The Golden Bachelor’s Gerry Turner struggled to connect with Bachelor Nation after his season came to an end, and I’m furious that he left The Golden Bachelorette’s Joan Vassos with a major mess to clean up. Introduced as the lead of The Golden Bachelor season 1, Gerry was meant to be a wholesome, vulnerable widower who was looking for love in his second act after losing his wife unexpectedly. Getting to know a cast of women who were dynamic and hilarious, Gerry took on the role with ease and worked hard to ensure that he was authentic at every turn.
Although Gerry’s authenticity in his relationships with the women of The Golden Bachelor season 1 seemed to be off the charts, things began to get uncomfortable toward the end of the season, when Gerry and his cast were blindsided by scandal. An ex-girlfriend exposed Gerry’s behavior before his time as the Bachelor Nation lead, and while she chose to remain anonymous, her stories were corroborated. While Gerry had failed to mention any of his previous relationships on the show, his behavior was made clear to Bachelor Nation, who felt slighted by the fact that Gerry hadn’t been forthright at all.
Gerry’s Indiscretions Weren’t Made Public
His Mistakes Were Hidden
During The Golden Bachelor season 1, Gerry was made out to be the wholesome, sweet widower who was looking for love without knowing what he was doing. It was clear to Bachelor Nation that Gerry needed the help of the series to take on a new relationship. When it was uncovered that Gerry’s past hadn’t been the way he’d described, without any romance after his late wife had passed in 2017, many were hurt by the fact that he’d tried to play Bachelor Nation. Even though Gerry had been someone The Golden Bachelor viewers loved to watch, his reputation tanked.
After Gerry’s marriage to Theresa Nist ended after just three months together, things were tough for The Golden Bachelor star. Gerry tried to repair his reputation on social media, but it wasn’t something that viewers seemed interested in hearing. Knowing that Gerry had been capable of lying and seemingly swindling the viewership, Bachelor Nation lost their trust in the former lead, and weren’t sure where to go next.
Gerry’s Reputation Has Scarred The Golden Spin-Off
People Are Less Likely To Believe In The Show
Although Gerry had a great reputation while The Golden Bachelor was airing, things took a turn when his lies caught up to him. While Gerry tried to rehabilitate his reputation, first with his marriage to Theresa and then, when that ended, with his social media presence, Bachelor Nation saw through his rouse. With Gerry in the doghouse for most of Bachelor Nation, many have been concerned about moving forward with The Golden Bachelorette, the franchise’s newest spin-off. Joan, who left Gerry’s season early for her family, is taking on the challenge of becoming the next lead despite Bachelor Nation’s hesitancy.
Joan Has To Clean Up Gerry’s Mess
The Golden Bachelorette Has More Pressure On It
Joan’s time as The Golden Bachelorette will be a test for Bachelor Nation. While she’s a great choice for the lead, having left Gerry’s season to help her daughter with a pregnancy which created a shroud of mystery around her personality, there’s some hesitancy from Bachelor Nation to support the series. After Gerry’s deception, Joan will have to practice a high level of authenticity and be completely transparent in her decision-making to win back Bachelor Nation’s trust. While Joan didn’t do anything to lose their trust, there’s a disconnect between Bachelor Nation and The Golden Bachelorette side of the franchise.
Although Joan didn’t do anything to lose the trust of the viewers, her season will be a make-or-break moment for the franchise’s newest spin-off series. Gerry created a divide between those who trusted in the show and those who didn’t, and his behavior made it clear that the show wasn’t going to be able to operate without honest authenticity anymore. With Joan’s season, Bachelor Nation will be put to the test.
The Golden Bachelorette Will Be A Test For The Franchise
Can Joan Save The Series?
While Joan is going to take her own journey on The Golden Bachelorette, the stain of Gerry’s time as the lead will be a part of her legacy. Though Joan is her own person, she’s going to have to clean up the mess that Gerry made, which I feel isn’t a fair position for her to be in. Joan’s going to have to take on double the pressure as the lead, making her time as The Golden Bachelorette that much more difficult.
I believe that The Golden Bachelorette is going to be a major test for The Golden Bachelor side of the franchise. With Joan as the lead, working hard to ensure that her honest, authentic truth is on display for the world, Bachelor Nation will have the opportunity to decide if they believe the series is going to be worth the hype. With Joan at the helm, hopefully the issues Gerry threw into the mix won’t complicate The Golden Bachelorette more than necessary.
The Golden Bachelorette premieres on Wednesday, September 18 on ABC.
