The Golden Bachelor Whacks a Mole
And Three Ladies Get Thrown off the Ride
This week’s episode (#5) revolved around arcade games, amusement park rides, and (you guessed it!) lots of weeping.
I am a little disturbed by the whole undercurrent of “Whoa! Older people can do fun things, too!” Although the producers seem to want to show people >60 enjoying entertainment and experiences, I find myself thinking, “Yeah…why wouldn’t we do those things?”
The women sometimes seem like they were living pathetic and lonely lives until Gerry came along. They continually reinforce how “safe” they feel with him and how they are starting to fall in love with him (which is apparently different from BEING in love with him) in Bachelor-speak.
And he replies with tepid statements like “Thank you.” And “That’s very kind of you.”
I understand that his responses are probably scripted, and he may not want to declare love until he’s totally certain. But if I told someone I loved them and they responded with “Thank you!” I might be tempted to hand my amusement park stuffed whale over him and walk away.
The cameras continue to capture footage of women throwing shade at each other when they’re jealous, which is a hallmark of the whole Bachelor franchise. I’ve seen men fight with each other on the series, too. It’ll be interesting to see if they do that on the Golden Bachelorette (if one ever gets produced).
I’m getting a little bored of the crying and whining, so I’m looking forward to the “hometown dates,” in which I’ll see adorable little kids asking Gerry if he’s going to be their new grandpa. (I suspect the producers chose the hometowns partly based on the cuteness of offspring and family drama.)
Regardless of what I might think of the show, viewership has climbed to a whopping 9M, giving the franchise a huge boost. And I’m happy to see people my age portrayed on roller coasters, helicopters, and fast cars rather than in wheelchairs and walkers.
And a word to the ladies who weren’t selected this week — you don’t always need a man to “feel safe.” Try riding that roller coaster solo or with girlfriends from time to time.
For more of my views on aging like a bad-ass, listen to my new podcast!