Claire Fallon

It magnifies and enacts the sort of reductive tropes and expectations we face in the real world, especially the real dating world, watching 'The Bachelor' means watching a more exaggerated version of the sexist landscape we navigate, but the exaggeration (and the remove of watching it on TV) makes it easier to observe, discuss, and critique.

Anyone who tries to argue that 'The Bachelor' is a feminist franchise is kidding themselves, but I'd also argue that it's retro-ness is what makes it both captivating TV and a fascinating teaching tool.

I think you could make a similar claim about people who love the Mets, based on their engagement on Twitter -- it's not always fun, sometimes you're screaming at the TV, but if you really hated it, you wouldn't still be watching, i think some people hate-watch, many people genuinely love it, and for many more it's a love/hate relationship.

I would personally say it's a little bit of everything -- that's why the obsession is so hard to shake.