I have always been a fan of the Bachelor franchise, well, reality TV in general, really. My husband makes fun of me, but I am a diehard. From the beginning, I’ve enjoyed the concept, the love, and the catfights. Ok, not really the catfights, but it comes with the territory. All of it hooks me every time. However, I’ll admit I was a bit skeptical of their latest show, The Golden Bachelor. Do they really expect people to fall in love with a 70-plus-year-old man and his lady suitors? TV has rarely, if at all, focused on this age demographic for an entire series. Is this what people really want to see? My initial thought was no way. Boy, was I wrong.
I’m hooked
It’s safe to say I’m hooked, and I’m not ashamed to say it. The Golden Bachelor has won me over, and it only took two episodes for me to accept their rose. I am not sure if producers understand what they have here, but if it continues this trajectory the show is here to stay. Variety wrote this, “ABC boasts the premiere marked the largest multiplatform audience for any telecast in the “The Bachelor” franchise since November 10, 2020…and the series debut also becomes ABC’s most-watched premiere ever on the streaming service.” Make fun all you want, but I’m serious and clearly not the only fan out there. Do yourself a favor and watch it. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
But why?
Why might you ask? For starters, the women are nice. Nice in general, but also nice to each other. They all seem happy, excited to be there, and seemingly get along quite well. My husband can’t understand why I would want to watch all that conflict. The yelling, the aforementioned catfights, he doesn’t quite get the appeal. I usually shrugged it off and just laughed, but I didn’t realize how much arguing was done until I saw the Golden Bachelor, and it was nonexistent. It was refreshing; it felt lighter and gosh, if I didn’t love it.
Gerry is my Bachelor
You might also be surprised that I just love the people. Gerry, the golden bachelor himself, is kind, and genuine. You just get the sense that he really wants to find a partner. The women are all “age appropriate” and seem so confident in their own skin. Their outfits are fantastic, and you don’t get the feeling they fell into a sponsor from some clothing brand two weeks prior to filming. On a recent group date, they jumped right in, putting on 70’s costumes and immediately talking about going to Woodstock back in the day. I loved it. Every episode, I find myself rooting them on. They are all so seasoned, they know what they want, and you get the feeling that this experience is more about finding a companion than it is that Neil Lane diamond at the end.
Looking for some fun?
The show is just fun. At one point in the first episode, the ladies and Gerry break out into an impromptu dance party. It’s cheesy when it’s twenty-five 20-something women, but 100 percent believable when it’s a group of twenty-five 60-plus ladies. The show also takes place in the bachelor mansion, where the women are sleeping in bunk beds. Yes, bunk beds. Which of course leads to conversations on who’s a top and who’s a bottom. TV gold. One of the ladies even jokes that she has had a knee replacement and needs to be closer to the bathroom, so the bottom is for her. There are still your typical bachelor dates of course, but with more of a “golden” feel to them and it just works. Pickleball matchups instead of the traditional flag football because, as one lady said, I’ve had two hip replacements. Jokes about “ear candy,” aka, their hearing aids are frequent, and why not own it? Plus, the rose ceremony takes place during the day. Finally, a show that can understand the contestants need their sleep too! Hooray!
Just watch the Golden Bachelor!
If you need any more reason to tune in, Gerry (71) is a Hoosier. Yep, he is from a small town right here in Indiana. Gerry married his college sweetheart and lived a beautiful life with her until she passed away in 2017. He shares more about his background in the show, and it’s so refreshing to hear about the love that they shared, but it’s also about his journey to find love again. My parents are almost 70 and have been married for 45 years. I don’t ever want to think about them ever losing one another, but I know I would want them to be happy if they did. And that’s how I think of The Golden Bachelor. Who doesn’t want their parents to feel love and be loved? Gerry, we’re rooting for you.
So take it from me: if you aren’t doing anything on Thursday evenings (or if you have Hulu like me), maybe tune in to my guy. (Bonus: Golden Bachelor is only an hour and well worth your time.) Maybe you are a diehard like me who is questioning this concept, or maybe you’ve never seen an episode in your life. Either way, it’s worth a shot. The Golden Bachelor is just good. There’s romance, kindness, and just good old-fashioned fun. Go get them, Gerry!
