In an Emmy season where series come and go with alarming speed, the race for Outstanding Reality Competition Series is a comparative sea of tranquility. Indeed, among the 22 Emmy winners since the category was established, the vast majority — 19 — were from among just three series: “The Amazing Race,” “The Voice,” and “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” When a series is deemed worthy enough to earn one of the five nominations each year, it tends to take out residence there, receiving repeat nominations year after year until a newer, more worthy alternative comes along. Those years when a fresh replacement enters the Top 5 are relatively rare, but it happened just last year with our eventual Emmy winner, “The Traitors.” Can lightning strike two years in a row?
Could the new contender be a reboot of an old favorite, but this time set on a desert island? Perhaps it is a big-money contest hosted by a YouTube creator with over 390 million subscribers. Or could it be a cooking competition featuring high-strung chefs hosted by two household names and former Emmy nominees? Any one of these could break into the Top 5 and shake up the category.
But which one? It’s a tough call, with even some ace Emmy prognosticators flummoxed as to what titles will make the final five. Now, here’s your chance to jump ahead of the pack. I’ve selected these ten reality competition series to put on your Emmy radar, along with a few comments on where their awards’ strengths (or weaknesses) lie.
THE AMAZING RACE – Season 37 (CBS)
Of the dozens of series that have competed in this category, this travel-themed contest is the undisputed big dog in the room. After winning an unprecedented seven consecutive series trophies in the first years of the category, the series went on to win three more Emmys in the years since, bringing its total to 10, twice the number of any of its rivals. Thanks in part to its much-awarded production values, “The Amazing Race” has earned 97 Emmy nominations, more than any other competition series and among the most of any series currently on air. As the old award adage goes, “Once a winner, always a threat,” and this resilient series should always be considered a contender.
EMMY OUTLOOK: Solid. Remarkably, except for a 2020 hiatus, “The Amazing Race” has been nominated for Outstanding Reality Competition Series every year since the category was created. Expect that streak to remain unbroken this year.
AMERICAN IDOL – Season 23 (ABC)
It’s been 23 seasons since this legendary music competition show premiered, first on Fox from 2002-2016, then on ABC since 2018. This season was poised to be a pivotal one for the franchise, with the first shake-up of hosts since the ABC reincarnation began. Judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan returned for Season 23, but Katy Perry bowed out and was replaced by a member of the “Idol” family — Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood — and, judging by social media, the transition was as smooth as fans had hoped. With fresh media attention coming with Underwood’s arrival, the show hopes to add to its considerable success at the Emmys — 71 nominations with eight wins.
EMMY OUTLOOK: A long shot. The last time “American Idol” received an Outstanding Series nomination was in 2011. That’s a long time between nominations, but “Survivor” had a 17-year drought before it returned to the series race in 2023, so never say never. And if there is a shake-up for those final five slots and voters are looking for alternatives, a familiar and comforting title might seem very attractive to Emmy voters.
BEAST GAMES – Season 1 (Prime Video)
This elimination-centered competition is hosted by Jimmy Donaldson (aka “MrBeast”), whose success as a YouTube creator has brought him hundreds of millions of fans around the world. The show’s format owes much to the spirit of “Squid Game” — a hangar-like studio is filled with 1000 contestants, who, through a process that reveals both skill and greed, are eliminated (or eliminate themselves), leading to a sole winner of an enormous cash prize. As the contestants sweat it out, Donaldson and his hoodie-clad minions turn the screws on the increasingly pressured survivors. The series quickly became Prime Video’s most-watched unscripted series in its history and has been renewed for two additional seasons.
EMMY OUTLOOK: Not promising. Critical reviews on the series have been largely mixed to negative, with many citing how the show’s format often reveals a less flattering side of humanity, which may be, ironically, just why it’s so popular. Still, there are likely more than a few Emmy voters who follow Donaldson’s YouTube offerings, but whether or not they respond to this particular MrBeast venture with their vote remains to be seen.
