As in any The Bachelorette two-night finale, this season’s was filled with drama and wow – we need to talk about Ben coming back to the show.
Ben’s been my personal favorite this whole season. From starting important conversations about eating disorders to just being generally perfect, I was rooting for him the whole time. That’s why I was so excited, albeit pretty confused, when he came back to the show after being sent home.
Ben and Tayshia had great chemistry, but he struggled with opening up to her. It was understandable, TBH, considering he’s not just opening up to Tayshia but to all of Bachelor Nation. So while I’m glad Ben finally worked up the courage to tell Tayshia he loves her, it felt unfair to throw a wrench in her plans so close to a proposal, with only Zac and Ivan left in the running.
The timeline of his return should have been better thought out. At least when Bennett made his return to tell Tayshia he loves her there wasn’t an immediate proposal on the line. Don’t get me wrong, I loved seeing Ben again. But I felt really bad for Zac and Ivan, who’d been through so much already and now had to compete with Ben once again. The decision to let him come back really made me question whether the producers really wanted Tayshia to find love or if they wanted a dramatic episode.
While it makes for great drama, Chris Harrison has to tell these contestants “no” when they beg him to come back to the show! Luke Parker should not be the one setting precedents here, just saying.