Reality TV > 'Bachelor' in swing
November 17, 2006
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ABC is planning another "Bachelor" party.
Alphabet has greenlit production on the 10th installment of producer Mike Fleiss' durable dating skein. No word yet on scheduling, but skein could be ready in time for a late spring debut if ABC wants to bring it back then.
Net is said to be close to finalizing a decision on the new "Bachelor," with an announcement possible as soon as next week.
Renewal of "The Bachelor" completes a major comeback for the skein, which as recently as a year ago seemed to be nearing the end of its lifespan.
Ratings for "The Bachelor" had dropped off sharply, in part because of a slew of copycats launched by other broadcast and cable nets. ABC decided to stick by the Next Entertainment/Warner Horizon-produced skein, however.
With Fleiss, network and studio also opted to tape a cycle of the show in Paris. Those episodes aired last winter, and ratings perked up enough that ABC decided to bring the show back again.
Current cycle, taped in Rome, has been the anchor of ABC's first post-football Monday night lineup. Despite stiff competish from NBC's "Heroes" and CBS' comedies, "Bachelor" has held up well at 9 p.m.
Skein is averaging a 3.3 rating/8 share among adults 18-49, with particularly impressive numbers among ABC's core Monday night demo of younger females. "Bachelor" also has proven to be a compatible lead-in for 10 p.m. drama "What About Brian."
"The Bachelor: Rome" will airs its season finale later this month.
Fleiss and Lisa Levenson were the exec producers of the most recent cycle of "The Bachelor," with David Bohnert and Martin Hilton as co-exec producers. Chris Harrison hosts.
CAA packaged "The Bachelor."