DEAL OR NO DEAL ISLAND – Season 2 (NBC)
This revamped version of the NBC game show favorite is a fascinating blend of elements drawn from other competition series. The competition’s island setting with teams competing echoes “Survivor,” the weekly contest to build up a team’s prize money recalls “The Traitors,” and finally the classic “Deal or No Deal” set-up is utilized with a twist, as the amount of prize winnings each week to the value of the Final Case. Season 2 spiced things up by adding three legendary competitors from other competition shows, which helped to shape the season and ultimately, the winner. The series, which was widely seen in its NBC run, developed a devoted following when it began streaming on Peacock.
EMMY OUTLOOK: Possible. What keeps the series from being a contender is the fact that it received no Emmy nominations for its first season, which would make the jump to landing an Outstanding Series nomination less than likely. Its best Emmy hopes, however, may lie in the tech categories, with both its cinematography and editing worthy of consideration.
RuPAUL’S DRAG RACE – Season 17 (MTV)
Sixteen years ago, who would have thought that a competition among drag queens seen on a small gay network (Logo TV) would become a worldwide phenomenon and an Emmy juggernaut? Not that the Academy was on the cutting edge, mind you. It took nine whole seasons for the show to receive its first Emmy nomination for Outstanding Reality Competition Series, but after that first recognition, there was no looking back. In the time since that first series nod, “Drag Race” has been nominated in each of the seven years since, earning 71 Emmy nominations and 29 wins, including 5 for the series itself. Last year, however, “Drag Race” had its crown snatched by Peacock’s underdog, “The Traitors,” which took Emmys for both Outstanding Series and Reality Host.
EMMY OUTLOOK: For nominations, excellent. For wins, however, it may be a bit more challenging. “Drag Race” lost before- in 2022, “Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls” took the Series Emmy- but the Lizzo series never returned for a rematch. “The Traitors,” on the other hand, looks to be an Emmy force for many seasons to come, so if “Drag Race” is to retain its winning status in the category, it has to start this year. Fortunately, Season 17 featured a number of dynamic queens, many of whom made it to the final episodes, so the show is certainly putting its best foot forward. Still, coming back from a dethroning is no easy task, so the MTV awards team had best heed RuPaul’s advice: “You better werk!”
SURVIVOR – Seasons 47-48 (CBS)
“Survivor” fans rejoiced in 2023 when the show, the granddaddy of reality competition series, shocked the awards world when it received its first nomination for Outstanding Reality Competition Series in 18 years. Last year, however, the hope of fans for a “Survivor” renaissance at the Emmys was dashed when the series failed to repeat in the category. Still, there was one very big, bright spot — host Jeff Probst, who won in the first four years of the Outstanding Reality Host category, returned with his first nomination there since 2011. It was quite a comeback for Probst, who has long been considered one of the best reality competition hosts in TV history. That breakthrough, plus a strong pair of seasons within the eligibility period, will keep fans’ hopes alive on nomination morning.
EMMY OUTLOOK: On the bubble. If “Survivor” hopes to return to the Outstanding Series race with a nomination, the series will have to knock out one of last year’s nominees, which would most likely come from among “The Voice,” “Top Chef” or “The Amazing Race,” any one of which could be vulnerable. The 2023 series return, the Probst nomination last year, and a strong pair of eligible seasons this year certainly give fans hope, and should any of its rivals falter, “Survivor” seems poised to make a move that will bring it back to the Emmys.
TOP CHEF – Season 22 (Bravo)
The 22nd season of this past Emmy champ is set throughout Canada, taking place in five Canadian cities and incorporating Canadian dishes utilizing local ingredients. For “Top Chef: Destination Canada” (not to be confused with “Top Chef Canada,” which is a whole different show), host Kristen Kish returns with judges Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons to guide 17 chefs toward winning the largest cash prize in the history of the series. Winner of the Emmy for Reality Competition Series in 2010, “Top Chef” has received 50 Emmy nominations over its 21 prior seasons, and there’s little reason to think that Season 22 won’t pick up quite a few more.
