Bachelorette 9 - General Media - Discussion

BarbB222 wrote:I think the secret is out that they are prodded like cattle and trick ponies to perform. But look how many have remained friends with their handlers and the producers.

Yes, this completely baffles me. I suppose that many of them understand (either during the shoot or after the fact once feelings have calmed down) that even though they were prodded, they also got increased on air face-time, and for many of the contestants, that's a fine trade-off. (ie: "I might look silly, but I have 50,000 twitter followers because of it!") Maybe some come to view it like Survivor: it's all part of the game, and everything is cool off of the island.

You guys make this sound like it's some horrific torture camp they go on. I don't believe they do half the stuff you suggest. But seriously, how do you even enjoy this show when you believe all this? Just a question.

canyonvue wrote:You guys make this sound like it's some horrific torture camp they go on. I don't believe they do half the stuff you suggest. But seriously, how do you even enjoy this show when you believe all this? Just a question.

I enjoy watching love or a relationship bloom under some of these conditions. I was mainly referring to Molly and Jason's podcast and how she was told to do something she didn't want to and was told if she didn't , she'd be eliminated. Her words . But we know Jason and Molly are part of their family. It is interesting to hear what's done behind the scenes. But, I still enjoy watching what happens. I also remember a contestant from Brad2 where she actually walked into a room and saw the storyboard. Those things educate us about how this show is run but I also feel they can evolve as they see successful couples emerge. In their own demented way, producers can add more integrity to what they want to accomplish. I think the key is the couple presenting themselves honestly so that after the show they kinda know who they picked and not a Jeckyll and Hyde.

canyonvue wrote:You guys make this sound like it's some horrific torture camp they go on. I don't believe they do half the stuff you suggest. But seriously, how do you even enjoy this show when you believe all this? Just a question.

I enjoy the psychology of watching the players and the season evolve...looking at body language, seeing if I can tell what's manipulated, etc. I wouldn't say that I actually love the show itself. In fact, I'm certain that I don't...i enjoy reading the live tweets (on Twitter, not on screen), and TWoP the next day, etc. The show is often background noise, in a way, for me while I watch. Though if I have a favorite, then I pay more attention.

Oh, these contestants are mightily manipulated, whether or not you choose to believe it. Like some others here, I know a few contestants from seasons past, and I also work in media (I was quite active on the boards during Emily's season, discussing tabloids, etc) and hear scoop over the grapevine, and this show is designed to be entertainment, pure and simple. That doesn't mean you have to watch it in that manner because yes, I also believe that lightning can strike and relationships can form, but the producers want entertainment, not necessarily love. If they wanted love, they'd design a much different show.

BarbB222 wrote:

canyonvue wrote:You guys make this sound like it's some horrific torture camp they go on. I don't believe they do half the stuff you suggest. But seriously, how do you even enjoy this show when you believe all this? Just a question.

I enjoy watching love or a relationship bloom under some of these conditions. I was mainly referring to Molly and Jason's podcast and how she was told to do something she didn't want to and was told if she didn't , she'd be eliminated. Her words . But we know Jason and Molly are part of their family. It is interesting to hear what's done behind the scenes. But, I still enjoy watching what happens. I also remember a contestant from Brad2 where she actually walked into a room and saw the storyboard. Those things educate us about how this show is run but I also feel they can evolve as they see successful couples emerge. In their own demented way, producers can add more integrity to what they want to accomplish. I think the key is the couple presenting themselves honestly so that after the show they kinda know who they picked and not a Jeckyll and Hyde.

So weird. How do they manage to fall in love at all? And yet all the unspoiled people watching think they're watching a romance. I wonder how many outright regret doing the show, later on.

I would be very surprised if Jef became the Bachelor (like some of the rumors would have) just because he seemed to have such a bad time. The show was giving him such a rough time when we were there. His associates seemed to think they were putting him through hell. Well, it really did seem that Jef was on house arrest that night. They were calling him all evening seemingly asking him what he was doing, getting in trouble about something, getting chewed out about something (maybe having us there). All I know is he seemed on a very short leash and didn't like it at all. That's all the personal experience of this show that I have.

I would love to actually talk to one of these contestants after the shackles are off and see what they have to say. But can they really say anything ever? Probably not. Still, someone like Jef, I think you can squeeze quite a bit out of them. The ones that like to talk and like the attention.  

