#7 – Big Brother
This long-running reality series started in the Netherlands and was picked up in the UK, US, and beyond. The format has stayed pretty much the same since its inception in 1999: a group of ordinary people go into a house filled with cameras, and don’t leave until they are voted out by the audience. These votes are based on nominations by other housemates, which is a tremendous source of drama for the show. The housemates also get to participate in challenges for luxuries like alcohol, cigarettes, and luxury foods.
In the UK, the show has been through a range of changes: one year, housemates could spy on each other, another year featured a particularly cruel Big Brother who dished out even nastier tasks than usual, and one house was split into “Rich” and “Poor” sections. The show has also led to the hugely successful Celebrity Big Brother, which has featured Jackie Stallone (Sylvester’s mum), Ulrika Jonsson, and LaToya Jackson among others. Big Brother’s popularity has waned over the years, but it still attracts huge audiences.