On Thursday night, Bachelor Nation made history with the premiere of The Golden Bachelor. The show had been in the works for years, with constant advertisements asking fans if they knew any senior citizens looking for love. Gerry Turner was selected as the leading man, and he met 22 women on night one in hopes of finding his second true love.
As soon as The Golden Bachelor wrapped up, viewers switched gears and tuned in for the season premiere of Bachelor in Paradise Season 9. The first episode saw many familiar faces, including The Bachelorette Season 19 lead Rachel Recchia, as well as The Bachelorette Season 17 winner Blake Moynes.
Both of these premieres were highly anticipated, but did one beat the other? Keep reading for our official verdict on The Golden Bachelor vs. Bachelor in Paradise!
The Golden Bachelor Was Emotional and Touching
The Golden Bachelor premiere tore at viewers’ heartstrings, which the Bachelor in Paradise premiere surely did not. The episode began on an emotional note, with Gerry remembering the events that led up to his late wife Toni’s passing. You just can’t help but root for Gerry, he’s one of the most genuine people the franchise has cast in a minute.
It was fun to watch Gerry and his women navigate the process together, with some of the women learning what the first impression rose was for the first time. The episode was nothing short of wholesome, and it was evident that Gerry put his all into getting to know the women. There are certainly no doubts about whether any of them are there for the right reasons!
But Was It Too Calm?
While The Golden Bachelor was definitely a hit, there is no question that it lacked the drama some Bachelor Nation fans crave. At only an hour long, The Golden Bachelor premiere had significantly less screen time than its Bachelor in Paradise counterpart. The most interesting gossip of the night revolved around Gerry kissing two of the women—a record low for night-one smooches!
BIP Season 9 Has One Of The Most Interesting Casts Yet
While viewers met The Golden Bachelor cast for the first time, they later recognized many familiar faces during the BIP Season 9 premiere. One of these was none other than Brayden Bowers, who recently made his debut on Charity Lawson‘s season. Brayden was somewhat controversial on The Bachelorette, but was memorable nonetheless. During his intro, Brayden admitted that he had grown emotionally, so fans are excited to see a new side of him on BIP.
Another interesting contestant this season is Rachel, who will have to face many of the men she turned down on The Bachelorette Season 19. One of these men is Aven Jones, who became a Bachelor Nation fan favorite after he was Rachel’s runner up. It will also be interesting to watch Blake take his fourth stab at love in the franchise, after competing for the hearts of three Bachelorettes.
Producers also brought back a number of other fan favorite contestants from Zach Shallcross‘ season of The Bachelor. Kat Izzo, Jess Girod, and facial expression queen Cat Wong were all among the first day arrivals on the beach.
But The Premiere Focused On Silly Drama
While The BIP Season 9 premiere introduced a fun group of first-day arrivals, it messed up by focusing on petty drama. Early on, a love triangle was established between Kylee Russell, Will Urena, and Olivia Lewis. Kylee was initially interested in Will, but made it abundantly clear that she was really on the beach to meet Aven.
Olivia, on the other hand, was laser focused on Will. The two shared the first kiss of the season, amid a silly conversation about toes. Will seemed to be more into Olivia initially, but switched gears later on when Kylee received a date card. Will agreed to go on the date with Kylee, which in turn, infuriated Olivia.
After Will and Kylee’s date, Olivia decided to be upfront with Will about her feelings. Will completely brushed them off, and claimed that he now felt stronger for Kylee as they had more serious conversations than he and Olivia did.
This entire situation was silly and pointless, given that Aven walked in during the last two seconds of the episode. Will got caught up in a feud between two women, who both seem more interested in Aven than himself at the moment. It was also frustrating that this took up so much of the episode, as Kylee, Will, and Olivia were not popular cast members prior to BIP.
So Which Premiere Won?
Ok, now for the answer you’ve all been waiting for. While The Golden Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise premieres each had their own strengths and weaknesses, one ultimately comes out on top of the other.
The Golden Bachelor wins our vote for the best Thursday night Bachelor premiere! While it may have been short and sweet, it was nice to see people that genuinely wanted another chance at love. BIP, on the other hand, had potential but completely ruined its chances by focusing on people that were not there for the right reasons.
TELL US – DID YOU PREFER THE GOLDEN BACHELOR OR BACHELOR IN PARADISE PREMIERE?
