The Bachelor is a widely popular reality TV show revolving around a single bachelor who is presented with a pool of potential romantic interests, of whom one is expected to become his wife. As the season goes on, the bachelor has to eliminate candidates, with the succession of eliminations leading to the final selection and a marriage proposal. The show has also received a woman-led spinoff, The Bachelorette, in which the roles are reversed. Throughout the years of its airing, the show has received a fair bit of criticism for being sexist and demeaning to women. Still, the intriguing qualities of the social experiment embedded into the plot hold millions of watchers worldwide.
As to the show’s contestants, the bachelor is always expected to be a handsome and successful man who seems to have trouble finding love. The prospective candidates for the bachelor’s heart are also likely to have stereotypically beautiful appearance, be funny and witty, be open to new opportunities, as well as have the capacity to stay competitive (Cooney, 2018). In the show, the social dynamics are fascinating because the girls not only have to appeal to the bachelor but also have to interact with one another on a regular basis, which often creates drama. The interplay of different personalities and approaches toward relationships is important to watch, even though some moments may seem scripted or insincere. For example, the fights between contestants are often petty and seem intentionally done by the show’s producers to increase audience engagement, while the dates with the bachelor are sometimes unrealistic and unattainable. Overall, the show can generally be entertaining due to the social experiment aspect of it, even though some areas are problematic.
Reference
Cooney, S. (2018). Why people are so obsessed with The Bachelor, according to the woman who wrote a book on it. TIME. Web.