Reality TV
Maria Georgas Should Be The Next Bachelorette
The contestant has quickly become a fan favorite — so why not give her the chance to lead her own season?
Joey Graziadei’s Bachelor season is still moving along, but several front-runners for his final rose have already emerged. As he said during the Feb. 19 episode, “I’m at the point where I can say, I might be falling in love with some of these women.”
Only one of Joey’s strong connections will progress to a (potential) proposal, but that just means there are a few options for the next Bachelorette. As Season 28 nears its endpoint, it’s becoming clear that Maria Georgas might be the perfect person for the job.
Maria Makes The Bachelor Compelling
While some critics found recent Bachelor seasons “boring,” Joey’s journey has been anything but — thanks to Maria. She has played a large part in keeping viewers (and her fellow contestants) on their toes.
It’s easy to fall into the “villain” archetype, and hard to climb out of it if you find yourself in the middle of drama. That’s what makes Maria’s time on the show so rewarding to watch. She’s had every opportunity to lean into a cattier side, like when she was accused of bullying. But whenever she’s confronted with conflict, she addresses it quickly and asks for clarification, as she did when Jess Edwards said it was “disrespectful” to talk to Joey when she already had a rose.
Maria’s cool, collected delivery might disarm the other women, but it’s not mean. She’s also self-aware, declaring the misunderstanding in Week 2 as “the dumbest fight in Bachelor history.” These qualities don’t just make Maria fun to watch on The Bachelor, but signal that she’d be capable of seeing through superficial drama as a potential lead on The Bachelorette.
She Puts Herself First
During Week 5 in Spain, Lea Cayanan was displeased that Maria stuck around despite nearly quitting after Malta. “If you were ready to leave so willingly after a little conflict, are you really here for Joey?”
But instead of Maria’s almost-exit being a weakness, it was actually a display of strength — a reminder that while yes, she’s definitely here for Joey (have you seen their chemistry?), she also prioritizes her mental health as someone who’s been bullied in the past.
Maria and Joey have an undeniably strong connection, but if they don’t work out, Maria’s independent approach to The Bachelor suggests she’d be able to helm her own journey and find a partner that way, too.
Bachelor Fans Voiced Their Support
From her unique style to her candid social media presence — including a recent viral TikTok in which she acknowledged she’s “not innocent” in the Season 28 conflict — it’s clear that Maria has become a Bachelor fan-favorite.
The numbers back it up, with @bachelordata on Instagram pointing out that the rate of Maria’s follower growth is one of the highest this season.
If ABC wants to ensure a large turnout for Bachelorette viewers later this year, Maria’s fandom suggests she’ll be a popular choice for the lead role.
