America may finally be sick of The Bachelor.
Or, to be more precise, America may finally be sick of a bachelor who looks and acts basically like every other bachelor in franchise history.
According to the official ratings report, last Monday’s season 27 premiere garnered just 2.96 million viewers, which is a significant drop from the 3.54 million who tuned in for the season 26 premiere.
At its peak in 2003, The Bachelor drew 12.55 million fans for the season premiere…but it’s been on a downward trend since season 24 (6.07 million) and season 25 (5, 23 million).
What could be the problem?
A format that remains the same every year, perhaps. Or the fact that most couples who get engaged each spring end up breaking up a few months later.
There’s also the problem that ABC simply casts the same type of man, the same age, and the same look to host the season every time.
Shallcross, for his part, fits this mold so exactly that some observers think he may have been created in a laboratory by series producers.
The guy is boring AF, is what we’re saying.
“With Zach, executives fear they really made the wrong decision because there hasn’t been any indication that people care,” a source previously told The Sun.
Shallcross, remember, didn’t even advance to the final three or four during her run as a suitor on The Bachelorette in 2021.
“Even with past seasons when [viewers] I hated who was cast as the lead, that sparked an impassioned protest on social media or some kind of online uproar,” The Sun added in its recent report, citing the same source we mentioned above and adding:
“There was an indicator that people cared, even if they didn’t like it or hated it, they cared.”
Finally, there is the current issue of race.
Not only does The Bachelor learn a LOT about Caucasians, both in terms of its leads and their suitors, but each season seems to spark a new controversy.
Last week, for example, First Impression Rose winner Greer Blitzer had to apologize after defending someone’s prior use of Blackface.
“In my past, I have made some uneducated, ignorant and, frankly, incorrect comments on my social media accounts,” the Texas native wrote on her Instagram Stories.
“In particular, I used the wrong arguments on Twitter to defend a student who dressed as Blackface as Tupac for Halloween.
“I am deeply sorry to those I have hurt, especially those within the Black community, not because these screenshots have resurfaced, but because I ever shared these harmful views.”
Of course, many viewers still care about this show.
For some reason.
And for your sake, you can click the link below to read our Bachelor spoilers and find out who wins.
