A lot of “Reader Emails” this week. Probably our biggest batch of the season I believe, which I guess I expected since we’re at the end, and a lot was thrown at you in yesterday’s column in regards to the spoilers on next week’s episode, along with your WTA spoilers. However, the #1 question I got this week, and I’m stunned that this came up repeatedly, was some form of, “How did Cassie’s dad get to Portugal? Like, did producers set that up?” I’m still surprised after 17 years and 37 seasons on the air that people have questions like this. I guess maybe I shouldn’t be. Easily that question came across in at least 10 emails this week, so I took a lot of them out. Just know that nothing on this show happens organically. Of course it was set up by production. Did people really think The Matt Daddy just booked his own plane ticket, walked on set, and just asked around, “Hey, where’s my daughter? I need to talk to her.” It’s no different than when Becca’s ex showed up in Thailand last season to talk to her. It’s all arranged by production. They clearly saw after hometown dates he had an issue with her getting engaged at the end of this, so they decided to keep that narrative going. Who suggested it to who I don’t think is all that important. We know why it was done and you’ll see it play out next week.
Great news. In case you missed my tweet yesterday, here was the press release announcing that “Temptation Island” has been picked up for a 2nd season:
(EXCLUSIVE): Great news. I can officially announce that “Temptation Island” has been renewed for a second season, and will begin filming later this year. pic.twitter.com/CqrOd4l3Fq
— RealitySteve (@RealitySteve) February 26, 2019
Awesome. Can’t wait. This season has really been interesting television and I’m looking forward to seeing how everything plays out. With this show coming back for a second season, and “Paradise Hotel” being brought back by Fox, I think these networks may be on to something. And that something is “people love their dating reality shows.” As a cable show, “Temptation Island” is doing pretty well, so to already get a second season is huge for them. And to already secure an extra episode which will be a reunion episode next season, you know they aren’t messing around. As I mentioned, once this season is over, I want to have as many people from this season on the podcast to go into more detail of what went down. They’ll definitely be able to speak a little more free once this is all said and done.
Last night’s episode was an emotional roller coaster for some (I’m speaking about John and Kaci of course) and Nell Kalter has your Episode 7 recap for you. To say that was a few daggers to the heart would be an understatement. Man, parts of that were rough to watch. I know a lot of you have an opinion of Evan on the podcast last week and maybe weren’t buying what he was selling, but watching him last night and seeing how much it was tearing him up inside to what he was doing to Kaci, goes to what I brought up last week. I think deep down Evan is a good guy. He’s also a flawed guy that’s been through stuff in his life a majority of us never have, and it has scarred him pretty deeply. I wanna see how it all plays out, what is said at the end, and have him on the podcast again when this is over before I pass judgment. Because he’s the one I’m most looking forward to talking to once this is over. I think we’ll get a deeper perspective from him once we see it play out. And here’s a sneak peek to next week’s episode where Evan feels like he’s a monster for what he’s done:
Ratings are in from last night, and the “Bachelor” drew their highest viewing audience of the season with 6.74 million viewers. Their 1.8 rating is .1 behind the 1.9 they drew the last two weeks, which were season highs. But again, the pattern continues to remain the same with this show. It gains in audience every week as the number of women dwindles down. This is when Joe Casual Fan usually starts tuning in. But for 8 consecutive weeks now, the show’s audience has grown. People can say whatever they want about Colton, and trust me I have and they have, and yet the same concept remains true: the lead of the show doesn’t matter. It’s the formula that works. I’ve had one of my highest traffic and highest grossing “Bachelor” seasons these last two months. Just goes to show, no matter who they put in that role, people are watching.
Your “Reader Emails” begin on page 2…
tinyred500
February 27, 2019 at 9:49 AM
I struggle with the whole Bachelorette and Cassie thing and whether she discussed it during filming. Maybe she did, maybe she didn’t, but she has zero credibility for wanting it if she says she’s too young and isn’t ready to be engaged. I think she went on the show for fame.
Of course the producers organised Matt Randolph’s visit (in next weeks episode), just like they have on previous seasons. Nothing is left to chance and Mr Randolph didn’t fly there on his own steam/inclination or without producer say so. I still think the whole non engagement is part of Colton’s narrative as well as Cassie’s.
For emailer saying ‘Cassie claiming she loves Colton, without being in love makes no sense’. Yes, you can love someone for who they are as a person etc., but not actually be ‘in’ love with them, there is a big difference between the two and makes perfect sense.
