8 Things The Bachelor Franchise Should Leave Behind In 2024 (2025 Should Be An Energizing New Beginning)

The Bachelor franchise had a rough year, with many missteps and a lot of controversy, and there are some things that the producers should leave in 2024 as they look forward to 2025. While the franchise had some bright spots in 2024, including Joey Graziadei's romantic and successful Bachelor season, and Joan Vassos' beautiful Golden Bachelorette season, the rest of the year was marred by the overexposure of beloved Bachelor Nation members, the casting of questionable contestants, and the failures of relationships. The Golden Bachelor’s Gerry Turner and Joey Graziadei look upset in front of red lightning bolts.

As the Bachelor franchise moves into 2025, there are many things that it can do to fix the mistakes of 2024. However, the producers have to be willing to learn from their mistakes, and move forward with a fresh start. This is something that they haven't been very good at doing in the past, but there's hope for the future. Here are eight things that the Bachelor franchise should leave behind in 2024, as it begins its energizing new beginning in 2025.

1The Golden Bachelor Season 1's Gerry Turner (He Was Never A Villain)

Gerry Needs To Focus On His Health & Family

The Golden Bachelor's Gerry Turner in a promo photo smiling with gold backdrop

The Golden Bachelor season 1 star Gerry Turner began 2024 on a high note, marrying Theresa Nist on January 4, 2024, in a live, televised event called the Golden Wedding. However, just three months later, Gerry and Theresa announced that they were getting a divorce because they couldn't decide where to live because neither one of them wanted to leave their families.

Then, in December 2024, Gerry revealed that another factor in the divorce was the fact that his priorities had shifted, because in Spring 2024, he was diagnosed with an incurable, slow-growing form of bone marrow cancer called Waldenström's macroglobulinemia. Because of this, he wanted to focus on his family. As Bachelor Nation moves into 2025, it's time to give Gerry some grace and stop casting him as the villain of the franchise. Gerry deserves peace and happiness in his life in 2025, and it's time to allow him to find that without Bachelor Nation constantly scrutinizing him.

2The Bachelor Franchise's Televised Weddings

The Franchise Must Stop Putting So Much Pressure On The Contestants

Speaking of Gerry and Theresa's Golden Wedding, it's time for the Bachelor franchise to leave televised nuptials in the past. 2024 brought the fastest breakup after a televised wedding in Bachelor franchise history with Gerry and Theresa's divorce, and it's time for Bachelor Nation to accept that rushing into marriage for the sake of TV ratings is a bad idea. While many of the marriages have lasted, (including The Bachelorette season 1's Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter, who celebrated their 21st anniversary in December 2024), putting pressure on the newly engaged couples to get married so publicly is very unfair.

In 2025, Bachelor Nation should leave its couples alone after they're done with their seasons. Theresa has revealed that the network offered to pay for the Golden Wedding, but only within a certain timeframe, which is why she and Gerry agreed to get married so fast. Now, it unfortunately seems that the same thing might be happening with The Golden Bachelorette season 1 couple Joan Vassos and Chock Chapple.

Joan originally said that she didn't want to rush into marriage, but, after her season ended, she shared that she'd be open to a TV wedding because she thought that the fans deserved to see it. However, this could spell disaster for Joan and Chock if it happens too quickly. Televised Bachelor franchise weddings should be left in 2024 and become a thing of the past.

The Bachelorette Season 21's Jenn Tran

Jenn Should Be Able To Live Her Life Out Of The Spotlight Now

No one had a worse experience with the Bachelor franchise in 2024 than The Bachelorette season 21 star Jenn Tran. Her season ended with the revelation that her final choice, Devin Strader, to whom she'd gotten engaged after breaking new ground on the show by proposing to him, had broken up with her over the phone before the season finished airing. Then, Devin's questionable past came to light, as his previous restraining order from an ex-girlfriend was revealed.

Jenn was devastated by her broken engagement, but she was immediately cast on Dancing With The Stars season 33. She was paired with professional dancer, Sasha Farber, who she's now rumored to be dating. As Bachelor Nation heads into 2025, it's time to let Jenn leave 2024 in the past. While she enjoys sharing details about her life via social media, it's on her own terms, separate from the Bachelor franchise.

In an interview with People, Jenn shared that she'll be returning to school to complete her master's degree to become a physician assistant in March 2025, so she'll be leaving Bachelor Nation behind. After humiliating Jenn during her season with problematic contestants and forcing her to tearfully watch her engagement to Devin live on stage after their breakup, the producers must leave her alone now, and allow her to move on with her life.

The Bachelor Franchise's Pattern of Casting Problematic Contestants

There Were Too Many Restraining Orders In 2024

In addition to Devin's past restraining order, two of Joan's Golden Bachelorette contestants, Gil Ramirez and her runner-up Guy Gansert, were revealed to have had restraining orders taken out against them by their exes. It was shocking to hear this after what had happened with Devin. Although Gil and Guy's restraining orders were eventually dropped, it's still very concerning that, out of all of the men who applied to be on the show, two of them had problematic pasts, but were still cast.

