Ok, so am I the only one still watching The Bachelor/The Bachelorette. Now that it’s in its 101st season, the show is really getting desperate to come up with new and exciting features. And if they say “this is the MOST EXCITING rose ceremony ever” one more time, I think I am going to throw something at the television!

But even so, I sit faithfully by the tv every Monday night to watch new drama unfold. Currently, Deanna, the heart-broken contestant from a recent Bachelor show is searching for her true love….IN THE SAME PROCESS THAT BROKE HER HEART! To me, it seems ironic, but I guess true romantics will do anything to find that special someone. Tonight she visits the remaining bachelors’ hometowns to meet the parents. Should be interesting! A guy named Dave Campbell has been keeping a “live from LA” blog about the happenings on the show. Be sure to check his blog out at ABC.com.

For those of you who have never watched an episode of the show, good for you because it tends to become a bit of an addiction after awhile. Ask any husband whose wife watches it if he watches it, too, and he will adamantly say “no.” However, the reality is, these husbands are absolutely watching it and could tell you play-by-play what has happened so far in the season.

For the rest of you, here is a recap of the past bachelors/bachelorettes and their status after the show….

#1: Alex, a management consultant, chose Amanda, but broke up after several months

#2: Aaron, a VP for his family-owned banks, proposed to Helene, but broke up several months later

#3: Andrew, a sales manager for Firestone Family Estates, proposed to Jen, but broke up in 2003….he is now engaged to a non-reality show girl

#4: Bob, the funny mortgage company owner who was a contestant on a previous season, chose Estella, but broke up after the show aired….he is now married to an actress

#5: Jesse, a football player, picked Jessica, but (you guessed it), broke up after a few months of dating

#6: Byron, an older professional bass fisherman, proposed to Mary, a former contestant; they are reportedly getting married in 2008, however, she was charged with battery/assault against him after a domestic disturbance recently, so who knows!

#7: Charlie, an actor and brother of Jerry O’Connell, chose Sarah, but broke up in the fall of 2007

#8: Travis, an ER doctor (who is now a special guest doctor on Oprah), chose Sarah, but broke up after the show aired

#9: Prince Lorenzo Borghese (no ladies, not a current prince, but instead, a cosmetics entrepreneur), chose Jennifer, but broke up in early 2007…(FYI, he was voted the worst bachelor by viewers)

#10: Andy, a triathlete/doctor/naval officer, proposed to Tessa, but broke off the engagement months after the finale, and even though they continued to date, they broke up for good in 2007 (are you noticing a pattern here?)

#11: Brad, a bar owner, chose NO ONE! He got a lot of flack for this, but I commend his ability to be truthful and honest to himself and the ladies. That truly WAS the “most exciting rose ceremony ever!”

#12: Matt, a British global financier, proposed to Shayne (daughter of actor Lorenzo Llamas), and currently they are still engaged, however the show just aired a few months ago, so give it time!

Those were the Bachelors, but don’t forget about the Bachelorettes!

#1: Trista, one of the final bachelorettes from Season 1, chose Ryan. They married in 2003 and had their first child, Max, in 2007. (Finally, a success story!)

#2: Meredith chose Ian, but their relationship ended in 2005

#3: Jen, who was chosen by Andrew in Season 3, chose Jerry, who proposed at the final rose ceremony, to which she rejected his proposal because “the chemistry was just not there”

#4: Deanna, who was rejected by Brad in that eventful season….is currently the Bachelorette.

I am not excellent in math by any means, but based on the few number of successes from this process and plain old common sense, I believe this process is completely flawed. Not only is the whole dating relationship publicized and scrutinized, the kinds of dates that happen are just not based in reality. Unless you are dating a very wealthy person, which most aren’t, dates like the ones on this show will never happen in “real life.” Therefore, when the contestants continue dating after the show, all the sizzle and swinging-from-the-chandelier feelings dissipate. Only natural of course, because the nature of dating is to get to know the REAL personality, not the packaged-nicely-for-television-ratings personality.

So, while the Bachelor is a failure for dating, it is a hit for television ratings. You all know where you will find me every Monday night until this show runs dry!