Description

Topic: Bachelor Series Tutorial

This week, the roles are reversed, and rather than our typical host being in the driver's seat, Mom is instead.  That's right, Mom is leading this week's Tutorial, along with next weeks Review of the Bachelor series.  A show that frankly I was watching but didn't have a huge amount of knowledge or background on.  I'm watching it for the Train Wreck that it is, Mom's watching it though... for the Train Wreck that it is, but she knows so much more about than me for once.  Come watch as I learn something this time around.

Inception:

Debuted March 25, 2002

Seasons:

Bachelor  24

Bachelorette  16

First 4 years Bachelor filmed two seasons per year

Bachelor films mid-September to mid-November

Bachelorette films mid-March to mid-May

Each airs approximately 10 episodes + After the Final Rose, sometimes 11

25-30 Contestants; takes 6 episodes to get down the “Final 4”

                Homes Town Dates

                Fantasy Suites

                Men/Women Tell All

                Meet the Parents/Last Chance Date/Rose Ceremony

                After The Final Rose

First Night begins around 7pm with arrivals; goes into the following morning so that the Bachelor can have at least 5 minutes with each girls.  A Group Photos is taken around 5-6am, then the first eliminations, usually 5 – 7 contestants, takes place.

First two weeks are filmed in “The Mansion”, Villa de la Vina, a 7,590sf, six bedroom, nine bath home in Agoura Hills, Ca

The next three episodes feature 2 “group dates” and one One-on-One, filmed on consecutive days; not all contestants get dates each week.  What the show refers to as a week is actually 4 days filming.

After the “3rd week” (usually 10 days into filming), the cast will travel domestically for four days (2 groups dates, a 1-on-1 and Rose Ceremony), then the next episode (down to 8-10) will travel internationally for the next two episodes to get to Home Towns. 

Home Town dates take place in the contestant’s hometown and take 9-10 days to film: travel – date – travel – date – travel – date – travel – date – travel – Rose Ceremony. Each features a day time activity and then diner at the parent’s “Home”.  Homes are frequently Air BNBs or borrowed homes of friends.  The Bachelor can usually identify at least three of the four he thinks will be getting home towns a week or two in advance so that a Logistics Team can scope out possible filming locations or create ideas for dates, arrange performers, ect.

Fantasy Suite Dates:  The Final Three are given “Fantasy Suite” dates.  A full day activity and then a Night Time very private date in a romantic setting at a hotel.  At some point during the “Dinner” the couple “finds” a card from Chris Harrison that reads “ X and X, here is a key.  If you decide to forego your separate rooms, please enjoy a night in this fantasy suite.”

There have been Bachelor/Bachelorettes who have told their “Date” that they wanted just to spend the time talking and not use the suite, or have broken off the date during the day time portion (Desiree and Andi).

There have been contestants who have declined going into the Suite.  Helena (Aaron), Becca (Chris S.) Luke P., Madison. Constantine declined Ashley.

Dates are filmed: travel – overnight – day off – overnight – day off – overnight – Rose Ceremony.  Contestants (with the exception of the current season) are kept separated so that they can’t talk between themselves.  They are together during Rose Ceremonies but not allowed to converse.

Meet the Parents/Last Chance Date/Rose Ceremony

One or two night event.  Takes a week to film:  Travel – #1 meets the parents - #2 meets the parents - #1 Last Chance Date - #2 Last Chance Date – Ring Selection – Rose Ceremony

After The Final Rose

Filming ends 10 weeks (Bachelor), 6 weeks (Bachelorette) before airing.  During this time, there are “Safe House” visits for the couples, often in Palm Springs.  At AFTR, the “runner-up” talks with Chris Harrison and then the Lead to get closure.  The Lead and the Winner reunite and talks about their plans.  Some seasons the next Lead is introduced and meets 4-6 of their Contestants.

Recurring themes:

The “Interupt”

The “Comeback”

The “Unexpected New Contestant”

The “Departure”/Self Elimination

Spinoffs:

Bachelor Pad

Bachelor in Paradise

Bachelor Winter Games

Bachelor Presents: Listen to Your Heart

This summer, Bachelor Summer Games

International: Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Romania, Brazil, Japan

Live Shows:

Bachelor Live

Leads:

Twice a Lead wasn’t chosen until mid-way through the first episode:

                Byron Velivk and Jay Overbye

                Kaitlyn Bristow and Britt Nilsson

Unusual Endings:

                10 – Brad Womack didn’t propose to either woman and left single (only time ever happened)

                13 - Jason Mesnick was pressured to choose Melissa because Molly Malaney told producers that she wouldn’t accept a proposal.  He broke up on ATFR and later married Molly

                18 – Juan Pablo famously wouldn’t propose to Nikki, or tell her he loved her, only that he liked her very much.

