Since 2002, ABC has provided us with endless laughs, cringe-filled moments, extravagant dates and over-the-top drama with hit reality tv show The Bachelor. Many people may wonder how the franchise remains so successful without getting old. It makes sense; how many ways can you redo a skydiving date or recreate an iconic “villain”? Nonetheless, each and every season is filled with new plot twists, each crazier than the last. As much as I don’t always want to admit it, I’m a sucker for this dating show, and I feel myself on the edge of my seat during each rose ceremony.
For those who don’t know, The Bachelor is most known for its strategic setup, with approximately 25 women vying for one man through a weekly elimination, usually ending in an engagement. If you aren’t familiar with Corinne’s nanny, Sean and Catherine’s admirable yet quirky love story or Colton’s infamous fence jump, then I urge you to start binge-watching.
I will admit, I was skeptical of this season because for the first time in years, the man chosen for The Bachelor had never been a contestant on a previous season. Usually, I like to familiarize myself with the personality and background of the lead. However, Matt James has proven me wrong, as he seems to know exactly what to do even without prior experience. In fact, James broke the record for the number of contestants who applied for this season.
What I have enjoyed thus far about this season is it is truly unlike any other for several reasons:
- There is a group of “bullies” rather than the typical villain
-
I’ve never seen such an evident divide among the women in the house until this season. Behind the scenes in each season, it is likely that contestants will get closer with certain people while less close with others. However, this season’s distinction is rather easy to pick up on. More specifically, there’s a group of “mean girls” in the house. Watching how James handled this situation made me support him that much more.
- There were FIVE new contestants a few weeks into the season
-
You heard that right. Just about four weeks into the process, the women were surprised to see that five new girls were the new game-changer. In fact, one of the women even got the next one-on-one date. Many of the women felt this was unfair, threatening their deep connections they worked hard to build. Watching this drama play out was unmatched.
- This is the first season where The Bachelor has never been in love before
-
Typically, people who apply to become the next Bachelor have been in love multiple times. However, James has never experienced the feeling of being in love, which makes people question whether he’s ready for a proposal. Nonetheless, based on the connections he is currently forming, I see a lot of potential.
- Queen Victoria. Period.
-
Throughout all 25 seasons, I’ve seen just about every type of “villain”: the mean villain, the funny villain and the competitive villain. However, Victoria is truly incomparable because of her sass and confidence. She even went as far as to take the crown off of one of the new contestant’s heads, claiming it belonged to her because she is a queen. Sometimes, these contestants never fail to shock me.
Whether you’re new to The Bachelor franchise or are a Bachelor enthusiast, if you aren’t watching this season already, I think it’s time to start catching up before the epic season finale.