The Golden Bachelor season 1 starred Gerry Turner, a man many viewers quickly grew fond of. While the show itself went off without a hitch, Gerry’s image took a hit once the season ended, as the way he was depicted on screen didn’t match up with his real-life persona. Although he was a widower eager to participate in the popular Bachelor franchise, Gerry found himself cast in a role that felt somewhat disconnected from who he truly was.
As fans eagerly await the announcement of The Golden Bachelor season 2, there’s a lingering curiosity about whether the next season will be an improvement over the first. Gerry, a 72-year-old retired restaurateur from Hudson, Indiana, made several missteps during his time on The Golden Bachelor. He became engaged to Theresa Nist, a 70-year-old financial services professional from Shrewsbury, New Jersey.
The couple married soon after in a live televised special called The Golden Wedding, which seemed promising. However, three months later, they revealed they were divorcing due to their inability to agree on where to live, as neither was willing to move away from their respective families. Because the older contestants all have established lives and locations they likely don’t want to leave, this could be a repeat problem for the franchise.
8. Gerry Turner Tarnished The Series’ Reputation
He Isn’t Who He Said He Was
Gerry spent 43 years with his wife, Toni, until she suddenly passed away due to a bacterial infection. When his season of The Golden Bachelor began, Gerry was presented as an innocent widower who hadn’t dated much since he lost his wife–but that turned out not to be true. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gerry had allegedly dated a woman for three years after Toni died, even living with her.
To make matters worse, he was accused of breaking up with the woman because she gained weight before his high school reunion. After hearing this, a lot of Bachelor Nation believed that Gerry misrepresented himself in order to win fans over. That, plus the fact that his marriage to Theresa only lasted a few months, put a bad taste in a lot of viewers’ mouths that could make them not want to watch future seasons.
7. Producers Might Want To Bring In Women Who Are Too Young
It Wouldn’t Be The First Time
In January 2020, a casting call was made for men and women aged 65 and older for a senior citizen edition of The Bachelor. The show was originally scheduled to air in the fall of 2020 as part of the 2020–21 TV lineup, but its debut was postponed until 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 16, 2023, ABC officially greenlit the first season of The Golden Bachelor, and a month later, on July 17, 2023, Gerry was announced as the show’s first lead.
The second the show was announced, fans were excited to see the franchise experiment with older singles. A big reason many viewers criticize The Bachelor and The Bachelorette is a lot of the contestants are in their early 20s, which means many of them aren’t ready to get married. The women on the first season of The Golden Bachelor ranged in age from 60 to 75, which was a refreshing change for the franchise. However, some fans are concerned they might skew younger with the second season, which would defeat the whole purpose of the show.
6. There Could Be Producer Plants (Maybe Mark Anderson)
Intentions May Be Called Into Question
The first season of The Golden Bachelorette was plagued with allegations of producer plants. Mark Anderson, the father of The Bachelor season 28’s winner Kelsey Anderson, was accused of being a producer plant throughout the series, with some thinking he wasn’t there for the right reasons. Despite seeing Mark was excited to be on the show, many were curious about how he became a cast member, even wondering if he would be the next Golden Bachelor.
Every reality show deals with allegations of producer plants, but no franchise gets more than The Bachelor. Though these things are hard to confirm, producer plants become obvious when certain contestants get a lot of screen time when they shouldn’t or when contestants stick around for a long time, even though they don’t have a strong connection with the lead. Having producer plants on The Golden Bachelor season 2 could lead to an even worse outcome than the first, with the show pushing contestants who the lead isn’t interested in.
5. Producers Might Choose The Wrong Golden Bachelor
Pascal Ibgui Is One Example
Pascal Ibgui, a contestant on The Golden Bachelorette, was initially seen as a strong contender to become the lead on The Golden Bachelor. However, a controversial comment he made about the age of his potential contestants raises concerns about whether he’s fit for the role. While speaking with Us Weekly after The Golden Bachelorette Men Tell All episode, Pascal, who turned 70 in September, revealed if he were offered the position of The Golden Bachelor, he would want younger women as his contestants.
