The Golden Bachelor: Fun Escape or Flawed Format? Two Different Perspectives

The Golden Bachelor puts a new spin on the Bachelor franchise: older adults seeking love on national television. For many, it's refreshing to see older adults portrayed as romantic and desirable.

But does the show truly celebrate later-life romance, or just repackage problematic reality TV with older faces? Two friends discovered they have very different takes: one sees it as harmless fun, the other couldn't finish the season. Here are their different perspectives.

Why I Love The Golden Bachelor — Let Me Count the Five Ways

By Wendy Reichental

5. Finding love - who doesn’t support that?

At its core, the franchise is about love, simply put. Sure, critics may scoff at the idea of finding your soulmate on national television, but it can happen! The show has produced numerous real-life couples who’ve gotten engaged, married, and even started families. The original Bachelorette, Trista Sutter, is still happily married to Ryan from her season, and they now have two children together.

4. It makes everything look possible.

The show inspires a spirit of travel, as contestants jet off to breathtaking destinations. From strolling through the romantic streets of Paris, basking in Caribbean sunsets, or galivanting across the U.S. and Canada for hometown visits, we’re reminded of the splendour our world has to offer. Along the way, there’s no shortage of thrill-seeking from bungee jumping off skyscrapers to horseback riding or plunging into an ice bath (or a perfectly heated pool), all in pursuit of love. Thankfully, The Golden Bachelor tones down some of the daredevil antics, yet still celebrates curiosity and discovery. Whether you’re 25 or 80, this show reminds us to stay curious, interesting, and ready to try new things.

3. Guilty pleasure!

Call me vain, but I love seeing stylish women in my age range on TV. I can’t help comparing outfits, makeup, hairstyles and highlights, imagining what might suit me, too. The rose ceremonies dazzle with gowns of every length, shimmering with sequins, daring slits, and, no doubt, a few sore feet hidden in high heels. But it doesn’t matter. These women radiate beauty inside and out.

2. My escape from Breaking News!

That one hour a week is my blissful reprieve from the headlines. Instead of doom and gloom, I get playful drama, heartfelt admissions, and sometimes, yes, those tearful confessionals, along with the comforting absurdity of the catchphrase “Will you accept this rose?” I’ll take cheesy over chaos any day.

1. My own love story.

Watching The Golden Bachelor reminds me how thankful I am to have found my person 34 years ago, and that we can still stand to be in the same room. Sure, we’ve had our ups and downs; life is never without its plot twists. But each episode nudges me to appreciate what we share. As I watch The Golden Bachelor go on yet another swoon-worthy date, I’m reminded of my own firsts: our first encounter, our first date, and our first kiss, and I can’t help but smile as those long-ago butterflies make a brief return.

Perhaps what I love most about this franchise: even if the contestants don’t find lasting romance, they still walk away with something meaningful: self-discovery, renewed confidence, and often, lifelong friendships. If the show can fast-track that process and bring people together as it so frequently does, reminding us that you’re never too old to fall in love or make new friends, then I say yes, I’ll gladly accept this show, rose in hand!

Competing for Love is Just Not Right – At Any Age

By Susan Williams

When ABC announced The Golden Bachelor, I was genuinely excited. Finally, mainstream television was acknowledging what those of us who work in the field of aging already know: people over 50 are interested in romance, companionship, and new beginnings. The show promised to challenge outdated stereotypes about older adults being past their prime, past desire, past the possibility of finding love.

I wanted to love this show. I really did.

I dutifully recorded the episodes, thinking I'd need to stay informed about this cultural moment. But here's what I couldn't reconcile: while I appreciated seeing older adults on mainstream TV seeking romance, I fundamentally couldn't stomach the format itself.

The Problem Isn't the Age -  It's the Competition

My issue isn't with showcasing older romance. It's with the premise of making anyone at any age compete for love. Watching a group of women, all trying to make an impression that would help them "stand out" rather than simply being themselves, felt uncomfortable to me. It wasn't empowering. It felt desperate. As if these accomplished, interesting women needed to perform for the validation of one man's attention.

I kept asking myself: Why do they need "a good man"? And more importantly, why do they need to compete with each other to find one?

The Bachelor franchise has always carried this problematic dynamic, but somehow, putting older adults into this format to me made it feel worse.

When the Mask Slipped

My ambivalence turned to outright frustration when the current Golden Bachelor, before the season even began, stated he was "going to cut anyone over 60." Let that sink in. A man cast as the lead in a show celebrating older romance publicly announced he'd eliminate women based solely on their age and specifically, women his own age or older.

He of course backpedaled but the comment revealed something essential: how authentic is this show? Are the participants genuinely seeking love, or are they seeking screen time, social media followers, and their fifteen minutes of fame?

The track record doesn't inspire confidence. The first Golden Bachelor couple divorced after just three months of marriage. That's barely enough time to unpack the wedding gifts, let alone build a lasting partnership.

We Deserve Better Representation

But I started watching the second season, determined to give it a second chance. But I just couldn't do it. I'd record the episodes and then find myself unable to press play. Unable to sit through it for a second season.

I can already hear the counterargument: "Ease up. The show is just for fun and it’s the drama and competition that makes it entertaining!" And maybe that's true. Maybe the competitive format is exactly what draws viewers in and keeps them watching.

But I'd argue that's precisely the problem. If the only way we can showcase older adult romance on mainstream TV is by making it a competition, then we're not really celebrating older adults seeking love. We're just repackaging the same format but just with older participants.

The Bigger Picture

I genuinely celebrate that The Golden Bachelor exists because visibility matters. Seeing older adults portrayed as desirable, romantic, and open to new relationships challenges ageist assumptions that have long dominated our culture. The show has sparked important conversations about love after loss, dating in your 60s and 70s, and the continued desire for companionship throughout our lives.

But visibility alone isn't enough if the representation perpetuates other problematic dynamics. We can acknowledge the good - older adults on mainstream TV, conversations about later-life romance - while also critiquing the execution. I believe that the two aren't mutually exclusive.

The Golden Bachelor was a step forward in visibility. But I believe it's not the destination. I think we can – and should – do better. Older adults seeking love deserve representation that honors their dignity, their autonomy, and their authentic selves.