10 Reality Shows to Watch Next If You Love ‘The Ultimatum’
Netflix’s The Ultimatum is like that slightly toxic friend who somehow always has the best gossip — you know they’re probably a bad influence, but you can’t stay away. Should you give your partner a marriage ultimatum? Probably not. Should you swap partners to figure out whether you’re meant to be together? Definitely not. But does it make for wildly addictive reality TV and give us a front-row seat to the messiest relationship drama imaginable? Absolutely.
Since The Ultimatum Season 4 premiered, we’ve been devouring every tense conversation, emotional confrontation, and jaw-dropping twist from this new cast. Now that the entire season and the reunion are out, you’re probably wondering: What should you watch next?
Don’t worry, reality TV fans. We’ve got you. Swooon has compiled a list of 10 reality TV shows that are guaranteed to fill the The Ultimatum-shaped hole in your streaming schedule.
The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On, Season 4, Streaming Now, Netflix
1. Temptation Island
This is the obvious choice because, once again, it’s all about putting relationships to the test. Let’s be honest: Is there anything single people enjoy more than discovering that seemingly perfect couples aren’t actually so perfect? Well, maybe watching them realize other relationships are even messier than their own.
In Temptation Island, four couples are separated and surrounded by a villa full of attractive singles, all designed to test the strength of their relationships. Will they stay loyal? Will a new connection prove too tempting to resist? There’s only one way to find out, and afterward, you may find yourself deleting Hinge for the night.
2. Are You the One?
Okay, this one leans more towards a dating competition than a relationship experiment, but it explores the same timeless question that plagues us all: What if the person you’re convinced is right for you… actually isn’t?
Are You the One? follows a group of singles who have been secretly matched into “perfect” couples by a matchmaking algorithm. Their mission is to figure out who their ideal partner is, and if everyone finds their correct match, the group walks away with a cash prize of up to $1 million.
Of course, things get wonderfully messy when people develop feelings for someone who isn’t their perfect match. It’s the ultimate reminder that what you want isn’t always what you need.
Fan tip: Start with Are You The One? Season 8. It features a sexually fluid cast, broke new ground for the franchise, and is widely considered the best season of the series.
3. 90 Day Fiancé
If you’re here for the unbridled chaos of The Ultimatum, 90 Day Fiancé should be next on your watchlist. This staple reality series follows international couples navigating the K-1 visa process, which allows a foreign fiancé(e) of a U.S. citizen to enter the country on the condition that the couple marries within 90 days.
The franchise has since exploded into multiple spinoffs, including 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After?, which catches up with couples after marriage; Before the 90 Days, which follows long-distance couples before the visa process begins; and The Other Way, where the American partner moves abroad instead.
With cultural differences, language barriers, family disapproval, and plenty of relationship conflict, there’s no shortage of drama. As you’d expect from a TLC reality series, some moments can be ethically questionable—but if it’s addictive, can’t-look-away television you’re after, 90 Day Fiancé delivers. And with 11 seasons (plus countless spinoffs), you’ll have enough relationship chaos to keep you busy for weeks.
4. Love Is Blind
Another pillar of the Netflix dating show universe, and another one obsessed with marriage! Love Is Blind takes us to a different U.S. city each season, where a group of singles who claim they’re ready for marriage begin dating with one major catch… They can’t see each other. Yep, love really is blind.
Inside the famous pods, we get everything from surprisingly intimate conversations to some truly NSFW moments, alongside those rare, heartwarming connections that make us believe in the experiment. Once a couple is engaged, they can finally meet face-to-face before heading on a romantic getaway with the other couples. Then comes the ultimate test: a six-week countdown to the wedding. Eek!
Love Is Blind is always an addictive watch and shares a similar appeal to The Ultimatum. You’re left counting down to the finale, wondering whether the couples will actually say “I do” — just like you’re waiting to see who will put a ring on it.
5. Dating Around
There are plenty of fish in the sea, but you might have to reel in a few before finding the perfect catch. When it comes to Dating Around, the focus is on quantity over quality. Another Netflix dating show, each episode follows one person as they go on five blind dates, all in the hope of finding a genuine connection.
Sounds pretty standard, right? Except Dating Around is anything but. From the very first season, the show proved it wasn’t afraid to tackle bigger conversations alongside the casual flirting. In Episode 2, we watch an Indian woman confidently call out an ignorant white male date. Episode 3 follows a queer man navigating multiple dates, with emotional conversations about coming out and homophobia woven naturally into the experience. Episode 4 introduces us to a widower returning to the dating world after loss.
The series brings some of the diversity and meaningful relationship conversations that viewers loved in The Ultimatum: Queer Love, but with shorter episodes and less time to fully explore each person’s story. It’s an easy, entertaining watch, but it doesn’t quite have the emotional weight or drama of The Ultimatum.
