Draws on interviews with producers and fans to present a behind-the-scenes look at the reality television phenomenon and explores the show's cultural influence and significance. "The first definitive, unauthorized, behind-the-scenes cultural history of the Bachelor franchise, America's favorite guilty pleasure. For sixteen years and thirty-five seasons, the Bachelor franchise has been a mainstay in the lives of American television viewers. Since it premiered in 2002, the show's popularity and relevance have only grown. Bestselling writers and famous actors live-tweet about it. The iconic reality television show's reach and influence into the cultural zeitgeist is undeniable. Die-hard fans--dubbed 'Bachelor Nation'--participate in fantasy leagues and viewing parties. And more than eight million viewers tuned in to see the conclusion of 2017's season of The Bachelor. Los Angeles Times journalist Amy Kaufman is a proud member of Bachelor Nation and has a long history with the franchise--ABC even banned her from attending show events after her coverage of the program got a little too real for its liking. She has interviewed dozens of producers, contestants, and celebrity fans to give readers never-before-told details of the show's inner workings: what it's like to be trapped in the mansion 'bubble'; dark, juicy tales of producer manipulation; and revelations about the alcohol-fueled debauchery that occurs long before the Fantasy Suite. Kaufman also explores what our fascination means, culturally: what the show says about the way we view so-called ideal suitors; why we have a subconscious yearning for fairy-tale romance; and how this enduring television show has shaped society's feelings about love, marriage, and feminism by appealing to a marriage plot that's as old as the best of Jane Austen."--Dust jacket.