First of all, if you are one of those "it’s set up" or "it’s so fake" kind of watchers, you won’t appreciate this article…or, maybe you will just to laugh along with it. But, regardless of what you think goes on behind the scenes, it is undeniable that ABC’s hit series The Bachelor/Bachelorette are beyond weird and extremely addicting. I myself haven’t missed a season since I started watching way back in junior high, and though I find every episode to be ridiculous and awkward, I still am obsessed with the show.
Right from the first episode of each season, we are smacked in the face with an uncomfortable, unrealistic, and legit crazy scenario… OK, so hey, let's all get in limos, come up with some corny punch lines, and try to make a good impression on the person we already are positive we want to marry before we even meet!!!!--(actual thoughts of contestants on the show). The whole limo ordeal is straight up absurdity. If that’s not enough, the same night multiple contestants get sent home during the first rose ceremony. I’m sorry, what?! How does a matter of 2 hours allow someone with enough time to decide they aren’t right for him or her? And there you have it, the ridiculousness that is The Bachelor.
So, the entire 12 or so week process takes place in beautiful, perfect, fairytale locations. Who has the time to travel to exotic places for 12 weeks going on dates in caves and helicopters? Not me – so what better than to curl up on the couch with a glass of wine and watch other beautiful people do it? The first place the cast stays is the Bachelor Mansion. The Mansion houses the contestants, who are dating the same person, under the same roof, sharing rooms...I don’t know about the rest of America, but that would not fly with me. Chances are I’d strongly dislike everyone else who was kissing MY boyfriend after me. How do these people do it? Yet, the weirdest part of living together in these amazing places is that the contestants actually become friends with each other; friends who get happy for one another when they have a good date with their MUTUAL partner. What kind of world is this okay in? Bachelor world, of course.
As if the crazy date locations aren’t ludicrous enough, let’s take a minute to talk about who’s on these dates. The most insane part about the first kind of dates there are on the show is that I don’t even find them as weird anymore just because of how used to the show I’ve become, and I’m sure most Bachelor fans can agree with that. The group dates. 4-10 contestants are picked up by the Bachelor/Bachelorette to go somewhere near the hotel to participate in a group date, which is usually some kind of activity of a competitive nature. So, these dates aren’t exactly fun for the contestants, considering the entire day they are trying to impress and get attention from the same person as the others on the date by doing the dumbest things like singing, dancing or sumo wrestling each other. OH, I almost forgot – towards the end of the date, someone decided that it would be okay to send all of the people on the date home and allow the bachelor/bachelorette keep their favorite person there and have a one-on-one for the rest of the night…'cause that isn’t beyond f’ed up or anything. Think that’s weird? How about the two-on-one dates. These dates are awkward and scary. The awkwardness arises from the fact that you must act like you're enjoying the other contestants' company when really you just want to get the rose and have them packing so you can finish the night alone. The scary part? Going into this date you automatically have a 50% chance of being sent home that day. Another scary part: chances are if you were picked for this date, the bachelor/bachelorette is trying to decide who they like more out of the two they like least. Rarely until the end do we find front-runners on a two-on-one date.
There are millions of other ways that this show is completely off its rocker and unrealistic. After all of the oddities throughout the season, it ends with a proposal. The most planned out and forced, yet beautiful and perfect proposal you’ll ever see. Who in their right mind proposes to someone who hasn’t even seen them in the real world, let alone without having other boyfriends/girlfriends? Through all of these ridiculous, catchy, and entertaining situations, I find myself taken away from my own issues and put into someone else’s sobbing tears in the minivan to the airport after they missed the "final rose" (Chris Harrison voice). Maybe that’s why I love it so much. What’s better than mindless entertainment while you watch someone else’s future love story play out? Whatever it is, it’s a great show that I could never get sick of…especially because each season is WAY more dramatic than the last!
