The producers of The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and Bachelor in Paradise are often accused of problematic and manipulative behavior, and fans (and some cast members) think it may be time to replace these higher-ups. Controversy after controversy has plagued the series. In many ways, the firing of Chris Harrison seemed like a band-aid solution meant to distract from a deeper trend of unhealthy protocols on set. When it comes to production woes, there's rarely one bad seed. Instead, there is a culture that encourages manipulative behavior for the sake of ratings.
Sadly, there is a long list of allegations that point to The Bachelor franchise producers' failings. In 2017, a highly publicized sexual assault case shut down BIP production, and producers treated it like a cliffhanger. Then, there was the casting of Rachael Kirkconnell and Garrett Yrigoyen, despite their problematic pasts. Another obvious issue is the pattern of Bachelor Nation leads and contestants leaving the series overwhelmed, and questioning if they could fulfill their contracts. If casts can't buy into the Bachelor Nation norms, there may not be much hope for fans.
Viewers have always believed that producers have a manipulative hand in the shows' plots. However, the allegedly dramatized and falsified editing in recent years makes the execs look more problematic than ever. Some franchise stars claim that the aggressive use of "Frankenbiting" (an editing technique that makes combined clips and audio appear to be a single shot) is a problem. For example, Jacqueline Trumbull said her crying audio is heard over Becca Kufrin to dramatize a scene. Reddit users clocked the editing tactic when a grunt with no facial movement came from Hunter Montgomery during Katie Thurston's season. Fans also seem increasingly uncomfortable with the growing number of cast members calling out producers' tactics.
An in-depth count of all the former cast members who spoke out against the show was done by US Weekly. Colton Underwood told the outlet that he tried to maintain a professional dynamic. However, he also shared that producers violated boundaries and told him "to be a 'good little boy.' and 'keep my mouth shut.'" In a tell-all piece for Vulture, Rachel Lindsay discussed the franchise getting canceled and talked about what it was like to be a token Black woman on the series.
Rachel also recognized that they'd intentionally cast a Black man with a history of racist commentary for the sake of provoking racial conflict and reinforcing stereotypes. According to the publication, she shared, "I tried to give the show the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they didn't know. But as I reflected on it, I thought, No." She was then encouraged to keep Black cast members solely for the sake of diversity. Matt James' assertion on Twitter that he would be seeking a therapist after his season reinforces the gravity of accusations that Bachelor producers, who've faced allegations of "white-washing," haven't learned much in the four years since casting their first POC lead.
Now that Michelle Young's season's ending, some people feel she may get stuck with troubled and unresolved dynamics, much like her predecessors. If she's lucky, Michelle will come out unscathed, although that's hard to imagine in light of the show's history. If one thing is true, it's the fact that it's high time The Bachelor franchise producers get singled out as often as contestants. This is because producers appear to play a role in profiting off stereotypes and creating calculated, falsified plots. The producers' seemingly faked edits and baited plots look increasingly desperate. Fans see it, contestants see it, and Bachelor Nation might only survive if the franchise's harmful practices (and producers) get weeded out.