Bachelor in Paradise has been like the fun little brother of its dating show predecessors. The spinoff takes former contestants from The Bachelor and The Bachelorette and flies them to Mexico for a second chance at love with other Bachelor Nation castoffs, and what’s great is that fans are already familiar with the cast — assuming they’ve watched the recent seasons of the flagship shows. As well, because the beachgoers are all dating each other, rather than vying for one person’s rose, there’s increased potential for not only real relationships, but also major drama! So why does it appear we might have seen the last of Bachelor in Paradise?
Reality Steve, professional blogger and longtime Bachelor franchise spoiler, shared some informed thoughts in a recent post regarding Bachelor in Paradise's potential cancellation being on the horizon. By all means, Bachelor in Paradise was a win for the cast in Season 7, leading to three engagements as well as other relationships that continued after the cameras stopped rolling. But due to changes in the filming schedule, ratings struggles, and other drama that went down, the spinoff could very well be in danger. According to Reality Steve:
This is strictly a prediction on my part, but I have a feeling Paradise might be done. It didn’t do well this past season, the format is getting old and tired, and…well, that’s just my prediction. I could be dead wrong but just looking at the overall picture, filming schedules and what not, and IF 2 Bachelor seasons and 1 Bachelorette season per calendar year becomes the norm, I almost think they have to get rid of Paradise. And if they do decide to keep it, I think you need to make some major tweaks to the format.
So let's look at each of the biggest factors here one by one.
A Bachelor Nation Overload
Reality Steve "confirmed" that two seasons of The Bachelor are planned to air back-to-back in 2022, similar to how Katie Thurston and Michelle Young’s seasons of The Bachelorette aired in 2021 with no season of The Bachelor in between. It would still technically be possible for ABC to shoehorn a season of Bachelor in Paradise in there, as they did this year, but just because the network can, does that mean it should?
Bachelor In Paradise's Drooping Ratings
The numbers suggest it might not be a bad idea to pull the plug. Bachelor in Paradise Season 7 averaged about 3.1 million viewers, with Monday episodes doing slightly better than Tuesday episodes, according to TV Series Finale. Meanwhile, the previous six seasons all averaged 4.2 million viewers or higher. The Season 7 finale drew only 2.9 million viewers, in comparison to Season 6’s 4.4 million.
Bachelor In Paradise Would Need A Format Change
Reality Steve also mentioned that a change of format would likely be needed if ABC decides to pursue an eighth season of Bachelor in Paradise. While Season 7 did see a handful of couples form on the beach, it saw equally as many contestants having their motives for being on the show called into question. More than one couple was accused of forming a relationship prior to Paradise, then going on the show to boost their Instagram followers.
I can't speak for all viewers, but I'm getting tired of trying to figure out who's there for the wrong reasons. And other fans seem to be over it too, as evidenced by their unfollowing Brendan Morais en masse for his Season 7 Bachelor in Paradise antics. Is that something the Bachelor in Paradise producers can fix? And are they willing to?
The new guest hosts breathed a little bit of life into the series, which definitely counts as a plus. However, Bachelor in Paradise has gotten pretty formulaic in the past few seasons, and I'd agree fans are ready for something new.
We’ve got awhile to go before viewers are due for another season of Bachelor in Paradise, but it will be interesting to see how ABC handles things. The Bachelorette is currently airing Michelle Young’s season at 8 p.m. ET Tuesdays, and Season 26 of The Bachelor is set to air in January 2022. Keep up to date with upcoming premieres for the rest of the year with our 2021 TV Schedule.
