The Bachelor

Dallas commercial pilot Jake Pavelka, who failed to capture Jillian Harris’ heart on The Bachelorette, was named the next Bachelor last month, to moderate fan praise.

The long-running reality show now has not just a new star, but a premiere date: Monday, January 4. No word yet on whether its recent two-hour episodes continue.

Oh, and it also has a ridiculously cheesy subtitle this season. Are you ready for it? Better keep the wastebasket handy ... The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love!

Groan.

Suffice it to say, people would have rather seen Reid or Kiptyn as The Bachelor, rather than Jake Pavelka, who finished like seventh on The Bachelorette last season.

Moreover, a lot of fans disliked how Jake returned to rat out Wes Hayden to Jillian, although conversely, some praised the pilot's "heroic" (and clearly staged) act.

Either way, we're sure the new season will be a big success, as it almost always is. They keep making it interesting and unintentionally funny, so hey, we're sold!

Texas airline pilot Jake Pavelka, who you may recall from The Bachelorette, will be the star of The Bachelor, ABC revealed last night on Dancing with the Stars.

Apparently Reid Rosenthal and Kiptyn Locke weren't available.

In any case, Jake knows how the show works, having wooed Jillian Harris semi-successfully on The Bachelorette, and cannot wait to hand out some roses.

“I’ve dated some really amazing girls, but I’ve never been successful at finding that one girl,” Jake said. “I saw how the whole thing came together with Jillian. I saw how the process works and I believe in it. That’s a unique way to meet somebody.”

Unique, yes. Successful? That's another story.

Jake Pavelka has some big shoes to fill.

While he was branded as Mr. Perfect on the show, Jillian ultimately eliminated Jake in favor of some shady characters. This brought back to the show to sell one of them out.

In a hilariously-staged tearful scene, Jake returned the week after he got the boot to warn Jillian about Wes Hayden, who he said was using her and dating someone else.

Some felt this was lame, a clear violation of man code and a total d!ck move. But the show's female viewership still loved Jake, with some even praising that "heroic" act.

Jake Pavelka did some acting earlier in life under the name of Jake Landrum, but is best known for being a commercial pilot - and for being soooo sweet and handsome!

Despite the massive controversy of their reunion on The Bachelor's "After the Final Rose" special, Jason Mesnick and Molly Malaney have been brushing off the haters and are still together and happy after all these ... well, weeks. But for The Bachelor, that's no small feat.

Since the stunning season finale in early March, the two have been apparently been getting to know each other, hanging out, grilling and having drinks. It's been really exciting.

Follow the link to keep reading this update on Molly Malaney and Jason Mesnick!

Did ABC rig this whole thing?

What was orchestrated and what was natural?

Why did Jason Mesnick break up with his fiancee on TV?

Did Molly Malaney and Melissa Rycroft know it was coming?

These and many other questions have dominated celebrity gossip and TV sites alike in the last day and a half in the aftermath of The Bachelor season finale.

The show's venerable pimp host, Chris Harrison, finally opened up in various interviews over the past 24 hours. Click here for his thoughts on The Bachelor ...

Torn between two women he was falling for equally hard and at the same time, what was The Bachelor star Jason Mesnick to do on the gripping season finale?

Propose to Melissa Rycroft, of course.

Then dump her on national TV after!

Yes, we're serious. The intimate "After the Final Rose" special featured Jason tossing aside Melissa Rycroft for Molly Malaney just minutes after he did the opposite.

It was a surprising, contrived and somewhat depressing turn of events. Follow the link to read about the shocking "After the Final Rose" drama on The Bachelor ...

Jason Mesnick loved both these girls, but Molly Malaney (right) won out.

The Bachelor has really been hyping up its season finale on Monday, March 2. So hard, in fact, that it's almost impossible to believe it could live up to such overblown expectations.

Well, if a new report we came across yesterday is to be believed, it just might.

Could it be that the woman Jason Mesnick chooses on the season-ender is not the woman he's dating right now - as revealed on not one, but two "intimate" After the Final Rose specials?

That's what we're suggesting. Follow the link to read The Bachelor spoilers ...

The tribe of one bachelor spoke last night. In today's leading reality TV news item, Jason Mesnick crushed the hopes and dreams of yet another suitor...

• Mesnick broke Naomi's heart last night on The Bachelor.

• NBC has announced that Nick Cannon will replace Jerry Springer as the host of America's Got Talent this summer.

• Kelly Killoren Bensimon will bring a West Coast attitude to The Real Housewives of New York City.

Jason Mesnick kissed Naomi goodbye after an eventual (read: weird!!!) trip to her hometown.

Last night on The Bachelor, Jason Mesnick brought his five remaining potential brides to visit him at home in Seattle. At the end of the night he bid farewell to one of the following:

• Cute, girl-next-door Molly from Michigan.
• Single mom Stephanie from the South.
• Laid-back Jillian from Can-a-DA, eh.
• Fun, fearless, slightly immature Naomi.
• Surprisingly chill cheerleader Melissa.

Who went home, while the rest prepare to entertain J-Mes on "hometown dates" next Monday night? Follow the link for an amusing and thorough recap of The Bachelor ...

Almost literally. The Bachelor visited the set of General Hospital last night, and Jason Mesnick made out with numerous girls as a result. After a series of individual and group dates, he narrowed his choices from nine to ... well, you've got to read what happened at the end.

Follow the link for a comprehensive, hilarious recap of The Bachelor ...

Acting out a scene on the set of General Hospital, The Bachelor's Lauren slaps Jason Mesnick. The irony being that she pretty much threatened to do this for real if she didn't get a rose.

Thanks to the broad appeal of a certain handsome single dad from Seattle, you won't be seeing a certain, amnesia-suffering single woman on ABC for a while longer.

The network has decided to keep airing two-hour episodes of The Bachelor for the rest of its run this winter, thanks to fairly decent ratings for this, the 13th season.

That means that Samantha Who? is, for, the moment homeless.

Fans of the Christina Applegate dramedy aren't going to be pleased about this Samantha Who? spoiler, but the network says an announcement about the show - which was due to return next week until this development - will come in the next few days.

WORTH 1,000: This photo beautifully encapsulates the greatness that is The Bachelor.

ABC's decision is purely a ratings-driven one, thanks in large part to The Bachelor star Jason Mesnick. The single father, who was the final rejected suitor by DeAnna Pappas on The Bachelorette last summer, was highly touted, and it's paying off.

The audience has grown in each of the past three weeks, starting with 8.7 million viewers for the premiere, improving to 9.06 million the following week and hitting 9.9 million this past Monday (January 19) while winning all key female demographics.

The numbers are even more impressive considering the stiff competition the show faced this week, with Gossip Girl, House, 24, How I Met Your Mother and more.

As a comparison, the most recent edition of The Bachelor, starring Londoner Matt Grant, and The Bachelorette, starring DeAnna Pappas (who had just been rejected by former Bachelor Brad Womack) both averaged about 7.9 million viewers. Way to go, J-Mes!