In 2025, the Bachelor franchise producers must do a better job of vetting the contestants. There's no excuse for anyone to be cast on the shows who's previously had a restraining order taken out against them. One of the most appealing things about the Bachelor franchise shows was that they were considered to be a safe space for the leads to date multiple people because the producers had supposedly looked into their pasts.

The revelation that this wasn't the case might be a turn-off for future leads and contestants. The shows must do better. 2025 is the Bachelor franchise producers' chance to prove that they actually do have the best interests of the leads and the contestants at heart.

5The Golden Bachelorette Season 1's Joan Vassos & Chock Chapple

Joan & Chock's Relationship Can Last If The Producers Back Off

The Golden Bachelorette season 1 ended with Joan and Chock getting engaged after his beautiful proposal. They have plans to keep their homes in Maryland (Joan) and Kansas (Chock), and also to get a place together in New York City. Joan and Chock seem to be on the right path, and they could last if the producers leave them alone now that their season is over.

In 2025, the producers should back off and allow Joan and Chock to figure out their lives together without manipulating them like they did with Gerry and Theresa. It's concerning that Joan is considering a televised wedding now that her season is over because it indicates that perhaps the producers are pressuring her and Chock to do it. While it'll be fun to follow Joan and Chock's relationship through their social media pages, the Bachelor franchise producers should let them be, and allow them to move into 2025 without their interference.

The Golden Bachelorette Season 1's Joan Vassos’ Men

The Golden Bachelor Season 2 Should Start Fresh With Someone New

The Golden Bachelorette season 1 was fantastic, not only because of Joan, but because of the amazing men who were cast as her suitors. Many people thought that one of them should be the star of The Golden Bachelor season 2, but it might be better for the producers to start fresh with an unknown person like they did with Gerry Turner in season 1.

One of the main problems is that some of the frontrunners for the lead are now in relationships or rumored to be in them. Jonathan Rone has a girlfriend; Jordan Heller has been linked to Golden Bachelor runner-up Leslie Fhima; and Mark Anderson is rumored to be dating One Tree Hill actress Barbara Alyn Woods, based on their social media activity.

In addition, two of the men who made it far in Joan's season, including runner-up Guy and third-place finisher Pascal Ibgui, are problematic. Guy had a restraining order in his past, while Pascal self-eliminated from Joan's season, telling her that he wasn't in love with her. He also called Chock a stalker after he left the show, and stated that he didn't want to date older women as the Golden Bachelor. Perhaps the Golden Bachelorette men had their time to shine in 2024, and now, in 2025, it's time to find someone completely new for the lead of The Golden Bachelor season 2.

The Bachelor Season 28's Joey Graziadei & Kelsey Anderson

It's Time To Shift The Focus To The Bachelor Season 29's Grant Ellis Without Him Living In Joey's Shadow

Although Joey and Kelsey are one of Bachelor Nation's cutest and strongest couples, it's time to leave them in 2024. They run the risk of being overexposed, especially because they seem to be everywhere on ABC lately. After placing second in Charity Lawson's Bachelorette season, Joey starred in his own Bachelor season. He also appeared in the procedural drama series, 9-1-1, in an episode that took place at the Bachelor Mansion.

Joey was also seen during The Golden Bachelor on the pickleball group date. In addition, Kelsey appeared in Jenn's Bachelorette season, on the Wicked-themed one-on-one date, and also introduced her father, Mark, to Joan when he was a contestant on The Golden Bachelorette. Kelsey and Joey also competed together in an episode of Celebrity Family Feud.

Joey then competed on Dancing With The Stars season 33, which he won, along with his professional dance partner, Jenna Johnson. Although they're beloved, Joey and Kelsey have had their moment in the spotlight. In 2025, it's time to shift the focus to The Bachelor season 29 star Grant Ellis, who deserves his moment in the sun without living in Joey's shadow, especially after Joey did such a perfect job on his Bachelor season.

The Bachelor Franchise Should Focus On Love & Ditch The Drama

Grant's Preview Had So Much Chaos

Because 2024 brought so much drama to the Bachelor franchise, it would be refreshing if the shows shifted their focus to the love stories. Jenn's season in particular was marred by contestants such as Aaron Erb, Sam McKinney, Thomas Nguyen, and Devin, who were so over-the-top with their drama that they appeared to be producer plants. It would be wonderful if Grant's season kicked off 2025 in January with romance at the forefront, but, unfortunately, the previews seem to indicate that it'll be more of the same.

Not only does The Bachelor season 29 preview showcase tons of confrontations among the women, but it also ends with Grant seemingly unable to make a decision between his final two women. This would be disastrous for Grant, who is currently so loved by Bachelor Nation, because the show could ruin his reputation Even if the preview was created to stir up buzz to get ratings, it's a sad indication that the producers are once again up to their old tricks. They'd be better off leaving the drama in 2024, and focusing on love in 2025.

The Bachelor franchise had some ups and downs in 2024, and, unfortunately, the lows overshadowed the highs. Bachelor Nation is tired of the breakups and drama from 2024, and wants to see romantic love stories in 2025. Hopefully, the Bachelor franchise will leave behind its problems from 2024, and make 2025 an energizing new beginning.

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