‘Bachelor in Paradise’ premieres: How was it?

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"Bachelor in Paradise" premiered Monday

Past "Bachelor"/"Bachelorette" contestants to try to find love again

The first episode received modest ratings

CNN  — 

In the spinoff “Bachelor in Paradise,” ABC has rounded up past “Bachelor” and “Bachelorette” contestants to give them a second chance at finding love. (Or is that fame? Perhaps a lucky few will find both.)

With its premiere on Monday night, “Bachelor in Paradise” has established itself as a decent supplement for those craving the real “Bachelor” deal.

Instead of having a gang of suitors compete for the affection of a single person, “Bachelor in Paradise” has everyone date each other. Host Chris Harrison told TVGuide that it’s the original concept “times 10, which leads to love triangles, drama and amazing dates.”

We’ll let viewers decide how “amazing” the dates are, but Harrison did get one thing right: Monday’s premiere episode wasn’t short on drama or tears. The series kicked off the search for “love” with eight women and six men at “Bachelor in Paradise’s” beach house. Each week, new men and women arrive on the set to keep the stakes high.

The first group of 14 spent the hour pairing off – usually in the ocean – and the escalating tension led to at least one breakdown in front of a raccoon.

By the end of the episode, two women went home, although one of them decided to flee the Mexican retreat by choice.

Former “Bachelor” contestant Nikki Ferrell – the one now dating Juan Pablo Galavis – may have called the series a “train wreck,” but for a lot of viewers, that’s half the fun.

Watchers at E! and Hollywood Life have deemed “Bachelor in Paradise” worth your time, and Monday’s episode earned modest ratings, with 5 million tuning in.

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