On the heels of the success of Gerry Turner was the first Golden Bachelor, and he won viewers over with his honesty about dating later in life. The show was a critical success, with ratings suring those of The Bachelor. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the season 1 finale, during which Gerry became engaged to Theresa Nist, drew more viewers than any Bachelor show in nearly three years.

Despite its success, The Golden Bachelor saw negative headlines after Gerry and Theresa announced their divorce just three months into their marriage. Then, to many fans’ disappointment, the franchise selected an unknown lead for season 2 instead of one of the many contestants from Mel Owens, a lawyer and former professional football player. Because he’s unknown to viewers, Mel is starting off at a disadvantage. As the fall premiere nears, I now have even more concerns about Mel’s ability to fill Gerry’s shoes.

The Golden Bachelor Will Move To The 9 P.M. Time Slot

It Previously Aired At 8 P.M.

ABC’s announcement of its fall primetime schedule includes a change for the Golden franchise. The Golden Bachelor will air at 9 p.m. on Wednesdays, after previously being in the 8 p.m. slot for both The Golden Bachelor and The Golden Bachelorette.

I feel the later hour runs the risk of losing a large chunk of viewers, particularly those to whom the Golden franchise is the most important.

The Golden Bachelor generally features contestants between the ages of 60 and 75. Although the series was a hit with viewers of all ages, older audiences especially enjoyed seeing their demographic represented on a popular dating show. The U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics reports that those aged 65 and older are the largest demographic of television viewers, which I know makes them an essential key to any show’s success. Its data also shows that the highest overall viewership hour is from 8-9 p.m.

Not only do I think the later hour is less conducive to high viewership, but I also believe it might also directly affect The Golden Bachelor’s target audience. According to Nielsen data, younger viewers in the 18-49 demographic are more likely to watch shows that air later, which means older viewers are the ones tuning in at earlier hours. On top of that, TV News Check reports that 55+ viewers are more likely to watch broadcast television than streaming, making the time slot even more critical for this audience in my opinion based on the data.

The Golden Bachelor Episodes Will Be Limited To One Hour

Most Bachelor Iterations Are 1.5-2 Hours

The fall schedule also revealed that episodes of The Golden Bachelor season 2 will be only an hour long. While this continues the trend established during season 1, shorter episodes are an anomaly within the franchise. The Bachelor typically fills a two-hour block during primetime, while The Golden Bachelorette had 90-minute episodes.

Many viewers didn’t mind the short episodes of The Golden Bachelor, as it fit with the show’s theme of reformatting the franchise.

I think that shorter episodes can hold viewer attention for longer, and they reduce some of the unnecessary filler that can agitate viewers.

A one-hour window feels like less of a time commitment, so it may actually draw in a larger audience.

However, I can’t help but feel that The Golden Bachelor is getting cheated in the lineup. Combined with the later time slot, it feels like season 2 is an afterthought that will get lost in the shadow of other big shows like Dancing With The Stars, which continues to be two hours. The smaller window granted to Golden gives the impression that it’s not as important, which is disappointing after so many viewers connected with the show during its first season.

The Golden Bachelor Will Have To Compete With Survivor

The Shows Will Have Overlapping Airtime

The Wednesday spot also put The Golden Bachelor up against another heavy hitter. Survivor airs on CBS from 8-9:30 p.m., which will overlap with The Golden Bachelor. Gerry’s season avoided this conflict by airing on Thursdays.

I see this conflict as being especially crucial in combination with the later start time. If both shows start at the same time, viewers can decide which they prefer to watch. But if Survivor has already been on for an hour, viewers are unlikely to change the channel and miss out on the ending. While streaming options can easily resolve this problem, I’m convinced The Golden Bachelor will be at a disadvantage with casual viewers who are simply looking for something to fill their time.

Can The Golden Bachelor Retain Viewership Amid The Schedule Change?

The Show’s Fanbase Is Loyal

After the first two Golden seasons began at an earlier hour, I’m worried about what the schedule change could signify. 9 p.m. is still prime time for viewership, but I fear that shorter and later episodes are a sign that the network is placing less value in the show. Combined with an unknown lead, it feels like a missed opportunity to capitalize on the success of previous Golden seasons.

Nevertheless, the popularity of the Golden shows could save Mel’s season from disaster as the Bachelor franchise continues to move in a new direction. Golden contestants are established in their lives and know what they are looking for in a spouse, unlike many of the younger contestants. It’s also extremely heartwarming to watch the contestants see each other as friends instead of rivals. Many of them have dealt with loss and disappointment in past relationships, and the prospect of finding love again brings healing to both the contestants and viewers.

The Golden Bachelor’s second season has been anxiously awaited, and I want to see it have every possible chance at success. Mel may not be a big name, but his story is just as valuable as Gerry and Joan’s. The Golden franchise proves that it’s never too late for love, and hope can arrive when it’s least expected. In spite of the schedule changes, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that viewers will still tune in to Mel and the women who are part of his journey.

Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, ABC, The Golden Bachelor/Instagram, U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Nielsen, TV News Check