Entertainment

I've waited and waited, and the day has finally arrived -- The Bachelorette is officially returning to satisfy my reality TV obsession and giving me a huge reason to look forward to Mondays again. (Hallelujah.) And I've gotta admit, while I get pretty fired up for the premiere of The Bachelor or Bachelorette every season, this time I'm really excited, because Emily Maynard is going to change the cheese factor of the show once and for all.

Instead of rolling our eyes at a bunch of frat daddies trying to see who can make out with Emily first, Chris Harrison hints that we'll actually get to watch guys being old fashioned and trying to court her (what a concept), and hopefully a lot of the useless drama will be gone from the show. Wow. A Bachelorette that actually seems believable and worth watching from night one? Yes, please!

Emily is so classy and has such a natural, unassuming way about her -- and she really has the chance to change the course of the show for the better.

1. The Mom Factor -- Emily may be a single lady looking for love, but she's a mom first and foremost. She'll want to set a good example for her daughter, Ricki, so I'm anticipating a lot less smooching, zero skinny dipping, and ground rules being firmly laid down before any fantasy suites are visited. She'll get to know these men by talking to them and spending quality time with them -- not by playing tonsil hockey.

2. Don't Mess With Mama Bear -- While I refuse to watch the clip because I'm really trying to avoid spoilers this season, there's already a shot of Emily telling one man to "Get the fu&% out!" (Bentley, if I had to guess?) She's not taking any crap from these guys -- and it's awesome.

3. Decent Conversation -- Get ready people, because there may be some actual quality conversations going on between Emily and her dudes. No more small talk. No more flattery and sugar coating. Nope -- Em is going to want to dig deeper and find out who these guys really are.

4. Less Backstabbing -- I don't know about you, but I'm so over the guys and girls on the show backstabbing each other, trying to sabotage each other's dates, etc. This time around, the men will take things much more seriously instead of letting petty drama get in the way.

5. Real, Honest Love Connections -- For once in the entire history of The Bachelorette franchise, the leading lady actually has finding lasting true love on her mind. She can't afford to get too serious with anyone she wouldn't want to bring home to her daughter, so what we see between Emily and her suitors is going to be authentic and real.

6. More Realistic Dating Scenarios -- Although there are going to be tropical beaches and helicopters during Emily's season, a good part of the show was filmed in her hometown of Charlotte, N.C. instead of L.A. Chances are her dates will much more closely resemble dates that non-reality TV people go on.

7. Paving the Road for the Future -- Regardless of whether Emily's season has a happy ending, it will determine the future of more single parents going on the show. If she doesn't wind up with a ring on her finger or at least a strong, lasting relationship, there's a good chance that other single moms & dads will be deterred from applying. But if she finds love? She'll offer new hope to other parents who want to find someone to share their lives with.

Are you planning on watching the premiere of The Bachelorette tonight?

Image via ABC