Former Bachelor Sean Lowe Thinks Franchise Is 'Not Dead' Yet as Fans Deem New 'Bachelor in Paradise' Season 'Unwatchable'

Bachelor in Paradise ratings are at an all-time low, but Sean Lowe isn't surrendering hope just yet.

In an exclusive interview with OK! about his Atkins partnership, the former Bachelor lead, 41, addressed the future of the franchise alongside his wife, Catherine.

"It's certainly not dead," he declared. "They've been going since like the year 2000."

The dad-of-three believes the initial popularity boom during its 2002 inception was because the series was one-of-a-kind.

"Streaming has changed things. Back in the day, it was only The Bachelor, and the viewership was huge," he explained. "Other networks would try to put out shows, but they never lasted. The Bachelor was the king of the mountain. Now you hear about Love Is Blind or Love Island, or all these different shows that are popping up and gaining a ton of traction. There's much more competition. I imagine Bachelor ratings are not what they used to be."

Reports show the current season of Bachelor in Paradise racked up 1.8 million viewers in its premiere episode, the lowest number to date. Season 9 brought in 2.1 million viewers, while Season 1 amassed 5.3 million.

Fans slammed the series on social media, rendering the episodes "frustrating," "jarring" and "unwatchable."

Season 10 features a glamorous upgrade, taking contestants out of the sizzling heat in Mexico to an air-conditioned resort in Costa Rica. Even the editing received an update, with quicker cuts and dramatic slow-motion scenes reminiscent of the series' reality TV competitors.

The couple — who got engaged on The Bachelor in 2013 — haven't seen the new season yet. However, they recall their Bachelor friends complaining about poor experiences at the Playa Escondida hotel in Sayulita, Mexico.

"There were tons of conversations about [how] the conditions were dire," Catherine confessed. "It's so funny to look back, and I'm glad they're making those choices. It's fun to watch either way."

She recalled watching "the crabs," "sand everywhere" and "people sleeping outside" for nine seasons.

"The grittiness is gone," she said. "I'm curious to see. I feel like Bachelor usually makes really good choices in evolving the series and making it more entertaining to watch, so that it's not stale. I'm excited to watch it."

As they prepare to catch up on the episodes that have aired thus far, Sean and Catherine are taking their favorite Atkins snacks to the couch.

"It's really funny to look back at our life and see the fluctuations in our weight journeys based on me being pregnant and [Sean] having sympathy weight, or when we're like, 'Okay, let's really bring the scale down,'" she revealed. "At this time in our lives, we're maturing into remembering it's about wellness. Atkins promotes a weight wellness journey, and it's been really easy."

Some of the couple's favorite Atkins foods to munch on include low-carb, high-protein gummy bears, chocolate peanut butter cups and slow-cooker tacos.

"It's been nice, too, because our kids are watching us," said Catherine, who is a mom to Samuel, 8, Isaiah, 7, and Mia, 5. "I think as women, as mothers, we have more of a responsibility to consider what we're saying, what we're putting out there to our children, and knowing that it's going to have a long-term effect on them."