The Golden BachelorandThe Golden Bachelorettehave been significant hits for ABC, but even with some big wins, both shows have had their fair share of letdowns during their debut seasons. Many viewers got what they wanted out of the first season ofThe Golden Bachelorette, enjoying the opportunity to watch an older woman find love instead of the usual cast on the main franchise. Still, there have been some surprising setbacks that have led fans to wonder if they will continue the show for seasons to come.
The Golden Bacheloretteseason 1had fewer problems than the first season ofThe Golden Bachelor, butaudiences are still uncertain about the future of the franchiseand who would be picked to lead it. Even thoughThe Golden Bachelorfaced some serious challenges from fans,BachelorNation was willing to give the formula another chance withThe Golden Bachelorette. There was a lot of drama surrounding the firstGolden Bachelor, Gerry Turner, and his final rose recipient, Theresa Nist, who ended up calling it quits shortly after the show’s finale.
Even though Gerry and Theresa’s love storydidn’t work out, viewers were still hopeful that the next installment would unfold with less drama. However, after two seasons of the show,many fans have been let down.This has led to questions about whether the series should continue at all.
8The Golden Bachelorette’s Final Two Let Viewers Down
Neither Choice Was Popular
WhileThe Golden Bachelorettehasn’t faced issues with Joan as the lead, you can’t say the same about the contestants. Bachelor Nation as a whole has been underwhelmed by most of the men this season, and the final two vying for Joan’s heart were particularly disappointing. In the episode before the finale, Pascal, a salon owner from Chicago, broke up with Joan during an emotional boat cruise in Tahiti, telling her he didn’t feel a strong connection. This left Joan with two remaining suitors, Chock Chapple and Guy Gansert.
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While both appeared to have some level of connection with Joan,neither seemed like a strong match. Chock has been a consistent red flag throughout the season, focusing only on Joan and disregarding the rest of the group. Meanwhile, Guy’s personal issues, which are separate from the show, have made it hard for viewers to fully support him. In the end, Joan breaks up with Guy before he has the opportunity to meet her family. During the “After the Final Rose” special,The Golden Bacheloretteclarified she was “getting there” with Guy, but they needed more time.
7Chock Chapple Has Been Deceitful
He Ended Up Getting The Final Rose
During the final scenes of the series, Joan and Chock communicated they felt ready to get engaged. Joan assured Chock she wanted to “spend the rest of her life” with him, and even after she lost hope in her future, he helped her bring it back. Chapple replied by telling her thathe couldn’t believe he found this “incredible opportunity"at this point in his life.
In the end, Chock got down on one knee and proposed before Joan gave him the final golden rose. On the After the Final Rose, host Jesse Palmer referred to Joan and Chock as the franchise’s “newest Golden Bachelorette couple,” revealing they are still together. But that doesn’t take away from Chock’s red flags throughout the season.
The Golden Bachelorette: Chock Chapple’s Nine-Year Engagement’s The Ultimate Red Flag (Is It A Clue He’s A Player Who Could Break Joan’s Heart?)
Despite his alarming past, The Golden Bachelorette’s Chock Chapple has remained in the competition. What could the prolonged engagement mean?
From very early on in the season, it became obvious Chock and the rest of thecast ofThe Golden Bacheloretteweren’t going to be friends. While it makes sense that Chock was more interested in getting to know Joan,he still didn’t make an effort to talk with any of the other menduring their downtime, which most of the group found concerning. Because of this, viewers have raised concerns that Chock wasn’t there for the right reasons, putting all of his eggs in one basket.
The Safety Of Contestants Should Be A Bigger Concern
In early October, news leaked that one of Joan’s final two men, Guy, had a request for a restraining order filed against him by his ex-wife. This raised a lot of concerns fromBachelorNation as it’s the second time a restraining order has been reported about one of Joan’s contestants, plus, there was also restraining order news aboutThe BacheloretteJenn Tran’s final choice, Devin Strader.
It was reportedGuy was the subject of a temporary restraining orderrequest three years ago, soon after his divorce from ex-wife Heidi Seevers O’Gara, was finalized. On Jul 07, 2025,his ex-wife applied for a “protection order against domestic violence”in Nevada family court. Three weeks later, she asked to withdraw the application, and thus, the temporary protection order wasn’t granted.
According to dismissal notes, the couple reached a “no-contact agreement.” Regardless of an agreement being reached, multiple contestants from the first season ofThe Golden Bachelorettehad restraining orders against them, proving there wasn’t enough background checks run for this batch of contestants. This proves ABC needs to look outside these contestants for the next lead.
