Television series
My Big Fat Fabulous Life
- Drama
- Light-hearted
A reality series following Whitney Thore's life in North Carolina as she navigates relationships, family dynamics, and personal growth while embracing body positivity. It's earnest, messy, and deeply invested in Whitney's journey—not mean-spirited, but genuinely examining what it means to live unapologetically. For viewers who appreciate character-driven reality TV with real stakes.
If you liked this
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills2010
Character-driven ensemble drama where friendships fracture and rebuild across seasons. You'll find the same emotional investment in interpersonal conflict that makes Whitney's show compelling—real people, real consequences.
But It's cynical and often cruel in ways Whitney's show isn't. The luxury-porn aspect might feel hollow if you're watching for genuine connection.
Queer Eye2018
Five experts help people transform their lives while celebrating who they already are. It shares Whitney's core message about self-acceptance, but with the satisfaction of visible change and genuine emotional breakthroughs each episode.
But It can feel prescriptive—the experts' way is *the* way. And the transformation narrative might seem at odds with pure self-acceptance messaging.
Cheer2020
Documentary following a college cheerleading team with the same intimate, character-focused approach to reality storytelling. You get invested in these people's lives, struggles, and triumphs in ways that feel earned and surprising.
But It's a miniseries, not ongoing. And the cheerleading world itself might feel remote if you're not drawn to that community.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from My Big Fat Fabulous Life
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
The Farewell2019
Both center on a woman refusing the role her family/society expects and building her own narrative. Both find humor and heartbreak in the gap between outside perception and internal reality.
Lulu Wang's film about a Chinese-American woman navigating family expectations and cultural identity. Like Whitney's show, it's about someone caught between how her family sees her and who she wants to be—but it's a precisely crafted narrative that hits harder and stranger.
But It's a scripted film, not reality, so the emotional arc is designed. And the cultural specificity might feel distant if you're not familiar with that world.
More like this (8)
90 Day Fiancé2014
Reality TV that doesn't shy from messy relationships and genuine conflict. The show finds drama in character, not manufactured situations, and creates real investment in whether couples will actually make it.
But It can veer into schadenfreude. Some seasons prioritize spectacle over authenticity, and the editing sometimes feels manipulative.
This Is Us2016
Family drama that takes emotional vulnerability seriously. Like Whitney's show, it's unafraid of sadness, complicated relationships, and the work of actually changing. Ensemble cast means multiple perspectives on the same events.
But It's scripted, so the emotional beats are constructed. And it leans heavily into sentimentality—some find it manipulative.
Married at First Sight2014
Reality format that forces genuine self-examination from participants. The show is genuinely interested in whether people can grow and connect, and it doesn't always give you the answer you want.
But Relationship reality TV can feel voyeuristic. Some seasons are stronger than others, and production editing shapes narratives significantly.
Love on the Spectrum2019
Documentary following autistic adults as they navigate dating and relationships. It's warm without being patronizing, and celebrates people finding connection on their own terms—a different angle on the same core story Whitney tells.
But It's gentler than you might want, and focuses on individual episodes rather than ongoing arcs. If you're drawn to conflict, this won't deliver it.
The Circle2020
Reality competition that's actually funny and surprisingly thoughtful about identity, performance, and authenticity. Contestants strategize about who to be, which echoes Whitney's constant negotiation with how the world sees her.
But It's a game show, so resolution comes quickly. And the stakes are lower—it's entertainment, not someone's actual life trajectory.
Intervention2005
Documentary series about people facing their addictions. It takes emotional struggle seriously without judgment, and captures the complicated reality of wanting to change and actually managing it—central to Whitney's narrative.
But It's often very dark, and outcomes aren't always hopeful. The format can feel exploitative, even when intentions are good.
Shrill2019
Both center a fat woman's life as inherently interesting and complex, not a problem to be solved. Both refuse shame as a narrative device, but Shrill does it through comedy's permission structure rather than reality's.
Comedy series starring Lindy West as a plus-size woman living her life without apology. It's wickedly funny, genuinely feminist, and refuses to make her body the punchline. Each episode is a small masterpiece of tone.
But It's fiction, not reality—different emotional texture entirely. And the comedy sometimes undercuts the vulnerability, if you're looking for raw earnestness.
Becoming2020
Both are about a woman controlling her own narrative against enormous external pressure. Both refuse the role society initially assigned and insist on complexity instead.
Documentary of Michelle Obama's book tour and memoir. It's intimate without being exploitative, capturing a public figure's private reflections and vulnerabilities. The form—one person, long form—creates the kind of presence Whitney's show builds over seasons.
But The scale is totally different. Obama's reflections are on public service and legacy, not personal relationships. It's quieter and more philosophical than Whitney's show.
