When did it fall off and why do we love it again?
For those who have somehow gone all these years without watching the iconic reality TV show, The Bachelor is a drama-filled series which follows one man and up to 32 women on their journey to find love. The show began in 2002, with Alex Michel as the first Bachelor and shortly after, in 2003, The Bachelorette rendition of the show made it to television screens.
Now, you may be thinking, this is a really odd concept. One person getting to date a multitude of people, all at the same time, with absolutely zero consequences… sounds pretty crazy to me! But, that’s exactly why it does so well! For a long time, the Bachelor franchise was absolutely booming. Every week, middle-aged women and young girls across the country were anxiously waiting for Monday night to roll around to see the drama unfold. They had so much success that they even created a spin-off show, Bachelor in Paradise.
Everything was going so well… too well. Finally, the show seemed to hit a bump in the road after Hannah B’s bachelorette season. Hannah B‘s season was extremely popular and many fans were disappointed to see that Tyler Cameron was not the next bachelor. A good amount of people liked Pilot Pete’s season, and Clare’s season could’ve been a hit if she didn’t leave with her chosen man after episode 4. After that, many fans began to lose interest in the series. It was the same exact plot and drama for twenty something seasons.
It was getting bland, and The Bachelor producers realized this, so they decided to pull out all the stops for Joey Graziadei’s season, Season 28 of The Bachelor. Producers brought in five new key elements to Joey’s season that helped cater to the dynamic shift of the entire show and regain their former momentum:
Marketing and Advertising
The producers did not come to play! The promos, the commercials, and most importantly, the opening scene of the first episode prove their marketing prowess. The opening scene cannot be described as anything but marketing genius. Seeing our beloved Joey crying in a scene that seems to be from the final rose has everyone absolutely captivated — and wanting more.
Lea’s special card:
Lea Cayanan received a mystery card for Joey’s season on the previous season’s “After the Final Rose.” She was not allowed to open the card until she arrived and when she got there, it was revealed that the card held the chance to steal a one-on-one date from another girl anytime before hometowns. This was obviously a nice little plot twist that created an idea of uncertainty for the girls. Luckily for everyone else, Lea threw the card into the fire in hopes to prove that she is a “girls girl” (Is she really though?).
The sisters:
The producers clearly wanted to spice things up and bring something to the show that has never been seen before. So what did they do? Ah yes… they put blood-related sisters on the show, Lauren Hollinger (28) and Allison Hollinger (26).They created some tension between the two and eventually Lauren went home after her Whole Foods Chantilly cake was delivered with the wrong flavor. I think the producers thought this would be a main plot line for the first few episodes, but that clearly got overshadowed by the infamous Maria vs. Sydney feud.
Maria vs. practically everyone
This season, everyone really said “Let’s make Maria Georgas the scapegoat!” When Maria first came on my screen, I didn’t know what to think, but I eventually can to my senses and realized Maria is the queen herself. This girl is confident, cool and collected, and articulate! She also knows exactly how to win over the audience and Joey. She is not afraid to put herself out there and take risks, as she did with her outfit change, and not to mention her style is next level.
Of course, with confidence comes people who are intimidated. After a small misunderstanding between Madina Alam (31) and Maria over Madina’s insecurity with her age, Sydney Gordon blew the situation out of proportion and called Maria a bully. Luckily, Maria got her good karma when Sydney was the one sent home on the two-on-one date in Malta. However, she didn’t catch a break just yet, now Lea, our prized “girls girl” was getting on Maria too! Lea was a secret Sydney defender this entire time and basically just took over where she left off. If that weren’t enough Jess jumped in on the action too. This drama had taken over a majority of the season and poor Maria needed a break.
My personal opinion: The Maria and Daisy Contrast
It’s hard to say who will win, who will go home, and who will be our next Bachelorette, but I will say I have some theories. There is a stark contrast between Maria and Daisy that I find extremely interesting as Joey is interested in both women. Daisy Kent is such a girl next door, sweetheart vibe, whereas Maria is confident, fun, and not afraid to say what’s on her mind. So, what’s in store for these women?
Obviously, many people on social media are rooting for Daisy to end up with Joey. They would be the best match for one another. Daisy was made for Joey, and Maria… well, Maria was made for the people. Maria has the perfect energy to reinvent what The Bachelorette looks like. The bachelorette has always been very girl-next-door vibes, but to switch things up, and to continue this franchise on their sudden resurgence they need a bachelorette that can speak their mind. They need Maria!
The Bachelor has done a great job at rebranding themselves and bringing back the interest of the audience. They have utilized pretty much every plot twist and storyline they can to bring viewers back in and I think it’s working. At least for me it is… I am invested! To conclude, the Sydney vs. Maria drama needs to finally be put in the past, Daisy needs to have her happily ever after with Joey, and we need to see Maria slaying as the Bachelorette next season!