The Bachelor Canada - Media - Discussion

Wilder Weir‏@WilderWeir
Bachelor Canada: Star panel weighs as finale looms - http://thestar.com http://m.thestar.com/entertainment/tvreviews/article/1287133--bachelor-canada-star-panel-weighs-as-finale-looms …

The end is nearly upon us.

Last night, the women told all in a special episode of The Bachelor Canada. (Read a recap of the episode.) It was a spirited hour of TV in which the unhinged vibe of Jerry Springer was combined with the cliquey dysfunction of a high school lunchroom.

A few of the gals, including Melissa Marie, confessed Brad was never their type. Tia claims she told him as much during filming. He later called her a liar.

Then things got really weird.

Whitney, one of the final two going into next week’s finale, was held backstage and forced to eavesdrop as everyone bad mouthed her. Then she was dragged on stage and berated. This only stopped when Whitney, clearly not enjoying herself, started to cry.

All of this raised a question: Where was Bianka, the other finalist?

In the U.S., the final two never appear on “The Women Tell All” episode. But given her status as Public Enemy No. 1, Canadian producers made an exception for Whitney, a bizarre decision that could lead viewers to believe (based on her body language) that Bianka has already won this.

We shall see when Brad Smith tells all by handing out his final rose.

Here, the Star’s Bachelor Canada panel — critic Vinay Menon, fan Debra Yeo and friend Wilder Weir — weigh in on the season and offer their final predictions for what will happen during the finale, Nov. 21.

WHAT WERE BRAD’S STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES AS CANADA’S FIRST BACHELOR?

THE CRITIC: Brad was at his best when there were lots of nubile hotties to flirt with and he didn’t fixate on “the journey” or “finding the one.” To quote Whitney, he’s just a big kid. He thrived in the early days because the show was breezy. But like a kid who is suddenly forced to eat beet salad or finish a geography project, Brad chafed when stuff got real. He claims he wants to settle down. I’m not buying it. If anything, this gig is only going to get him lots of new dates.

THE FAN: He seems like a genuinely nice guy, has a good sense of humour (no one likes a dour Bachelor) and he didn’t seem interested in stringing anyone along unnecessarily (although some stringing along is built into the format of the show). The downside is that he was perhaps a little too nice when it comes to Whitney. Brad called her out last week when she insisted he listen to her concerns while Kara stood waiting to say goodbye, but the right thing to do would have been to make Whitney wait rather than Kara.

THE FRIEND: If The Bachelor Canada was a game (and in a way it is) Brad has played it perfectly so far. I’m sure being the Bachelor, especially the first, isn’t an easy but Brad’s strengths lie in his versatility. He can play to a large crowd just as easily as he can be vulnerable in one-on-one situations. His respect for the Bachelorettes throughout the series and his ability to stay genuine and committed to the process has really impressed me. I think he’s walking away from this show as Canada’s sweetheart — whatever the outcome.

WHICH ELIMINATED BACHELORETTE DO YOU MISS THE MOST?

THE CRITIC: We lost a virgin pastor, a Playboy model, a pin-up neuroscientist, two Lauras, two Michelles and a real estate agent named Bubba who enjoyed using a word that begins with “C” and rhymes with rock. That’s a lot of drama out the mansion door. Maybe that’s why the show seems to be losing momentum. We’re now stuck with two ho-hum Bachelorettes, one tormented Bachelor and the lingering regret of missing out on a Melissa Marie versus Chantelle finale, with cameos by Hugh Hefner and Jesus.

THE FAN: Chantelle, even though technically she eliminated herself. I don’t think she would have won Brad’s heart in the end, but her sweetness and likeability made her entertaining to watch. I would have liked her to last at least a couple more weeks, long enough to have a one-on-one date with Brad.

THE FRIEND: I miss Bubba! Honestly I wish Brad would have kept a few of the more unsuitable Bachelorettes around even if it was just for entertainment purposes. Sure this is a selfish request on my part but come on, at the end of the day this is a reality show right? I was hoping for a few Snooki-esque trainwrecks to spice things up.

