My daughter and I watch “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette.” Even when I feel that I really don’t have time for this bit of reality silliness, she insists. It’s our ritual. We enjoy snuggling up together on the sofa, snarking at the drama and the hopefuls making themselves crazy over one bachelor or bachelorette. Some are more fun than others. We are both getting a little weary of hound dog Ben Flajnik, as he makes his inexorable way toward despised contender Courtney. Very dissatisfying. We had hoped for better from Ben.
Emily Maynard is another story. We fell in love with her, right along with the rest of America while she won Brad Womack’s heart. He knew he wasn’t good enough for her, and he was right! When I read the official news on the Huffington Post that Emily Maynard is the next bachelorette, I got excited in anticipation of a lively season. Emily is a classy lady, and she deserves a chance at something good. Can it be found this way? The track record isn’t good for this reality show, but I can’t help wondering if it has more to do with who’s doing the choosing than anything else. Under that sweet exterior, Emily Maynard is a tough lady, and very smart.
The last few seasons have gotten rather tacky. While I understand that evaluating the potential connection with people involves having an open mind, it doesn’t seem particularly helpful to launch into kissing before exploring any significant conversation. Both Brad and Ben seemed to have no hesitation to grab onto the goods when they were offered, and I wonder if Ben would be choosing differently now if he thought more with his mind and less with his kisser (and whatever else he’s been up to, skinny dipping with Courtney).
Emily Maynard has a different take on things. She respects herself and knows what she wants. On the Brad Womack bachelor series, she made it clear on the overnight date that she wasn’t going to sleep with him. She also expressed dismay after it was over that he had not taken a similar high road.
Will Emily Maynard be able to hold on to her ideals with 25 handsome bachelors to tempt her, and sidestep the usual drama that erupts on this silly but fascinating show? Will she behave in a way that she can be confident she’s setting a good example for her little girl? I’m certain that she is going to try, and I am looking forward to being there to watch.
Monday night television will be getting a lot more interesting for my daughter and me this spring.