9 Under-the-Radar Reality Competitions You Might Be ‘Blown Away’ By (PHOTOS)
For every Masked Singer and Survivor, there’s a reality competition that doesn’t grab the headlines in quite the same way, but is no less exciting.
One of our favorites is the glassblowing championship Blown Away, the second season of which recently dropped on Netflix. The talented glass artists — some experienced, some relative newbies — literally put their sweat into each gorgeous, and fragile, creation under conditions most of us would pass up (and possibly, pass out from). Learn more about the show and other underrated reality competitions in the gallery below.
‘America’s Most Musical Family’
98 Degrees singer Nick Lachey — who once hosted NBC’s a cappella showdown, The Sing-Off — emcees this Nickelodeon series in which families hit their best harmonies for a shot at a Republic Records contract and a $250,000 cash prize.
Blown Away (Netflix)
There’s nothing low about Blown Away — not the stakes of the competition, not the stress, and certainly not the temperatures used to torch the contestants’ masterpiece glasswork. Throughout the episodes, world-class glass blowing artists compete in challenges that test the limits of their skill and creativity. It’s not a show with the laid-back charm of more lax competitions, but the complexities of the extremely delicate medium and the passion of the cast make it an extremely engaging escapist watch.
‘Craftopia’
Hosted by crafty YouTube star LaurDIY — and bolstered, no doubt, by her 8.8 million subscribers — the first season of this HBO Max series featured young “craftestants” as they made dazzling and bedazzled creations. But don’t holster your glue guns just yet: HBO Max recently ordered an adult-themed second season.
‘Dodgeball Thunderdome’
YouTube star David Dobrik, a judge on America’s Most Musical Family, hosts this Discovery competition, which takes dodgeball out of the high school gymnasium and onto a treacherous 13.8-acre arena. And best of all, no one has to be picked last…
‘Haute Dog’
Like a canine version of Bravo’s Shear Genius, this HBO Max competition features dog groomers styling Fidos and Fifis for their moment in the spotlight. (And with episode titles like “BARK-ingham Palace” and “Welcome to HollyWOOF,” you know that the producers have gone off-leash with dog puns.)
‘Karma’
Imagine winning $50,000 as a teen! That’s the grand prize awaiting the teen contestants in this HBO Max show, in which youngsters go off the grid and endure physical and mental challenges for their shot at the jackpot.
‘Lego Masters’
Contestants on this Fox show compete to build the most astonishing Lego creations. Lego Batman star Will Arnett hosts. (And yes, there are catastrophic structural failures.)
‘Rhythm + Flow’
With a $250,000 grand prize on the line, aspiring hip-hop stars try to impress judges Cardi B, Chance the Rapper, and T.I. in this Netflix music competition. Besides the involvement of those stars, the show has other bona fides: Season 1 winner D Smoke earned 2021 Grammy Award nominations for Best New Artist and Best Rap Album.
‘Tough as Nails’
Created by The Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan and his wife, Louise Keoghan, this CBS series puts working-class Americans through tests of strength, endurance, intelligence, and resilience. Season 2 premieres on Wednesday, February 10, at 8/7c on CBS.
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