the ask@AAR: Do you watch The Bachelor? Or other reality TV shows?

I am blessed with a lovely daughter who, despite all attempts on my part to discourage her, keeps encouraging me to watch The Bachelor (and its gender flipped twin, The Bachelorette.) I don’t watch any reality shows, not ones where people make chess pieces out of biscuits, almost die on far away islands, ponder the need for bigger breasts/lips/hair, or get jiggy on top of the covers. (I do keep up with The Bachelor by reading Elyse’s fabulous, precise recaps of the show at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books. That way, when my daughter texts me to ask why AAR has never reviewed host Chris Harrison’s romance novel, I know what she’s on about.)

On this week’s episode, the bevy of beauties vying for the love of the current bachelor, Matt Jones–who is HOT–tried to win him over by writing love scenes starring them and Matt. Most of them, by all accounts, had to be bleeped out to the point of mystery. I have to say that, in theory, I could see this being sexy one on one–who wouldn’t like to be serenaded with a love story starring them as the sole focus of desire? If it were, of course, done well and didn’t mention any acts one had no interest in doing.

I understand why my daughter loves these shows. In a way, they’re the TV version of the London high season where beautiful women/men compete for the biggest catch. To watch the finale where two gorgeous people profess love, adoration, admiration, and a sheer joy of having found someone, is an exercise in faith. We live in an era where almost half of us are single. And while many are happily so, a majority would still like to find that certain someone. Seeing love win, even staged love, taps into that dream.

Do you watch this show? If so, what do you love about it? If you don’t watch this one, but watch other reality shows, what calls to you about the show(s)?