The sacred Monday night ritual has returned: The Bachelor Watch party. Season 29, features bachelor Grant Ellis on his quest to find love. Grant, who was on Jenn Tran’s season of The Bachelorette, was honestly not my first choice for this season’s lead. He just wasn’t a stand-out guy from Jenn’s season. His whole thing revolved around how he played college and pro basketball, which bothered me a little, but who knows maybe he will grow on me. (Update from future Ella who has just watched Episode 2, he isn’t growing on me). This episode starts off with, you guessed it, Grant on a basketball court. Okay, maybe I’m being too hard on Grant. He seems nice and throughout the episode he proves to be a good listener and has insightful responses and questions for the girls. But first, we need to address something: Gran’t music career (?)
Before the first episode of his season, Grant drops a song, Party Girl on Apple Music and Spotify. Crazy choice, his season hasn’t even officially started and he already has to battle the only-going-on-the-show-to-promote-your-music-career allegations. To add to this, in all the previews of Grant’s season, he is singing, rapping, and playing an instrument in every other clip. The Bachelor franchise is no stranger to contestants who go on the show to promote their brand, but it’s rare for the lead to be doing so much.
With that context, let’s dive into the episode. Grant has a chance to find love with a cast of 25 women:
Alexe (27) a Pediatric Speech therapist
Alli Jo (30) a boxing trainer
Allyshia (29) an interior designer
Baily (27) a social media manager
Beverly (30) an Insurance salesperson
Carolina (28) a PR producer
Chloie (27) a model
Dina (31) an attorney
Ella (25) a luxury travel host
Juliana (28) a client service associate
Litita (31) a venture capitalist
Natalie (25) a PhD student
Parisa (29) a Pediatric behavior analyst
Rebekah (31) an ICU nurse
Rose (27) a RN
Sarafiena (29) an associate media director
Vicky (28) a Nightclub server
Zoe (27) a Tech engineer/model
Christina (26) a marketing director
J’Nae (28) account coordinator
Kelsey (26) an interior designer
Kyleigh (26) a retail manager
Neicey (32) a pediatrician
Radhika (28) an attorney
Savannah (27) a wedding planner
It’s not a good season premiere without some crazy entrances. Alexe brings her pet llama to the Bachelor mansion. Zoe brings a shirt gun packed with T-shirts with her and Grant’s faces printed on them. Juliana and Grant “lady and the tramp” a cannoli. And finally, Savannah (the wedding planner) brings a wedding cake with toppers that look like her and Grant.
Now that all the girls have been introduced, it’s time for self-proclaimed softie, Grant, to get some one on one time. It’s time to guess how many girls Grant kissed tonight.
Bachelor Watch Party Kiss Prediction:
Isabel: 4
Mack: 5
Emma: 7
Grace: 4
Me: 6
Grant ends up kissing 7 women: Zoe (t-shirt gun girl), Allyshia, Juliana (Cannoli girl), Litia, Alexe (llama girl), Vicky, and Rose. I would like to point out, that Grant seemed to want to kiss Carolina. She was crying while talking to him, so he decided to forgo it. Good move Grant. Needless to say, by the end of the night, Grant is covered in the girls’ body glitter.
Here are the highlights of the night. Bailey has somehow gotten a phone into the mansion and she and Grant take some selfies. Parisa shows Grant a presentation, which happens to be comprised of AI-generated photos of her and Grant’s future together (very How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days). J’Nae and Grant shoot some hoops. Alexe quizzes Grant on some French sayings.
There’s some drama in the house when an unknown woman walks into the mansion. Don’t worry girls, it’s just Grant’s older sister. (And Jesse Palmer has come prepared with a baby photo to show off). The girls get to talk to Grant’s sister and she’s able to give Grant some guidance.
And now it’s time for the First Impression Rose to be set out. Wait! There’s a new twist this season! Whoever gets the first impression rose will also be the recipient of the first one-on-one date. The girls are drunk and getting desperate to spend time with Grant.
It goes to Alexe! I like her so I’m glad. (Calling it now, she will be in the Final Four). Now that the FIR has been handed out, that means the rest of the girls have to go through the Rose Ceremony. Safe for the first night are: Alexe (FIR), Litia, Rose, Zoe, Ella, Alli Jo, Natalie, Juliana, Carolina, Beverly, Bailey, Dina, Chloie, Allyshia, Vicky, Rebekah, and Parisia. That means J’Nae, Pahikia, Kelsey, Christina, Kyleigh, Neicey and Savannah will be going home at night one.
That concludes the first episode recap of Grant’s season of The Bachelor. While he may not have been my first choice of lead, I’m trying to go into this season with a positive mindset. I like a lot of the girls, which means we’re going to get some good pairings with Jenn’s men on this summer’s Bachelor in Paradise. And I’m going to give Grant a shot, even though I think he has some red flags, like his “lone wolf tattoo”. (Another future Ella comment: Grant is very nice, however,r I am getting annoyed by the fact that he is constantly singing original songs that he has written… In the next episode play the fun drinking game, take a shot every time Grant mentions something music-related– you’ll be drunk by 8 pm).
(@grantellis_)
We’ll have to see if Grant is able to get his “happily ever after” by the end of this season!