The Bachelor Franchise has been met with mixed reviews over the years. Whether you love it or hate it, it seems to make its way into our lives every summer and winter with a new season where a man or woman searches for love among 25+ singles hand picked just for them.

As for me, I live for this franchise. I follow The Bachelor, The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise, a spin-off of the original series where former contestants get a second shot at love with each other, and I even participate in the ESPN Fantasy League for the show. I enjoy the drama, tears, hilarious group date activities, suspense and most of all, the "true" love that forms by the end. While I am not naive in thinking that each couple that forms in the end is going to be together forever, the hopeless romantic part of me continues to root for them no matter the odds stacked against their reality TV created relationship.

One of the things that stood out to me about this show was the fact that the "everyday man or woman" who were struggling to find love could take a leap of faith and apply to find love on national television. They risk humiliation in the hope of finding their soul mate, which I find romantic in a weird way. As someone who has watched the show for years, I have noticed a recent trend in who the producers pick to go on the show. Instead of just normal people, they have begun to pick those who are what I would call "low-key famous." By this, I mean already sorta Instagram famous, or knows a former contestant on the franchise, or hosts a pretty popular radio show (sorry Wells Adams if you ever read this). Those who aren't already sorta famous are usually sent home within the first two weeks. Maybe it just happens that way but I don't think that is the case.

I think the Bachelor Franchise has moved from a more real version of a quest for love into an over produced, predictable series that is essentially the same no matter who the Bachelor or the Bachelorette is. There are always the contestants, two of them fight and end up on a two-on-one date where only one gets to stay, the weeks go by and there always seems to be a few "floater" guys as I call them that make it weirdly far considering they don't seem to have a connection with the man or woman they are supposedly in love with. The Final Four comes around and the contestants bring the Bachelor or Bachelorette home, and by this time you can tell which contestant will win. The Finale is fake dramatic and obnoxiously long but you still watch until the end because you need to know who is the last one standing and see the outlandishly expensive engagement ring that is given away. While a lot of seasons follow this pattern, it used to feel more natural than what is shown now.

Even though I have some issues with how the Bachelor Franchise has advanced, I will continue to watch everything it produces in hopes for something more. Myself, along with most of Bachelor Nation, always hope for the fairytale ending at the end of each season, which is why we watch despite the issues the series presents. Usually the Bachelorettes are more genuine than the Bachelors, which I see as an issue. Ben Higgins (my all time favorite Bachelor and my dream man if I'm being honest) is one of the few men that have been on the show that seemed real and actually interested in love, while the rest have really been duds. In the future, I want to see progression in the show, which was slightly met with the first black Bachelorette, Rachel Lindsey. Rachel is an incredibly successful woman, who in my opinion is too good for this show. However, higher quality Bachelors or Bachelorettes could mean more serious relationships and contestants, creating a high quality show. This is my hope for the series but no matter what, I will continue to accept the rose from the franchise.