Over the last two decades, The Bachelor has helped its leads and contestants to find love in the reality TV realm, and some members of Bachelor Nation aren't happy with ABC right now. With the main star of the show dating a large group of cast members, the circumstances around The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, as well as its various spin-offs, have always been extreme. However, the emotion that comes from the high-stakes conditions can be authentic to those who are being filmed. While there have been many Bachelor couples who have broken up through the years, plenty of cast members still stay close to the franchise. Some vocally critique the way that the show is created, while showing support to the series' celebs. For example, the original Bachelorette Trista Sutter recently spoke about the double standard that women in the franchise face. She is supportive of the cast, but critical of the production team behind the show, and the network in general.
Bachelor Nation members also tend to vocally express their displeasure over some of the choices made by ABC (which airs the franchise), and producers. The shows' fans can be overly critical at times, but do make valid points when they highlight the series' shortcomings. Over the past few years, fans have expressed dissatisfaction with the casting for The Bachelorette, disapproved of editing choices made in order to paint some contestants as villains, and complained about the decisions made by current host, Jesse Palmer, surrounding Covid-19 protocol. While these gripes may seem minor to some viewers, others feel that, if such concerns are not addressed, they will lead to larger problems in the future.
As the current season of The Bachelorette comes to a close, Bachelor Nation is now facing a slew of new problems, large and small. While some concerns of the fandom are not as pressing, there are also issues that former Bachelor stars are coming forward with. The cast members are taking issue with The Bachelor, calling it problematic for the franchise, as the series frequently features alums in hosting roles. They appear within interview segments, and to promote upcoming content. Currently, fans and former stars, such as Kaitlyn Bristowe, are expressing displeasure with the network, feeling that it ignores systemic racism throughout the franchise. They also don't like the new Bachelor casting, and the overly manufactured production that has gone into the past several seasons of the show.
ABC Ignores Erich Schwer’s Past Actions
On the season finale of The Bachelorette, Gabby Windey accepted Erich Schwer’s proposal, along with a lavish Neil Lane-designed ring. This proposal came on the heels of Erich facing public backlash for weeks, regarding a racist photo found in his high school yearbook, which features Erich posing in blackface. Fans and Bachelor alums alike have taken issue with the photos, as well as ABC’s lack of concern about the picture. During the After the Final Rose special, there was speculation that the photo would be discussed and apologized for, but production chose to stay quiet about the controversy, shocking almost everyone. Although Erich has issued an apology for the picture, and feels that he has taken accountability for his actions, Bachelor Nation is dissatisfied with the show’s lack of commentary on Erich and his indiscretions.
Zach Shallcross’ Casting as The Bachelor
Fans are unhappy with the upcoming Bachelor lead, Zach Shallcross, who was another suitor on The Bachelorette season 19. While some feel that Zach will be a good fit for the franchise, others are angry that he was cast, and think he is dull. They also claimed that he was over-edited to fit into the stereotypical Bachelor mold. Zach was criticized by Bachelorette Rachel Recchia during his time on the show, for not being ready to commit to a relationship, and some fans feel that this will make him an inadequate Bachelor.
Overly Manufactured Bachelor Seasons
While it is important to remember that The Bachelor and The Bachelorette need to be somewhat manufactured in order to provide entertainment value, viewers are still unhappy with the Bachelor franchise's focus on drama over romance during the past few seasons. Fans feel that overly edited, manipulated plots are taking away from the original concept of the shows, which is the search for fairy tale-style romance. As reports have surfaced about production teams setting up certain conditions and manipulating conversations, some fans have claimed that they will no longer watch the series', until they are changed back to how they used to be.