The Golden Bachelor season 1, has made her way through her season of the franchise, it’s been clear that there have been some bumps in the road. As the first-ever Golden Bachelorette, Joan was excited to take the exclusive Bachelorette journey in hopes that she’d find a love to last the rest of her lifetime on the show.

Joan’s time on The Golden Bachelorette season 1 included some incredible guys, as well as some who weren’t so incredible. Chock, who was a front-runner for Joan early on in the season, was somewhere in the middle for Bachelor Nation. He wasn’t the most likable, but he wasn’t the least as the season progressed. Though Chock was a major part of the season, Bachelor Nation struggled to take him seriously. While some accused him of being non-committal, others felt he was love-bombing the lead. Joan choosing Chock was tough for viewers, and I’m still struggling to root for the couple.

Chock Was Heavily Scrutinized On The Golden Bachelorette

He Wasn’t Someone Bachelor Nation Rooted For

As he moved through his time on The Golden Bachelorette, Chock’s character was scrutinized with nearly every move he made. While Chock was made out to be a somewhat non-committal guy with a history of finding himself in sticky situations with the women in his life, there was a long-term relationship he continually alluded to prior to his time on the show that puzzled Joan and Bachelor Nation. Chock had been engaged for nine years before the show, but before he had the chance to marry his fiancée, she tragically ed away from cancer in 2022.

Although Chock was doing his best to impress Joan as he moved through The Golden Bachelorette process, it was clear that he wasn’t exactly the guy he was claiming to be. Chock’s behavior was overwhelming at times, and some wondered if he was trying to love bomb Joan, giving her a major amount of affection rather than trying to grow their relationship connection over time. While Joan was falling for Chock, he was overwhelming Bachelor Nation. Viewers felt that Chock was taking things too far, too fast in his relationship with Joan, making them assume he was a red flag.

Joan Had A Hard Time Choosing Chock

She Wasn’t Certain In Her Final Days

Although Joan and Chock had been developing a connection throughout The Golden Bachelorette season 1, she was conflicted at the end of the season about whether or not she was going to choose him in her final moments as the lead. While Joan had two finalists who appeared to fit what she was looking for, she wasn’t confident in her decision between Chock and another finalist, Guy Gansert. Chock and Joan’s relationship was strong, but it wasn’t as strong as it could’ve been heading into the final days of the season. Chock was sure about Joan, but she was hesitant.

Though it was clear that Joan had a tough decision to make, many Bachelor Nation viewers were hopeful that she’d make the choice not to choose at all. Joan felt that she may not be able to choose between Chock and Guy, which many felt was the right decision. It was clear that she wasn’t sure, so many believed that Joan shouldn’t make such a tough call when she didn’t have clarity on what she wanted to do. Instead, they were hopeful that Joan would decide to be on her own, leaving Guy and Chock behind after The Golden Bachelorette.

Joan And Chock’s Post-Show Relationship Has Been Odd

They’ve Shared Too Much On Social Media

Although proposal during The Golden Bachelorette season 1 finale, their relationship hasn’t been one that Bachelor Nation was entirely interested in following. Many still had bad tastes in their mouths about Chock, even after Joan chose him in the finale, but have wanted to be ive of Joan in her life post-show. Seeing that Joan and Chock have been consistently their life post-Golden Bachelorette on Instagram has been overwhelming for viewers, especially knowing that they’ve been making it clear that they’re happier than they’ve been before now that they’re publicly together.

In the weeks since The Golden Bachelorette season has ended, Joan and Chock have been sharing their lives online, with Joan consistently updating Bachelor Nation on what’s happening. Whether it’s a moment of the pair being long-distance, Joan updating Bachelor Nation on their Christmas or Thanksgiving plans, or a video of the pair doing a TikTok trend together, the couple has been upfront about what’s happening in their lives and how things have been going. While it’s nice to have some transparency, the amount of content has been overwhelming, and in many ways has been too much for Bachelor Nation.

I’m Rooting For Joan To Be Happy, But That May Not Include Chock

She Could Be Happier On Her Own

As Joan and Chock have continued to move further into their relationship outside of The Golden Bachelorette, it’s become abundantly clear that they plan to commodify their relationship and share a ton of their lives with the public. While I’m thankful that Joan is happy to keep Bachelor Nation updated on her life outside of the show, I haven’t been buying what she’s selling about her and Chock’s relationship. Though the couple is putting on a happy front for the Bachelor Nation public, it doesn’t seem to me like they’re actually happy together, at least in a deep, genuine way.

While I don’t know if Joan and Chock are planning to stay together for the long haul, their content points to the idea that they’re going to stick together for the time being. Although they’ve said they’re hopeful to be married in the future, Joan and Chock don’t give me the feeling that they’re going to continue to be genuinely happy in a relationship the longer they’re together post-show. With two very different lifestyles and a sense that they’re in their relationship for less-than-genuine reasons, I can’t root for The Golden Bachelorette couple the way that I’d really like to.

Source: Joan Vassos/Instagram