5 Shows To Watch If You Like Shark Tank
"Shark Tank" is a show that offers plenty for a fan. With a steady stream of new seasons since 2009, the Emmy-winning business reality show has several episodes to wade through. But what happens after watching it all?
Let's say a new "Shark Tank" season isn't out yet, and a viewer has already seen the previous ones. They might be looking for something else to watch in the meantime, and, as it turns out, there are many similar programs to add to a watchlist. The central premise of "Shark Tank" is business experts helping aspiring entrepreneurs to become success stories; these elements can be found on other reality series.
Some of these other shows might approach the theme with slightly different variations, but they all revolve around the same idea of high-ranking professionals exchanging resources with up-and-comers. Without further ado, here are five shows that might bring joy to a "Shark Tank" fan's day.
Dragons' Den
Before "Shark Tank", there was — and still is – "Dragons' Den," the British version of the series. The concept is virtually identical to "Shark Tank," only there's a largely different cast of wealthy investors hearing the pitches ... and the show's various success stories are a testament to its effectiveness.
The best thing about "Dragons' Den" is that there's a whole lot of it. It's been running since 2005 and shows no signs of stopping, so even with its comparatively brief seasons, the viewer has plenty of episodes to watch. Should someone wish to proceed further down the rabbit hole, there's always the Canadian "Dragons' Den" ... and if even that isn't enough, an enthusiastic fan could always try to track down the show that started it all — the Japanese version. There's also enough overlap between the Dragons and the "Shark Tank" Sharks to bring a sense of familiarity, with Robert Herjavec and Kevin O'Leary appearing on both the Canadian "Dragons' Den" and "Shark Tank." O'Leary has analyzed the differences between the two in an interview with Speakers Spotlight.
"In the U.S., the producers spend a tremendous amount of time digging into the backgrounds of the people presenting, so as a Shark, I get a pre-pack of where they came from, history, what school they went to," he said. "I know more about them as individuals. I'm not saying that's good or bad. On 'Dragons' Den', we focus more on what happens in the Den and the deals."
Make Me a Millionaire Inventor
CNBC's "Make Me a Millionaire Inventor" is a unique take on the "Shark Tank" concept. Hosts Deanne Bell and George Zaidan are looking for amazing inventions that, for some reason, never took off. They try to find ways to rectify the situation.
These aren't just any inventions, either. Instead of special socks and kitchen gadgets for stuffing bananas, "Make Me a Millionaire Inventor" is on the hunt for accessibly-priced water filter innovations and concussion-detecting athletic mouth guards ... though there are also marinara sauce fountains, Lego vacuum cleaners, and snow cone vending machines to lighten the mood.
"Make Me a Millionaire Inventor" only has two seasons and a total of 14 episodes, so it's not a long-term solution for people looking to scratch that "Shark Tank" itch. However, it can serve as a satisfying palate cleanser for viewers between longer "Shark Tank"-themed reality show binges.
Planet of the Apps
"Planet of the Apps" belongs in a museum ... not because it's a relic, but because it's the first TV show Apple produced. As such, it's an important stepping stone in the tech giant's attempt to rise to the top of the streaming wars. It's essentially a competition-themed "Shark Tank" where app developers pitch their ideas for a chance to get feedback, visibility, and financing. Zane Lowe hosts the show, but the secret sauce is its cast of high-profile panelists, consisting of Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Alba, musician Will.i.am, and entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk.
With only one 10-episode season to watch, "Planet of the Apps" doesn't offer much content. However, its highly recognizable celebrity panelists may be a nice change from the more business-oriented approach of "Shark Tank" — and considering the show's status as Apple's first TV series, there's also an element of pop culture history at play.
Undercover Boss
"Undercover Boss" isn't a show where hungry up-and-comers go to power players in search of their time — it's the other way around. Here, executives camouflage as comparatively low-level workers in their companies to see how things are done on the ground floor and, more often than not, attain nuggets of wisdom from the employees. This makes it a fun companion piece to "Shark Tank." While the premises are very different on the surface, "Undercover Boss" features corporate higher-ups (who wouldn't necessarily look out of place as Sharks) interacting with regular people in various industries. This provides an inverted dynamic since the boss has to effectively pitch themselves as a capable cog in the company machine to fit in.
The element of corporate haughtiness on "Shark Tank" and the highlighted humility of "Undercover Boss" complement each other surprisingly well — and with plenty of seasons to run through, the latter provides an exciting opportunity for a viewer who's in for the long haul.
Kitchen Nightmares
If a viewer has ever been on the fence whether to watch "Shark Tank" or "The Bear," look no further than "Kitchen Nightmares." Gordon Ramsay's long-running kitchen-saving series might not be the first thing that comes to mind as a companion piece to "Shark Tank." However, there's a natural connection between the pair.
Like the Sharks, Ramsay is an absolute, certifiable top expert in his field, not to mention a very wealthy guy. On "Kitchen Nightmares," he's attempting to help up-and-comers find success by giving them possibly the most valuable resources at his disposal — his time and knowledge. Similar to "Shark Tank," some of these companies succeed, while others do not. Things can also get tense, for the stakes are often high.
At the end of the day, "Kitchen Nightmares" and "Shark Tank" embrace the same concepts, from harsh words to big ideas and interactions between people who made it and those looking to leave their mark. What else could a business-themed reality show enthusiast want?