It's hard to pinpoint when the reality TV era started (though many point to the first season of The Real World as a good starting place), but it's clear that the genre is here to stay. From reality shows dedicated to finding love or finding real estate to shows about watching wealthy women with way too much Botox get into contrived fights with each other while on expensive vacations, there is an almost endless supply of reality show moments we could dissect.
But there are some reality TV moments that are so iconic that they are a permanent part of pop culture history. We're talking about those moments that were not only major watercooler conversation the next day at work, but still live on as memes and GIFs to this day.
There are moments that made us cry — just ask any Gen Xer about moment No. 6 on our list, for example. There are moments that left us speechless (sometimes in a good way, like No. 8). And there are even moments that actually made us believe that reality TV love could be for real, including No. 13 (they're still our favorite reality couple of all time).
Here, we're giving a shout-out to the heroes, villains, losers, winners, and table-flippers that we'll never forget!
The 'Real Housewives' Table Flip
In 2009, Bravo aired an instantly iconic episode of The Real Housewives of New Jersey that features a seriously pissed-off Teresa Giudice flipping a restaurant table and calling castmate Danielle Staub a "prostitution whore." This one minute or so of mayhem was a major pop culture moment, and people are still using that GIF on the regular more than a decade later.
Kim's Fairytale Wedding
Oh, man. Was there anything that was more hyped than Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries' Fairytale Wedding special? E! milked that event for all it was worth, and the ratings were some of the highest the network had ever seen for any of its shows. The only minor issue was the fact that the couple broke up less than three months later!
The 'Survivor' Rats & Snakes Speech
Some say that Survivor was one of the shows that really launched the reality TV era, and no Survivor moment got more attention than Sue Hawk's infamous "Rats and Snakes" speech during the finale for the show's first season. That speech was a major mic drop moment, and everyone was talking about it the next day.
Tyra Loses It
Tyra Banks was always a big personality as the host of America's Next Top Model, and that show will likely be remembered both for introducing the word "smize" to our vocabulary and for the moment when Tyra lost it and screamed at contestant Tiffany when she gave up during a teleprompter challenge. Never have the words "I was rooting for you" sounded so unhinged!
Kris Jenner's Most Supportive Moment
It's always nice to see a mom being supportive, but most of us probably can't relate to our moms taking pictures and telling us, "You're doing amazing sweetie!" while we're posing for Playboy! That phrase is so iconic that Kris even had it trademarked, because she's all about figuring out how to make money out of nothing. We all know that the devil works hard, but Kris Jenner works harder!
Pedro Zamora's Bravery
The Real World is one of reality TV's most important franchises, and the story of Pedro Zamora from season three is a perfect example of the impact good TV can have. Pedro revealed on the show that he was gay and HIV positive, something that was an astonishingly brave thing to do in 1994 when there was still such strong stigma and fear around the disease. For many viewers, he became the human face of AIDS and he inspired people to learn more about it and to treat HIV positive people with more compassion. When he died in 1994, it was national news and devastating for fans of the show.
'The Bachelor' Flip-Flop
Getting dumped sucks. Getting dumped on national TV after "winning" The Bachelor? Hoo boy, that sucks more. Contestant Melissa Rycroft was blindsided by fiancé Jason Mesnick, who revealed that he still had feelings for a different contestant, Molly, and unceremoniously dumped Melissa on TV. Turns out his feelings for Molly were the real deal, however, as the two have now been married for more than 10 years.
An Unforgettable Audition
In the history of reality TV talent competition shows, there are few auditions that were as unforgettable as Susan Boyle's on Britain's Got Talent. Susan, who was a bit awkward and frumpy, wasn't taken seriously until she opened her mouth and THAT VOICE came out. Instant goosebumps!
The Fight That Became a Meme
Fights are like oxygen for the Real Housewives universe — it simply can't survive without them! While every season of every franchise has at least a few big blow-ups, none compares to the fight between Taylor Armstrong and Camille Grammer on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills for becoming a meme. The image of a drunken, sobbing Taylor pointing her finger at Camille is still used all the time on social media.
Kourtney Keeps It Real
There are few things more entertaining on Keeping Up With the Kardashians than the moments when it is so very clear that Kourtney Kardashian is so over it with her family. Kourtney's super dry delivery of the line, "Kim, there's people that are dying," after Kim breaks down in tears at the loss of a diamond earring in the ocean is forever iconic.
Jessica's Tuna Confusion
Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica was a major MTV hit in the early 2000s, and one of the most memorable scenes was when Jessica Simpson was confused about whether she was eating chicken or fish as she ate a bowl of Chicken of the Sea brand tuna. Although she's able to laugh about it now, that scene is actually a little hard to watch for those of us who've read her amazing memoir and know that she was really struggling with her weight, mental health, and her marriage to Nick Lachey by that point in the show. She was so hungry — no wonder she was confused!
A Dolla Makes Her Holla
Oof. Here's the thing: A moment can be iconic, but that doesn't mean it's good. The first time TV audiences meet 6-year-old Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson on Toddlers & Tiaras, it's pretty clear that she's a kid with a lot of personality and some cringe-worthy catchphrases. What isn't clear is that this introduction would be the first time we are meeting a family that would go on to try to make their living on reality TV but would self-destruct with addictions and child abuse allegations along the way. Knowing what comes next for this family makes it sad to watch.
Real Love on Reality TV
Love Is Blind was one of the biggest binges of the early pandemic days of 2020. That show — and Tiger King — were the most talked-about on Zoom calls as we all figured out how to adapt to a new normal. One of the reasons for the show's success was the relationship between contestants Lauren and Cameron. The moment when they finally got to see each other was iconic for them and for viewers. The two are still married today, proving love can be found on reality TV.
When Reality TV Is Kind
So much of reality TV can be downright mean, especially on competition shows (yes, we get it, nobody came to make friends), which is why we have such a soft spot for the kind and gentle Great British Baking Show. We couldn't choose just one iconic moment, but we do love all the times when things got a little silly!
So Emotional
What happens when a show combines a fierce drag queen with a classic Whitney Houston song and adds a whole bouquet's worth of rose petals to the mix? Well, honey, we get Sasha Fierce's iconic performance on RuPaul's Drag Race! This was one of those moments when it was clear we were watching a STAR.
The Broken Ox
The Amazing Race is one of the most iconic shows of reality TV, having recently wrapped its 33rd season. We love the show for not only the chance it gives us to see the world, but also for moments when the wheels start falling off the wagon for contestants who are tired and jet-lagged. One of the most hilarious meltdowns was in season five when ultra-competitive Colin found that he couldn't tell an ox what to do, leading to his frustrated screams of, "MY OX IS BROKEN!"
