#1: The Drama.
No other TV show can measure up to the drama that The Bachelor provides. Put 30 women in a house with one guy and tell them only one person gets to marry him in the end? Recipe for disaster. Every season, it seems like some new development makes the show more dramatic than the season before. A lot of this drama is producer-induced, but some of it is truly a byproduct of the stressful show experience. One of my favorite moments was in Ben Flajnik’s season, when his final choice was the villain of the season, Courtney. Every girl hated her, but Ben ended up proposing to her. Of course, later they broke up and she wrote a tell-all book detailing their relationship. It made for an interesting season.
#2: The Crazy People
The people who sign up for The Bachelor either want fame, a genuine shot at love, or are just plain out of their minds. The people who are just plain out of their minds make for the best TV. The two most memorable include Tierra LiCausi (pictured right) from Sean Lowe’s season, and Kelsey Poe from Chris Soules’ season. Tierra, the house villain, repeatedly told the girls phrases like “I can’t control my eyebrows” in order to rationalize her erratic behavior. She provided comic relief in a season where the Bachelor himself was actually dead-set on finding his wife. In a very different season, it was hard to believe what came out of Kelsey Poe’s mouth. She told Chris her very tragic story – she became a widow when her husband died of a heart attack – but then followed that story up by saying “Isn’t my story amazing?” Kelsey was one of the most controversial contestants of all time, and for good reason.
#3: The Awkward Humor
The Bachelor often has its own form of comic relief: sheer awkwardness. For example, on his season, Jesse Palmer forgot the name of the woman he wanted to give a rose to, accidentally calling the name of another he had intended to send home. He corrected his mistake and offered to let both women stay, but the uncomfortable situation still finds its place in Youtube videos today.
#4: The Tradition
The Bachelor has been running for a long time, making it a perfect show for tradition. I’ve been watching the show with my mom since Ashley Herbert’s season of The Bachelorette in 2011, and it has been a fun and relaxing custom to watch the show every year since. If you want a show that you can get into without taking too seriously (and even place bets on with your family members), The Bachelor is for you.
#5: The Happy Endings
Sometimes, the show produces an actual couple, and when it does, it’s really cute. Ashley Herbert and her final pick are married with two kids (pictured left), as are Sean Lowe and his final pick, who have three kids. Other couples have kids, are married, engaged, or dating as well as a result of the franchise.
Many people see The Bachelor as “trash” or not worth watching, but they’re judging a long-running tradition they have no idea about. In order to watch the show, you have to find aspects that you love and appreciate. When all is said and done, you’ll end up with a show that you find enjoying, relaxing, and comical.