Stream It Or Skip It: ‘The Bachelor’ Season 28 On ABC, Where Joey Graziadei Gets A Second Chance At Finding His Forever Doubles Partner

With 2023’s jumbled strike-altered TV lineups behind us, we’re pleased to report that Bachelor Mondays are back, baby! The Bachelor returns to ABC on Monday, January 22 with fan-favorite franchise alum Joey Graziadei as our leading man. Graziadei captured the hearts of Bachelor Nation when he fell in love with Charity Lawson on The Bachelorette Season 20. Though he had his heart shattered on proposal day when Lawson revealed she had a stronger connection with current fiancé Dotun Olubeko, Graziadei got some much-needed closure during the After the Final Rose special and is ready to give reality TV romance another shot. Will the 28-year-old teaching tennis pro from Collegeville, Pennsylvania, find his (game, set) match? Or will his journey end in tears again?

THE BACHELOR – SEASON 28: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: Taking a page from The Golden Bachelor’s editing book, The Bachelor’s new season kicks off with a dramatic teaser of an emotional “unprecedented” finale to come. In this case, a teary-eyed Graziadei stands alone on a proposal platform deep in contemplation.

The Gist: Hooked by the opening shot? It’s time to rewind two months to first impression night. The driveway is hosed down, the bushes are trimmed, and Graziadei is making history by welcoming 32 women — the biggest group to ever arrive on Night 1 — to the Bachelor Mansion, where he’ll witness a parade of corny, bold, romantic, telling pick-up lines and grand gestures as the ladies leave their limos and embark on the journey of a lifetime.

The premiere shines a spotlight on introductions, cocktail hour small talk, first kisses, and the first rose ceremony of the season. Plus, the coveted first impression rose will be handed out. Then, as the season progresses, we’ll see Graziadei and his gals share intimate one-on-one dates, endure awkward group dates, and travel the world in pursuit of lasting love. After Hometown Week, Fantasy Suite overnight dates, and a check-in with his family, Graziadei will likely choose between two women and get down on one knee and propose to his special someone. But based on that opening shot, who knows what could happen?

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? Obviously franchise spin-offs The Golden Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and Bachelor in Paradise are first in mind — especially since Lawson’s Bachelorette season introduced us to Graziadei and the Season 28 lead helped teach Gerry Turner’s golden gals some pickleball. Speaking of sports, this season of The Bachelor will also repeatedly remind you of tennis! So if you enjoy watching rackets swoosh and yellow balls soar through the air, Graziadei is in your court.

Our Take: If you’ve seen one season of The Bachelor, we presume Season 28’s format is largely unchanged, which longtime members of Bachelor Nation may find monotonous. But it’s clear early on that the franchise is throwing Graziadei some curveballs (or whatever the tennis equivalent of throwing curveballs is) to shake things up — from the historically large cast to two sisters (yes, sisters!) arriving on Night 1. Plus, there’s the mystery envelope that Jesse Palmer gave to lucky contestant Lea Cayanan, a 23-year-old from Hawaii who met Graziadei during After the Final Rose back in August 2023. “It’s not a date card. However, it is absolutely going to help you on your journey. And it will absolutely change everything,” Palmer said. So a significant chunk of Night 1 will focus on the contents of that envelope and what it means for the cast.

Show structure aside, as far as leads go Graziadei feels like one of the most charming fellas to grace the franchise in years. With green Coldplay song-worthy eyes that stare straight into your soul, a refreshing sense of self awareness, and generous emotional vulnerability, Graziadei approached Charity’s season, the live finale, and his own premiere with maturity, respect, and a whole lot of heart. In opening up about his family, his mental health, and personal values, Graziadei has already established trust with repeat viewers. And though nobody is perfect, he’s described as “a walking green flag” during his premiere. So we can’t help but root for him.

On the heels of The Golden Bachelor’s super successful run, we’re hopeful that Season 28 of The Bachelor will strive to show more moments of substance — honest conversations, romance, and friendships — over drawn-out petty drama. (We already know the ASKN ladies are making an appearance, so here’s hoping they bring some Golden Bachelor charm!)  

In a pre-premiere interview with Decider, Graziadei confirmed his belief that the end of his season “is something that hasn’t happened before.” Even if his season is relatively tame compared to past journeys, he ends up happily proposed, and we’re being thrown off my producers and misleading edits, admit it: You’re at least a little curious what happens for the first time in Bachelor history that rattles Graziadei so hard.

Sex and Skin: Aside from a few steamy make-out sessions and shirtless shots of Graziadei on the tennis court, the Season 28 premiere keeps things pretty classy. As we know from past experience, things are sure to heat up as the series progresses — after all, there’s a whole Fantasy Suite week! If there’s one thing this franchise is going to give us, it’s tantalizing footage of bedroom lights being turned off.

Parting Shot: Before a larger look at Season 28, The Bachelor premiere concludes with a shot of Graziadei and his remaining ladies toasting to the journey ahead.

Sleeper Star: Contestant-wise, we’re excited to see more of Daisy Kent, a 25-year-old from Becker, Minnesota (pictured above) who rolls up to the mansion with a Christmas tree. No spoilers, but it’s clear the two have a Night 1 spark. We also have to give a shoutout to Joey’s sisters, Ellie and Carly. We likely won’t see much of them throughout this journey, but they keep it real from the start and see Joey as a brother first and a Bachelor star second — or maybe never!

Most Pilot-y Line: “To finding my next doubles partner!” Graziadei exclaims during a toast. (Also, every other tennis reference in the episode. There are quite a few and only more to come.)

Our Call: It feels like Joey’s genuinely here for — wait for it — the right reasons, and for that, we’re invested. The premiere teases strong connections, quality conversations, stand-up character, and an unexpected ending. Sure, we’re 28 seasons deep in The Bachelor, but Graziadei seems like the kind of guy worth a STREAM IT.