5Pascal Ibgui Wants To Be With Younger Women
He Wants The Rules Changed For Him
Pascal Ibgui has not been shy about howhe wants to date younger women, which would be a requirement for him if he were to become the lead onThe Golden Bachelor. If he was offered the role ofTheGolden Bachelor,Pascal would request they lower the age limit, even though he’s older, himself. During an interview after his time onThe Golden Bachelorette, the 69-year-old said, “Yes, I’m old, but I don’t go out with a 72-year-old woman.”
He also said it’s harder for men and women his age to pick up and move their whole lives, proving he’s not a big fan of the premise. “When you’re my age, I have my business, I have my home, I have my real estate, I have my friends, I have my kids, I have my connection to my health club, to my restaurant. I’m involved in a lot of charity,” he said about the lives of older contestants.
“for me to pack up. My stuff and move [somewhere else] is not going to happen. … I want to wake up with somebody in the morning. I want to go to bed with somebody. I want to be able to walk down the street with her and go get coffee in the morning.”
4Mark Anderson Isn’t Over His Late Wife
He Clearly Hasn’t Healed Yet
Before being introduced to the world onThe Bachelorseason 28, Mark was a widowed father of five living in Leesville, Louisiana. He was married to his late wife, Denise, for 18 years beforeshe passed away from cancer in 2018. Mark’s daughter, Kelsey, who got Joe Graziadei’s final rose onThe Bachelor, shared that her mother passed away just two months after her cancer diagnosis, which left their family shocked and heartbroken.
When Mark appeared onThe Golden Bachelorette, he spoke about his late wife a lot. During his brief one-on-one time with Joan, his constant focus on Denise created awkward silences, making it clear he was having trouble moving on. This led Joan to make the surprising decision to send Mark home early. As a widow herself, Joan understood the difficulty of moving forward after losing a spouse, but his inability to shift the conversation made it hard for their connection to grow.It would be impossible for Mark to form a meaningful connectionwith anyone else asTheGolden Bachelor.
3Charles Ling Seems Like A Clout Chaser
He Might Not Have Been There For The Right Reasons
Charles quickly became a fan favorite onThe Golden Bachelorette, and if he were chosen as the next lead forThe Golden Bachelor, he would make history as the first-ever Asian male lead in the franchise.Jenn made history earlier this yearas the first Asian lead onThe Bachelorette, which seriously paved the way for even more representation. Fans have been calling for an AsianBachelorfor years, and in that aspect, Charles would be a person who could break that barrier.
Still, many viewers have expressed concerns that Charles could be a clout chaser. When he leftThe Golden Bachelorette, it was clear that he didn’t find love with Joan, but he didn’t seem too beat up about that, saying that he found a different kind of love in his friendships with the men in the mansion. While many contestants on the show find life-long friendships, Charles often seemed more focused on that than finding love, soit doesn’t seem like he was on the show for the right reasons.
He Would Have Been The Best Choice
One of the top picks for thenext lead ofThe Golden Bacheloris Jonathan Rone, who was a fan-favorite throughoutThe Golden Bachelorette. He was sent home right before hometown dates, which disappointed everyone who was rooting for him–but things ended up working out in his favor. Shortly after revealing that he was in a relationship,Jonathan introduced fans to his new girlfriend, Michelle Zimmermann.
He took to Instagram to post a photo with Michelle on Saturday, November 9, hard launching his new relationship. He wrote a heartfelt caption about his new relationship, writing: “I started my journey looking for love, a love that is a forever love. A love I thought I once had but this was my second chance…I am so grateful for all [of the] support and kind words from all of you in Bachelor Nation! I’m happy to say that Michelle is truly ‘My Bomb.’”
1The Golden Bachelorette Viewers Would Rather Joan End Up Alone
Fans Didn’t Like Her Final Choices
While watching the final episodes ofThe Golden Bachelorette, a lot of fans were rooting for Joan to end up alone. As the 61-year-old narrowed her search for love down to the final few men, viewers weren’t drawn to any of her choices, hoping she instead chose to stay single and look for love elsewhere. If the choices weren’t good enough for Joan,why would viewers want to see a whole new season dedicated to any of those men finding love?
The Golden Bachelorette
Cast
The Golden Bachelorette: This reality series offers one woman in her later years the opportunity to find love, as a group of seasoned men compete for her affection. Participants bring diverse romantic histories, seeking a meaningful connection and a chance to build a promising future together.
