Why Aren’t There More Dating Shows For Singles Over 40?

Do you use dating apps? Have you had success with them? Would you be willing to take your search for "the one" more public by appearing on a TV dating show?

ABC has announced that the former quarterback and Season 5 star of The Bachelor, Jesse Palmer, will be hosting a new reality show called The Proposal. Each episode will feature ten eligible daters competing in four pageant-style rounds to win the affection of one man or woman. The twist on The Proposal is that the identity of that man or woman will stay hidden until only two daters remain in the competition. The show premieres this summer.

While the premise of The Proposal sounds fun, the contestant pool will most likely be limited to twenty-somethings. I asked Mel if she would ever consider going on a dating show. Always up for anything, she immediately said yes. That's why we love her. And who wouldn't want to watch Melany Myers smart aleck her way through the dopey questions they ask on those types of shows?

Mel brought up a good point, though. There don't appear to be any dating shows for people over thirty, much less over the age of forty. Well, except for one I found on YouTube called Never Too Late to Date, but that seems to be exclusively for the residents of the Laguna Woods retirement village. Those swinging singles are well past forty.

A dating show featuring a slightly older group of contestants would certainly have a different feel than younger-targeted shows like The Bachelor. We would see people who have loved and lost, probably more than once. With that comes valuable wisdom, unfiltered humor, and perhaps even a hardened edge. Most of all, it would be entertaining. Isn't that what TV networks are looking for? I've been working on some possible titles:

Baggage Claim

Better Than Ex

Cable For Two

Comfortable Shoes

Could Be Worse

Good Enough

Here We Go Again

Home By 9

Long Walks on the Beach, Followed by a Nap

*Note to network executives: The sponsorship opportunities are endless. Viagra, Spanx, Ambien. Call me! -Phil