This is the free edition of Rich Text, a newsletter by Claire Fallon and Emma Gray. Rich Text is a space for the indulgent and the incisive, for witty and wistful explorations of the cultural, the personal, and the political in both written and audio formats. If you like what you see and hear, consider becoming a paid subscriber. Rich Text is a reader-supported project — no ads or sponsors!
Season 17 of “The Bachelorette” got off to a rocky start, at least in terms of ratings, on Monday night. The numbers for Katie Thurston’s premiere episode fell off sharply compared to the previous season of “The Bachelorette,” though hordes of viewers toggled to ABC right afterward to watch “The Good Doctor” trying to make his girlfriend not sad.
Why the steep slide? Did the absence of Chris Harrison rankle the show’s core audience, or did the messy racial controversy on Matt James’s “Bachelor” season leave a bad taste in the mouths of progressive and reactionary fans alike? Is the show simply beginning to seem like a dated relic, a dogmatically heterosexual dating pageant that seems less and less relevant to modern culture? The answer is undoubtedly yes, yes and yes — and Harrison’s departure (now permanent) from the franchise probably did alienate many of the most devoted, and conservative, members of Bachelor Nation.
But they don’t know what they’re missing. After all these years, the franchise actually showed us something new: A woman leading the show with two wingwomen at her side. At best, in the past, we’ve gotten a few fleeting moments of the Bachelorette getting advice from past Bachelorettes before she meets the men. This time, cohosts Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe were woven into the show, present at every turn to whoop over Katie’s glam first-night look, exchange giggles over the cute guys exiting the limos, and make her feel like a queen. It’s an entirely different dynamic than the one that existed between Harrison and the Bachelorettes, which was more akin to a proud father preparing to usher his daughter down the aisle, and it was both more energizing and more modern.
Listen to our recap of “The Bachelorette” premiere on Love To See It with Emma and Claire, featuring the hilarious Molly Bernard, for more on the host change-up, as well as Katie’s batch of dudes and night one hijinks!
We’ve been reading…
Songs In Ursa Major, a debut novel about the early life, career and love affairs of musician Jane Quinn — essentially a fictionalized Joni Mitchell. The novel is beautiful, and (full disclosure) written by my friend Emma Brodie, who also was my book editor! -Emma
Kristen Arnett’s new novel With Teeth, a sharp-edged novel about a parental expectation and the scars we inflict on our children. -Claire
We’ve been watching…
The final season of “Pose,” which came to an end on Sunday. Ballroom forever. Pray Tell forever. -Emma
The visually stunning, almost hypnotically absorbing third season of “Master of None,” which follows the fertility and marital struggles of Denise (Lena Waithe) and her wife Alicia (Naomi Ackie). -Claire
We’ve been listening to…
The cancel culture episode of “You’re Wrong About.” This podcast is always A+, but Mike and Sarah really deliver a wide-ranging, smart, thoughtful, well-researched piece of audio journalism. Kudos to our bud Michael Hobbes and his 100+ pages of notes. -Emma
We’ve been buying…
This cute, summery matching set from Abercrombie. -Emma
Nisolo huaraches, in my ongoing quest for shoes that are comfortable, stylish, and easy to put on while holding a toddler. -Claire