The Bachelor: Why Clayton Echard Was A Poor Choice As The Lead
The Bachelor season 26 star Clayton Echard isn't a fan favorite. Some viewers hoped that one of Michelle Young's final four would be chosen instead.
For several seasons now, The Bachelor fans have been turning away from the series, and they don't believe that casting Clayton Echard as the lead was the right decision. After photos of him and a camera crew in his hometown of Missouri surfaced, rumors began to circulate that Clayton was the chosen one for The Bachelor season 26. A couple of months later, ABC finally confirmed that Clayton would be taking on the role of The Bachelor, after failing to find love with Michelle Young on The Bachelorette.
Viewers were very surprised when they heard that Clayton was in the running as the next male lead. During the beginning episodes of Michelle's season, fans looked for the moment when producers decided that Clayton would be the best fit as the next lead. However, that moment never came, and Clayton was eliminated during week six. He seemed to have brought nothing to the table that would have made him the best choice as The Bachelor. In fact, many fans and members of Bachelor Nation were confused by the decision.
When Clayton was announced as The Bachelor while Michelle's season was still airing, fans were confused as to why he was chosen in the first place. Not only did he and Michelle not have a strong connection, but he didn't bring much entertainment, or provide a strong enough storyline to warrant his new role. Also, Clayton barely had any screen time while filming The Bachelorette. It is unclear what producers like about him, as viewers hardly saw Clayton on their screens. That is not to say that he isn't a nice guy or worthy of love, it's just that what he brings to the table just doesn't make for compelling television. What producers likely saw in Clayton that made him so appealing was his desire to be a family man, which he shared with cameras.
During his elimination episode, producers felt like they finally found someone who was truly on the show to settle down. In the episode, Clayton began to cry when Michelle gave him two letters that were written for him by a couple of her students. Clayton was obviously touched and he became emotional as he started to realize how ready he was to start his own family. For years, contestants and leads have been called out for going on the show for fame. or to further their careers. In contrast, Clayton seemed like he was genuinely on the show to find his wife.
Regardless, it's still a TV show, and Clayton just isn't compelling enough as a lead to a majority of the viewers. Fans expected producers to pick someone from Michelle's final four men, who were all contestants of color. Clayton's choice was a bit of a letdown as they were hoping the franchise would have been more committed to its diversity claims.
Overall, Clayton wasn't the first choice for fans, even if producers believe he is truly looking for love at the end of the day. The Bachelor is still a TV show, and when filming a TV show, producers should always listen to the audience. This time around, the producers went with what they knew and believed Clayton was a good choice. Only time will tell if the fans will warm up to Clayton as the lead.
The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8 p.m. EST on ABC.