Spoilers ahead!

This season of “Bachelor in Paradise” was anything but paradise. This was one of the most chaotic seasons from the Bachelor franchise I have ever seen. The theme song sounded like a cheesy rip-off of an old ‘80s TV show, and in usual Bachelor fashion, “no one was there for the right reasons.” 

“Bachelor in Paradise” is a spinoff in “The Bachelor” series, and the contestants consist of rejects from “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette.” Each week, a contestant gives a rose to another contestant they are pursuing. What makes this so dramatic is that new people show up on the island to test the commitment of each relationship. This causes strains and potential break-ups throughout the show. Everyone can admit these contestants are not ready for marriage at all. Also, the producers like toying with these contestants’ emotions for drama. “The Bachelor” knows how to put on a show, but this time they went too far.  

This season almost made me sick to my stomach. There were so many times I felt bad, embarrassed and have gotten emotionally invested. I’ve followed and unfollowed contestants who turned out to be the villains on the island and stayed up all night thinking about the next episode. I saw people get cheated on and fake relationships that developed for the sake of more Instagram followers. Rules were broken and contestants got sent home by the producers. One contestant (Ivan) went through a producer’s phone to get information about a new contestant. He went to her hotel room in the middle of the night and was publicly kicked off the show. 

If you haven’t watched this show before, this is the typical behavior of contestants. “The Bachelor” always follows a specific story format. This time, it was much wilder than I expected. So many contestants arrived and left that it was so hard to keep track of the events that occurred. 

This season lacked authenticity with the recurring plot-lines. One of the storylines from the middle of the season (the drama between Natasha and Brendon) was a good start to bring more upcoming drama. But in the next episode they pull the same plot with Chris and Alana, and the audience completely forgets about the drama between Natasha and Brendon, which I think was way stronger in comparison. The storyline with Brendon using Natasha for followers resonated more with the audience since some fans of “The Bachelor” were following Brendon during the airing of the show. They realized how narcissistic he was and took Natasha’s side quickly. Brendon and Pieper seemed to be aware of all the negative attention they’ve gotten online and decided to milk it, but when it backfired in their face, they started to give apologies, which no one bought. It was a dumb choice to waste other contestants’ time on the island just to gain a following. 

I wasn’t sure why Joe was the only guy who confronted Brendon for using Natasha, while everyone else bashed Chris and Alana like they robbed a bank. I know Demi and the other girls confronted Brendon as well, but if there were more people there to tell them how they really feel, they wouldn’t have been more tempted to stay. 

Contestants on this show were not consistent with their dating partners, nor did they exhibit any common sense. Plus, the scenes were a bit choppy. There were moments in the show where contestants formed new relationships, which is something the audience had no idea happened: (Ivan and Kendall). I also felt bad for contestants like Connor, who didn’t really get a chance at real love because he got dumped earlier on in the season. 

On the other hand, “Bachelor in Paradise” wasn’t full of dark and gloomy storms on the island. The show ended with three verifiable engagements. “Bachelor in Paradise” also made Bachelor history by having the first black couple to get engaged on the show, as well. 

My friends and I are such big and long-time fans that we even talk to strangers about the show. To me, “The Bachelor” is ridiculous, yet fun entertainment. I don’t think I have ever laughed so hard watching people get sent home in limos.

As much as I love reality television, how much is too much? It’s hard to distinguish who is an actor and who is serious, and I don’t think it’s worth it to put yourself out there in this format. Imagine getting dumped on national television and having the producers manipulate you for a storyline. It can affect your real life and social media habits. 

A lot of viewers who are not aware of the conflict the producers create, can be easily manipulated as well. This show will give you a false impression of what real relationships are supposed to look like. If you haven’t noticed already, reality television is false reality television. I’m not sure if there will be a reunion episode, and if there was it would be funny to watch 30 people scream at each other. But I honestly think a lot of these contestants are good friends. I just hope the next season of “The Bachelorette” keeps up the fun and ridiculousness and maintains a healthy chaos.