Author Spotlight
Mary Gagen
America’s quest for love takes on retirement homes, hearing aids and social security checks with ABC TV’s new show “The Golden Bachelor.” Putting a spin on the hit dating TV show “The Bachelor,” “The Golden Bachelor” came out on Sept. 28, with a painfully distasteful display of grandparent “romance.”
“The Bachelor” consists of one man and around 30 women who vie for his votes of love until there’s only one left. All contestants on the new show are senior citizens — all sixty or older— and most of the women on the show have been married two or more times. 72-year-old bachelor Gerry Turner was married for 43 years prior to his debut.
His late wife suddenly passed away six years ago. According to Gerry, the show provides an opportunity to find the second love of his life.
Unfortunately, as wholesome as Gerry seems, many of the women don’t share that same soft and sweet personality. The majority of the women begin their bachelor debut cracking intimate jokes that would more likely be overheard in a high school bathroom — no one wants to hear their grandma say that.
While I expected spunky older women characters to spice up the show, I was instead cringing at jokes that I wouldn’t want anyone in my family to hear.
The idea of finding love a second time is darling, but there’s something unsettling about watching someone my grandpa’s age make out with a woman he just met — no less, a montage of back-to-back make-out sessions.
For each disappointing contestant, there’s an equally charming contestant. From a pickleball co-captain to a therapist the pool of candidates provides a diverse selection of potential lovers for Gerry. Each woman certainly came with her fair share of quirks, adding up to a unique bunch.
Regrettably, Gerry isn’t always as innocent as he seems. During one-on-one dates, the bachelor tends to become more bold with his approach with flirtatious remarks.
Given the nature of the show, distasteful pickup lines should be expected, but they’re agonizing nonetheless. Hearing a 72-year-old man request a 70-year-old woman he’s just met to lick icing off of his face was more disturbing than most reality TV shows. Trying to balance that with intense flashbacks from their younger years don’t sit quite right.
In addition to the ever-flowing emotional rollercoaster of love and loss, the intense music only adds to the chaos, making the show feel like pure anxiety in a nutshell.
The show almost feels like a remake of a rom-com from the early 2000s but with a much older cast. The appeal of the 2000s rom-coms is found in the naive behavior of the characters — something the target audience —teenagers — can relate to. That being said, not even the targeted older audience is able to relate to the raunchiness of the show.
Very rarely do individuals over the age of 60 go on a reality TV show to find their second true love — if such a thing exists. The intended audience of this show might be intended for older people longing for love, but it’s better fit for anyone who has time to burn and isn’t afraid of cringing.
After watching each episode, I found myself wondering who exactly this show was meant for. Each person I talked to over the age of 50, including my grandma and her friends, found the show offensive, whereas individuals 25 to 40 enjoyed the idea of the show. Not having a clear audience is yet another letdown of the new series.
I was looking forward to this show coming out — I had faith in this being a sweet twist on the typical reality TV show. Sadly, my expectations weren’t met. “The Golden Bachelor” has marked a new low for reality TV.
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