Where did Steve get the $500 million annual salary for Mr Randolph from? Yes, he’s a CEO, but the company would have to have a multi billion dollar annual turnover to cover that salary. Is the company listed on Forbes? Mr Randolph would be a multi billionaire with that kind of salary. I’m just curious, is there anyone out there that knows more or better, or did Steve get keyboard happy and get carried away with the extra naught?
tinyred500
February 27, 2019 at 9:55 AM
That should be ‘nought’ and not naught. 😉
meredith1972
February 27, 2019 at 7:56 PM
The Reality Show in which Cassie starred 2 seasons was based on her college – a Christian school which strongly encouraged no alcohol, tobacco, or pre- marital sex.
Based on that, I suspect Cassie has been raised in a conservative, Christian home.
Cassie’s Reality Show also featured her former boyfriend of a very long time. I suspect the family knew him and knew the length of the relationship.
If the Dad did not know the format of The Bachelor, it was easy to find it out online. I can imagine it was a shock to that family for Cassie to even bring Colton in, let alone for Colton to ask for permission to marry Cassie after one 1-1 date and all those group dates.
Therefore, her Dad’s reaction is not that big of a surprise to me; the surprise is that they flew the Dad out to the Fantasy Date to give him another shot at “talking sense into her.”
What I don’t think they counted on is Cassie completely caving, leaving, Colton leaving, and them being left with no show.
jp22
February 27, 2019 at 11:14 PM
Even if Colton saved himself for someone special, it doesn’t mean he’s a serious Christian. You’re right that the religion may be a factor in the family’s objection. Or it could even be the idea of Cassie famously being the one with whom Colton finally ends his virginity on national TV doesn’t sit with conservative values. Finally, Cassie seems very young to me, I think her parents/sister may understand this.
rob22
February 28, 2019 at 11:20 AM
I agree with @meredith. It makes no sense to me that the show allowed Cassie’s Dad to fly out to torpedo the relationship. It sounds like they miscalculated, thinking they’d add some more drama and then instead ended up torching the only viable relationship. I’m not sure whether they knew that Colton was going to send two girls home (wouldn’t they have had some influence in getting Colton to not do that?) And certainly they probably didn’t think that Cassie would have deleted herself. Any way you look at it, they have six hours of programming to fill with very little in the way of plot lines to fill it. It makes me wonder if Colton did go a bit rogue when he sent the two girls home. I can’t imagine they would have allowed Cassie’s Dad to come talk to her if they knew that was going down.
tinyred500
February 28, 2019 at 12:38 PM
I think Meredith has raised some interesting points too, and I agree with rob that it seems like a miscalculation on the producers part with her Dad etc. It blew up in their faces.
With regard to producer influence, I’m pretty sure there’s been many previous bachelors that have wanted to send girls home much sooner, but didn’t, because they couldn’t. I heard Clare Crawley say she wanted to leave when Juan Pablo said his piece in the helicopter to her, and she wanted to leave. It came across like she had no choice other than to stay, because she was one of the final two. Maybe the producers have more recently loosened the reins and allowed more free will with both the lead and contestants. So Colton going rogue is possible!
It’s all subjective as we know, nobody will ever truly know the truth, like pieces in a puzzle and trying to make the pieces fit together. 😀
taxionna
February 28, 2019 at 3:01 PM
@tinyred500 re: the $500 million salary – Steve was clearly being facetious. The only people who have $500 mil/year salaries are Jeff Bezos and Warren Buffett.
meredith1972
March 1, 2019 at 5:47 AM
The voluntary exits and even the leads wanting to leave are manipulated by the producers and their contracts as to timing and even if they leave. Case in point recently is Heather leaving dramatically on the train right before HTS. I suspect she was ready to leave earlier.
Then there are the leads who set their hearts on contestants who want to leave (we find this out much later). Dr. Andy Baldwin wanted Tessa who wanted to leave. They moved everything around to make that one happen.
Bachelorette DeAnna set her heart on Graham, and it was obvious. When he found out he was expected to propose, he wanted out. They made him show up at the RC, and he was a slouchy mess. DeAnna threw a hissy fit! She threatened to leave, they had to talk her into staying so her season would not be a failure.
It was clear Bachelorette Ali wanted Frank. She said he was”her type,” and indeed she married a guy who looks a lot like Frank. Meanwhile, on the show, Frank informed the producers as early as the 3rd episide that he wanted to go back to his old girlfriend. Unbeknownst to Ali, they filmed Frank during HTs getting back with her, and we saw Frank dump a sobbing Ali on the beach during the Fantasy Dates. They talked her into staying, and she chose Roberto.
Colton didn’wait or talk to the producers it appears. Cassie left, and so did he!
corn29
March 5, 2019 at 12:50 PM
> I’ve had one of my highest traffic and highest
> grossing “Bachelor” seasons these last two months.
Yep… and using realitysteve.com without an ad blocker is borderline unusable these days. Ads in the middle of text, popups all over the place, and popovers blocking content.
I don’t begrudge anyone for getting paid and generally don’t promote ad blocker use, but the ads around here are getting silly.