The Bachelor is one of those shows that audiences can’t get enough of, a nationwide guilty pleasure that keeps giving. It’s hard to fathom where we’d be without new “Bachelor Nation” content each year. I mean, there’s no other socially acceptable way to watch someone date around 30 contestants and end up engaged, or at least hopefully engaged.
The Bachelor truly is the gift that keeps on giving. From its many, many spin-offs to the numerous other dating shows it’s inspired, the franchise has gifted us with its niche brand of reality TV, which millions still tune into even twenty years after its founding episode.
So, how exactly has The Bachelor evolved into what it is today? How much has changed from former host Chris Harrison to current host Jesse Palmer?
- The Show’s Evolution
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Since its first season aired in 2002, The Bachelor has gone through a series of leads and numerous changes. Not all leads have been as suave as our current bachelor, Grant Ellis, nor have seasons been as dramatic as that of Joey Graziadei, the bachelor for season 28. In fact, during the show’s early run, most leads were your average Joe. With no reality TV experience to their name, they stepped out of the limo on the first night with a rose and a dream.
Since Alex Michel debuted as the first bachelor in 2002, seasons of the show have become even more dramatic, leading to the now iconic showdowns we know and love. On top of this, Bachelor Nation no longer picks their leads at random. Instead, they bring in familiar faces, turning the show into a soap opera of sorts, with old contestants coming back from the dead for another chance at love.
The most recent example of this is, of course, Ellis. Eliminated on season 21 of The Bachelorette, which was led by Jenn Tran, he didn’t spend too much time away from the bachelor mansion before being brought back as season 29’s leading man.
- The Many…Many Spinoffs
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It’s hard to imagine a world without The Bachelor; imagine how much harder it would be to live in a world that didn’t have access to its many spinoffs. The Bachelorette is probably Bachelor Nation’s most notable and long-running one.
The show premiered in the winter of 2003, almost a year after The Bachelor started its over 20-year run, with Trista Sutter as its first lead. It introduced the idea of bringing back eliminated cast members, as Sutter was first the runner-up on Michel’s season of The Bachelor.
Of course, since 2003, The Bachelorette has experienced its array of changes, often adopting the same rules and dramatic shifts as its sister show. Like its Bachelor Nation counterparts, it’s upped the drama with time, with Tran’s emotional season finale proving this.
Aside from the introduction of bachelorettes, Bachelor Nation has also churned out an array of other spinoffs, with Bachelor in Paradise and The Golden Bachelor being some of the most popular examples of the franchise dipping its toes into different demographics.
- The Impact on Reality TV
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Reality TV is nothing new. It’s hard to think of a time when it wasn’t everybody’s late-night guilty pleasure. It is important to note, though, how the introduction of Bachelor Nation has impacted the reality TV genre.
Before the first season of The Bachelor, dating shows weren’t as prevalent, let alone as popular. Current shows such as Too Hot to Handle and Love Island owe part of their popularity to the creators of The Bachelor. Though other dating shows don’t copy it word for word, the inspiration is still evident in their production styles. So this summer, when you’re bingeing Love Island, take a second to thank the creators of The Bachelor.
Truth be told, had Michel not stepped out of the limo that night in 2002, it’s hard to say where dating shows would be today. Harrison set the tone for all dating show hosts moving forward, and the show’s weekly elimination style setup is a formula still followed by many to this day.
The Bachelor has changed a lot in the world of reality TV since 2002. In its over 20 years of being on air, we’ve witnessed multiple milestones: new hosts, new spinoffs, and drama tenfold. It’s safe to say that Bachelor Nation has gone through a glow-up from its first season.
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