The Bachelor

Well, last night was the final episode of The Bachelor. I ended up watching this season in its entirety, in a kind of car-wreck fascination kind of way. How do people actually do this? Why do people actually do this? Why would a group of women enter themselves into a competition to be chosen to be someone's wife? Only one woman was ever shown grilling the groom-to-be. All the others simply sat around trying to look pretty and trying to say what they thought he wanted to hear. Why would you want to consider marrying someone you met through this process?

There's a small voice inside my head reminding me of the Mall of America wedding that happened maybe 10 years ago. If you don't remember, basically a young man decided he was ready to settle down but he had no wife prospects at the time so he and his buddies decided they would advertise for a wife for him, the buddies would do the first round of interviewing, and then the hopeful groom-to-be would make the final selection. They held the interviews at the Mall, and the wedding was also at the Mall. It worked, and apparently it worked well. And I thought it was cool.

Maybe it's the size and scope? Maybe it's the television involvement? Maybe it's that the audience sees so many of the details that no one saw in the Mall affair? Maybe I'm just older and more cynical?

Whatever the reason, though, the producers hooked me in ... and I do really want to believe that Andy and Tessa will get married and live happily ever after. Despite my cynicism, despite my scorn, I do love a happy ending.