It was additionally impressive to see Clare’s suitors quarantine, get tested and wear masks on site, even if some looked supremely uncomfortable by having them on. For several seconds, viewers watched the men submit to the COVID-19 test, with one bachelor detailing the experience in a confessional afterwards: “This stuff hurts. They’re shoving basically a pipe cleaner up in your nostrils to the back of your head.” Others gathered their composure as they teared up on camera. Take Dale Moss, the recipient of Clare’s first impression rose, who joked, “Doing this for you, Clare!”
The producers of The Bachelorette could have easily decided to skip right to the action, to begin the season with a quick disclaimer mentioning that all cast and crew members were held to high safety standards. Instead, they decided to tackle the coronavirus head-on and actually show America just how intensely the set was scrutinized before the dating process began. To use a primetime broadcast TV slot as an opportunity to educate is impressive, and for that ABC deserves a round of applause.
With that out of the way, viewers can now indulge in the ridiculous magic that The Bachelorette is beloved for.