Bachelor Night Bonding

Graphic by: Agnes Lee

In the midst of midterm season, tensions are running high. Everyone is busy with exams, projects and clubs, and the cold weather definitely doesn't help lift the mood. However, there is one thing that keeps me sane during this time: "The Bachelor." 

Every Monday at 7:00 pm, I know that I will have a two-hour reprieve to watch one of my favorite unrealistic reality television shows. I gather around the TV with the girls who I live with and we catch up on life, gossip, snack and occasionally watch a couple scenes. For me, it's not the actual watching of "The Bachelor" that I most enjoy. It's the bonding that I do with my friends while the show is playing. My friends and I often go on tangents about the most random things after somebody comments on a contestant or situation in the show. Other times, we get so passionate about the show that friendships break and mend all in one night. 

I'm rarely inclined to watch the reality show when I'm by myself, but whenever my friends ask me to join them for Bachelor night, I eagerly say yes. For two hours every week, girls  screaming and crying in pretty gowns on the TV creates the perfect ambiance to chat, and sometimes get into deep therapy sessions. Whether we're laughing or crying, I know that I will be forming a closer connection with my friends.

Image courtesy of Oriental Trading.

Just like I use the show as occasion for a scheduled hangout, there are plenty of other shows where people bond over the content. The weekly airing of "Euphoria" is one recent example.

"Euphoria" is not a show I use as background noise. Instead, I find myself clutching my pillow with anxiety throughout the episode. The second I finish an episode and open TikTok, I know that my entire For You page is going to be filled with analyses of and theories about the show, as well as dissections of some of the best outfits and makeup looks of the episode. (My favorite recaps are the ones that reveal each character’s place on the pyramid, “Dance Moms” style.) The day after an episode airs, it’s all my friends and I can talk about.

While viewers may not have "Euphoria" watch parties in the same way they do with “The Bachelor,” the show still facilitates conversation and bonding among friends — and strangers on the internet. Especially with the show’s heavy themes of drug use, sexual assault and mental illness, it has spurred forth many meaningful conversations that have long been taboo. 

Whether a TV show is heavy-hitting or lighthearted, there is no doubt that it has had a significant impact on our relationships. Shows facilitate conversions and create a shared space for people to laugh, cry, yell, overanalyze and speak their minds. It's ironic that the consumption of TV shows is often viewed as an isolating experience when, more often than not, it actually brings people together. 

Image courtesy of Brain Wads.