I have had a love/hate relationship with The Bachelor/Bachelorette Franchise since Season 2 with Aaron Buerge (remember Gwen and Helene?? Funny, they both ended up auditioning for me later when I was casting for a Trading Spaces: Boys vs Girls host, and Helene ended up dating a friend of mine… but anyway…)
Every Monday night I find myself screaming at the television, shocked at the antics of someone from each season, annoyed with whoever is in the Bachelor or Bachelorette role, but every season I am glued to my TV every single Monday night (for TWO hours).
So what is it about this show that keeps us all tuning in?
For me, the one thing that gets me EVERY single season is that extended package of clips from the season they show at the end of every premiere episode. The show has about half my attention the first episode and then that last 5 min package gets me hooked! It’s the producing and the editing every season, it follows the same exact format but somehow ties us all in. Somehow the producers are able to get a Bachelor or Bachelorette who can come off sincere about wanting to “find the one” and they find 25-30 “contestants” who are interested in that one person.
I also think the Bachelor franchise hits on our human nature to be competitive with one another. You may not be interested at all in someone in “real life”, but make him your one and only focus and pin 25 or more other women with the same focus, you are going to want to “win” his attention.
The mind game must be crazy. I am sure half of the women from this past season may think Brad is attractive, but after having a conversation with him, would not be the least bit interested. I am sorry, he is very cute, but the second he opens up his mouth, I am annoyed. I have tried to pin point what exactly annoys me for two seasons now. It’s not his accent, I think it’s the way he forms his sentences, he just sounds so juvenile or something. I am still trying to figure out exactly what it is.
The Bachelor also follows the “Real World” winning formula of taking away television, cell phones, iPod’s, ect, and putting all these beautiful people in a house together with unlimited amounts alcohol. I guess how could they not get “good television”, it’s pure genius.
The only season I was completely thrilled for was Jillian’s. Reid Rosenthal, from Jillian’s season is a longtime friend of ours and I had talked to him a bunch when he was even just debating going on the show. That season was the most fun because all my high school girls got together every Monday night as we cheered Reid on, meanwhile going out with him that summer and trying to pry the secrets of the show out of him.
Before Jillian’s season and since, I usually watch either by myself or with a friend, but the last few seasons The Bachelor has taken over a whole new life since I have been on Twitter. Now I follow along with one of my favorite author’s Jennifer Weiner while she “live-tweets” about the Bachelor. It makes every Monday night like a “girls-night-in”. Jennifer even makes into a drinking game where you have to drink when someone says “they are there for the right reasons”, when Brad has his shirt off, or when Brad is talking to his therapist.
Follow along with the hilarious commentary on Monday nights ~
Follow on Twitter: @jenniferweiner & @Possessionista is also hysterical!
Philaburban Mom 
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