It’s the end of the year, which means the holidays are here and many people are taking breaks. It also means Battle of the Eras will skip another week for Christmas.
If you’ve got time off or an insatiable hunger for reality TV, you may be looking for shows similar to The Challenge. While nothing can truly replace MTV’s hit show, there are many shows out there that target a similar demographic and will likely appeal to competition reality fans.
CBS’ Big Three: Survivor, Big Brother & The Amazing Race
Where to watch: CBS and Paramount+ (Survivor, Big Brother, The Amazing Race)
While I can’t not mention CBS’ longstanding Reality TV trifecta, Challenge fans already know about these shows. They’ve introduced us to people who went on to become Challengers, and The Challenge USA heavily relied on cast members from these programs for its casting pool. If you haven’t seen these shows, I’d recommend Survivor for a blend of competition and strategy, Big Brother is great if you really want to dive into social/ political games, and The Amazing Race is great for adventure lovers.
House of Villains
Where to watch: E! and Peacock
If you’re looking for major reality TV personalities with a healthy dose of camp, this show will leave you satisfied. It aims to crown the Ultimate Supervillains through a series of competitions that grant power, put losers at risk, then one gets voted out. It features reality TV legends like New York, Omarosa, and Richard Hatch — plus Bananas is on season 1 and Wes is on season 2.
The Traitors
Where to watch: Peacock
This show is all about deception, social prowess, and taking risks, making it very fun to watch. If you strictly watch The Challenge for the daily missions, this show might be underwhelming, but that doesn’t make it any less competitive. Plus, season two has an all-star cast, including three Challengers (Bananas, CT, and Trishelle), and there are many international adaptations to feed your hunger for more.
The GOAT
Where to watch: Amazon
Reality shows have tested a lot of things, but who’s the best at just being a reality star? This comedy-based show aims to answer this question with a series of competitions based on reality TV tropes. It’s definitely much more lighthearted than The Challenge, but it still packs interesting games, plenty of laughs, and a good supply of drama. Plus, Challenge alumni Teck and Da’Vonne are in the mix.
Deal or No Deal Island
Where to watch: NBC or Peacock
There’s no denying that luck plays a huge role on reality TV, The Challenge being no exception, but this show is more up-front about it. It’s a fusion between Survivor and the game show Deal or No Deal. The premise is to compete for cases, which could earn players safety and power. Each week, one player will be forced to battle the banker in a game of Deal or No Deal that results in the player going home or winning the power to send someone else home.
The Mole
Where to watch: Netflix
A reboot of an ABC show from the 2000s, this game is all about deception. Players are given tasks to complete to win money for their prize pot. Of course, there’s a catch: There’s a mole in the group who’s trying to sabotage the team’s success. In each episode, the players take a quiz that asks questions about the mole, and the person who knows the least is eliminated. The last remaining player takes home all the prize money they’ve won despite the mole’s efforts.
Squid Game: The Challenge
Where to watch: Netflix
With “The Challenge” in its name, it feels like this show is calling for Challenge fans to watch it. It’s based on the popular “Squid Game” series and is more about competition than anything else — that is, survive longer than your opponents. With 456 competitors and a staggering $4.56 million prize, the goal is to be the sole person who does not get eliminated. It’s very cutthroat, with a few notable people in the mix and hundreds of faces that are easily ignored.
Beast Games
Where to watch: Amazon
Just like Squid Games: The Challenge, this show is all about outlasting the competition. However, Mr. Beast is there to up the ante in an already massive game. The competition has 1,000 players and a $5 million prize with other extreme rewards in the mix. It’s still releasing new episodes, but the cast gets cut in half on the first episode.
The Circle
Where to watch: Netflix
Billed as a “social experiment,” this Netflix series relies on digital interactions to build relationships. Everyone has their own avatar, but they have the autonomy to represent themselves accurately or catfish the cast. The goal is to earn the most influence while blocking your opponents. Along the way, there are challenges in the mix, mostly, social/party games, but the show is mostly driven by strategy and manipulation. There are seven seasons so far in the US, and Challenge Ed Eason appears on season 1.
The Anonymous
Where to watch: USA Network or Peacock
Blatantly inspired by The Circle, this game also has elements similar to The Traitors. The 12 players — including Xavier from Big Brother and The Challenge USA — get to talk to each other and compete in real-life challenges. But, all game moves and discussions are done anonymously in a digital world using avatars, allowing people to avoid immediate repercussions for their actions.
The Summit
Where to watch: CBS and Paramount+
If you’re really into extreme competitions, this show might be for you. The cast needs to trek up a mountain in New Zealand on the quest to win $1 million with obstacles on the course — kind of like one big, long Challenge final. Along the way, they’ll eliminate people and risk losing money.
Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing
Where to watch: Discovery or Max
Apparently, there’s a huge universe surrounding Naked and Afraid, including the flagship show and Naked and Afraid XL. This adaptation isn’t just about survival — it’s about surviving better than your opponents. Throughout the game, there are survival-based challenges and eliminations. The last person standing will be naked, afraid, and $100,000 richer.
Bad Girls Club: All-Star Battle
Where to watch: Tubi
In 2013, Oxygen decided to take its successful Bad Girls Club franchise and give it the Challenge treatment. While we only got two seasons of this competition-based spin-off, it’s filled with drama, arguments, piss-poor strategy, and unsanctioned battles. If you’re in the mood for a walk down trashy TV memory lane, this one is worth a watch.
All Star Shore
Were to watch: Amazon or YouTube
This show aims to take the party seen on Jersey Shore (and its many international equivalents) and make it a competition. While the games are very tongue-in-cheek, they still bring as much drama as you’d expect from a show in the Shore universe. You’ll also find a few unexpected but familiar faces in the mix, like Miss Vanjie from RuPaul’s Drag Race and Johnny Middlebrooks from Love Island and Ride or Dies. Sadly, Paramount+ took the show off its service, so you’ll need to buy it to watch it legally.
I Love Money
Where to watch: Pluto (seasons 1 & 2),
If there was ever a show similar to The Challenge, this is it. I Love Money brought together familiar faces from VH1’s “Of Love” franchise and let them fight for what they really wanted: money and camera time. The competition is quite humorous but intense enough to be entertaining. Four seasons were filmed, but Ryan Jenkins was on season 3 and murdered his wife shortly after filming wrapped. As a result, season 3 was canceled. Season 4 aired, and you might be able to find a reupload on YouTube or Daily Motion, but it’s largely unavailable.
Stop Being Polite 