• Network: ABC
  • Series Premiere Date: Mar 25, 2002
Season #: 29, 28, 27, 26, 25, 24, 23, 22, 21, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Metascore
33

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 10
  2. Negative: 5 out of 10

Critic Reviews

  1. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Phil Rosenthal
    May 14, 2013
    63
    It serves up 25 attractive women willing to sacrifice their dignity--and future--to win a possible husband in what amounts to a glorified game show. [22 Mar 2002, p.49]
  2. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Josh Friedman
    May 14, 2013
    50
    The cheese factor is undeniable, but The Bachelor makes a connection with its audience beyond the vicarious thrill. [25 Mar 2002, p.C20]
  3. Reviewed by: Mike Lipton
    Jun 27, 2013
    42
    The singles scene must be pretty bleak if women would rather mass for a prime-time cattle call than go out on a blind date.
  4. Dallas Morning News
    Reviewed by: Manuel Mendoza
    May 14, 2013
    42
    The six-week series premieres tonight on ABC, a network so desperate it has stooped to ripping off Fox, home of the infamous Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire? [25 Mar 2002, p.12C]
  5. Kansas City Star
    Reviewed by: Aaron Barnhart
    May 14, 2013
    40
    The Bachelor gets off to a slow start but maybe that's to be expected. It starts with a marathon mixer; Take "hi, my name is Angelique" and multiply it 25 times and you get the idea. Michel tells the women he is "humbled and honored" by the turnout, perhaps forgetting that ABC flew all the women to Malibu for the party. [25 Mar 2002, p.D5]
  6. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
    Reviewed by: Rob Owen
    May 14, 2013
    30
    Like so many of these relationship reality shows, The Bachelor is cheesy and the whiff of desperation wafting off the contestants is strong. A preview for future episodes promises jealousy, back stabbing and cat fights as the bachelorettes vie for the main man...What do you want to bet this one won't make the National Organization for Women's Top 10? [22 Mar 2002, p.36]
  7. Orlando Sentinel
    Reviewed by: Hal Boedeker
    May 14, 2013
    20
    Cringe-inducing... In a season of duds, the show is more jaw-droppingly bad than Jason Alexander's witless sitcom "Bob Patterson" and John McEnroe's foul game show "The Chair." [23 Mar 2002, p.E1]
  8. Seattle Post-Intelligencer
    Reviewed by: John Levesque
    May 14, 2013
    10
    Let's just say ABC could have saved a ton on limousine fees if it had shrink-wrapped 25 women and placed them in the meat case at Safeway for its new hook-up series, The Bachelor...The Bachelor is an embarrassment - a tawdry example of a desperate network taking advantage of desperate people. Stay away. [25 Mar 2002, p.C1]
  9. Variety
    Reviewed by: Michael Speier
    May 12, 2013
    10
    Besides being insulting to any woman who may not look like a runway model, The Bachelor, hosted by Chris Harrison, is just plain boring. Show supposedly takes the high road from more sexed-up fare like "Temptation Island," but the result is that ABC has promo'd the show with quick cuts of babes in bathing suits and bedside make-out sessions. It's as if the network bankrolled a brothel and positioned cameras to catch the action. [25 Mar 2002, p.34]
  10. New York Post
    Reviewed by: Linda Stasi
    May 14, 2013
    0
    How do I loathe thee? Let me count the ways: You are degrading, debasing, desperate, depressing, dull, and dopey...You are a show so ill-conceived and so demeaning to women that you make Howard Stern look like a feminist. [25 Mar 2002, p.75]
User Score
2.3

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 7 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 7
  2. Negative: 5 out of 7
  1. Mar 11, 2019
    0
    New York Post
    OK, congratulations to the beautiful you ladies in this series, you are Kardashians wannabes! When you took "one step back
    New York Post
    OK, congratulations to the beautiful you ladies in this series, you are Kardashians wannabes! When you took "one step back for women kind" shame on the parents, who let their beautiful young daughters think you are "nothing" unless you have a prince charming, aka Bachelor, showing you the way in life, I am the proud Mom of a Hockey Girl Goalie, she is pretty and smart and does not need this guy to make her have "Selfworth" Heres to all the POWER GIRLS, I hope some of these girls in the "Bachelor TV Series" sees this and says really, do we need too need to go down the Kardahian road! GO GIRL POWER!
    You are degrading, debasing, desperate, depressing, dull, and dopey...You are a show so ill-conceived and so demeaning to women that you make Howard Stern look like a feminist. [25 Mar 2002, p.75]
    Full Review »
  2. Mar 30, 2018
    0
    The Bachelor tries to make the audience believe that this is how real people fall in love. It's ridiculous that people believe that beingThe Bachelor tries to make the audience believe that this is how real people fall in love. It's ridiculous that people believe that being surrounded by twenty something women all falling over themselves to please you is how real romance works. There is too much editing to make everyone look desperate. The women have no control over how the producers edit their words to fit the screen. Its also promoting the fact that only skinny, perfect people can find love. The contestants on the show have no body fat, have no blemishes, and have no casual clothes. The women constantly wear make-up, and they always have something revealing on. Women do not always dress up to impress a guy; some women actually want the guy to like them for who they are, not what they look like. Full Review »
  3. Apr 21, 2014
    5
    The show is sexy . but this the thing about celebrities they join a show that involve dating the girls or boys and choosing who they want toThe show is sexy . but this the thing about celebrities they join a show that involve dating the girls or boys and choosing who they want to be with . The Bachelor ends up as a prosecute . that's what this show is . Grade C
    This show is for women who love the man stripper
    Full Review »