Reality TV Shows Filmed & Set in Orange County

Orange County has been the setting, filming location and inspiration for some of reality television's best-known shows. From The Real Housewives of Orange County and Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County to Selling the OC, these series have showcased communities including Newport Beach, Laguna Beach and San Clemente. This guide focuses on reality shows with meaningful Orange County connections, plus a separate look at scripted television filmed or set in the area.

Orange County Reality Shows at a Glance

RHOC | Selling the OC | Laguna Beach | Newport Harbor | Flip or Flop | Life of Ryan | Spinoffs | Scripted Shows | Movies | FAQ

The Real Housewives of Orange County

The Real Housewives of Orange County debuted on Bravo in 2006 and became the original series in what grew into the global Real Housewives franchise. The show has followed the friendships, families and conflicts of cast members living in and around Orange County for two decades.

Season 20 premiered July 9, 2026 and is currently airing Thursdays on Bravo, with episodes streaming the next day on Peacock. The milestone season includes returning Housewives Shannon Storms Beador, Heather Dubrow, Tamra Judge, Gina Kirschenheiter, Emily Simpson, Jennifer Pedranti and Vicki Gunvalson, along with newcomer Carmella Garcia.

Selling the OC

Selling the OC is Netflix's Orange County real-estate reality series and a spinoff of Selling Sunset. It follows agents connected with The Oppenheim Group's Orange County office as they compete for luxury listings around Newport Beach and other coastal communities.

Season 4 premiered on November 12, 2025 and is streaming on Netflix. For the current cast, Season 5 status, episodes and locations seen on the show, see our complete Selling the OC season and filming locations guide.

Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County

Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County aired on MTV from 2004 to 2006 for three seasons, following the lives of teenagers in Laguna Beach. Early seasons helped make Lauren Conrad, Kristin Cavallari, Stephen Colletti and other cast members familiar names while showing viewers an idealized version of coastal Orange County life.

Season 3 aired on MTV in the United States from August through November 2006 with a new group of students. The series also led directly to the Los Angeles-based spinoff The Hills.

Newport Harbor: The Real Orange County

MTV followed Laguna Beach with Newport Harbor: The Real Orange County, which shifted the focus north to Newport Beach. The short-lived series aired from 2007 to 2008 and followed a new group of teenagers navigating school, friendships and relationships in coastal Orange County.

Flip or Flop

HGTV's Flip or Flop followed Tarek El Moussa and Christina Hall as they purchased, renovated and resold homes around Southern California. Orange County was a recurring part of the series, with projects featured in cities including Anaheim and Fullerton as well as other communities throughout the region. The original series ran from 2013 to 2022.

Life of Ryan

Life of Ryan was an MTV reality series following professional skateboarder Ryan Sheckler as he balanced competition, fame, family and teenage life. The show ran for three seasons from 2007 to 2009 and was filmed largely around Sheckler's home in San Clemente, giving it one of the strongest direct Orange County connections on this list.

Orange County Reality TV Spinoffs

The Hills

The Hills grew directly out of Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County, following Lauren Conrad to Los Angeles as she pursued a career in fashion. The series aired for six seasons from 2006 to 2010 and featured Heidi Montag, Audrina Patridge, Whitney Port, Lo Bosworth and other cast members. Although primarily a Los Angeles show rather than an Orange County series, its connection to Laguna Beach makes it an important part of the OC reality-TV story.

The Hills: New Beginnings later reunited several original cast members with new faces. The sequel premiered on MTV in 2019 and ran for two seasons.

Scripted TV Shows Set or Filmed in Orange County

Not every famous television series associated with Orange County is reality TV. These scripted shows either use Orange County as a setting or filmed scenes at recognizable locations in the county.

The O.C.

The O.C. is a scripted Fox teen drama, not a reality show. It debuted in 2003 and ran for four seasons and 92 episodes. The story centers on Ryan Atwood, who moves in with the Cohen family in affluent Newport Beach. Although set in Orange County, much of the series was filmed in Los Angeles County, including beach locations in Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach.

• Dead to Me - set partly in Laguna Beach, with Southern California filming locations.
• Gilligan's Island - its opening credits include Newport Harbor.
• Dirty John - the story has strong Newport Beach and Orange County connections.
• From the Earth to the Moon - scenes for the HBO miniseries were filmed at the Tustin hangars.
• The Aquabats! Super Show! - filmed in Southern California, including Orange County locations.
• American Horror Story: Asylum - exterior filming included the Old Orange County Courthouse.
• American Horror Story: Cult - protest scenes were filmed around the Orange Plaza/Orange Circle area.

Orange County TV Filming Locations

Several Orange County communities appear repeatedly across these shows. Newport Beach is central to Selling the OC, Newport Harbor and the fictional setting of The O.C.; Laguna Beach is inseparable from MTV's Laguna Beach; and San Clemente provided the home base for Life of Ryan. Reality and home-renovation productions have also filmed throughout inland and coastal Orange County.

Movies Filmed in Orange County

Orange County has also appeared in numerous movies, from Beaches at Crystal Cove to Jerry Maguire at Fashion Island and John Wayne Airport. See our dedicated guide to movies filmed in Orange County for the full list.

Orange County Reality TV FAQ

What reality TV shows were filmed in Orange County?

Reality shows with strong Orange County connections include The Real Housewives of Orange County, Selling the OC, Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County, Newport Harbor: The Real Orange County, Life of Ryan and Flip or Flop.

Is The O.C. a reality show?

No. The O.C. is a scripted teen drama that aired on Fox from 2003 to 2007. It is set in Newport Beach but was largely filmed in Los Angeles County.

Where was Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County filmed?

The MTV reality series centered on teenagers living in Laguna Beach, California, and featured locations around the coastal Orange County community.

Is Selling the OC still on Netflix?

Yes. Four seasons of Selling the OC have been released on Netflix, with Season 4 premiering November 12, 2025.

Is The Real Housewives of Orange County still airing?

Yes. The Real Housewives of Orange County is in Season 20. The season premiered July 9, 2026 on Bravo, with episodes streaming the next day on Peacock.

What was the first Orange County reality TV show?

Among the major Orange County reality series on this list, MTV's Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County arrived first in 2004. The Real Housewives of Orange County followed in 2006 and became the original series in Bravo's larger Housewives franchise.

Was The Hills filmed in Orange County?

The Hills was primarily a Los Angeles series. It is included here because it was a direct spinoff of Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County and followed Lauren Conrad after she left Laguna Beach.

What TV shows are associated with Newport Beach?

Newport Beach is closely associated with Selling the OC, Newport Harbor: The Real Orange County and the scripted drama The O.C.. Other productions have also filmed scenes in and around Newport Beach.

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