25. Property Brothers
TV stars Jonathon and Drew Scott are famous for ‘Property Brothers’, where the former realtors do little more than smiling and posing for shots, while hiring real contracting crews to do the actual physical labor show in the series. HGTV is renowned for these types of programs, where “finding a house” is actually done in advance and the cast is under contract for a home already before they even step on set. If you spot someone on the show looking particularly torn about a decision to find a house, don’t put too much weight on it. In the end, they’re acting just as much as the hosts are.
26. American Idol
‘American Idol’ has been a cultural phenomenon since its debut in the UK as ‘Pop Idol’ back in 2001. The show has captivated audiences for many seasons, including navigating judge changes and format alterations to try and keep the series alive amid growing competition like ‘The X-Factor’ and ‘The Voice’. Funnily enough, the people receiving golden tickets to Hollywood week from the blind auditions are often scouted before, and while they have to wait in line, producers indicate to the judges whenever someone is on the shortlist. The same applies for the worst of the singers, who are often fast tracked in the line to ensure they are filmed before shooting wraps. As many tell-all’s on Youtube suggest, the series is as scripted as any other reality show you have on the market.