Early this year, the 21st season of “The Bachelor” returned to the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) channel, starring Nick Viall, who previously competed on seasons 10 and 11 of “The Bachelorette” and season three of “Bachelor in Paradise,” as the show’s leading man. Approximately seven million people tuned into the show’s premiere on Jan. 2, making America #bachelornation again. Viall’s season has lived up to the promise of its anticipation; the initial cast of women was the most diverse in the show’s history and for the first time, the first impression rose went to a woman of color. Despite numerous critics questioning the ethics of its premise and the controversial aftermath of the D-list celebrity couples it creates, “The Bachelor” is a show worth watching, simply because of its marked impression on twenty-first century reality television.

There is no doubt that “The Bachelor” is the competitive dating show, essentially creating a monopoly in its category. Poor attempts by TLC cannot compete in terms of commercial success and content. Shows such as “Love at First Kiss” and “Undressed” are as horrible as they sound, making “The Bachelor” seem 10 times more appealing. The show’s prosperity can also be highlighted by the fact that episodes are shown in the primetime television time slot, competing with Monday’s National Football League (NFL) games and nightly news. Last season’s average viewership per episode was approximately the size of New York City’s population at eight million people. Additionally, the creators of the show have capitalized on their novelty, developing successful spin-offs including “The Bachelorette” and “Bachelor in Paradise” and sharing the show’s rights to make international versions in countries such as Australia, Canada and Brazil.

Viewers should recognize the producers of “The Bachelor” and their ability to manipulate the perspective of each audience member. As is with any reality television show, viewers clearly do not know everything about the participants and are instead fed information by producers. An example of this propaganda-esque influence is the story arc of this season’s bachelor, Nick Viall. On “The Bachelorette,” Viall received the first impression rose for his boyish charm. However, in the following episodes, he was portrayed as an arrogant and selfish competitor. Although he was considered one of the most polarizing contestants on the show, through clever cutaways, soundbites and his performance on “Bachelor in Paradise,” Viall has journeyed from villian to hero and current fan favorite, accumulating enough viewer approval to advocate his return as the current bachelor. His success can only be attributed to the gifted producers behind the scenes.

With its originality, “The Bachelor” has garnered tremendous entertainment value. Contestants on the show find an exponential increase in their social media following, websites which offer spoilers receive more visitors and gossip magazines have a go-to front page story after every season. “The Bachelor” has been parodied in “Video Game High School,” RocketJump’s award winning Youtube series and on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” through a segment called “The Baby Bachelor, ” demonstrating its influence across multiple platforms. In addition, Lifetime’s “UnREAL,” set around a dating show similar to “The Bachelor,” has received critical acclaim for its comical, albeit twisted, portrayal of the operation behind competitive dating series. Although most would agree that “The Bachelor” should not be the one defining TV series of this generation, none should deny its unparalleled impact.

Ultimately, “The Bachelor” is reality television. The unnecessary, often scripted, drama is not meant for intellectual, thought provoking discussions. Instead, viewers are invited to laugh at the overexaggerated contestants, predict which participants will make the top four and share their opinions on the series’ talk show “After the Final Rose.” “The Bachelor” is simply entertainment to keep the mind occupied from the stress and pressure of reality. Even so, perhaps “The Bachelor” can represent a utopian parallel universe. The creators of “The Bachelor” have given contestants an opportunity for adventure, excitement and even redemption, as is the case for the show’s current suitor. Every episode is methodically planned out, all contributing to the quest for true love. Is that not what everyone is striving for in the end? Perhaps “The Bachelor” was meant to add a sliver of optimism to a cynic’s world. It may seem unrealistic, but that is what is needed to create these fantasies: unwavering ambition. One would be foolish, like many of the show’s contestants, to not give it a chance to prove its value. Watching “The Bachelor” is like retrieving water from a cactus; a viewer has to withstand the spikes to fully appreciated its content, however deep it may lie.