GOING INTO NEXT WEEK’S FINALE, HOW WOULD YOU RATE THE SEASON?

THE CRITIC: It started way above expectations, continued to rise and then crashed back to earth. Some of the product placement shots were ridiculous — Kara popping a Dentyne Ice before the family date, Gabrielle gobbling Triscuits like they were laced with antivenin and she just got stung by a cobra. Also: Whatever happened to host Tyler Harcott? He was like this 7’4” presence in the premiere. Then he vanished, showing up for a few seconds here and there, mostly to state the obvious: “This is... the... last rose.” Overall? I give the show a B minus: slightly above average with room to improve if there’s ever a second season.

THE FAN: Overall, this was a good first kick at the franchise. The production values were high; we got to see some international locales, like Paris and Mexico; the Canadian locations were presented appealingly; the Bachelor mansion fit the bill; the cast was varied, with a good mix of types and a clear villain (which every season needs). Where it fell down a little was in the drama department in that we didn’t get much direct conflict between the women. Sure, Gabrielle badmouthed Whitney every chance she got, but they never went toe to toe past the premiere episode, in which Gabrielle called Whitney skanky for kissing Brad. Maybe that’s the supposed niceness of Canadians compared to Americans rearing its head. I didn’t mind the fact the season was compressed into nine episodes instead of the usual 12. We got to see lots of dates without some of the filler of the U.S. show.

THE FRIEND: Two enthusiastic thumbs up! Sure, I’m biased because I got to watch one of my best buddies on national television every week but I would have watched this show regardless. It had everything the American version has with that special splash of Canadian charm (that always comes with a lowered Canadian budget).

WHO DESERVES THE FINAL ROSE: WHITNEY OR BIANKA?

THE CRITIC: Ah, nobody? Put it this way: Brad is now going to pick between the two most emotionally unavailable Bachelorettes. This doesn’t seem particularly wise. Whitney and Brad share physical chemistry and a love of challenging the immutable laws of nature. They should see each other once a year and jump out of a plane or something. Bianka, meanwhile, had her heart broken by a fellow who went on to marry Kim Kardashian. Think about that for a minute.

THE FAN: “Deserves” is such a loaded word and the fact remains that we only see what producers want us to see when it comes to footage of the bachelorettes. So for every minute of Whitney being super-competitive or rudely interrupting another girl’s goodbye, there could be hours of tape of her being a sweetheart. That being said, I’d like to see Bianka take it. There’s a sweetness to her interactions with Brad that makes me think they’d stand a fighting chance at a real relationship.

THE FRIEND: Whitney does. She had to deal with ton of catty drama from the other girls, won pretty much every challenge and is still left standing strong against dark horse contender in Bianka. It’s too bad this show isn’t Survivor or she’d be walking away with a million bucks.

WILL BRAD PROPOSE?

THE CRITIC: If he does, it’s possible he suffered an undiagnosed concussion during his CFL days. I predict a promise ring of some kind, maybe some teary introspection, followed by a public courtship that wraps after the publicity commitments are checked off. Then Brad will find the real woman of his dreams. She will like goofy movies, yoga, running, children, Shiraz wine, mystery novels and fluffy dogs. She will also be deathly against the idea of finding true love on TV.

THE FAN: We’ve seen him with a ring in the promos for the finale (although promos often throw out false leads), so it seems possible. Another intriguing question is if he does, will the woman he chooses accept, particularly if it’s Whitney?

THE FRIEND: I don’t think so. I think he gives the final rose to Whitney but there are still too many question marks surrounding her feelings toward him. He needs a bit more time and perhaps some couples counselling sessions before he puts a ring on it.

The Bachelor Canada" has drawn a steady, if not spectacular, audience for Citytv. A call on ordering a second season is expected shortly.

If bachelor Brad does announce that he's found a mate and then marries her, that will immediately distinguish this series from the U.S. version. After 16 editions, none of the U.S. bachelors has married the woman who got the final rose (although one did later marry a runner-up).

That bit of reality does not deter contestants like Kara.

