New setting. New rules. Same chaotic beach energy.
Grab your rosé and brace yourself, because Bachelor in Paradise is back, and it’s not the same old beach party. Season 10 just dropped on ABC and Hulu, and this year’s reboot has a lot riding on it. After a one-year break and sinking ratings, producers packed their bags for Costa Rica, swapped the bug-bitten bunks for luxe resort suites, and added a shiny new twist: a $500,000 cash prize.
The season premiered on July 7, and it’s already proving to be a make-or-break moment for the franchise. Think of it as Bachelor meets Love Island, with Golden Bachelor crossovers, cocktail-fueled confessions, and enough tropical tension to power a soap opera.
Paradise, but Make It Fancy
Gone is the old rustic vibe. Costa Sur Resort and Spa serves as the new playground, complete with air conditioning, a Champagne Lounge, and competitive dating challenges that put couples through obstacle courses for cash. Host Jesse Palmer teased “bold and gold” singles, and he wasn’t kidding. Seniors from The Golden Bachelor and The Golden Bachelorette are mixing with twenty-somethings, creating some truly wild pairings.
A standout moment? Sixty-something April Kirkwood locking lips with twenty-eight-year-old Sean McLaughlin. Cue the internet meltdown.
Who’s Stirring the Pot?
This season’s cast is a mix of familiar heartbreaks and new hopefuls. Hakeem Moulton and Bailey Brown bring unfinished Bachelorette drama, Dale Moss (yes, Clare Crawley’s ex) adds nostalgia, and returning favorites like Leslie Fhima and Faith Martin bring some Golden-age grace, and chaos. Spoiler alert: two couples actually walk away engaged and richer.
Viewers Are Split
Some fans call the reboot “instant summer gold.” Others are crying “Walmart Love Island.” The internet is buzzing either way. X is filled with polls debating whether BiP’s glow-up is saving the show or selling out its charm. One viral post summed it up best: “It’s messy, it’s glossy, it’s ridiculous, and I can’t stop watching.”
Can Paradise Be Saved?
Between competition from Love Island USA and Netflix’s Perfect Match, BiP is in survival mode. But this glossy, chaotic, cash-fueled comeback might be just what the franchise needed. Whether you’re in it for the cringe, the chaos, or the chance at actual romance, Season 10 proves one thing, Bachelor in Paradise still knows how to get people talking.
