Plus, your picks.
It’s finally here: The Golden Bachelor finale is only hours away, meaning we’re about to find out who Gerry ends up with. But, until then, we have predictions.
When The Golden Bachelor premiered earlier this fall, we fell in love. Not just with single septuagenarian Gerry Turner, 72, but with the contestants, the stories, and the way this show seemed to veer away from Bachelor’s past. These women seemed to treat each other differently than their younger predecessors — with more respect and admiration. The connections came across as more genuine, without a lot of the fame-seeking the show tends to include. And the desire to find love felt more urgent and authentic than ever.
Our friends at AARP were equally smitten. When we bonded over our shared obsession with this show, our editors realized a collaboration was in the cards.
So as Turner prepares to choose between the final two of the original 22 women — financial services pro Theresa, 69, and fitness instructor Leslie, 64 — we’ve teamed up with AARP (which did a can’t-miss set visit this season) to offer our finale predictions.
Who will Gerry ultimately propose to? Will he propose at all? Will there be a Golden Bachelorette spin-off? (While we tried to avoid spoilers, be warned: Our experts are pretty on-point a lot of the time.)
Who will win The Golden Bachelor?
Katie Couric Media editor Sara Levine:
I’ll be the first to admit that I have, at times, been fooled by ABC’s producers — early on, I thought Joan was going to win, and then later, I felt pretty confident it might be Ellen. Now, we have a strong final two: Theresa and Leslie.
Then again, I could also see the final rose going to Theresa. She’s another one whom Gerry connected with early on, and those early connections can be pretty tough to beat. Plus, she has the kind of wounded-bird energy Gerry seems to really go for.
I’m going to choose Leslie. Truthfully, I’m a little surprised Leslie has made it this far, and I think that’s by design. I’ve noticed The Bachelor producers sometimes give a weird edit to the final pick, so that viewers are kept guessing. Gerry is physically attracted to Leslie, and she’s been opening up to him a bit more. She doesn’t quite bring the same sob story as Theresa, but I could see her spunky energy (and younger age) win out in the end.
AARP editor Tim Appelo:
Gerry’s best choice would be Leslie, who says she inspired Prince’s song “Sexy Dancer” and had the sense to dump him. She’s the only one who made Gerry utter guttural noises while whispering in her ear, “You’re my girl.” He loved the fact that she’s got “that soft, gooey inside.” “Like a lava cake,” she replied, trying to turn up the erotic heat.
Leslie will also be relegated to the friend zone, and Theresa will absolutely win — because she radiates neediness, which is evidently what Gerry really needs. As vanquished candidate Susan astutely observed, “I think he likes somebody that just falls in love with him and looks at him and follows him around. You know what I mean?” We do. Bottom line: Theresa is the only one who told a guy she was falling in love with him at age 17, and then waited 52 years until she said it again, to Gerry.
Who you voted for:
When we polled you all about your picks for Gerry’s final rose, you were eager to share your thoughts. Leslie won by a landslide with 54 percent of the votes, while the rest were split almost evenly between Theresa and Faith before she was eliminated.
Should there be a Golden Bachelorette?
Levine: Well, this might be getting ahead of ourselves a bit since we don’t even know if there will be a Golden Bachelorette — but given the public response to The Golden Bachelor, ABC would be stupid not to do a spin-off.
Appelo: Duh! Of course, there must be one. Viewers obviously want to watch it. “I think the market is ready for it,” said castoff bachelorette Sandra, “and hungry for it, even.” In love, turnabout is fair play — and it’s high time to let the women decide who wins.
Who should be the Golden Bachelorette?
Levine: I’m one of many people who would love to see Susan as the Golden Bachelorette. She’s hilarious, she’s kind, and I want to see her find love! Plus, I could easily watch her for an hour a week (or more). But, if I’m being honest, I don’t see ABC picking her simply because she doesn’t fit the traditional beauty mold the network seems attached to (petite with long, blown-out hair). That’s not to say she isn’t beautiful — she is, inside and out! — but what are the chances ABC will stray from their pattern now? I’m not hopeful, but hey, I’d love to be proven wrong!
I genuinely think Ellen’s a frontrunner for Golden Bachelorette because she made it far in the process, her elimination was pretty shocking, and she’s got a ton of personality. Not to mention, she has no problem getting vulnerable in front of the cameras (which, at the end of the day, is what viewers are here to see). It’s tough being the lead, but I think she could carry the show with ease. I could also see Joan getting the spin-off since she and Gerry had a strong connection and she had to leave early, breaking Gerry’s heart in the process. Who knows how far they would have made it had that not happened? Plus, she’s beautiful and poised — I’m sure there’s no shortage of men who’d be lining up for the chance to date her.
Appelo: One fun option would be multiple Bachelorettes. Susan has volunteered herself, April, Kathy, and Nancy for the job, arguing that their distinct personalities would make great television. Hey, they already have. Sandra also advocates for a Golden Bachelorette show, and she’s smart, younger than her years, and likely the most levelheaded of Gerry’s dates, a reality-show veteran who won $30,350 on Wheel of Fortune in 1988. Sandra would be a wise investment as the Golden Bachelorette.
But this is a show about deep emotions, and nobody’s were more touching than the upbeat yet heartbroken retired teacher Ellen, 71. She was his early favorite, but Gerry cooled on her — yet paradoxically, the experience made her feel more open to new love than ever. “I feel opened up, I feel free, I feel much more open to meeting someone and loving someone again,” she told AARP. “And I was sort of burying those feelings for a very long time.” Of the 29,000 women who auditioned for The Golden Bachelor, she may be the one whose romantic reawakening would fiddle America’s heartstrings most beautifully.
