Anyone who tuned into Bachelor in Paradise’s Season 10 premiere on the 2025 TV schedule Monday could definitely tell the vibes are different this time around. In addition to the new digs — an air-conditioned resort in Costa Rica with a swim-up bar — the show had a completely different feel with stylized shots and dream-like sequences. New showrunner Scott Teti opened up about wanting to “elevate” the unserious spinoff, and I’m left with one big question — Did he really do away with the cheesy intro?
Scott Teti took over for Claire Freeland, Jason Ehrlich and Bennett Graebner, who have all exited the franchise since the last time Bachelor in Paradise aired in 2023. Teti told Variety that he wanted to basically give the series a glow-up to bring it on par with other popular dating shows, saying:
I really wanted to upgrade things, and take an approach of, how do we make this feel 2025, even more so than what other shows are doing? How do we make this feel cinematic, sexy, stylized, and, at the same time, implement that in a way where you’re using longer lenses? You use a cinematic shooting approach where you’re backing off cast and when you’re not up in their [face] , they forget that you’re over top of them. They start to open up and feel more relaxed. It was really about just wanting to elevate everything about the show.
I personally loved the new look, and Hannah Brown had told me how producers were more hands-off this season, so I was really excited to see how that change was implemented. Scott Teti continued, saying that elevating the show to make it more cinematic included a shift in the comedic tone. He said:
With this approach, because we were upgrading the style and sexiness, making it more cinematic, we had to take — hopefully — a more elevated approach with the comedy. It’s all throughout, and we’re getting it in a variety of different ways, just maybe not hitting viewers over the head with it.
When the showrunner says, “hitting viewers over the head with it,” that’s got include the silly intro package, which traditionally has introduced the cast sitcom-style, showing them in some self-deprecating situation, breaking the fourth wall as their name pops up on the screen, all to the tune of “Almost Paradise” by Mike Reno and Ann Wilson.
It was kind of a love-it-or-hate-it segment of the show (I was a fan), and others on social media were definitely missing it too, as X users commented:
- I miss the cheesy “Almost Paradise” intro – Jmo_duckling
- Idk about this new editing style but if they get rid of the Almost Paradise song intro we’ll riot. – iironicaa
- I’m willing to give them some leeway with the new creative direction, up until they try to replace the goofy almost paradise opening montage. – natalie_marina
- We’re gonna get the theme song and silly intros back next week now that we’ve met the core group, right???? right???? – omgitsemilyward
I wondered the exact same thing. I’m not sure we’ve always gotten the “Almost Paradise” intro in the season premiere, so I was holding out hope that it might return next week. However, after reading Scott Teti’s whole theory about the comedy, it’s sounding like he may have moved on from that. The showrunner concluded:
Hopefully, it resonates, but it’s always tricky. Comedy is a tough thing. You have to continue to evolve, because it’s easy to go for the easy jokes. It’s difficult to really think about how to get creative with it, how to do it in a way that people don’t see it coming. We tried to be irreverent and comedic throughout the series.
We’ll have to wait until next week to see if Bachelor in Paradise brings back the intro, possibly with a twist to satisfy Scott Teti’s creative vision. Two episodes will air next week, during its regular Monday slot at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, and then at the same time Tuesday, when we’ll welcome the hard-partying Goldens! All episodes are also available to stream the next day with a Hulu subscription.
