The Golden Bachelorette star Mark Anderson isn't really winning the earnest and sensitive Joan Vassos' heart on the show so far, and if he's cast on The Golden Bachelor, I think there's a good chance he won't be a sweet and caring leading man. On the surface, Mark doesn't really seem like a villain. In fact, he seems like the ideal man. He's a handsome and gentle Taurus male who loves life's simple pleasures, from watching Minnesota Vikings football games to eating ribs to sitting by the ocean. However, under that adorable exterior, there may be some darkness.
Mark may not be doing reality TV for the right reasons. He could have ulterior motives. While his niceness may be real, if he's not really in it for love, he's a Bachelor Nation villain in the making. There are signs that he may be just like Gerry Turner. Gerry seemed angelic at first - his tragic backstory (his wife passed away) evoked so much sympathy. Then, hidden information about Gerry's dating life after widowhood came to light. While Gerry isn't a devil, he isn't who he pretended to be either. Mark could be just the same.
Is This Dream Man For Real?
Can Anyone Be This Sweet?
In the post above, Mark appreciates the beauty that's all around him. He takes time to stare at the sky and dream. Since he's reportedly a Taurus, it makes sense that he gets so much pleasure from being out in nature. Taureans love the natural world and most of them thrive in serene environments. In fact, Taurean energy is all about relaxing and savoring life. It's about being in a moment and really inhabiting that moment.
Taurus energy is mostly very peaceful. While Mark seems amazing, with a capacity to chill out that some people lack, it's almost like he might be too good to be true.
Joan isn't exactly smitten with this man - she did give him a final rose, but that's almost an insult. Who wants to get the last rose? Yes, you can stay on the series, but that isn't what anyone wants... unless they're clout chasing. Otherwise, it's extremely unromantic. Well, I think it is. Sure, all the roses are equal in a sense - they keep men on the show. However, there's something so off-putting about being picked last - a sort of Charlie Brown feeling that no one wants to feel.
It could be argued that getting the last rose is an homage. If you're passing out flowers, maybe you save the best for last? However, the one who gets the final rose needs to wait and worry, and making someone feel like that seems like the opposite of love to me. Others may see it differently.
In general, I'm weirded out by the format. So many people competing for one person's attention is a bit alien to me, although I love watching just like everyone else does. On these shows, people need to put themselves out there to get noticed, unless they're lucky enough to be chosen based on looks or some type of mysterious X factor that might be called chemistry.
On Instagram, he's said he wants someone to share things with, but sometimes, finding that type of soul bond is very difficult. On reality TV, the pressure is extreme, and I think it makes it even harder to bond.
It's a lot of work to put in to try and charm someone, and that's where the danger lies. Every suitor must try to impress - that means that some people won't be themselves. Mark may end up playing a part like Gerry did, even if his intentions were the best. It's just human nature to try and seem wonderful, especially when the cameras are rolling. Only a few are willing to be true villains in the sunlight, not just in the shadows.
Mark Has Already Been In Love
Maybe Dating On TV Doesn't Feel Right
Mark, whom Joan discusses in the Extra TV TikTok shown above, surely has a lot of love to give, but he's already been in love. He was married to Denise Anderson for 18 years. Then, she sadly passed away. Eighteen years with someone is a long time. Together, Mark and Denise had so many experiences, good and bad. Their bond was like steel. They could probably read each other's minds.
The issue here is that finding that kind of connection in a reality TV setting is like finding a needle in a haystack, or finding a priceless masterpiece at a thrift store. Yes, it could happen, and it has happened, but it's unlikely to happen.
If The Golden Bachelorette's Mark Anderson can't forget what he had, he may seem like a villain on The Golden Bachelor - if he gets the gig. He may look back and wonder why he's trying to move forward at all. For those who've lost their spouses, the prospect of dating must feel so strange at times. Such people have lost partners who were precious - in a lot of cases, the loves of their lives.
This dynamic makes The Golden Bachelor and The Golden Bachelorette unique and interesting. This is very different from divorcing - it's the finality of it. There's no hope of reconciliation, however faint. It's serious... as serious as it can be. And those who have lost must try again while everyone watches.
So, as you can see, a reality star like Mark can be a truly amazing man. I believe Kelsey Anderson's father is a very good man - one who served his country (he's an army veteran), adores his three kids, and was a wonderful husband to Denise. Nonetheless, Mark can still be a villain, mostly because of the allure of fame, and the sense of unreality that may come with dating after a beloved partner dies.
While Mark is cute as can be, and he's obviously someone who really knows how to enjoy life, he may be savoring fame more than romance. Also, he could be missing the woman he lost while he flirts with Joan. If either or both of these things are true, he'd wreak havoc as The Golden Bachelor, probably by breaking hearts. Just as great is the risk that he'll get hurt - men have feelings too, and if he's cast as the lead, following in Gerry's footsteps, he may not really know what he's getting into.
Fans can watch The Golden Bachelorette season 1 on ABC on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