Oh, also, fWIW, I had dinner recently with someone who was on Aaron Buerge's season (!!). Remember him? Oy. She said that back then, the show was much different...that they really were left to their own devices and what happened was quite "real." (And that plenty of the girls didn't like him but were having such a good time that no one wanted to leave!)

But she noted (because I asked, given what I've heard from more recent seasons) that it's evidently changed drastically from her time.

Anyhoo, that's neither here nor there, but i thought it was sort of fun. :)

That's what made Jason's and Molly's podcast interesting. They are past contestants and they did tell a little of the dark side but still after all that's said and done, they found love and it was because of this show. I like seeing how others fall in love. I do like spoilers too. Sorry because it helps me zero in. If I didn't know, it would be like texting and driving. Very distracting and too much to concentrate on.

freelancergirl wrote:Oh, also, fWIW, I had dinner recently with someone who was on Aaron Buerge's season (!!). Remember him? Oy. She said that back then, the show was much different...that they really were left to their own devices and what happened was quite "real." (And that plenty of the girls didn't like him but were having such a good time that no one wanted to leave!)

But she noted (because I asked, given what I've heard from more recent seasons) that it's evidently changed drastically from her time.

Anyhoo, that's neither here nor there, but i thought it was sort of fun. :)

See, I think because couples are actually emerging from this show not speaking about the social events after. The show is involving. At least internally. Slowly but surely. They just need new editing tricks although hiding SC's is a new one to me. But they deliberately showed Chris and Drew in Antigua which savvy detectives could identify locations telling who'd they be. That's weird to me.

BarbB222 wrote:

freelancergirl wrote:Oh, also, fWIW, I had dinner recently with someone who was on Aaron Buerge's season (!!). Remember him? Oy. She said that back then, the show was much different...that they really were left to their own devices and what happened was quite "real." (And that plenty of the girls didn't like him but were having such a good time that no one wanted to leave!)

But she noted (because I asked, given what I've heard from more recent seasons) that it's evidently changed drastically from her time.

Anyhoo, that's neither here nor there, but i thought it was sort of fun. :)

See, I think because couples are actually emerging from this show not speaking about the social events after. The show is involving. At least internally. Slowly but surely. They just need new editing tricks although hiding SC's is a new one to me. But they deliberately showed Chris and Drew in Antigua which savvy detectives could identify locations telling who'd they be. That's weird to me.

They always show some FDs clearly and at least one not so clear i.e. sleuths have had to work to get the information. Viennas legs on the boat for example were matched after RS said she was F1. No one could believe she was f1 prior to that. This is the first season I can recall that there is zilch on 2 of the f4 contestants - except that BSG is possibly one of the 2 !

I think, IMO only of course, that they need more than new editing tricks. They need to figure out how to reboot it in a way that it's not so predictable. That goes beyond editing and speaks to their storyboarding. Like Brian's girlfriend who came back this season. That was so clearly a storyboarded idea. (IMO...I don't have inside confirmation on this.) Fleiss and the like seem very stuck on what they think is "dramatic," but viewers are tired of watching them tell us the same story every season. That's part of the reason why I never believe his post-show interviews - because he tries to make the plot more interesting, at least in theory, but he lets very little of this play out on screen. The producers prod the guys into storylines that they (the crew) think are interesting - Ben! James! etc - because that's what they've done in the past. This isn't about editing...it's about how the producers plot out the story, and IMO, we've all seen this story unfold time and time again. 23 (or however many) seasons later, viewers are tired of it, and it shows in the ratings.

I don't know what their solution is because I suppose there is something to be said for the suspense of who the lead will choose - I remember being on the edge of my seat in early seasons - but what they're doing now - trying to play the same bit over and over again - really isn't working. The ratings reflect it.

I don't even know where you get screen caps, why 'they' release them, who 'they' are.

 Under the Dome and The Bachelorette were each adjusted up a tenth among adults 18-49 versus Monday's preliminary ratings. The final numbers for the Stanley Cup Finals: Game 6 can also be found below.

Net     Show     18-49 Rtg/Shr     Viewers (millions)

ABC     The Bachelorette (8-10PM)     2.0/6     6.56
NBC     Stanley Cup Preview-Live     1.7/6     5.18
CBS     How I Met Your Mother - R     1.2/4     4.43
FOX     Raising Hope - R     0.8/3     2.11
CW     Oh Sit!

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