ABC has a little bit of a fiasco on their hands with The Golden Bachelor. The Bachelor franchise already had a questionable success record with their matches. Then, Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist announced their divorce just three months after tying the knot on The Golden Wedding. Undoubtedly, that put the show’s credibility into question.
Bachelor Nation alums were critical of the failed marriage. Tyler Cameron went as far as to say that the sudden divorce put a “stain on love.” Fortunately, the ABC execs don’t necessarily see it that way. In a recent interview with Deadline, ABC TV Group President Craig Erwic said that regardless of Gerry and Theresa’s divorce, they’re pushing forward with the Golden Bachelor franchise.
Dedicated to the franchise
Of course, we know that ABC announced a spinoff of The Golden Bachelor with one of Gerry’s original love interests, Joan Vassos. This fall, she’ll have a moment in the spotlight and hopefully, her quest for love ends a little bit better than Gerry’s. Even if it doesn’t, the ABC execs are committed to the Golden Bachelor franchise, citing the huge response it got from viewers. It’s about the ratings, not the success of the relationships.
Craig said, “I think Golden Bachelor is a show that’s about finding love at a later age. It’s incredibly root-able, it’s aspirational, and that franchise and those values extend to a lot of different people and a lot of different stories. So we’re very dedicated to this franchise.”
The future is golden
If anything, Craig said that the Golden Bachelor inspired them to expand even further with the format. For example, Golden Bachelorette will have longer, 90-minute episodes. Plus, they’re looking at ways they can incorporate the spirit of the Golden Bachelor into the rest of their lineup. That doesn’t mean they’re going to have senior citizen versions of all of their shows. It’s more about the way Golden Bachelor makes you feel when you watch it that they’re hoping to capture.
“I think there’s a theme of Golden Bachelor, which is so much about heart, humor and aspiration, and I think when you watch other shows on ABC, whether it’s Dancing with the Stars or American Idol, they have those qualities,” Craig explained.
He continued, “If you look at a show that we’ve recently picked up, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, I think that shares many characteristics of Golden Bachelor, something to root for, makes you feel good, it’s something you can watch with your family.”
Golden Bachelorette airs on Wednesdays this fall on ABC with 90-minute episodes.
