Los Angeles Times

'The Bachelor' franchise has an 'identity crisis.' Why this season could solve it

It's fall. Love is in the air. And the new star of "The Bachelorette" is eager for her happily-ever-after to begin.

"I'm ready to fall in love!" Michelle Young declares in a glossy spot promoting the new season of ABC's reality flagship, which premiered Tuesday. "I'm looking for my soul mate, my best friend, someone who is going to change the world with me."

Members of the Bachelor Nation fan base are also hopeful that the Minnesota elementary school teacher — the show's third Black leading lady — will help bring sustained and meaningful change to the "Bachelor" franchise, which has been rocked by charges of systemic racism and cultural insensitivity throughout its 19-year run.

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