Netflix’s ‘Cheat’ is a UK-based quiz reality show where contestants use their wit, brains, poker face, and manipulative tactics to win the trivia. Every episode showcases four participants who compete in three rounds and bluff whenever they have to. The X-factor of the show is that it promotes cheating, but only if someone can pull it off without being caught.
Danny Dyer and Ellie Taylor are the two well-known British personalities who host the series. If you loved watching people outsmart each other while also learning a ton of interesting facts, then you might also enjoy all the similar shows that we’ve curated for you in this list.
8. Chain Reaction (1980-)
‘Chain Reaction’ is a reality game show created by Bob Stewart, and it was also known as ‘The New Chain Reaction’ and ‘The $40,000 Chain Reaction.’ The show features players who compete to form chains of two-word phrases. The team that completes the most chains and wins the most rounds takes home the cash prize. Some variants of the game allow the players to mislead their opponents, much like the ones in ‘Cheat.’ Moreover, the show is great for anyone who wants to expand their vocabulary, learn new words, and improve their linguistic knowledge.
7. Whodunnit (2013)
Each episode features a staged murder, and 13 contestants must find the culprit who is one of them. They have clues and instructions to start their quest and identify the criminal. Later, they answer specific questions that reveal their best guess. Now, each contestant has a score per their investigative abilities, and the one with the lowest number becomes the victim who the murderer eliminates.
Gildart Jackson, the butler who guides them in the mansion, is also the show’s host. ‘Whodunnit’ is a reality show created by Anthony Zuiker, and parallel to ‘Cheat,’ the contestants have to rely on deceit and playing tactfully to become the undisputed winner.
6. The Weakest Link (2000-)
A team answers multiple questions within a time limit, and the one who performs the worst and adds nothing to the prize pool becomes the weakest link. The contestants vote this person out until two remain, and they go head-to-head for the final round. ‘The Weakest Link‘ is a reality show adapted from its original British version and created by Fintan Coyle and Cathy Dunning. Congruent to ‘Cheat,’ one can learn a lot from the questions, and the players are at constant risk of being voted out by a person rather than failing the quiz itself.
5. Golden Balls (2007-2009)
Round 1 begins with twelve random balls with monetary value and four additional “killer” balls. Four contestants receive these balls, peak at them, and align them in the front. If the total value of their balls is low, they must bluff to stay in the game. The contestants vote and eliminate the one they think has the least amount and can add negligible money to the total winning prize. After the second round, two remaining contestants play a “bin or win” round that determines the total value of the jackpot.
They are both given a ball marked with “split” and “steal,” and they can either convince the other person to split the money with them, trust them, or betray them. ‘Golden Balls’ is a UK-based reality game show that aired on ITV, and it was directed by Julian Smith and Kate Douglas-Walker. As seen in ‘Cheat,’ the competitors in this show also have to fool everyone and pretend to be honest while being as sly as possible.
4. Win Ben Stein’s Money (1997-2003)
Three contestants answer general knowledge questions, and the one who secures the lowest amount is out of the race. The host, Ben Stein himself, joins the remaining two and competes with them to save his $5000 (the winning cash prize that belongs to him). Out of the two players, the one with the most money must win against Ben in the final round to take home the $5000 cash prize.
‘Win Ben Stein’s Money’ is a reality show created by Al Burton, Donnie Brainard, Byron Glore, and Andrew J. Golder. For the ones who are searching for an informative quiz show like ‘Cheat’ with a nice twist to its format, you must check out ‘Win Ben Stein’s Money.’
3. The Mole (2001-)
‘The Mole‘ features contestants who perform challenges as a group in order to add money to their total cash prize. However, one of them is an impostor who has to sabotage their tasks and nullify the group’s effort. By the end of every episode, the show eliminates the contestant who is unable to determine the impostor’s identity, and the one who does can take home a hefty amount.
The reality show changes its host to several new and known faces every few seasons, and they are Anderson Cooper, Ahmad Rashad, Jon Kelley, and Alex Wagner. Much like ‘Cheat,’ the contestants have to use their intuition and observational skills to determine the mole’s true identity.
2. The Chase (2009-)
A team of four contestants answers questions to outperform the “chaser,” a quiz expert who must catch them before they reach the board’s end. The players have to accumulate a large amount and give correct answers while the chaser tries to sabotage them. The team loses their money if the chaser succeeds, but if they win, they play a final round to bag the cash prize.
‘The Chase’ is based on the eponymous British reality show and is created by Danny Carvalho, Pete Faherty, Chris Gepp, Elliot Johnson, Matt Pritchard, and Amanda Wilson. If you enjoyed the banter between the contestants on ‘Cheat,’ ‘The Chase’ is known for such hilarious and epic moments.
1. Dirty Rotten Cheaters (2003)
The show begins with six contestants, but one of them is the “dirty rotten cheater.” Together, these players answer survey-based questions, almost like a guessing game. The cheater can view all the right answers on their screens and can either decide to give the correct response and earn money or the wrong one to be less suspicious. After three rounds, the contestants have the opportunity to vote out the cheater, but it can end in multiple ways. ‘Dirty Rotten Cheaters’ aired on PAX and was hosted by Bill Dwyer. Akin to ‘Cheat,’ the show’s format includes cheating and deceiving others to win the show.
Read More: Is Netflix’s Cheat Scripted or Real?
