With The Golden Bachelor, the stakes have never been higher

More than 20 years after it first premiered, The Bachelor franchise is still finding ways to reinvent how we see people find love on the small screen.

In its latest spin-off show, The Golden Bachelor, contestants 60 years of age and older compete for the rose of 72-year-old bachelor Gerry Turner.

Bachelor Nation members and culture writers Jael Richardson, Amil Niazi and Kathleen Newman-Bremang join Commotion host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to share why the series is already bringing them to tears.

We've included some highlights below, edited for length and clarity. For the full discussion, listen and follow the Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud podcast, on your favourite podcast player.

Elamin: The Golden Bachelor just launched. Jael, what was your reaction when you heard we're going to have an older bachelor?

Jael: I have to say, I am an O.G. Bachelor fan. I'm confessing it here. I've been watching since Season 1.

Elamin: This is a safe space.

Kathleen: I'm with you.

Amil: We all are, Jael.

Jael: Every single one, so I've got lots of thoughts. I was curious when they announced The Golden Bachelor. The first time you see Gerry in any capacity, you're like, "Yes, bring it on. I want to watch this," because they scored. I don't know how they found this man, but he is the ideal human: kind, heartwarming, he listens. Men, take notes. I think that's when I got really excited.

WATCH | Get to Know Gerry the Golden Bachelor:

After watching the first episode yesterday, I'm also delightfully excited about the women. I thought they were glamorous, beautiful, funny, sexy. They were redefining aging every minute I was watching the episode; it was delightful. I may actually be more excited now about watching them and their journey, too. I don't know, it's a toss up, but I'm in for sure.

Elamin: I have to say, as you were describing the show and setting this up for us, Kathleen and Amil just had these giant smiles on their faces — this giant grin over what The Golden Bachelor is doing to people. Amil, we don't often see older people romancing each other on TV. Do you think audiences will be receptive to this?

Amil: I think they are going to be hugely receptive to it. Honest truth, I was crying within the first two minutes…. You see this representation of women over 60 that we just do not see — in a sexy, romantic, energetic way. I'm so excited about it, and I think other people are going to be too. The reception I've seen on social media has been so warm and open and excited about seeing romance at an older age, seeing these women who are not just being pushed off to the corner…. It's really beautiful. Gerry, how are you 72? Share your skincare secrets. Most of these women have more energy than I've had in the last five years.

And Just Like That..., the Sex and the City spinoff, I think really sort of primed us to be like, "Oh, yeah, we've been missing this — women living their lives without children, without necessarily the model that we've seen for them." I felt so hopeful watching this show. Maybe that's just sad, but I really think multi-generational romance has been missing from television for a very long time. We usually see it relegated to soap operas and daytime television. To have it in primetime, I think, is not just good entertainment, but it's important entertainment.

Jael: And on that note can I just say, Bachelor in Paradise came on right after, and to see the tragedy of young romance on a beach in contrast was like, "Give me the old women and The Golden Bachelor every day!"

Amil: There's no stakes! Why is a 22 year old getting married in the first place?

Kathleen: Exactly, exactly.

Amil: These people are in it for a real reason, and that's I think why people are connecting to this show. There's actual stakes.

Elamin: For the right reasons, as they say.

Amil : Exactly, Elamin.

Elamin: Kathleen, what was your reaction to the first episode?

WATCH | A sneak peek of this season on The Golden Bachelor:

Kathleen: I wept through the entire thing. I am worried about Gerry because he is so sweet and lovely; I think this process is going to break him. But I really don't think I've ever been so invested in anything in my life. I'm so invested in all of them finding love that I'm a bit worried about myself and about them. But the stakes are so high, right? I love that none of them are influencers who are going to be shilling Flat Tummy Tea or Sugarbear Hair Vitamins after the show; they genuinely seem to be there to find love. It hits different when you're watching a 70-year-old grandma talk about finding someone to spend the rest of her life with. She's running out of time, she wants to spend the rest of her life with someone — as opposed to a 23 year old who has barely lived.

I also think one of the most refreshing things about that first episode was the women genuinely supporting each other, complimenting each other. Maturity comes with age — what a concept. I mean, I love mess and I do think the mess is going to come, but it was really nice to see them embracing each other. Gerry has absolutely no rizz. He said his granddaughter told him he absolutely had none of it, and I love it.

You can listen to the full discussion from today's show on CBC Listen or on our podcast, Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud, available wherever you get your podcasts.

Panel produced by Jean Kim.