EMMY OUTLOOK: Quite good. 2024 was a crucial year in “Top Chef’s” Emmy run. Would Emmy voters take to Kish the same way they responded to previous host Padma Lakshmi, and if they didn’t, would it keep the series from getting that crucial Outstanding Series nomination? Luckily, both Kish and the show earned two of the three nominations the series received. This season, the big question is whether the presence of a fresh new cooking show among the contenders — NBC’s highly-touted “Yes, Chef!” — will split the foodie vote to the detriment of this veteran series.
THE TRAITORS – Season 3 (Peacock)
In the first season of this whodunnit competition series, the show’s contestants were comprised of reality show stars mixed with innocent civilians. For Season 2, however, the show’s Emmy-winning casting crew pivoted and cast the season entirely of luminaries from the world of reality TV. The result was an Emmy for Outstanding Reality Competition Series, plus another for its cheeky host, Alan Cumming. For the show’s third season, they upped the ante even more, turning to such well-known mischief makers as Boston Rob (“Survivor”), Tom Sandoval (“Vanderpump Rules”), and Bob the Drag Queen (“RuPaul’s Drag Race”), all of whom seriously brought the drama. Even Cumming stepped up his already considerable A-game in the fashion department, modeling gag-worthy looks that would turn even RuPaul’s head.
EMMY OUTLOOK: In the driver’s seat. The big post-Emmy question for “The Traitors” team was whether the show would choke in Season 3, cautiously repeating what had worked previously. The verdict, both from critics and audiences, was that this dramatic new edition was as good, if not better than the Emmy-winning Season 2, but will it be enough to hold off a newly resurgent “Drag Race?” That’s anyone’s guess, but at this moment, odds seem likely that “The Traitors” will slay again on Emmy night.
THE VOICE – Season 27 (NBC)
Season 27 had a feeling of old home week for fans of this music competition series. With three of last season’s judges (Reba McEntire, Gwen Stefani, and Snoop Dogg) departing the revolving chairs, leaving only Michael Bublé to return, two seats were filled by old friends of the show — John Legend (who returns for his 10th season as a coach) and OG Adam Levine, one of the show’s first four coaches who departed after Season 16. The newcomer is country star Kelsea Ballerini, who has more than held her own amidst the battling boys around her.
EMMY OUTLOOK: Good. After a downward awards trajectory over the past few years, “The Voice” increased its total nominations in 2024 compared with the previous year, including retention of that valuable Outstanding Series nod. With the resurgent “Survivor” threatening to return to the Top 5, the show needs to keep the momentum going with Emmy voters and may have found it with the publicity around Legend and Levine’s return.
YES, CHEF! – Season 1 (NBC)
It’s not often that a reality competition show is hosted by two former Emmy nominees, one of whom was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Culinary icon Martha Stewart and award-winning chef José Andrés lead this cooking competition, which offers an unusual twist. The competitors are 12 of the nation’s top chefs who, according to their own colleagues, display a toxic combination of ego and temperament in the kitchen. With food legends watching their every move, the chefs know that they must keep their cool as they try to prepare the best food they can during challenges that are designed to push their emotional buttons.”Yes, Chef!” works as a cooking competition and a self-help show all rolled into one awards-friendly package.
EMMY OUTLOOK: It could be the wild card in the race. Having hosts with the prestige of both Stewart and Andrés certainly ups the level of class in the category (always a plus for Emmy voters), and the two legends work well together as a team. Though also a food competition, the series offers enough of a difference in its psychological elements to separate itself from the mighty “Top Chef.” One possible drawback, though: will Emmy voters see the show’s psychological element as enhancing the series or detracting from the game elements? Also, Emmy voters are faced with whether one is superior to the other or if both are good enough to clear the bar. If so, can the category sustain two competitive cooking shows? Or will they split the foodie vote, with neither show getting that coveted Outstanding Series nomination? It will be one of the more intriguing stories on Emmy nomination morning.
Do you think RuPaul can snatch the crown back from “The Traitors?” And will any new series break into the top 5 and grab an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Reality Competition Series? Please let us know in the comments section below or over on our X account, and be sure to check out our latest Emmy predictions here. Please also be sure to subscribe to the Next Best Series Podcast where we are conducting a number of interviews with Emmy contenders throughout the awards season and discussing the race over the next couple of months.
