The Golden Bachelorette has some serious ground to cover when it premieres, as it owes Bachelor Nation an apology for the way that Gerry Turner represented the series, leaving Joan Vassos to clean up the mess. The Golden Bachelor season 1 was supposed to be a celebration of mature relationships, with Gerry taking the lead and finding love in his second act. Though he did find a relationship with Theresa Nist, the pair were married and divorced within four months of the finale episode airing. That means their relationship as a whole was less than a year in its entirety.

While Gerry’s time as The Golden Bachelor has come to an end, Joan’s time as The Golden Bachelorette is just about to get started. Originally a contestant on Gerry’s season, Joan left The Golden Bachelor to take care of her family in a time of need after just a few weeks. With Joan missing out on her chance to get to know Gerry and find love in her golden years, she was honored by the opportunity to become the first Golden Bachelorette. Unfortunately, after scandal befell Gerry after The Golden Bachelor, Joan will have a lot to make up for.

The Golden Bachelor’s Gerry Has Developed A Poor Reputation

He’s Not Likeable

Throughout his time as The Golden Bachelor, Gerry was lauded for his vulnerability, honesty, and authenticity, but after the season ended, it was revealed that he’d actually been pulling the wool over Bachelor Nation’s eyes all along. Gerry, who was sold as a sweet family man who hadn’t dated after his wife’s unexpected passing, was revealed to have lied to viewers when an ex-girlfriend outed him for some incredibly poor behavior. Gerry’s reputation, which has continued to go down the drain, plummeted. Bachelor Nation lost trust in The Golden Bachelor and has struggled to reckon with his scandalous new persona.

Joan Vassos Is Picking Up The Golden Title

She’s Going On Her Own Journey

Joan, who left The Golden Bachelor early, will have her own second chance at love as the very first Golden Bachelorette this fall. While Joan isn’t as well-known as Gerry yet, her star has been rising as the series grows closer. Going on her own journey for love, Joan has been open about her life in a way that Gerry neglected throughout his time prior to the show’s premiere. Getting an inside look at her family and hearing about her philosophies around love, dating, and family, Bachelor Nation is hopeful that Joan is going to be a wonderful Golden Bachelorette.

Joan Will Have To Clean Up After Gerry’s Reputation

She’ll Do Things Differently

Although Joan is going on a journey of her own, she’s going to have to clean up after Gerry’s mess when it comes to leading the Golden franchise. Though Gerry was a good lead on screen, his actions afterward have been polarizing for viewers who are worried about the way Joan will handle her season. Thankfully, Joan seems cognizant of what to avoid when it comes to social media, and appears to be authentically herself in the footage shown leading up to The Golden Bachelorette. Joan will likely be able to make up for Gerry’s poor reputation on the series.