The Bachelorseason 29 has been tough to watch, but after Grant Ellis' season comes to a close and all the burning questions are answered,I wouldn’t be surprised to see the show take a long breakto address its issues and try to come back successfully. Throughout the run ofThe Bachelorand its spin-offs, it’s been clear there hasn’t been a lot of change to the shows and the way they choose their cast members, despite knowing that the culture surrounding reality TV has changed. With controversy surrounding the franchise, something needs to shift in the near future.
The Bachelorseason 29, which brought in Grant as the lead after a decent showing during Jenn Tran’s season ofThe Bachelorette,has been one of the most boring seasons of the show in a while. While Grant has been a fairly decent lead, it’s been tough to connect with his storylines emotionally, especially when he hasn’t been as open and vulnerable as viewers expected. On top of Grant’s performance,seeing the show shift in a way that’s more drama-heavy with the contestants has been disappointing forBachelorfans, who are hopeful to see love on screen rather than drama.
Moving into the final stretch of Grant’s season, it’s clear that there are changes that need to be addressed onThe Bachelorand the other shows within the franchise.The Bachelorettehas announced it won’t be airingin 2025, as the show likely needs time to regroup after a disastrous season. While I don’t know if it makes sense to cancelThe Bachelorentirely, I think taking a break would be a great move for the show.Grant’s season was merely an example of what can go wrong withThe Bachelor, and I think production needs some time to regroup.
With a break in the works, The Bachelor could come back with a new creative team, a new vision, and an exciting season for Bachelor Nation.
The Bachelor’s Show Runner & Executive Producers Are Leaving The Franchise
Recent Drama Has Seen Executives Get Let Go
AsThe Bachelorseason 29 has been airing, there’s been some interesting progress behind-the-scenes of the show that will change the way things work within the production. WhileBachelorproducers are often blamed for the decisions made on the show that make things feel fake or disingenuous, it’s often the executive producers or showrunner who make those calls. After some major heat,the former EP and showrunner were fired from their roles. Showrunner/EP Claire Freeland and EP Bennett Graebner took over when series creator Mike Fleiss leftBachelorNation, but it seems their direction wasn’t working for the producers, either.
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Accused of creating a hostile working environment, Claire and Bennett will be finishing out the rest ofThe Bachelorseason 29 before moving on to new projects away from the franchise. While their replacements haven’t been chosen yet, the executives surroundingBachelorNation should be looking for the next group of producers to replace them. Afterso much drama inBachelorNationover the last few years,it wouldn’t be surprising to see things take a different direction in the upcoming seasons of the series. A break may be needed to figure out the show’s next steps behind the scenes.
The Bachelor Season 29 Has Been Tough To Watch
Grant’s Season Hasn’t Been Exciting
AlthoughThe Bachelorhas been on for years, there are seasons that I find myself invested in and seasons I don’t. This can sometimes be more about me than the show, but ifaBachelorseason is doing well, it’s usually one that I’m more drawn to watching. This season,I was hopeful that Grant would be the type of lead that kept me glued to my TV. Unfortunately, things haven’t been very interesting for the lead or his contestants throughout the season, and I don’t even necessarily think it’s their fault.
While I enjoyed Grant during his time onThe Bacheloretteseason 21, I’ve found watching him on his own to be pretty boring. I like Grant a lot, but I think his qualities make for a better contestant than they did a lead. His emotional vulnerability was great to see with Jenn, but he’s holding back asThe Bachelor,and it’s obvious. Grant’s also got some issues of his own to unpack, which has made it harder to watch him overall.Seeing him struggling to let people go because he’s a people pleaserisn’t something I look forward to.
The Bachelor Franchise Needs To Find A New Identity
It’s Too Stagnant To Succeed
AlthoughThe Bachelorhas been on for years, I think it really needs to find its footing again in a much different market than it started out in.The Bachelorbegan in 2002, when no other reality TV dating shows like it were on the air. Now, with the market completely different, the show needs to take some time to revamp itself. Whether that be changing the show’s structure, schedule, or staff, it needs to take a breath to see what works and what doesn’t. In a more competitive space than ever,The Bachelorneeds to change its ways.
The Bachelor Should Press Pause Like The Bachelorette
A Break Could Do The Series Well
I thinkThe Bachelorneeds a break. While I don’t like the idea of going on indefinite hiatus,I thinkBachelorandBachelorettescheduling should work likeThe Golden BachelorandBachelorette,where each show rotates once every other year. This would allow for more anticipation to build, more maturity in the contestants-turned-leads, and more ability to assess what makes sense for the franchise, rather than moving at the fast pace they usually do. With a break in the works,The Bachelorcould come back with a new creative team, a new vision, and an exciting season forBachelorNation.
