I admit it, I am one of the many people who watches The Bachelor franchise regularly. And yes, I am staying up-to-date with Clayton’s season right now: despite the obnoxious behavior, despite how annoyed I get, I just love watching all of the drama unfold. In fact, the constant drama is the main draw of the show.
However, the drama unfolding on The Bachelor is far from organic. The contestants are carefully chosen and manipulated into creating an exciting episode for viewers. Sometimes contestants are aware, but often they are not. There is a lot of behind-the-scenes action that goes into creating this show. Something I always find myself asking is how much of this is real? Do these people act for the sake of being on TV? Surely some of them do, but are there any who really think they’re in love? While filming something as immersive as The Bachelor, I can only imagine how easy it would be to get swept up in the emotions.
One thing to be considered is the constant access to alcohol. According to an article from Psychology Today, a contestant on the show mentioned that as filming goes on, people often get more and more inebriated. This aids in making the contestants more sensitive and emotional. For them, it may start as a way to relieve some stress, but often results in dramatic or embarrassing encounters on national television.
Another fact you may not have known—the dates, ceremonies, etc. take up way more time than they appear to. Dates can begin at 9 a.m. and go on well past midnight, according to Cosmopolitan. Sean Lowe, a former bachelor, told Glamour that “On TV, what you see is I hand out a rose, the girl comes forward and accepts it, and then I hand out another rose. In reality, there’s about three to five minutes in between each rose because all 15 cameras have to reposition. That first night lasts until about 7 a.m., and then each one after that lasts until about 3 or 4.” These long nights only contribute to an already fragile state of mind. As we all know, sleep deprivation can only make it harder to get along with people around us. Being on The Bachelor is no piece of cake.
Another way the show is manipulated is by the careful thought put into choosing contestants. Obviously, thousands of applicants vie to be on this show, but only about 25 actually get chosen. Psychologists play a huge role in the selection process, and contestants are required to undergo a psychological evaluation. This evaluation helps to (ideally) exclude people with things like serious mental health issues or addiction, which may be exacerbated by being on national television. However, at the same time it clues producers in on who will create the most watchable experience for viewers. Dr. Stein, a psychologist who works with reality TV shows to select contestants, says that “90% of the people I see score high on narcissism. If you’re shy or introverted, you’re not going to be good on reality TV.” People with loud or combative personalities are sought out to heighten drama on the show.
These people are then protected by producers to ensure that strong personalities remain throughout the process. The bachelor or bachelorette is said to know the final four or five since the first episode. They have very little say concerning who else stays or which people get chosen for dates. This is controlled by producers to ensure drama.
It is no surprise that the course of each season of The Bachelor is predominantly chosen by producers. Social media regularly acknowledges the effect of editing on our perception. However, it can be surprising to hear the extent to which this is true. After combining alcohol, sleep deprivation, combative personalities, plus the fact that everyone is trying to date the same person… it’s no wonder these contestants provide us with endless drama to enjoy with a bowl of popcorn.