2/27 Bchelor 16 The Exotic Dates **West Coast Spoilers**

[Anemic Dog]

They need a Ben "type" to pull off the bachelor concept, though. If they found someone edgy or deep, many of the women would find there's no chemistry. The worst thing for this show would be mass defections at early rose ceremonies. As soon as a couple of women turn down a rose or start bad-mouthing the bachelor, it's an entirely different show.

I suppose Fleiss has some protection built into the contracts - maybe the women aren't allowed to reject a rose without specific permission. But it would still be obvious on the dates if the women weren't hungrily seeking out "one-on-one" time.

Casting is so important to this show. Fleiss understands that he has to build the sorority, yet invite a couple of women like Courtney to keep things interesting. And he has to be very careful to cast a specific type of bachelor who is so even-handed, non-intellectual and masculine in a certain way that the sisters remain all a-twitter.

Unfortunately, the result of this casting is a final pairing that simply doesn't work from a marriage perspective. Fleiss doesn't mind because it gets ratings. Ultimately, in the world of reality television, he has produced one of the very few true winners.

[Fanny Mare]

Good post Anemic Dog. Well said!

[Ellen]

Ellen, Jen Scheft was proposed to by Bachelor Andrew Firestone at the end of his season. Shockingly it did not work out and Jen got her own stint as the
Bachelorette. From what I remember some folks thought she was a "pill" on her season. If I recall correctly, she didn't choose anyone. She is now happily married with a family.

Thank you!
*returning on topic*
So, Firestone is a wine guy like Ben (difference being that Firestone wine is actually good?). Andy made a bad choice. Wine guy Ben is, from what the editing is steering us to believe, is about to make a bad choice. Andrew's business got a more-than-decent boost. Jen got her 15 minutes plus the white picket fence. Ben is getting publicity. The Model is getting publicity. Really, if a person can get on this stupid show, s/he is set for life, if s/he spins the publicity the "right" way, like this "exotic dates" episode — so much fun! (Hey, I'd go on a picnic with a guy with a bad haircut if it would further my business that much...)

[Fanny Mare]

Except some of them( very few) go on looking for love. ♥

[KatesMom]

I really can't wrap my head around it. Are there not enough people who just want to watch a real love story? If Courtney's apologies could ever come off as genuine that might be one thing but the girl has that twitchy lip thing that makes her appear to be condescending when she speaks to others.

Short (and honest) answer? No.

I read the boards season after season - when there is no drama and they try to show us a love story, I read over and over about how boring the season is. Even this season - love her or hate her, Courtney made the season. A season like Trista's and Ryan's would never fly today. Part of that is because we expect the drama. Part of it is because the show has blown up so much that very few people go on this show looking for love anymore - they are looking for adventure, exposure and a chance to travel the world on someone else's dime. And people insert themselves into the story to a certain extent - "I wouldn't pick this person so it can't be love". I saw that a lot during Ed and Jillian's season (and to some extent during Jason's and Brad's season). If these people date for more than a few months, I consider that there are real feelings involved and it is a real relationship, even if they don't ultimately get married. I do think we see THE BEGINNING of love stories on this show - but I think if it's not the love story "WE" were hoping for, we discount it. Unfortunately, since they started recycling, true love stories have gone down (Jason, Jillian and Ali being the exceptions - jury's still out on Ashley). Bachelor seems to be a lot lower than Bachelorette. And yet with that being said, ratings have gone up (and Bachelor is usually rated higher than Bachelorette). What does that tell you?

[Fanny Mare]

It tells me we are hooked!

[ilja]

Short (and honest) answer? No.

I read the boards season after season - when there is no drama and they try to show us a love story, I read over and over about how boring the season is. Even this season - love her or hate her, Courtney made the season. A season like Trista's and Ryan's would never fly today. Part of that is because we expect the drama. Part of it is because the show has blown up so much that very few people go on this show looking for love anymore - they are looking for adventure, exposure and a chance to travel the world on someone else's dime. And people insert themselves into the story to a certain extent - "I wouldn't pick this person so it can't be love". I saw that a lot during Ed and Jillian's season (and to some extent during Jason's and Brad's season). If these people date for more than a few months, I consider that there are real feelings involved and it is a real relationship, even if they don't ultimately get married. I do think we see THE BEGINNING of love stories on this show - but I think if it's not the love story "WE" were hoping for, we discount it. Unfortunately, since they started recycling, true love stories have gone down (Jason, Jillian and Ali being the exceptions - jury's still out on Ashley). Bachelor seems to be a lot lower than Bachelorette. And yet with that being said, ratings have gone up (and Bachelor is usually rated higher than Bachelorette). What does that tell you?

That women bring the drama.

[ButterflyFaery]

you know one of the reasons why I think its so boring is that Ben made his choice very early on...I said during the 2nd episode during his date with Courtney that that was it game set and match and it was all over but the elimanations and the crying....and since he had already in his head made his decisions he had to make an effort to go through the motions and he just hasn't been very good at it....I remember Merideth's season she pretty much did the same thing made her decision the first week and I remember CH saying he hoped she was happy because she closed off herself to the experience and didn't even open up to any of the other guys...I think that is probably the deal with Ben he made his choice early and its almost like he resents that he is having to go through the rest of it

what I want to see is the WTA and ATFR...we can skip the rest at this point since pictures of the finale are all over the internet...lets just by pass the rest and get to the good stuff

[norealityhere]

I think the season is boring because Ben is, quite simply, BORING!!
While I was not enthralled with him last season, he seemed like a nice enough guy with really bad hair!! LOL

Last season, he was 1 of many Bachelors. This season, he's just not exciting enough, IMO, to carry off the show.

[Longhornfan]

what I want to see is the WTA and ATFR...we can skip the rest at this point since pictures of the finale are all over the internet...lets just by pass the rest and get to the good stuff

Okay, I just saw the pictures of the finale that you are talking about. So, I just have to question the timing of these pictures surfacing. Was there actually some photographer in Switzerland that was able to get those pictures without the producers knowing about them? That is highly unlikely. So, are the pictures being leaked by the producers themselves? This is more likely. Something is mighty fishy about how this entire season has been presented. Was it deemed a complete loss early on, which would explain why there are so many leaks? Or are we going to get punked by Fleiss? This has just been a strange strange season for me. And, now that those pictures have surfaced revealing who Ben supposedly chose as the F1, how much will that affect the ratings for the Finale?