It’s that time of year again—Mondays have officially transformed from being the bane of our existence to the main event, filled with drama, gasps, and far too much popcorn. That’s right, The Bachelor is back, and we’re already three weeks deep into season 29. Buckle up and beware of spoilers as we break down the juicy chaos so far.
Meet Your Bachelor: Grant Ellis
Say hello to Grant Ellis, our 31-year-old leading man from New Jersey. You may remember him from Jenn Tran’s recent season of The Bachelorette, where he made it all the way to week 6 before getting heartbroken. But don’t worry, he’s back, camera-ready, and still on the hunt for love (or so we hope).
So, what sets Ellis apart? Well, he’s already worn his heart on his sleeve, opening up about his rocky family past. Between his father’s struggles with addiction and his parents’ divorce, Ellis has made it clear that he’s serious about finding real love, and he’s not afraid to get deep about it. But despite all that vulnerability, Bachelor Nation is still giving him the side-eye. Is he really here for romance? Or just the reality TV fame?
After a stint playing professional basketball overseas, Ellis pivoted to a career as a day trader (hence, the finance-themed group date). But wait, there’s more… In early 2025, just before his season premiered, Ellis dropped his single: Party Girls. Coincidence? Fans don’t think so. And, well, Bachelor Nation does not receive clout chasers well (see Jed from Bachelorette season 15).
The Drama So Far…
Week 1: First Impressions and First Kisses (Lots of Them)
Cue the limo arrivals! We got a surplus of basketball puns, cringe-inducing hugs, and a real “No Drama Llama” (thanks, Alexe). Bailey awkwardly turned Grant into her personal photographer, and Zoe nearly took out a fellow contestant with a T-shirt gun. You can’t make this stuff up.
And because this is The Bachelor, Grant wasted no time and kissed a whopping five women on night one. His sister even made a surprise entrance, only to contribute absolutely nothing (besides some tension). By the end of the night, the mansion was already feeling a little less crowded as we said goodbye to seven hopefuls, leaving 18 women still in the running.
Week 2: Hoops, Hooks, and Heartbreak
The first group date was an oh-so-predictable basketball showdown, and if you didn’t already have a villain pick, enter: Zoe. She stirred up enough drama to make my watch party collectively groan whenever she appeared on screen.
But the real fireworks came on the second group date, where the ladies had to write and perform a song for Grant (which is not helping his fame chasing popstar allegations). Carolina, the clear front-runner, delivered a sexy Spanish serenade that left Grant speechless and the other women steaming. Their celebratory dance quickly turned into an intense, in-front-of-everyone makeout session, which was not received well.
The cocktail party that followed? Awkward. The women were (rightfully) put off by Grant’s PDA, while he insisted he did nothing wrong. Red flag? Possibly. Suspicion level? High.
And with that, we waved goodbye to four more contestants, leaving just 14 women still vying for Grant’s heart (or screen time).
Week 3: Celebrity Sightings, Accusations, and Surprising Goodbyes
Grant kicked off week 3 with a finance themed group date with appearances by Daniel Lubetsky, founder of KIND snacks, and comedian Hannah Berner. While the date was a bit random, Bailey won enough “Grant Bucks” to “buy” one of his t-shirts to sleep in, a little creepy if you ask me.
Zoe stirred up some drama in the house after expressing some complaints about the group date to the other women. Sarafina called Zoe’s dress the “the shortest dress I’ve ever seen in my life,” and Grant gave the girls a little talking to about playing nice.
Carolina, remember her from the controversial make out sesh, was whisked away to Vegas, where she and Grant shared their vulnerabilities over a rooftop dinner. However, Carolina’s welcome back to the house wasn’t as pleasant as planned because when she got back, Rose dropped a dirty little secret: Grant told Rose that he was thinking of her while dancing with Carolina. Of course our already shady bachelor denies this accusation while gaslighting both girls into feeling even worse.
Our group has officially dwindled down to 10 eligible women and 1 bachelor that this fan likes less by the day.
With tension on the rise, Grant’s intentions in question, and the drama hitting new heights, one thing’s for sure—this season is already delivering the chaos we crave. Stay tuned, Bachelor Nation, because it’s only going to get messier from here.