October 27, 2023
John Fleenor/ABC
Aston resident Susan Noles was eliminated in the most recent episode of 'The Golden Bachelor.'
It seems "The Golden Bachelor" lead Gerry Turner won't be making a trip to Delaware County, after all.
During the fifth episode of ABC's new senior-citizen dating show, Turner cut down his cast of eligible bachelorettes from six to three. The bittersweet farewells included a goodbye to 66-year-old Susan Noles, a fan-favorite contestant from Aston. The eliminations came a week before Turner makes a trip to each of the remaining contestants' hometowns to meet their families.
Note: This article contains spoilers for Season 1, Episode 5 of "The Golden Bachelor."
The pivotal episode, which included a one-on-one and a group date, opened with the contestants showing off their signature camaraderie by singing and dancing together in the Bachelor Mansion pool. After finishing up a rendition of the Jewish folk song "Hava Nagila," Noles made a suggestion for another dance, one that is so Philly:
"Now we'll do the Mummers strut," Noles exclaimed.
While most seasons of "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" feature four hometown dates, the ladies of "The Golden Bachelor" were surprised to find out from host Jesse Palmer that this season only includes three. That meant half of them were going home by the end of the episode.
Turner chose to take Faith Martin on the episode's "once-in-a-lifetime" date, which included a private helicopter ride. The helicopter made a (likely purposeful) detour directly above Bachelor Mansion, where some of the women were hanging in the pool.
"I wonder if they could see us down here," Noles pondered, before adding: "They were making out; they didn't see a thing."
Later, Martin told her fellow contestants that her date also included a jaunt on a yacht, to which Noles expressed some joking dismay.
"That was my dream," she said.
To alleviate some of the stress of the week, Turner took five women, including Noles, on a group date to the Santa Monica Pier in hopes that they each would let their "inner child" out. The group played carnival games, ate cotton candy and rode amusement park rides.
"I haven't done things like this since I was a teenager," Noles said.
Things also got more serious as some of the women expressed their feelings of love to Turner, and pondered the seriousness of impending hometown dates.
"Scary to know it's almost over," Noles said to Turner during a one-on-one moment at the park. "(You) think you're gonna have to go home, and I don't know if you're coming with me or not."
"Well, and I don't know either," Turner replied, in a characteristic moment of candor.
At the rose ceremony, Turner only had two roses to hand out since he gave a rose to Martin during their date. He gave them to Theresa Nist, of New Jersey, and Leslie Fhima. That meant Noles, Ellen Goltzer and Sandra Mason must say adieu.
Classy as always, Noles gave all of her newfound friends big hugs before wishing Turner luck on the rest of his journey.
"You're the best," Turner told her as she departed.
In the final moments of the show, which the franchise traditionally reserves for off-the-cuff moments that show contestants' personalities, Noles got in one last one-liner. The ladies were going in for a group hug before the rose ceremony to celebrate their last night together in Bachelor Mansion.
"Stay out of my boobs," Noles joked, to which the other women doubled over with laughter.
Reflecting on her relationship with Turner, Noles believed they may have had more of a friendship than a romance.
"I think Gerry and I turned into best friends," Noles told ABC's On The Red Carpet following her elimination. "I love him to death. You know when there's just not that heavy romantic feel?"
Noles gained acclaim throughout her tenure on the show for her bold fashion sense, humor and Kris Jenner lookalike status. She also earned a reputation as a "girls' girl" who was always available to gossip or help another contestant curl her hair. Fans took to social media following Noles departure to express their gratitude for Noles' authenticity on the show and express hope that she'll return to the franchise in another capacity.
JUSTICE FOR SUSAN #TheGoldenBachelor #GoldenBachelor pic.twitter.com/umMGkxvkLk
— crazy bachelor fan (@crzybachelorfan) October 27, 2023
ultimate girls girl susan you will be missed #GoldenBachelor pic.twitter.com/ZddGpaMjxI
— jocelyn (@LifeWithJoce) October 27, 2023
Susan for Golden Bachelorette #thegoldenbachelor #goldenbachelor pic.twitter.com/FtMk1RTSCG
— Accept This Rose (@IWatchBachelor) October 27, 2023
Susan’s a national treasure and I hope she knows that #TheGoldenBachelor #goldenbachelor pic.twitter.com/8dGYisXp0l
— Katlynn Hauber (@hauber_katlynn) October 27, 2023
Susan was truly the GOAT contestant this season. It seems like she had such a great time and she built up all of the women around her while she did it. See you in Golden Paradise or honestly hopefully as the Golden Bachelorette.
— Bachelor Bob (@BachelorBob_) October 27, 2023
#TheGoldenBachelor pic.twitter.com/zQYvFyeim0
While mourning the loss of Noles on TV screens for the foreseeable future, "Bachelor" fans in the region can still root for some other local people in the franchise. South Jersey's Tyler Norris is currently looking for love on "Bachelor in Paradise," and Montgomery County-native Joey Graziadei soon will make his debut as the lead of "The Bachelor."
"The Golden Bachelor" airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on ABC and can be streamed the next day on Hulu.
Follow Franki & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @wordsbyfranki
| @thePhillyVoice
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice
Have a news tip? Let us know.
