After the original “Golden Bachelor” stole our hearts and reminded us that true love and fairy tale romance aren’t reserved for those under 40, ABC couldn’t wait to bring the cheesy-in-a-good-way reality dating show back for Season 2. Unfortunately, they picked the wrong man to put into the tuxedo. And that’s not even counting the unfortunate things he says on podcasts.
The new season of the network’s aged-up version of its iconic reality romance franchise was marred before it even began, back in June when the new rose-giver and former NFL player Mel Owens made disparaging comments about women of a certain age. Owens, 66, repeatedly promised on the University of Michigan’s college football podcast that he would cut any woman older than 60.
Mel Owens, the new handsome figure at the center of ABC’s “The Golden Bachelor.”
Owens has apologized many times off the air, but it was still the main subject of the first half hour of the Sept. 24 season premiere of “Golden” (Wednesdays, 9 ET/PT), when Mel was repeatedly confronted by his potential partners as they walked up to the Bachelor mansion in their sparkly gowns. He apologized to them individually, then as a group, and then the episode simply moved on, because there were roses to be handed out and true love to be sought, even among this group of women that were all, in fact, over the age of 60.
More: How ‘The Golden Bachelor’ women reacted to Mel Owens’ apology
By ABC’s standards, the controversy has been dealt with and Owens is ready to be the heartthrob that Gerry Turner, then 72, was in the hugely successful first season of the series. And in the double-length premiere episode of Season 2, Mel went through all the motions he had to do. He complimented the women, an impressive group of adventurous, successful and good-on-camera Boomers, talked about his feelings, was pulled aside, kissed the front-runners and threw himself into the journey of being the “Bachelor.”
Mel Owens and the women of “The Golden Bachelor” Season 2.
Unfortunately it all felt a bit too contrived. Mel is stiff and stilted on camera, even in the moments he was relaxed and claimed to be having fun. He spoke of deep emotions and connections in his confessionals without displaying any actual feeling. He cut the oldest woman, one of the few with natural gray hair, by the end of the premiere. He is the least interesting part of a show that is entirely built around his persona − the ladies of the Bachelor mansion had far more chemistry with each other than any one of them had with Mel.
It is those women who save “Golden” from falling on its face entirely in its new installment, and perhaps offer hope that one or two of them can loosen Mel up by the end of the season. There’s Cheryl, a dirt biker with a heart of gold who got to live out her princess fantasy in the one-on-one date. Debbie has never been married and wants her first chance at love while everyone else looks at chance number two. Sensible Peg won’t let Mel get away with evasive answers and noncommittal euphemisms about what he wants his life to be like. And the season even got started on a villain edit with Nicole, already overly handsy with Mel in front of the other women.
Mel Owens takes over as the ‘Golden Bachelor’ for Season 2: See photos
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Pro football player-turned-lawyer Mel Owens, the second ever “Golden Bachelor,” will embarks on a series of dates with 23 eligible women ages 58 to 77 beginning with his season premiere on Sept. 24.
Scroll for a look back through his most notable moments through the years.
Between the women’s collective charisma and the usual ridiculous/delightful trappings of the “Bachelor” universe, there is something worth tuning in for in Season 2. The premiere already had the contestants dressed up as cheerleaders, dancing for Mel, host Jesse Palmer and, of all people, Paula Abdul. Cheryl’s one-on-one date featured a Rolls Royce, a cruise ship and fireworks. And Nicole made out with Mel in the pool while everyone else watched.
Mel Owens gives Cheryl a rose on their one-on-one date in the double-length season premiere of “The Golden Bachelor.”
So “Golden” fans will likely be satiated, if not entirely satisfied. Perhaps Mel was doomed from his comments that disparaged the very women he would meet in the mansion (and the same demographic as many of the viewers at home) or from casting a man for whom reality TV one-liners don’t come naturally.
Either way, the winner of this season of “Golden” isn’t going to get a prince charming. But they will get a retired NFL player and current attorney. And maybe that’s someone’s fairy tale come true.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mel Owens doesn’t fit as ‘The Golden Bachelor’ prince charming