The ‘Bachelor’ Creator’s Newest Show Is His Most Ridiculous Yet
Because proposing to someone after knowing them for only two months is apparently not doing enough to contort the general public's expectations for love, Bachelor producer Mike Fleiss has teamed with ABC for an even more ridiculous dating show: The Proposal, a new series in which contestants don't even get to see their potential fiancé's face, let alone know their first name!
Though not technically part of the ever-expanding Bachelor franchise, The Proposal is of a similar mind, essentially taking the same concept and diffusing it into four pageant-style rounds. The 10-episode reality competition will feature 10 eligible daters as they vie for the heart of a mysterious suitor or suitress, first "with their words in a first impressions round," then baring their "souls" (read: bodies) in a beachwear round. answering the suitor’s "most pressing romantic questions" — like, for example, are you a smart person here to get SponCon deals, or a delusional one here for a real relationship — and, finally, striving to "receive a seal of approval from the mystery suitor’s most trusted family member."
Daters will be eliminated after each round until only two are left standing. The final contestants will then meet their mystery guy or gal and get a chance to propose — you know, if they think they've found a genuine connection somewhere amid all that hoop-jumping. If this doesn't sound like a recipe for lifelong commitment, I don't know what does!
The Proposal is slated to premiere this summer. An exact date has not yet been announced.
NFL alum Jesse Palmer, who led the fifth season of The Bachelor back in 2004, will host the show.