Entertainment

There Should Be 3 'Bachelorette' Seasons In A Row

by Lia Beck
ABC/Mark Coffey

For a show that's constantly going on about things happening for the first time in Bachelor history and giving viewers the "most dramatic moments ever," The Bachelor franchise — minus a couple of exceptions like the double Bachelor/ettes and Nick Viall being named the lead after his... untraditional history on the show — has stuck to a very basic formula in its 15 years on the air. However, something you might not remember is that there used to be multiple seasons of The Bachelor in one year, and I think that this should happen again... except with The Bachelorette. After watching Nick's season of The Bachelor, I've concluded that the optimal way for this franchise to move forward is for there to be three (yes, three) Bachelorette seasons in a row.

Every fan of the show knows that there have been more seasons of The Bachelor than The Bachelorette, but what you might not realize is that the reason for this doesn't have much to do with the fact that The Bachelor began airing first. Remember, The Bachelor actually only began one year before The Bachelorette. The reason there have been 21 Bachelor seasons and but only 12 for the Bachelorette is because The Bachelor used to have two seasons per year. Meanwhile, The Bachelorette was put on pause by ABC for three years after its third season.

But now is the perfect time to help make up the difference. This season of The Bachelor featured three women who are perfect for the Bachelorette role: Rachel Lindsay, Kristina Schulman, and Raven Gates. They each bring something different to the table, and they are each beloved by viewers who would gladly watch them on TV again.

Of course, we have to start with Rachel, who has already been named Bachelorette. Obviously, this one's already in the bag. I thought Rachel would make a great Bachelorette from the beginning of Nick's season, and the only time I didn't want her to be the Bachelorette was when I was rooting for her to end up with Nick. (Their New Orleans date was genuinely cute, OK?) Rachel is a great choice for Bachelorette period, but the fact that she's going to be the first black Bachelorette means the show is reaching a milestone that, really, never should have been a milestone in the first place. There should have just been more diverse leads all along without it having to become A Thing (as is the case in many areas of life).

But here we are. In the end: Rachel Lindsay = Excellent Bachelorette Choice.

Now, I know I just talked about how there should be more diverse stars on this show, and I think we will get them if the show continues to cast more diverse contestants. (Nick's season was a great start.) But, since we're not quite there yet, I do think that Kristina and Raven would both also bring positive attributes to a season of The Bachelorette.

When it comes to Kristina, the fourth runner-up on Nick's season won over viewers' hearts — and rightfully so — when she told the story of her childhood in Russia and how she moved from the orphanage she lived in to Kentucky with her adoptive parents. The story was an emotional one for the series (it brought Nick and many fans to tears), but it was important in a way that transcended reality TV due to the current conversation surrounding immigrants in this country. Kristina would be the first Bachelorette who isn't from the U.S. or Canada, but, like Rachel, it's not just her background that makes her a solid Bachelorette choice. Kristina was also very charismatic during Nick's season, and fans loved her.

Then we have Raven. Prior to Rachel being chosen, Raven would have been most typical pick to lead the series in that she is both American and a white person. That said, I think Raven stood out from the pack on The Bachelor because she's a bit more of a Kaitlyn Bristowe than a JoJo Fletcher. Raven isn't afraid to hold back her thoughts, even if what she's saying is kind of weird (like her story about her ex and the stiletto) or really personal (like when she said she'd never had an orgasm).

When I saw Raven's intro package at the beginning of the season, I was impressed that she owned her own boutique, but I thought there was no way she would make it very far in the show. To me, she seemed like she was probably cast for the possibility of a Luke Pell Bachelor season. Now, she's in the final two and is a total fan favorite, so it's clear that Raven could handle her own Bachelorette season. And, while I'd be glad to see her in any capacity, it'll sort of be a bummer if she pops up on Bachelor in Paradise.

So, clearly, we've got three great stars for the three-in-a-row Bachelorette seasons, but the fact that these women happened to all standout as Bachelorette perfection on Nick's season isn't the only reason my plan makes sense. The Bachelorette also has a higher success rate when it comes to couples staying together than The Bachelor. There are five Bachelorette couples still current together vs. only two from The Bachelor (plus that whole Jason Mesnick situation). Fans of this show like to see all the chicken enthusiast, cheese pasta ridiculousness, but we also like seeing people fall in love and somehow make this crazy situation actually work for them.

That's why people love Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici (and their adorable baby) and Ashley and J.P. Rosenbaum (and their adorable baby, because there are lots o' babies in the Bachelor fam). It gives you something to follow after the show — aside from the sponsored Instagram posts — and gives you something to say #goals about and actually, really mean it.

Three Bachelorette seasons could also give the show a boost by adding some new interest. Not only are fans already attached to Rachel, Kristina, and Raven, but there would be added interest simply because the show decided to switch things up. I mean, can you imagine the amount of times Chris Harrison would get to say things like "historic" and "unprecedented"?

I'm not saying that the show should only do Bachelorette seasons going forward, but I think that, given the three women who screamed "I'm Bachelorette material" (not literally, yet, but there's still a chance Raven will in her exit video), now is the time to take the chance. And, once the seasons are over, hopefully, there will be several great, diverse (please) groups of dudes to choose from when it comes to picking the next Bachelor.

Or they could pick Nick Viall again. As I've said about the potential outcomes of this season many times over the past few weeks, "Can you imagine?"