The Bachelor

S3 Ep3

Today, in class we watched a bit of The Bachelor S3 Ep3. The media manipulates the reality of the series to show the viewers only the interesting side. Things that I've noticed about the show:

• The Bachelor (the person who the show is all about) is probably the person who is shown the least in the episode. 
• Whereas, the women are the ones fighting for him and their bitchiness towards each other is what makes the show entertaining
• The man is in control (over who he wants to date)
• The women are always in suspense, all wanting to have him
• Only the interesting comments (bitchy, rude, accusations, stirring-the-pot) were shown - In reality, there could have been much more positivity between the women but to make the show interesting, the media only choses to air the "interesting" comments
• (Mostly female) audience could be hypocritical for saying that the show is stupid but watches it for entertainment anyway
• We, as an audience, are positioned not to like any of the ladies but to really like the Bachelor

S3 Ep4

Ladies as a group:

• Intelligent women are portrayed as bimbo's
• They're always for themselves and selfish
• Most of them are really beautiful
• They have a bitchy side
• They 'fake' they're niceness to the other girls just for the game of winning the Bachelor
• The women are always in suspense, all wanting to have him
• Only the interesting comments (bitchy, rude, accusations, stirring-the-pot) were shown - In reality, there could have been much more positivity between the women but to make the show interesting, the media only choses to air the "interesting" comments
• Desperation to date Sam
• Backstabbing/gossip
• It's always the woman fault (being bad, bitchy, running relationships)

Focus on some females in particular:

Heather:

• Heather is the girl that was given the white rose.
• She is funny, down-to-earth, smart, very fun, and quick witted.
• When The Bachelor tells her that she could be going into the friend zone, all of the girls start to get bitchy behind her back, and her personality didn't shine through any more.
• When she is around other girls she isn't as smart and quick-witted like she is around Sam.

Ebru:

• When Heather came back with a rose, Ebru criticised her by saying something along the lines of "I though he'd only see her as a friend".
• Ebro states that a girl like Heather (fun, quick-witted, smart) cannot get an attractive man like Sam
• Thinks heather is a threat
• Puts Heather down to make herself look better

Audience judging:

• Becomes okay to compete for a guy
• It's fine to take away a guy from another girl
• May be saying this is what not to do
• Let's the guys go around and take out heaps of girls (reinforces this "ladies man" stereotype)

Sam:

• Is positioned to seem like a nice guy
• If this was in real life, he shouldn't make the girls suffer 
• Sam is great because he is the prize and everyone wants a great prize
• Only the guy in the good moments
• He may have moments when he questions the show
• He only looks good because the girls place so much emphasis on the girls (being bad) not him (being bad)