After Clayton Echard's disastrous season of The Bachelor, Bachelor Nation is feeling burnt out and unsure if they are ready for a new season of The Bachelorette, and The Courtship is the perfect alternative. The Courtship takes viewers back in time to Regency-era England, where 16 modern day suitors wear the clothing and adopt the customs of the past in order to win the favor of Nicole Rémy, a 26-year-old software engineer and former professional cheerleader for the Seattle Seahawks from Lakewood, Washington. Nicole, who made it to the final round of casting for Matt James' season of The Bachelor, but ultimately did not appear on the show, is a wonderful leading lady, beautiful inside and out.
The Courtship has been described as The Bachelorette meets Bridgerton, as it brings traditional courtship into the 21st century, and promises an escape to a time of honor, pageantry, and scandal. The show, which is hosted by Rick Edwards, was filmed for about two months last fall at Bridgerton's Castle Howard in York, England. The suitors are called by their last names, and they call Nicole "Ms. Rémy." As the suitors participate in authentic activities from the time period such as writing love letters by hand, learning traditional dances, playing cricket, and fencing, they also have the opportunity to get to know Nicole in order to form a connection with her and possibly fall in love.
The show was recently moved to the USA Network from NBC, where it will hopefully gain a new fan following. As fans of The Bachelorette become more and more disillusioned by the franchise, they will find that The Courtship is a refreshing alternative that will restore their faith in the reality dating show genre. There are many reasons why this show is captivating viewers.
The Courtship Has Family Involvement
Unlike The Bachelorette during which the contestants meet each other's families and friends at the very end of the season, The Courtship involves Nicole's loved ones from the beginning of the show as they serve as her court. Nicole is joined by her mother, Dr. Claire Spain-Rémy, a retired OB-GYN and her father, Claude Rémy, who is in the real estate business. The other court members are Nicole's sister, Danie Baker, a CPA who loves cooking and baking and won a 2021 episode of Top Chef Amateurs, and Tessa Cleary, an architectural associate who is Nicole's best friend.
The court supports Nicole by getting to know the suitors and analyzing their intentions, which is difficult to do when a person is falling in love. On The Bachelorette, the leading lady only has her own instincts and the word of the other men, who are also competing for her affections and might not be completely reliable, to help guide her. Although the court members allow Nicole to get swept up in the fairy tale of the show, they also keep her level-headed and grounded by providing information about the suitors and offering advice.
The Courtship Focuses On Connections, With Minimal Drama
For those who are tired of the suspected scripted drama of The Bachelor franchise, The Courtship will be a refreshing change. Since the men are required to behave according to the customs of Regency-era England, they have much more decorum than the suitors who appear on other dating shows because they must abide by the social code of the time.
Nicole has built such strong friendships and connections with the suitors that each Farewell Ball is sincerely emotional. Many viewers complain that the Bachelor franchise has become hard to watch because of the heightened emotions and constant arguing among the contestants. Nicole is the perfect choice for this role as she is so kind, sensitive, and gentle with the men, and does not thrive on drama, so viewers see the show as a relaxing escape.
The Courtship Does Not Have A Formula
One of the biggest problems with The Bachelor franchise is that it is becoming formulaic, which makes for a boring and frustrating viewing experience. From the limo entrances to the first impression rose to the drama of hometown dates, the show has become repetitive as the fans and contestants know exactly what to expect. Add in the possibility of eliminated contestants becoming the next Bachelor or Bachelorette or joining the cast of Bachelor In Paradise, and there is a recipe for disaster as many contestants are not there with pure intentions.
Because The Courtship is in its first season, the contestants do not have the same expectations for the future that Bachelor franchise contestants have when they begin the show. They also do not know what to expect in the weekly challenges. As they participate in the Regency-era activities, the suitors find themselves pushed out of their comfort zones, which is fun to watch.
The Courtship is a great alternative for people who are ready to try something different. Nicole is a breath of fresh air in the world of reality television dating shows. As The Bachelorette begins filming for season 19, the producers have tried to shake things up by casting two women, Gabby Windey and Rachel Recchia, as the leads. This might be enough to inject some new life into the franchise, but for those looking for a new kind of dating show, The Courtship will steal their hearts.
The Courtship airs Wednesdays at 11 p.m. EST on USA.