Bachelor or Bachelorette: "Will you accept this rose?"
The deep red rose. Here is the picturesque epitome of unconditional love and affection or the potential of it. However, if you do not receive a rose, you are pinned with unrequited love.
The Bachelor has now survived to its 24th season. Some people may ask, "How does this franchise keep going?" Even though there are numerous factors that have lead to the success of this franchise, I outlined some of the elements that keep people watching.
1) Competition
What drives the flow of money in our world and what motivates us to be the best of the best? That's right. The answer is competition.
Take a look into the professional world of sports. Can you even fathom how many spectators attend these sports events? Competition and entertainment seamlessly intertwine when it comes to the Bachelor or Bachelorette show. Not only are each one of these contestants competing to win the heart of the Bachelor or Bachelorette, but the franchise skillfully implements mini-competitions for the contestants to battle it out against one another on group dates. This show's utilization of competition gets viewers hooked because we want to know who wins in the end. Not one episode is ever the same and may turn out to be what was unexpected by fans. Without competition, how would this show even exist?
2) Aesthetics
One way to catch and hook someone's attention: boost sensory appeal, specifically for our eyes!
To put things into perspective, imagine if the show was located on a flat, desolate, barren prairie landscape. No vegetation and no mountains in the distance. Let's say instead of having the contestants stay in a grandiose mansion, the living quarters are in a miniature building - basic and to the point. For every rose ceremony, imagine the contestants wearing casual clothes instead of tuxedos or formal dresses. On some one-on-one dates - lucky enough for the Bachelor or Bachelorette - he or she gets to drive a sexy sports car! Last but not least, let's take the contestants on dreamy, exquisite destinations around the world!
3) Suspense
Silence... arousing curiosity... increasing anxiety... escalating tension... BAAAMMM! There goes that rushing and gushing of adrenaline flooding throughout the body.
The Bachelor does a magnificent job of this. The silence is deafening during the rose ceremonies as each contestant awaits the calling of his or her name. Then, there are the dreaded cliffhangers that the show implemented in order to create suspense and stimulate curiosity. Consequently, this captured more views of the following episode; however, this tactic made fans very frustrated. Further adding to the suspense, fighting and drama between the contestants may increase a viewer's anxiety since they do not know how the contestants in the show will act and react. Ironically, sometimes previews of the next episode can generate suspense.
4) Emotional Appeal
Emotions. How many times have humans let their hearts trump their brains in making decisions in life.
What this franchise artfully does is tug on peoples' heart strings and spark viewers' imaginations. Who does not want to go out on lavish dates? They place you in an emotional world of whimsical wonder as you catch yourself fantasizing about how wonderful it would be if YOU were the one on the show falling in love... aaahhhhh how amazing! Evidently, this franchise captivates us by seizing our emotions while placing our imaginations in a fairy-tale like setting.
5) Community
It is in the innate nature of humans to want to feel a sense of belonging.
With the increasing usage of social media, this type of media has majorly contributed to this show's longevity. Viewers are now interacting with one another more than ever via the Internet on Twitter and more. Fans are commenting, venting out their frustrations, picking fights, challenging others, or simply adding a comment for pure entertainment. There are 'Bachelor clubs' that have commenced, and the Bachelor community has exponentially grown so much that fans are now considered to be a part of 'Bachelor Nation.' People are even gathering in homes or out in public places to watch the show with family and friends.
There you have it. Those points I have listed are only a small fraction of the strategies that show-creators use out there. Of course when I was younger I would have NEVER clued into any of this. Over the years, however, I started to pick up on these tactics.
*** Spoiler alert!!! Sometimes the Bachelor does this for rose ceremonies, but when it gets down to the last 2 contestants, sometimes they will intentionally show the male or female who is doubtful of being picked, and then he or she ends up being picked. I also noticed that they will show certain animals, which if you know the animal's symbolism, a viewer may be able to predict what will happen depending on the context of the episode. In my opinion, the show is increasingly becoming more predictable, so let's hope this predictability does not continue for long.