"Some people just want fame or they want their 15 minutes and that doesn't work," she says of the search for true love on TV.

"What this takes to work is two very real people who are down to earth and there for the right reasons."
Cut to the audience going, "Awwwwhhhhhhh."

I wonder if Kara is just talking as to how the show should work or if she is speaking of her knowledge on the final 2 gals but using it in genera terms.

I hope it is picked up again. I enjoyed Brad's season. Loved some of the scenery in Canada that I have not had the opportunity to see.
Plus I think it will get better as well with production etc. as they get more experienced as to how it works. Mind you then it could get more like MF's version which I can do without.

As it seems there will be a renewal, will it be another Bachelor or will they do a Bachelorette...maybe one of Brad's ladies?

Sprite wrote:As it seems there will be a renewal, will it be another Bachelor or will they do a Bachelorette...maybe one of Brad's ladies?

I honestly can see them doing another installment of the Bachelor, then the Bachelorette as they did for the USA one, but they may try to get 2 in this time around in which the Bachelorette may be done before the bachelor.

This is an entry from Brad on the Bachelor Canada FB page:

I was allowed to act and choose and decide...whatever i thought was best.....i never had to do anything for the shows purpose.....thats the beauty of bachelor canada...the experience was ....realistic!!!

If true, this is a refreshing change from what we hear from the leads who have been in the MF productions.

We've heard many MF leads say the exact same thing - only a handful have actually been outspoken as to how manipulated it all is. but mostly the manipulations have come from participants, rather than leads. And since the leads get paid to participate in the show, I'm less inclined to believe them over the non-paid participants.

As Canada’s first-ever finale of The Bachelor Canada gets set for Wednesday, it’s only natural that new and old fans of the franchise are hoping the season will close off with a bang.

It will be a “doozy,” according to Bachelor Canada host Tyler Harcott.

“If you’re a fan of The Bachelor or The Bachelorette, then you know that anything can happen as you go down the road,” Harcott told TV Guide Canada recently. “Obviously we’re expecting and we’re hoping that the Bachelor picks somebody, but that’s the thing. You never know what can happen. I want people to go into the final show with an open mind.”

For many fans, an “open mind” would mean accepting Whitney Lee as Brad Smith’s final pick over Bianka Kamber, should it come to that. The 24-year-old administrative assistant isn’t high on the fan favourite list, but Harcott was quick to speak in her defence.

“Everybody wants to get their jab in on Whitney, [but] there’s obviously something there that Brad really likes,” Harcott explains. “There’s a person there too. She’s not [just] an actor playing a character.”

Speaking of playing a character, Harcott has taken criticism for his likeness to U.S. Bachelor host Chris Harrison’s on-air personality. The former Junkyard Wars emcee says developing a unique identity while staying true to the brand and franchise takes time.

“My role will evolve [and] you’ll see more of my personality as the show continues on,” Harcott confirms. “I don’t want to be like Chris Harrison; I think Chris does himself better than I do. I have no intention of ever trying to be anybody but myself.”

And like Bachelor Canada fans, continue is just what Harcott hopes the series will do: “I would love to see a Season 2, 3, 4, 5 in Canada [up to] 17 like they do in the States,” he says. “We’re really proud of what we did with the show.”



The season finale of The Bachelor Canada airs Wednesday, Nov. 21, at 9:30 p.m. ET on Citytv. The After the Final Rose special will be broadcast Wednesday, Nov. 28, at 9:30 p.m. ET on Citytv.

Are you Team Whitney or Team Bianka? Do you think we’ll see a twist on Wednesday’s finale? Share your comments below.

http://tvguide.ca/TVNews/Articles/121120_bach_canada_finale_LI.htm

Looks like there will be a post-show press tour of some sort.

@mavicanada
.@bachelorCA @bradcsmith stopped by our office this morning to pull clothes for his press tour #willyouacceptthisrose pic.twitter.com/LXO0kteL
4:51pm Tues Nov 20

Who was the jeweler again?

Charm....?? just kidding.....

tigertiz wrote:Who was the jeweler again?

I think it is Tacori.