Remember Wife Swap, the program where two women from diverse backgrounds traded families and homes for a couple weeks? As guilty pleasures go, the reality series was not totally without merit: Watching a Southern belle wake up at 3 a.m. to milk cows in the Midwest was equal parts schadenfreude and morbid curiosity. And compared to the circus of misery that is the reality TV landscape, it was practically high art. As to the lowest common denominator, here are the top reality TV shows racing to the bottom. We’ve hit peak depravity, people.
1. Naked Attraction: The U.K. dating show takes physical attraction to the outer limits, with both male and female contestants selecting hookups based on body type alone. Fully nude candidates are lined up and sized up before one lucky winner gets to go on a fully clothed date. At least they’re honest about how shallow we can be.
