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'The Golden Bachelor' dubbed the 'best' Bachelor franchise premiere as fans thank producers for 'refreshing' take

'The Golden Bachelor' fans were left in tears after watching lead Gerry Turner cry over his late wife during the season premiere

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Buckle up, everybody! Gerry Turner's first season of 'The Golden Bachelor' has arrived, and it has already been hailed as the finest season of any Bachelor franchise show to date!

The Bachelor franchise's new three-hour Thursday time slot began with the inaugural episode. After several years of development, there are obviously high hopes for how the series will be received by audiences – and if it will bring new viewers to the brand.

The episode begins with Gerry preparing to see his suitors for the first time when they arrive at the Bachelor Mansion. He introduces himself, saying this is "the first night of the rest of my life." As he jokes, he's also the first Bachelor on social security.

'The Golden Bachelor', which premiered on September 28, is upbeat and starry-eyed about its depiction of senior dating, with players who have already lived full lives and aren't set to cultivate a TikTok following.

Throughout the hour-long season premiere, either Gerry or his suitors make a case for good representation in our vehemently ageist pop culture.

Viewers took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their emotions about the show. One person wrote, "It only took 60 minutes to be the best Bachelor season ever. I am so down for this. How refreshing to see real feelings and emotions."

Another person chimed in, "Truly, best season premiere we’ve had in probably 10 years." A viewer wrote, "This is the funnest best first episode of the Bachelor/Bachelorette I've ever seen. See producers? The over the top drama is getting TIRED."

On Reddit, one fan wrote, "Best bachelor premiere ever 😭😭😭." Another user added, "This is the best thing I’ve seen in television in YEARS." "This is the best television I’ve watched in recent history and I’m just so happy," wrote another.

Gerry Turner breaks down over his late wife during 'The Golden Bachelor' premiere

During the launch of the dating competition series on Thursday, the ABC star mused on the death of his high school girlfriend.

Before heading to the Bachelor mansion to meet his possible suitors, Gerry, 71, talked about his love journey, calling it "the first day of the rest of my life."

"How lucky would I be to find a second true love in my lifetime?" the star said of his search for a relationship to rival the one he and Toni enjoyed.

"I married Toni in 1972," he reflected on their life together, adding, "We had 43 wonderful years together. We had a real typical but beautiful life, full of love, full of activity."

"And as years went on, I retired. We had a plan and we had an idea of what our dream house was going to be so when Toni retired at the end of May in 2017 we bought that dream house. Closed on it on June 6. From June 6 on, it didn't go according to plan at all. You know, she became ill, and her situation got worse over a couple of weeks," he added.

"She had a bacterial infection," Gerry explained as he sobbed.

"That bacterial infection infected her kidneys. Infected her liver. And so I took my wife to the emergency room on July 7, and she never came home, and she passed away on July 15," he said.

"Every time I look at that lake, I go, 'This is her dream,'" the 'The Golden Bachelor' star wept, adding, "'This is what she deserves. Why am I standing here alone?' It will be six years since Toni passed away."

"No one's ever going to replace Toni, but the love of my daughters and my granddaughters pulled me out of a dark spot. I yearn for the second chance in life to fall in love again," he said.

What is the age range for 'The Golden Bachelor'?

The fact that Gerry Turner, the eponymous "golden" bachelor, is 72, and the competing ladies vary in age from 60 to 75, provides material for age-related cliches and jokes — even pickleball, a game several of them claim to play. The women in the previews wear gowns and dresses rather than swimsuits.

'The Golden Bachelor' Gerry Turner is supported by her daughters and granddaughters

Gerry, the ABC reality show's Golden Bachelor, has his family's support as he searches for love.

During their long marriage, Gerry and Toni had two children -- Jenny and Angie. Gerry and Toni met in high school and relocated from Iowa to Indiana soon before her death in 2017.

Payton and Charlee are Gerry's grandchildren.

'The Golden Bachelor' airs on Thursdays at 8 pm ET/PT on ABC.