Sadly, the show was canceled after just two seasons. Sob.
6. Virgin Island
Okay, we’re heading to the complete opposite end of the relationship spectrum now. Instead of long-term couples deciding whether they’re ready to get married, Virgin Island follows 12 adult virgins who enter a show designed to help them navigate intimacy and relationships, and yes, that includes exploring why they feel stuck when it comes to losing their virginity. Don’t worry, they have the help of surrogate sex therapists. Yes, this is a thing!
Like The Ultimatum, the show is ultimately about people confronting their relationship patterns and figuring out what they need. The major difference? This time, there are trained therapists involved. And surprisingly, it’s far more heartfelt than you might expect.
With two seasons available, plus plenty of charming British accents, it’s an unexpectedly wholesome addition to your reality TV binge list.
7. Married at First Sight
Another show about people who want to get married, but this time, both people (at least in theory) are ready for the commitment. Welcome to Married at First Sight, where singles put their trust in a panel of experts who match them with someone they believe could be their perfect partner.
The twist? The couples meet for the first time at the altar and get married immediately. After the wedding, they head on their honeymoon before moving in together and navigating married life. Throughout the experiment, they attend commitment ceremonies where they decide whether to continue the relationship or walk away.
It’s completely wild, but somehow, it can also be surprisingly heartwarming. The expert sessions allow couples to work through their relationship challenges, while also exploring the personal experiences and patterns that may have stopped them from finding lasting love in the past.
When it comes to drama, Married at First Sight offers a slightly different flavor to The Ultimatum. The biggest conflicts often don’t come from within the couples themselves, but from the explosive dinner parties where everyone’s opinions — and gossip — come out. It’s absolutely unhinged.
There are plenty of versions to choose from, including the UK, U.S., and Australian franchises, with more than 20 seasons available across some editions. However, it’s worth noting that the UK version has faced scrutiny following allegations of sexual assault, and some episodes and seasons have since been removed from streaming platforms.
8. Couples Therapy
Who doesn’t love watching couples argue? We all want the reassurance that we’re not the only ones navigating relationship problems. That’s exactly why Couples Therapy is such a fascinating watch.
This Showtime reality series follows real couples as they attend therapy sessions with Dr. Orna Guralnik. Each season focuses on three or four couples participating in a 20-week therapy program, with their one-hour sessions recorded and edited into a nine-episode season.
What makes Couples Therapy stand out is how different it feels from traditional reality TV. While participants know they’re being filmed, the cameras aren’t constantly in their faces. They’re hidden, and the couples don’t interact with the production crew.
The show also prioritizes the emotional intelligence of participants and their issues. It’s less about who is “right” and more about understanding why people behave the way they do. Plus, it’s free therapy for the rest of us!
Honestly, this feels like what The Ultimatum could be with a little extra support. If you want all the relationship revelations without the partner swapping, there are five seasons ready for a serious binge.
9. Couple to Throuple
Once again, we’re following established couples, but this time, they’re not looking to put a ring on it. They’re looking to expand their relationship. Yep, we’re talking ethical non-monogamy.
Couple to Throuple follows couples who are exploring the idea of becoming a throuple by inviting a third person into their relationship. They meet, mingle, and date a group of singles, many of whom already have experience with polyamory, to see whether they can build a connection together.
It’s a fascinating watch, but the show’s portrayal of ENM is not without its problems. At times, it feels like the couples could benefit from having more experience with non-monogamy, or at the very least being more open to learning, listening, and challenging their assumptions. The format of Couple to Throuple can also make the singles feel less like equal participants and more like people being auditioned for a role in an existing relationship.
Still, increased visibility can create opportunities for better conversations and more nuanced portrayals of ethical non-monogamy in the future. Here’s hoping future TV shows continue to evolve.
10. Cheat: Unfinished Business
A major theme of The Ultimatum is boundaries and trust, so Cheat: Unfinished Business explores what happens after those foundations have already been broken.
Hosted by Paul Carrick Brunson and Amanda Holden, the show follows eight couples who have all experienced infidelity, whether they cheated or were cheated on. They head to a luxury villa to decide whether they can rebuild their relationship or whether it’s time to walk away for good.
But, as the show quickly proves, it’s rarely as simple as “cheat = breakup.” Some couples genuinely want to try again, but that raises the biggest questions: Can trust be rebuilt? Can someone truly change after hurting their partner? And can a relationship survive the damage caused? Yikes.
Having relationship expert Brunson involved is key, as he helps guide couples through difficult conversations and encourages them to confront the issues beneath the betrayal. You might recognize him from MAFS: UK.
Raw, emotional, and often uncomfortable, Cheat: Unfinished Business offers plenty of relationship food for thought, and might just make you reflect a bit yourself.
