When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.<\/i><\/p>\n Credit: Netflix<\/p>\n Remember how wild and unhinged reality shows were<\/a> back in the early 2000s? While some shows played it safe and kept things nice and clean, there were others that pushed their subjects (or contestants) to the breaking point in the name of good TV and high ratings. After watching Reality Check: Inside America\u2019s Next Top Model and its deconstruction of the popular competition series<\/a>, I started to think about some shows that could also get that treatment, for better or worse.<\/p>\n That being said, I\u2019ve come up with a list of early 2000s reality shows<\/a> that I think need the docuseries treatment so that we can see just how crazy things got behind the scenes and further explore our insatiable appetite for drama around the turn of the century. Here are some of the reality or competition series I think would be the most interesting.<\/p>\n Credit: VH1<\/p>\n Though The Surreal Life, and several other unforgettable reality TV shows have been covered on the Dark Side of Reality TV<\/a> series Vice put out a couple of years ago, this behemoth of a show can\u2019t possibly be fit into a single episode. A staple on The WB (and later VH1) from 2003 to 2006, before being brought back for two more seasons in the 2020s, this reality show was like The Real World but with celebrities of varying levels of fame, as opposed to random strangers. Anyone who watched this show back in the day, no doubt, has memories of it burned into their psyche at this point, and I would love to see these explored.<\/p>\n Though it would be hard watch considering multiple housemates have passed over the years (Verne Troyer\u2019s 2018 death<\/a> and Chyna\u2019s shocking 2016 passing<\/a> quickly come to mind), it would also be interesting to see what the producers and celebrities who appeared on the show have to say about its impact on celebrity obsession and how much times have changed. Also, it would have to talk about Flavor of Love and how the Flavor Flav dating show kicked off a new era for VH1 in the 2000s.<\/p>\n Credit: MTV<\/p>\n There have been multiple documentaries and docuseries about Sean \u201cDiddy\u201d Combs<\/a> in recent years, with some even touching on his early 2000s reality series, Making the Band. However, a full-fledged docuseries about the long-running show about the formation of groups like O-Town, Da Band, and Day26 would be something to behold. I mean, before Combs entered the picture with the show\u2019s second season, you had the late Lou Pearlman, the music manager and convicted con artist who assembled Backstreet Boys and NSYNC, which would lead to some wild stories.<\/p>\n It would be interesting to explore the impact of Making the Band, its place in pop culture throughout the 2000s, and where the artists have gone in the years since first making a big splash in the recording industry. Undoubtedly, there would be some tough subject matter chronicled here, but it would be fascinating to watch.<\/p>\n Credit: Fox<\/p>\n A reality competition series inspired by the classic story \u201cThe Ugly Duckling,\u201d<\/a> The Swan took things to the extreme when it debuted on Fox back in April 2004. The body transformations on America\u2019s Next Top Model were insane back in the day, but they pale in comparison to this over-the-top and borderline unethical series about people becoming \u201cbeautiful\u201d or whatever the judges and voters thought was beautiful at the time.<\/p>\n Though the series was brought back for a celebrity special back in 2013<\/a>, this one has largely been left to be forgotten and is considered one of the worst and most egregious reality shows of the early 2000s. It would be intriguing, though a bit unsettling, to go back and see what the show\u2019s creators and producers originally had in mind and if they had any idea there would be so much blowback in the years that followed. This would undoubtedly be one of the hardest-to-watch docuseries of this variety.<\/p>\n Credit: Fox<\/p>\n There have been countless dating shows over the years (with more coming out all the time), but few have had a premise as bonkers as Joe Millionaire. For those who don\u2019t remember, this reality series debuted back in 2003 and followed a group of women competing to win over who they thought was an extremely wealthy bachelor, only to discover that he was just a regular dude in the finale. If the shocker didn\u2019t scare them away, they got to split the $1 million prize.<\/p>\n The series, which ran for two seasons back in the day, came back in 2022 with a new take on the premise<\/a>, which ended up being a lot of fun in the end. Though that later version might not lead to the best docuseries, the original run seems like it\u2019s tailor-made for the format. The radical twist, the way it played on people\u2019s perception of wealth, and the general vibes just seem perfect.<\/p>\n<\/span><\/div>\n
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The Surreal Life<\/h2>\n
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Making The Band<\/h2>\n
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The Swan<\/h2>\n
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Joe Millionaire<\/h2>\n