The Golden Bachelorette season 1 recently premiered, and I'm already convinced that Joan Vassos will not find love during her season of the Bachelor spin-off. I didn't want to feel that way. On the contrary, I wanted Joan to find true love, if only to cleanse my palate of what happened during Gerry Turner's The Golden Bachelor season. I told myself that Joan was better suited to succeeding at this process because she was more emotionally available than Gerry was, but now I can see clearly that I was lying to myself.
No one could blame me for harboring high hopes for Joan. She made her television debut during The Golden Bachelor, and though she hit it off with Gerry, she had to leave the show early due to a family emergency. Her daughter had just given birth and needed her mother, but, in hindsight, there may have been more to Joan's early exit than wanting to be with her daughter. Read on to find out why I'm convinced The Golden Bachelorette season 1 will end just as badly as The Golden Bachelor.
Joan Already Adjusted Expectations
There Won't Be Another Golden Wedding
I don't think The Golden Bachelorette season 1 will deliver on the promise of happily ever after, and it's not because Joan doesn't have plenty of great men to choose from. The show premiered recently, and, as usual, the episode ended with scenes from future episodes. These clips, which Bachelor Nation posted on YouTube, feature a dazzling array of incredible dates - there are some thrilling and romantic moments. Though Joan appears to be so happy in all the promotional materials for the series, I remain unconvinced.
In May, Joan told CNN that she wouldn't be rushing into marriage. She said it wasn't entirely because of Gerry and Theresa - she simply feels people need more time to get to know each other. She went on to say she hopes ABC makes The Golden Bachelor In Paradise. “Oh, my gosh. I want to be on it!" Joan stated. Then, she caught herself, adding, "Hopefully, I’ll have a husband and not (be) eligible." Joan was already talking about appearing on another unscripted dating show, which is why I believe fans can forget about another Golden Bachelor wedding special.
Joan's Not Over Her Late Husband
She's Not Ready For Love
The main reason I don't believe that The Golden Bachelorette season 1 will end with a successful marriage is that Joan doesn't seem to be over her late husband yet. Years before joining the cast of The Golden Bachelor, Joan was married to John Nicholas Vassos for 32 years. In 2021, he passed away due to pancreatic cancer. The premiere episode of the season opens with Joan talking about John, and I just get the sense that she's not ready to move on yet.
She has talked about feeling guilty on more than one occasion, despite the fact that her late husband told her he wanted her to find love again before he died.
John didn't want Joan to spend the rest of her life mourning him, and Joan may not want to spend the rest of her life mourning him, but I don't think she's ready to move on yet. Joan talks a lot about how John made her feel safe during their entire relationship. Though many of the men Joan's dating seem to be great catches, I can't imagine Joan thinking one of them could fill John's shoes.
Is The Golden Bachelor Brand Cursed?
I Hope Joan Proves Me Wrong
The Golden Bachelor season 1 ended with Gerry marrying Theresa Nist, but the marriage ended after only three months. Though the couple loved each other, they couldn't figure out how to blend their lives. They lived in separate states and neither wanted to leave behind the lives they'd spent decades building. Though Gerry and Theresa tried to see each other regularly, neither was satisfied with a long-distance marriage, so they called it quits.
I foresee Joan, and every other future The Golden Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise contestant, running into a similar problem.
By the time people are in their 60s, they've established full lives. Maybe I'm cynical, but it's hard to imagine anyone uprooting their life to be with someone they dated for a few weeks on a reality TV show. Considering Joan left The Golden Bachelor to be with her daughter when her adult child needed her, she has made it clear that she puts her family first. I strongly believe that any relationship Joan develops on The Golden Bachelorette is likely doomed, but I really hope I'm wrong.
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