from that decade.
9. Legally Blonde the Musical: The Search for Elle Woods - MTV (2008)
As Laura Bell Bundy's run as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde the Musical on Broadway was coming to an end, MTV produced this show (hosted by Broadway star Haylie Duff) to look for her replacement, as the contestants competed in weekly tasks focusing on their singing, acting and dancing, as the judges would be closer to determing who would be the next Elle Woods.
10. The Swan - Fox (2004)
Possibly the most controversial show on the list, was Fox's The Swan. This show not only fed off of women's insecurities and encouraged them to get dangerous cosmetic procedures, but also judged them in the end with a beauty pageant contest, the most beautiful of whom would be crowed "The Swan". Despite the criticism, it managed to run for two whole seasons before being cancelled.
12345678910
What are some more forgotten reality shows?