'Golden Bachelor' premiere recap: Gerry Turner brings the smooches, unbridled joy and drama

Yes, there was drama and conniving on the first night of "The Golden Bachelor."

For those who feared the behind-the-back intrigue, melodrama and just plain oddness of past seasons would be missing were just plain wrong as 22 candidates, ages 60 to 75, met the first-ever senior-citizen Bachelor.

Widower Gerry Turner, 72, brought the laughter and dance moves and doled out first-night kisses despite promising his grandkids he wouldn't.

Mostly, though, what came through on "Golden Bachelor" was contestants enjoying the titillating prospects of new love after years of fearing that those days might be past.

As self-proclaimed "fun-monger" Faith, who wowed Turner by zooming up to the Bachelor Mansion on a motorcycle, said: "We may not be as tight-skinned or as in shape. But I am not dead yet."

Let's ride through some "Golden Bachelor" highlights:

'The Golden Bachelor' women are hereMeet the contestants for Gerry Turner's season.

April is primed for some 'Golden Bachelor' hellraising

April came to "Golden Bachelor" like a lion. The chicken-loving 65-year-old therapist from Port St. Lucie, Florida, immediately grabbed Gerry by the hand and plucked the tanned treasure away for private time, to the shock and dismayed clucking of the left-behind crew. As she cozied up to him, April presented a photo calendar in which every month was ― wait for it ― April.

"I'm a flirt," she said. "It's been 20 years for me. I need to get back into my game."

Oh, she's got game, and rightfully high expectations. "If this hen doesn't get the rose, there's going to be a lot of hellraising in the henhouse," she vowed. (Of course, she got one.)

Theresa showed her birthday suit, got cake-kissed

Sure, showing off her "birthday suit" upon meeting Gerry on her 70th birthday was cringy. But it worked for Theresa, a financial services professional from Shrewsbury, New Jersey. Gerry returned the favor while the two were alone by smudging her birthday cupcake on his lips anticipating she'd clean it off with a kiss. That worked too. "That was the best present ever," Theresa said after the first kiss as her love rivals looked on. Theresa was confident the confection would earn her the first impression rose. It didn't, but she took a rose, anyway, to make it to next week.

How to watch:The premiere of 'The Golden Bachelor' is almost here

Faith had the 'Golden Bachelor' believing

Faith, 60, floored Gerry with the motorcycle entrance and impressive hair shake after removing her helmet. The high school teacher from Benton City, Washington followed up with an impressive guitar solo serenade. It was hard to top that first impression, which earned a smooch within sight of the dismayed crew. Naturally, she took the first impression rose.

Sandra got Fs, as in frankly fantastic

Sandra, 75, worked magic in her entrance, pointing out she needed to take deep Zen breaths to stay calm. In the most soothing voice, the retired executive assistant from Doraville, Georgia exhaled a slew of expletives. That moment went deep into Gerry's brain. "I like the F words and the S words; that's how I am," she said later. Sandra likes R words too, as in rose, which she received.

Leslie dropped her Prince 'Sexy Dancer' connection, but moves too well

Leslie, 64, punked Gerry in a slow entrance with a walker. Then the Minneapolis-based fitness instructor threw off her grey wig and tossed the walker. If that wasn't shocking enough, her revelation that she dated Prince, whom she claimed wrote his 1979 song "Sexy Dancer" about her, was a mic drop. We're not even going to fact-check that, because it just should be true.

The only problem with this candidate is that Leslie keeps making Gerry dance, and that's not something we need to see every time they get together. Prince would definitely have another title for Gerry's dancing.

We'll never forget Jimmy Kimmel's Aunt Chippy

Can the "Golden Bachelor" go on without Aunt Chippy? Jimmy Kimmel's beautifully boisterous 83-year-old aunt stepped out of the limo and lit up the Bachelor Mansion in the greatest "Golden Bachelor" scene-stealing cameo.

"This ain't no 80-year-old club, let me tell you," Aunt Chippy proclaimed, sizing up the glam competition. "I'm in the wrong place."

Aunt Chippy later fell asleep on the couch, snoring through the rose ceremony and any chance for success.

"Did I get a rose?" Aunt Chippy asked when awoken by host Jesse Palmer. "Did I at least get a petal?" Alas, no. But she had an impact and one hell of a nap. "I want to take the couch home with me," she said.

Who got roses from 'Golden Bachelor' Gerry Turner?

Besides April, Theresa, Sandra and Faith, 11 other contestants received Turner roses to appear next week.

• Christina, 73, a retired purchasing manager from Sierra Madre, California.
• Edith, 60, a retired realtor from Downey, California.
• Ellen, 71, a retired teacher from Delray Beach, Florida.
• Jeanie, a retired project manager from Estill Springs, Tennessee.
• Joan, 60, a private school administrator from Rockland, Maryland.
• Kathy, 70, a retired educational consultant from Austin, Texas.
• Marina, 60, an educator from Los Angeles, California.
• Nancy, 60 a retired interior designer from Alexandria, Virginia.
• Natascha, 60, a pro-aging coach and midlife speaker, from NYC, NY.
• Peggy, 69, a dental hygienist from East Haven, Connecticut.
• Susan, 66, a hair and make-up artist from Aston, Pennsylvania.

'Golden Bachelor' is set for tears, more drama

Aunt Chippy wasn't the only one needing sleep. Taping of the arrival night ended at 7:30 a.m. "Ladies, do you realize it's the latest I have ever stayed up in my whole life?" Turner exclaimed.

Sixteen candidates ended the night with roses. And from the preview of future episodes — featuring Turner loving, smooching and in tears, there's the promise of more drama ahead.