“The Golden Bachelor” is trying like a goldmine for ABC.
In the wake of the two-pronged WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike, networks are filling their fall schedules with actuality TV and sport exhibits whereas their actors and writers march on picket strains.
ABC has been dangling the thought of a senior model of their hit relationship present, “The Bachelor,” for years, nonetheless, the timing of “The Golden Bachelor” — which debuts on September 1st — couldn’t be extra fortuitous.
Last Monday, ABC’s first Golden Bachelor, Gerry Turner was launched on “Good Morning America.”
Central-casting good-looking, the 71-year-old Indiana widow (he married his childhood sweetheart) is a dad and grandfather, who performs pickleball and golf.
In the promo supplies, Turner additionally sports activities a golden tan and a thick head of hair, making him look much less like a senior and extra like a candidate for “Dancing With The Stars.”
Which is acceptable, since “DWTS” would be the lead into “The Golden Bachelor” on Monday nights this fall.
While the Golden Girls vying for Turner haven’t been introduced, right here’s hoping they’re age applicable.
OK, even when they’re no t— I’m nonetheless going to observe.
However, “The Golden Bachelor” stands out as the exception.
Networks are about to unleash an onslaught of corny content material to compensate for the lack of top-rated collection to the strike, resembling “Abbot Elementary,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Young Sheldon.”
This was the go-to transfer again in 2007 when WGA picketing disrupted common programming.
And as soon as once more, the technique shifting ahead depends closely on actuality TV.
But the leisure panorama has modified vastly since then.
We’ve modified too.
Americans now spend as a lot time on social media as they do watching TV, radically altering how and the place we watch TV.
But the networks haven’t appeared to note. (Probably why it’s referred to as legacy TV.)
Fox’s whole fall lineup is rooted in actuality TV and sport exhibits like “The Masked Singer,” “Name That Tune” and “Snake Oil” — a twist on the “Shark Tank” components, hosted by comic David Spade.
Mercifully, their Sunday night time animated superblock stays intact, however that’s solely as a result of exhibits like “The Simpsons” and “Family Guy” completed manufacturing earlier than the strikes.
CBS has additionally reworked its schedule and will likely be airing continuous actuality exhibits like “Survivor,” “The Amazing Race” and “Big Brother.”
Reruns and streaming favorites like Paramount+’s “Yellowstone” (making its broadcast debut) will spherical out the choices.
It’s the identical at ABC, with the aforementioned “The Golden Bachelor,” and “DWTS” becoming a member of “Shark Tank,” “Celebrity Jeopardy,” “Bachelor in Paradise” and “America’s Funniest Home Video.”
So far, NBC has not introduced any adjustments, however their anchor competitors hit, “The Voice” will croon on for a brand new season.
But right here’s the rub.
Unlike in 2007, actuality TV holds far much less enchantment than it used to.
Thanks to our iPhones and TikTok, we’re all actuality TV stars now — with the facility to broadcast each element of our lives from the palm of our palms.
No one wants E! or Bravo to be well-known anymore.
Contrast that to 2007, when “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” debuted mere weeks earlier than the final Hollywood shutdown.
Starved of competitors, the formidable clan helped fill the void left when scripted exhibits disappeared.
Same with the “Real Housewives” franchise, which launched in 2006 with its Orange County version — and now pumps out a number of iterations from coast to coast.
Today we’re savvy to the truth that most of those so-called unscripted exhibits are manipulated by producers.
We get that they’re not genuine or authentic — which is what helped make them so genuine and authentic within the first place.
Unless there’s a “Scandoval” to chase after, our consideration has moved from the small display screen to even smaller screens the place the “authentic” content material is, maybe, probably the most “genuine” of all — our personal lives.
Although influencers have been issued their very own set of strike tips, the TV and film vacuum will inevitably improve their attain — and lasting energy.
After all, content material creators like Mr. Beast and Charli D’Amelio already out-earn many standard celebs.
With these celebs now sidelined, manufacturers and entrepreneurs could have little selection however to additional cozy as much as the one content material creators now left standing.
As actors and writers battle for elevated residuals and battle in opposition to AI, they need to additionally watch their backs.
Back in 2007, a horny 70-something bachelor might have been sufficient to maintain viewers dedicated to their TVs.
But on this new period of leisure, the true winners of the Hollywood strike will doubtless by no means even hit the picket strains.
