2. The Only Way Is Essex
From one altered reality show to another, next up is one of British TV's guiltiest pleasures: TOWIE. Set in Essex, England, The Only Way Is Essex, as it is known without contraction, chronicles the lives of a group of young people (and some old enough to know better) with a bit of scripted drama added in for entertainment. This year we saw all kinds of chaos on the show from Lucy and Mario's on/off relationship finally coming to an end at the beginning of the year to Gemma Collin's blossoming relationship with now fiancé Rami. But, the storyline that had us on tenterhooks this year was lovable empty-head Joey Essex's proposal to Sam Faiers, who has never appreciated him. After months of will he/won't he, Joey finally plucked up the courage to propose to his girlfriend in Dubai, but just a few weeks down the line Sam decided Joey was just too childish for her, which ironically lead to poor Joey crying in every episode since then. It may be real (it isn't) or it may be scripted (it definitely is,) but with cracking moments like Joey really believing he can walk on water, it doesn't really matter how much of it is made up as long as it's stupid enough to make us laugh.