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Once again, the #1 show on Netflix is a guilty pleasure reality series

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With Netflix reeling from a slew of bad headlines, stemming from its upcoming password-sharing crackdown and a feeling that the streamer has lost a step over the last year or two when it comes to quality, what’s this I see? Open the Netflix app, and there in the #1 spot on the Top 10 list of Netflix shows in the US today — Selling Sunset. A reality show about gorgeous real estate agents in Los Angeles that combines drama and luxe real estate into something Netflix calls a “docusoap.”

The show rocketed to #1 on Netflix because Season 5 was just released on the streamer on Friday. That’s right. Netflix has been canceling people’s favorite shows right and left, with those often not making it past season two or three. But low-brow “docusoaps” and reality shows about cake have no trouble at all blowing up on the service. Go figure.

Selling Sunset Season 5

“Selling Sunset, a Netflix reality series set in the world of LA’s high-end real estate, follows seven of the city’s most successful female realtors who all work under the same roof at the #1 agency in the Hollywood Hills and the Sunset Strip,” reads Netflix’s official synopsis of the 10-episode new season.

Al 11th episode, a reunion special, is coming on May 6.

“They work hard and play harder, as they compete with the cutthroat LA market and each other. These ladies will do what it takes to make it to the top of their game, all while trying to keep their personal lives intact. This season, the ladies deal with even more mind-blowing mansions, shocking new romances, and explosive truths that will change their lives, relationships and careers forever.”

Could this be part of the reason why Netflix earlier this week reported its first quarterly subscriber loss in more than a decade? And why the streamer said it expects to lose another 2 million subscribers next quarter?


Top Netflix reality series

That’s one argument you could make. The more time passes, and the longer I have a Netflix subscription? The less I feel like I come across truly unforgettable, must-watch titles on Netflix. I know that they’re there, but you’ve got to wade through about seven layers of crap to find them.

Ozark, for example. Its final episodes are coming in less than a week. And it’s an example of one of the best Netflix shows of all time.

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Chrishell Stause, left, in Season 5 of Netflix’s “Selling Sunset.” Image source: Netflix

But if you look at the rest of the Top 10 list of TV shows in the US on Netflix right now, meanwhile, there are actually two more reality series that are dominating the streamer at the moment.

They include The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On, from the creators of Netflix’s Love is Blind. Plus another “docusoap,” as Netflix calls them: Married at First Sight. Hard pass. If you need me, I’ll be over here catching up on Apple’s masterful new series, Pachinko.


More Netflix coverage: For more Netflix news, check out our coverage of the latest new Netflix movies and series to watch.

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Andy Meek is a reporter based in Memphis who has covered media, entertainment, and culture for over 20 years. His work has appeared in outlets including The Guardian, Forbes, and The Financial Times, and he’s written for BGR since 2015. Andy's coverage includes technology and entertainment, and he has a particular interest in all things streaming. Over the years, he’s interviewed legendary figures in entertainment and tech that range from Stan Lee to John McAfee, Peter Thiel, and Reed Hastings.