While the TV show “The Bachelor” garners attention for the entertainment value of contestants vying for the hand of retired football player Colton Underwood, the response to the show on campus has been mixed.  Some see the show as perpetuating harmful stereotypes.

“The whole process is not realistic,” said sophomore Kat Dundar. “No one can actually get married on TV and the people that are on the show are not just the average person. They try to find the most perfect girls for the guy and the most perfect guys for the girl. It is not a realistic dating situation.”

Meanwhile, sophomore Natalie Ung has been captivated by the antics of the show’s villain, “Demi”. She enjoys watching the drama between the contestants unfold as “it’s just interesting to have a little break during the week and watch something silly.”

The troubling behavior of the women on the show is an attempt to make it more dramatic, believes Ung. “It’s for ratings because it depends on the personalities of the women. Sometimes they realize that they are on a TV show and sort of behave in that way so they can get more fame afterward,” she said.

Sophomore Kira Jamgotchian believes the girls fake some of their behaviors. “I think some of the women are showing their true selves and their personality, like 1 of the contestants, Demi. But there are other women who I think are hiding their true personality just to win,” she said.

Junior Lara Bloom, on the other hand, disagrees with the notion that the women’s characters are entirely fabricated. Bloom said, “I think that the producers make them seem jealous. They make you believe who is the good guy and who is the bad guy. But I don’t think this portrayal is necessarily accurate but they stay true to their personality for the most part.”

With only 2 women remaining and new seasons of the “Bachelorette” and “Bachelor in Paradise” quickly approaching, the reality show is not likely to change.