ABC’s decision to name Taylor Frankie Paul was smart on paper — now network stands to lose millions

Bringing in Taylor Frankie Paul to revitalize the struggling “Bachelor” franchise was a smart move on paper. Disney had already successfully built a reality TV universe (a la Bravo) anchored largely around Paul herself. That same corporate synergy also brought several of Paul’s “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” stars to Hulu’s “Vanderpump Villa” and ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars.”

With drama from each series spilling into the others, each program in the evolving ecosystem became required viewing for fans of the soda-sipping sirens. The formula was working! Until it wasn’t.

Yesterday, ABC pulled the forthcoming Season 22 of its long-running reality dating series, “The Bachelorette,” which was set to debut Sunday, after shocking video surfaced of Paul throwing chairs at her ex, Dakota Mortensen, while her child was in the room. The move was just days after Hulu paused filming on Season 5 of “Mormon Wives” to investigate domestic violence allegations between the pair.

FILE – Taylor Frankie Paul appears at the Oscars in Los Angeles on March 15, 2026. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

It’s actually understandable just how Disney thought Paul’s checkered past wouldn’t be a problem. After all, millions were introduced to her via the first episode of “SLOMW,” which literally shows Paul getting arrested for domestic violence in 2023. If viewers of that series seemingly had no problem continuing to support Paul on their screen (and her online follower count continued to rise), ABC execs likely thought the same would be true for “The Bachelorette.”

But it’s a lot harder to ignore visceral, violent footage like the world saw on Thursday. “The Bachelor” franchise is predicated on making the audience root for its hero (save for one widely reviled season featuring certified jerk Juan Pablo Galavis as its suitor) — and Paul just doesn’t fit that bill.

“After years of silently suffering extensive mental and physical abuse as well as threats of retaliation, Taylor is finally gaining the strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm. Disney via Getty Images

ABC stands to lose millions if the season is fully shelved. Not only will the network eat the costs of production and marketing, plus lost ad revenue, but, per Variety, it’ll also owe license fees to Warner Bros. Unscripted TV. The network sunk even more money into additional programming promoting the new season, including an HGTV “Bachelor Nation Takeover” and a “Before the First Rose” special that ran in the coveted slot immediately following the Oscars.

Paul’s history of volatile behavior — and Disney brass’ willingness to bet big on her in spite of it — could now tank not just one, but two key franchises. Guess that’s why they say never put your eggs in one basket.