“They will have to lower the age. The age has got to be lower. Yes, I’m old, but I don’t go out with a 72-year-old woman.”
Pascal’s desire for younger women is an odd request, considering the entire premise of The Golden Bachelor is to allow older adults to find love. His comments suggest a disconnect with the core concept of the show, potentially disqualifying him from ever being considered as its lead. Choosing someone like Pascal for the lead could ruin the entire season when viewers realize that the lead isn’t interested in women his age, raising questions about his intentions.
4. They Might Not Vet The Golden Bachelor Properly
These Problems Will Only Get Worse
Throughout the course of The Bachelor’s history, there has been no shortage of scandals surrounding the cast of the show. One example is Guy Gansert, who appeared on The Golden Bachelorette season 1. According to reports from People, Guy’s ex-wife, Heidi O’Gara, sought a temporary protective order against him in October 2021. However, she had the request dismissed a month later before it could be officially approved.
While the restraining order was never finalized, some of Heidi’s claims were troubling, to say the least. She accused Guy of displaying anger, making threatening remarks, and even alleged that he mimicked the motion of aiming a gun at her with his hand shaped like a pistol. Heidi ultimately withdrew the request a month after filing it, but the allegations against him still raise questions about The Bachelor’s casting department. If the people behind the scenes allowed a contestant like this onto the show already, what’s stopping them from bringing on similar men or women in future seasons?
3. The Golden Bachelor Season 2 Could Lead To Another Divorce
How Many Splits Will Fans Tolerate?
The first season of The Golden Bachelor ending in divorce was the worst possible way to kick off the series. Gerry and Theresa, who met on the show and got married, divorced after three months of marriage in April. While they initially attributed the split to distance, Theresa recently revealed it wasn’t the only factor that led to their breakup.
On the Nov. 5 episode of Ben Higgins and Ashley Iaconetti’s podcast, Almost Famous, Theresa said, “You really can’t know somebody in four weeks. I’ll just say that […] I don’t wanna say any more than that.” Her comments about the timeline are even more concerning for the future of the show, with the winner from the first season admitting she doesn’t believe in the entire premise of the series. If four weeks wasn’t enough for Gerry and Theresa, it likely won’t be enough for future couples trying their luck on The Golden Bachelor.
2. The Golden Bachelor’s Premise Might Become Boring
Will Fans Continue To Care?
When the premise of The Golden Bachelor was first announced, viewers were intrigued, to say the least. The idea of older people finding love, especially after loss is endearing, which drew a lot of fans to the series. It’s refreshing to watch contestants who know a lot more about themselves and what they want compete for love, versus the younger contestants on other Bachelor franchises.
While it’s a great idea for a spin-off, that doesn’t mean it will last any longer than a couple of seasons. The novelty of watching older people try to get together might wear off after a while, effectively killing the show’s appeal. The Golden Bachelor is an idea a lot of fans loved in the beginning, but after seeing that it wasn’t so successful the first time around, it might not last much longer.
1. People Might Prefer The Golden Bachelorette
The Female Leads Tend To Become Fan Favorite
Joan Vassos, the lead of The Golden Bachelorette season 1, was married to John Vassos for 32 years before he passed away in 2021 following a battle with cancer. The children they raised together were already out of the house, so Joan found herself alone. Right before her husband passed, he sat Joan down and told her he didn’t want her to be alone for the rest of her life, which led to her eventual journey on The Golden Bachelorette.
With her backstory alone, Joan is a more likable lead than Gerry. She was only on his season of The Golden Bachelor for a short time, and she was still endearing enough to win over fans, which is why she was chosen as the lead for her own season. Female leads are often praised by viewers for being more expressive with their feelings, which is what fans want from this series. For that reason, in the future, viewers might only want to see The Golden Bachelorette continue.
