Top 10 most unique competition shows


We are all guilty of getting sucked into some type of competition show. We like to see the journey of a regular Joe Blow into super-stardom. Competition shows consist of contestants, challenges that the contestant must pass, judges, and beloved grand prize that the winner gets...and don't forget the trash-talking between contestants.

There are plentiful completion shows that are built around the usual talents, such as singing or dancing. However, there are many more talents and talented people in this world that go unnoticed. Here is a list of competition shows who defy the norms.

10. Food Network's Cupcake Wars (June 2010 – present)

Cupcake Wars is a competition show that searches for the best cupcake-maker. Who doesn't like cupcakes?

The show challenges teams to create cupcakes with unusual ingredients and themes. Then a panel of judges tastes the cupcakes and declares a winner. The winning team of Cupcake Wars receives $10,000.... I wonder how many cupcakes you can buy with that?

9. Lifetime's Project Runway (December 2004-present)

One dream of an aspiring fashion designer probably is to be on Project Runway. The purpose of this show is to find America's next top fashion designer. The designers go through challenges where they have to create garments from limited materials. Sometimes they make clothing from unconventional items such as candy or flowers. The top designer receives $100,000 to start their own clothing line, a feature in a prestigious magazine, an opportunity to sell their clothing line, and various other prizes depending on what season.

Project Runway has a spin-off competition show called Project Accessory.

8. MTV's Celebrity Rap Star (August 2007- October 2007)

Celebrity Rap Star is a lot like Dancing with the Stars...except the celebrities are showing off their rap skills. Celebrities such as Perez Hilton and Shar Jackson are competing to be the top rapper, with the help of rapper mentors. The judges are rappers also. The celebrities performed popular rap songs and were judged on their ability to spit rhymes. The judges picked who was safe from elimination each week and the losers are determined by the viewer’s votes. The winner walks away with mad street cred. B-boy stance.

7. MTV's From G's to Gents (July 2008 – April 2009)

Another MTV competition show! From G's to Gents takes misdirected young men and transforms them in to gentlemen. The "G" who shows the most change through completing the character building challenges wins the prize of $100,000 along with a new perspective on life.

6. VH1's Master of the Mix (November 2010 – Present)

Do you have what it takes to rock the ones and twos? Master of the Mix is a competition show where DJs scratch and mix their way to the top. The DJs are given unique challenges to perform in a club in front of a live audience and judges. The surviving DJ wins a grand prize of $250,000.

5. Spike's Ink Master (January 2012 - Present)

Everybody is getting tattoos these days, so why not make a competition show about it? Ink Master takes established tattoo artists and challenges their skill and knowledge about tattooing. In every, episode there is usually a "flash challenge" geared more towards testing the artists general knowledge about the fundamentals of art. In the main challenge, the tattoo artist is given six hours to tattoo a design that fits the theme of the week and makes the “human canvas” happy. Tattoo experts judge the tattoo and ultimately pick a winner who is granted a feature in Inked Magazine and $100,000.
Oxygen also has a similar show called Best Ink.

4. Animal Planet's Groomer Has It (April 2008 - June 2009)

Even Animal Planet had a competition show.
Groomer Has It features the best dog groomers America competing to be top-dog. They are judged on their ability to groom different breeds of dogs in different styles. Twelve groomers enter the dog house but only one leaves with the grand prize of $50,000 and a mobile grooming station.

3. Syfy's Face Off (January 2011-Present)

Face Off is a competition show about makeup, but not regular makeup...special effects makeup! The makeup artists are challenged to create a full costumed look according to the given theme for that week. Usually, the finished product looks like a creature that you would see in Men in Black. The winning makeup artist is given $100,000 and a year's supply of special effects makeup.

2. TruTv's Killer Karaoke (November 2012-January 2013)

Killer Karaoke is a competition show that is hosted by known daredevil Steve-O, so it has to be extreme. Contestants have to sing in front of a live audience WHILE performing various stunts. This show isn't about how well the contestants can sing, it's about how well the contestants can keep his or her composure while facing their biggest fears. It's like a crazy mixture of Fear Factor and Don't Forget the Lyrics. The contestant who can withstand the most torture wins $10,000.

1. Logo's RuPaul's Drag Race (February 2009 - Present)

On RuPaul's Drag Race, RuPaul is on the search for America's next drag superstar. This "America Next Top Model-esque" show includes drag queens, not a typical subject in competition shows or general media. The challenges test the drag queens on their makeup, styling, and overall entertainment abilities. In every episode, there is a bottom two that has to "lip-sync for their life" in order to convince RuPaul and the other judges that they want to stay in the competition. One by one, each drag queen is eliminated and the drag queen who has the most charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent wins $25,000, various other prizes, and is crowned as America's drag superstar, beauty pageant style.

There is also a spin-off of Drag Race called Drag U.

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