Twenty years. Twenty-six seasons. Two spin-offs. Millions have been mesmerized by “The Bachelor.” At first glance, the reality television franchise is an experiment in love and matchmaking in the modern era.
But for the most part, the love doesn’t last. huffpost.com/entry/bachelor…
“The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” have a mere 16% and 33% success rate, respectively. Yet no matter the gimmicks, countless crises or the amount of love-bombing and trauma dumping the franchise invokes, fans are still watching. huffpost.com/entry/bachelor…
The series has spawned a cult-ish online community referred to as #BachelorNation which thrives off the series’ organized chaos and drama.
The question that remains is whether this experiment is successful and why America continues to eat it up. huffpost.com/entry/bachelor…
Suzana Somers is the whiz behind @bachelordata, where she is a full-time “Bachelor” data analyst tracking statistics on everything from contestant screen time to kisses per episode. Per her data, four leads from “The Bachelor” are with someone from their season.
Dr. William J. Ryan, a couples therapist, compares the feeling of watching the “Bachelor” franchise to that of a social bonding event like watching the NFL playoffs, and ultimately, the Super Bowl. He said audiences can’t ignore how the series offers a “vicarious pleasure.”
The competitive nature of the show is only further heightened by producer manipulation and unrealistic scenarios, ranging from winning athletic challenges to gain more time with the lead to, most recently, one contestant bullying another for having ADHD. huffpost.com/entry/bachelor…
For Lizzy Pace and Chad Kultgen of the @GameOfRosesPod, the franchise is a sport and they refer to the contestants as players. Despite knowing how contrived and superficial the series can be, what keeps them intrigued are the players. huffpost.com/entry/bachelor…
When it comes to leads finding long-lasting love, “The Bachelor” is clearly a failed experiment. But as one of the longest-running TV shows, it’s a wild success story you can’t look away from.
Read @ruthesamuel’s deep dive into #TheBachelor franchise: huffpost.com/entry/bachelor…
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.