trouble in paradise

The New Bachelor in Paradise Trailer Is Here, and It’s Bad

Less than a month after Warner Bros. announced it would resume filming season four of Bachelor in Paradise following allegations of misconduct relating to a sexual encounter between Corinne Olympios and DeMario Jackson, the network released its first trailer for this season, and it is shockingly tone-deaf. The 30-second trailer, which was released to People on Mondayopens with video of a tropical storm and a cute crab crawling out of a margarita glass — images that seem to suggest production was halted owing to unusually heavy rain instead of allegations of sexual assault.

There are also sad tweets from fans splashed across the screen. “I’M DEVASTATED!!” one reads. “THE WORLD IS ENDING,” says another, presumably in reference to the show’s rumored cancellation and not the reports of nonconsensual sexual contact. A dramatic voice-over says: “The sun had almost set. Summer was almost ruined. Paradise was almost lost …” Then an audio clip of a woman screaming. With that wildly crass acknowledgement of the controversy out of the way, the trailer resumes in BIP’s signature wacky, over-the-top style.

“Paradise is back!” one contestant cheers. There are shots of smiling contestants in bright florals, a parrot, a dancing lizard, and more tweets from fans delighted by the show’s return after what appears in the trailer to have been a minor hiccup.

Following the charges in June, BIP producers implemented new rules, including a stricter drug policy, and a rule that reportedly says contestants must get a producer’s approval before engaging in sexual activity.

The new season premieres on August 14, just one week later than originally planned. And despite the show’s efforts to “keep a tighter rein on the activities of contestants,” if the trailer is any indication, the incident between Olympios and Jackson will be handled both quickly and poorly.

New Bachelor in Paradise Trailer Addresses The Controversy