The World May be On Pause, but Love is Not

Chris Harrison has hosted “The Bachelorette” for 16 years and still thinks this is “the most dramatic season in Bachelorette history.” Thank you Chris for Claire-ifying. As the show bases itself around social interaction and close contact, fans were wondering if “The Bachelorette” would be able to air at all this fall, and if it did, how COVID-19 precautions would affect the contestants’ ability to find love.

"The Bachelorette," a reality show centered around finding love, typically ends in a proposal at the last rose ceremony. Source: Pexels

The show consists of one-on-one dates, group dates, as well as 30 men in one house, which violates many states’ restrictions on indoor social gatherings. While ABC did quarantine and repeatedly tested the male contestants and the bachelorette, Claire Crawley, some viewers still find it controversial to continue air a show during a pandemic like “The Bachelorette.”

If ABC has the means to air the show while abiding by health precautions and everyone involved consents to following the new rules, then there isn’t much harm. Perhaps the controversy has come from a place of longing or jealousy. Starting a new relationship in the middle of a pandemic seems impossible for anybody.

Regardless, airing during COVID-19 can come with a few new challenges. Everybody in this group is obviously single but most have probably been single throughout quarantine. One could only wonder if each man, and even Claire, is really there for the right reason.

The transition from being alone for so long to a reality show that thrives on relationship-building — from hugs, to kissing, to sex — can all be such a big change. It can be especially difficult and a source of anxiety for some, because what is usually considered ‘normal behavior’ now holds a different meaning during this pandemic.

While contestants can embrace one another because of the quarantine precautions taken prior to filming, another difference will be the location. Instead of bonding through adventurous experiences like parachute rides in previous seasons, contestants are facing restrictions to date locations. Furthermore, a monotonous location, no matter its appeal, is likely to challenge the norm of the show — there is less spontaneous romance and more routine.

Because the show was set to air prior to the pandemic in March, Claire and the men have been awaiting their arrival on the show. Quarantine has thus allowed ample time for introspection, which has helped everyone mature a little more, even as adults. Since the beginning, Claire has been determined to find her husband on the show. However, for men unsure of where they stood in their own personal lives, their time alone with their thoughts during this pandemic may have been helpful in determining whether or not they are actually ready for marriage.

We have seen success in “Bachelor Nation,” 16 couples formed and the majority are still together to this day and some with families of their own. The show's contestants tend to already have a significantly different bond than the rest of us — knowing what it was like to find their forever through a reality show. Now, there is just another layer. If “The Bachelorette” can help bring two people together even during a pandemic, it will give Chris Harrison quite the story to tell.