Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Arkansas woman hopes to find love in Paradise
For those invested in the faux romance and “unscripted” (wink, wink) drama of ABC’s Bachelor in Paradise, your guilty pleasure begins at 7 p.m. Monday with a special two-hour Season 4 premiere.
That’ll be followed with another episode at 7 p. m. Tuesday to make it a “twonight event.”
Never fear. I’ll not judge you if you enjoy wasting your time with the series. We all waste our time with something. For me, it’s CBS’ Big Brother. I simply don’t want you to be confused that there’s anything “real” about the reality series Bachelor in Paradise.
After all, this was the show that had production suspended earlier this summer after allegations of sexual misconduct between two cast members. Alcohol (surprise!) was involved. Lots of alcohol.
Production company Warner Bros. conducted what I’m sure was an extensive internal investigation, then pronounced there was nothing to see here, and filming resumed at Sayulita, Mexico.
Warner Bros. added, “Out of respect for the privacy interests of those involved, we do not intend to release the videotape of the incident.”
The recently released cast group beach photo includes DeMario Jackson and Corinne Olympios, the two who were at the center of the investigation. But they did not return to continue filming and may only appear at the cast reunion episode at the end of the season.
Meanwhile, love (or a TV facsimile) is in the air down in Mexico. Here, for your amusement, is how ABC publicists tease the show:
“Former The Bachelor and The Bachelorette cast members — both fan- favorites and characters who caused controversy — try to leave their wounded hearts behind as they take another shot at finding love.
“The cast members explore new relationships and see if summer flings will turn into something more, or if their hearts will be shattered yet again.
“The pursuit of a potential happily-ever-after is sure to include shocking twists, unexpected guests, unlikely pairings and other surprises. In true Bachelor fashion, it’s sure to be an amazing journey.”
As an added bonus this season, fans “will have a front seat at the highly-anticipated wedding of Season 3 lovebirds, Carly Waddell and Evan Bass.”
I might tear up just a bit. Finally, extending her 15 minutes of reality fame is 26-year-old Hoxie native and Jonesboro clothing boutique owner Raven Gates, the runner-up in Nick Viall’s Season 21 of The Bachelor. Her quest for fame seems to be working. Gates has 761,000 followers on Instagram and almost 98,000 on Twitter.
Ah, but will she find true love in Mexico?
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter before donning her bikini and heading south, Gates said, “I really trust the Bachelor system. I feel like I’m surrounded by a bunch of love matchmakers, so that’s why I’m confident in finding love in Paradise. I just believe in the process.”
Yes! Yes, and we believe in fairies, too! If you believe in the “Bachelor system,” clap your hands and Raven’ll hear you. Clap! Clap! Don’t let love die!
It worked! Now, let’s all go and rescue Wendy.
■ The Cars That Made America, 7 to 9 p.m. today on History Channel. I have manly- man relatives who have had a dozen cars over the years and could take them apart and put them back together. Blindfolded.
One of them has been working on a beloved ’ 64 Mustang in his backyard for about 25 years.
Somehow, that family gene skipped me, but there are those whose love affair with the automobile runs deep. History Channel has tapped into that with a new series that takes us back to the beginning.
The docudrama reveals “the visionary titans who pioneered the U.S. automobile industry and transformed the country.” They include Henry Ford, William Durant, Walter Chrysler and the Dodge brothers.
The series features archival footage and interviews that cover the journey from the early days to the muscle cars of my youth — which definitely did not include my first car, a 1970 American Motors Hornet, or my current 2000 minivan that would have made the Dodge brothers proud.
■ Inside Windsor Castle, 7 p.m today on Smithsonian Channel. Anglophiles will be delighted at this intimate look inside the historic home to the English royal family for a thousand years. A second episode follows at 8.
■ Guy’s Family Road Trip, 9 p.m. today on Food Channel. It’s a food show. It’s a travel show. It’s a road trip! Chef Guy Fieri and family (wife Lori and sons Hunter and Ryder) hop in the RV and hit the road. First up — Belgian waffles and mountain biking at Lake Tahoe on the border of California and Nevada.