Bottom line: I don't even remember his name.

By default, I found myself watching "The Bachelor" last night.  And it made me... mad?

I haven't watched the program in about five years.  When it first came out, it was interesting, as that was when "reality tv" was really beginning to explode.  But as the years passed, I found that it wasn't quite as interesting, and I ultimately lost interest.  

However, when I returned downstairs after bath time yesterday evening (as I was dismissed by one little princess whom selected night night time with Daddy), it was already taking place on the television.  As I stoked the fire and waited for Daniel to join me, I watched... and by the end, I was drawn to the conclusion of just how evil the show was to prey upon what people want so badly in life: love.  Granted, the people willingly subject themselves to the shenanigans of the show, but here is this situation created by the media that doesn't yield an ounce of reality (which is ironic as it falls into the category of "reality tv").  I mean, they have these crazy dates, during which their food is meticulously prepared, the cameras are rolling to capture every make out scene and hand touch, their activities are completely astonishing (when is the last time you rode around New Zealand on Winston Churchill's boat?), their accommodations are nothing but luxurious, and they just have to focus on maintaining a conversation long enough until they can go to the "fantasy suite" and well, do who knows what (each other?  OMG!).  I wanted to know when they had the chance to learn how one another keeps house, or who cooks, or how far in debt they may be.  I wondered when these people get the opportunity to see the quirks that make each other TRULY tick, to see how they cope with the ups and downs of life, to witness the person to their fullest potential as they aren't in their daily element of working and being surrounded by the world that they have created for themselves.  And then I thought, are all these things not all that important to these people?  That's so odd to me, as there is an option to PROPOSE MARRIAGE when the show concludes... 

(To which Daniel countered that these things simply don't matter when you are IN LOVE.  But are they that... IN LOVE?!)

And then, it got even better!  As the preview of the upcoming two weeks aired, it showed this woman that comes back.  I guess she was a Bachelorette that this current Bachelor was in love with (after like three months?) on a previous season and proposed to?  How awful is that???  For ratings, the show's people wanted to throw an even bigger dagger into this guy's heart and more drama and fear into the women's situations... I can just feel the tears coming on.

The only positive that I could come up with after viewing the show is that the producers/writers/directors/whomever is behind the show are fans of recycling and reusing (but obviously not big advocates of reducing, as shown in the fact that they upped the amount of anguish one person can feel).

I dunno... perhaps I am being too judgemental, and not giving the program a fair shake since I only tuned in for one show.  Daniel, playing the Devil's advocate, reminded me that it's sole purpose is for entertainment, but I can't help from feeling so not entertained by a program that benefits from the expense of vulnerable people...

Maybe I'll give it a second chance.  Maybe.  I think it'll depend upon the weather, and whichever direction the wind is blowing me next Monday night...