Matt James Makes History as The Bachelor's First Black Male Lead

It took a nationwide reckoning over race to make it happen, but after 18 years and 24 seasons, The Bachelor is finally getting its first Black lead tonight in former college football pro Matt James. Originally cast as one of Clare Crawley’s Bachelorette suitors, Tyler Cameron's best pal was named the next Bachelor last June amid a chorus of calls for the show to fix a long-standing lack of diversity at the show’s top — both in front of and behind the camera.

Also today: Discovery launches its long-awaited streaming service, Love & Hip Hop returns with the first in a series of new crossover specials, and HBO brings an acclaimed Spanish horror series stateside. Here’s what’s new and noteworthy on TV this Monday:

SEASON PREMIERE: Matt James will meet his record-breaking 32 suitors as The Bachelor kicks off its 25th Season, shot in a quarantine bubble at a two thousand-acre Pennsylvania resort. Watch preview. 8:00 PM ET on ABC

NEW STREAMING PLATFORM: And the award for first streaming service launch of 2021 goes to Discovery+. Promising a vast catalog of content from Discovery Channel, Food Network, TLC, HGTV, ID, OWN, and Animal Planet, the service is also set to include exclusive new spin-offs from 90 Day Fiancé franchise, new shows from Chip and Joanna Gaines, and more. Details here.

SPECIAL PRESENTATION: The stars of all four Love & Hip Hop cities come together for the first time ever in Love & Hip Hop: Secrets Unlocked, the first of four specials from the franchise scheduled for this year. 8:00 PM ET on VH1

SERIES PREMIERE: A disgraced priest teams with a local mayor and a veterinarian to combat the combined forces of hell and a clandestine religious organization in 30 Coins, the critically-acclaimed new series from Spanish horror master Álex de la Iglesia. Watch trailer. Two episodes air back-to-back beginning at 9:00 PM ET on HBO

SEASON PREMIERE: Get ready for a new season of anxiety-inducing ball drops as The Wall returns for its fourth season in a special timeslot. 10:00 PM ET on NBC

NEW EPISODE: Calvin (Cedric the Entertainer) gets more than he bargained for on The Neighborhood after Dave (Max Greenfield) finally convinces him to join him in an escape room. 8:00 PM ET on CBS

SEASON FINALE: Rainn Wilson closes out a star-studded second season of Celebrity IOU as the former Office star enlists Drew and Jonathan Scott to help him surprise his son's nanny with a home makeover. 9:00 PM ET on HGTV

SPECIAL PRESENTATION: Independent Lens presents A Woman’s Work: The NFL’s Cheerleader Problem, chronicling the journeys of cheerleaders from the Raiders and the Bills, each of whom put their careers on the line to take legal action and fight for fair pay. Watch trailer. 10:00 PM ET on PBS

Jed Rosenzweig is the Founder and Publisher of Primetimer.