                22 - ArieLuyendyk Jr choose Becca but later had a change of heart and broke-off in a filmed “Safe House” visit to pursue Lauren who he proposed to on ATFR.  They married 1 year later.

                23 – Colton Underwood “jumped the fence” during Fantasy Suite Week and tried to leave the show when he realized that producers had brought in Cassie’s father to talk her out of going further.  He later cut loose both of the other remaining contestants to pursue Cassie.  They did not get engaged.

Marriages:

Bachelor

                13 – Jason Mesnick& Molly Malaney

                17 – Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici

                22 – ArieLuyendyk and Lauren Burnham

Bachelorette

                1 – Trista Rehn & Ryan Sutter

                7 – Ashley Hebert & JP Rosenbaum

                9 – Desiree Hartsock& Chris Sigfried

                13 – Rachel Lindsay & Bryan Abasolo

Controversies:

• Environment – Contestants are not allowed TV, books, movies, but encouraged to drink and forced to have “Chats”
• ITM – In the Moments. ITMs are supposed filmed during events, but contestants are frequently called back during editing, weeks later, to refilm segments.  Fans point to differing earrings, length of beards or hair as proof.
• Frankenbiting – Frankenbiting refers to the editing of dialog out of context, out of order within a conversation, or altogether parsing words by showing the side or back of someone speaking and inserting parts of dialog from other days of filming.
• Manipulation by Producers. Villains are created by encouraging contestants to disrupt other’s time w/Leads, encourage contestants to be aggressive, make private visits, encourage tattle telling.
• Good Edits/Bad Edits. Contestants can get a bad edit simply be refusing to play along.  Kelley this season is an example.

For the Wrong Reasons:

• Personal Trainers and Body Builders. There are not very many male contestants with “real Jobs”.  Many women are in Pharmaceutics Sales.  The amount of time the show takes to film (anyway from 1 week to 8 weeks) prohibits many gainfully employed from participating.
• Advent of Influencers – many contestants entering the show over the last 5-7 years have been Instagram or twitter “Influencers” who already were advertising products.
• Beauty Queens – the last three season have seen Miss America Contestants – at least three per season, all hoping to push their careers.
• Introduction of Musicians and Models – many thought Luke Pell didn’t get the bachelor gig because he was too openly pushing his music. Jed (winner of Hannah B’s season) openly admitted to Hannah that he went on the show to help his music career.

UNREAL – TV Spoof and SNL Satires

Blogs and Podcasts!!!

The number one way to monetize your Bachelor experience is to Blog or Podcast!

Contestant Blogs/Podcasts:

Sharleen Joynt (Juan Pablo) – Flare Magazine: Insightful and honest.  Not “Bachelor Nation” fed.

Olivia Caridi (Chris Soules) – Mouthing Off – Honest, a little snark but well done

Ben Higgins (Kaitlyn Bristow, Lead) and Ashley I (Chris Soules) – Almost Famous - Bachelor Nation driven, darlings of production, aren’t going to bite the hand that feeds

Nick Viall (Andi, Kaitlyn, Lead) – The Viall Files – Another Bachelor Nation driven podcast

Rachel Lindsay (Nick Viall, Lead) and Becca Kufrin (Arie, lead) – Bachleor Happy Hour – the “Official” Bachelor Nation podcast – no spoiler and nothing that would upset Production.

Kaitlyn Bristow – Off the Vine – Lots of wine and messy conversation but fun.

Non-Contestant Blogs/Podcasts:

Reality Steve – most quoted Spoiler, disliked by Bachelor Nation, has been sued by production 3 times

Here to Make Friends (Huffington Post) – Gets lots of “big name” contestants

AfterBuzzTv – rotating cast of hosts.

Bachelor Party w/Juliet Litman (Ringer) – one of the first, good connections and some members of production

“Bro-Shows”

Rosecast  w/ Tim Kennedy – unique Sports like style

The E & G Podcast w/Geoff Kieth and Ian Gulbransen.  One is a comedian and the other is a tech nerd.

Homework

Reality Steve Podcast – Interview with Luke Parker

Bachelor Happy Hour - Fantasy Suite Week with Chris Harrison

Flare – Peter is Giving Victoria F Way Too Much Credit