Back in 2013, Clare Crawley appeared on our television screens looking for love. Now, seven years later with two stints on Bachelor in Paradise and a broken proposal from The Bachelor Winter Games, Clare is serving as the lead on The Bachelorette. Since the very beginning, she has had some harsh criticism.
Like most reality television, it was easy to rake Clare across some coals with people on Twitter for her decisions and her behavior. However, when Benoit Beauséjour-Savard went on the Almost Famous Podcast and said that he hardly recognized the Clare we were watching on television, it made me stop and think. Being her former fiancée, Benoit had to know something more than we were getting on television.
After sitting and thinking about it, Clare is so different from the typical Bachelorettes that ABC has chosen in the past. While people on Twitter might not find her interesting to watch, she has held to her standard of what The Bachelorette should be. Here are the qualities that make her a great Bachelorette, even if it hasn’t been great for us to watch on television.
- No games, but a clear winner
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In the first episode of the season, Tyler C. was a contestant that tried to be the good guy in the house by snitching on Yosef. Instead of letting accusations simmer, Clare brought the two together for a chat. While I think Clare should’ve sent both of them home right then and there, Yosef ends up playing a bigger role in Clare’s story in the long run.
Clare has said from the beginning that she’s there to find a husband, and the way she handled this situation shows that she isn’t playing anyone’s game. We know that she hardly wanted to play the producer’s game when she asked to speed along the guys.
- It’s deeper than surface-level
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In episode two of the season, we saw a contestant get sent home after he said that he signed up for the show because he thought Clare was beautiful. Clare asked him, “what else are you here for?” And while that was a cringe-worthy TV moment, especially since he hadn’t gotten the chance to get to know her yet, she ended up sending him home. Maybe she should’ve given him a chance, but at the same time, she knew she wanted something beyond that physical attraction.
When so many other guys came in and said that they loved her ambition, her attitude, and the way she carried herself, why should she keep around the guy that was there for just her looks? She was right to send him home. There were deeper connections already.
- Clare did not settle
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In the conversation with Yosef, I could see where his points made sense. However, in the end, he had terrible delivery, and he was beyond rude. While he tried to paint Clare in a bad light, he was on television disrespecting women. I can only imagine what kind of example he was setting for his daughter. I hope she knows that there are men in the world who won’t belittle you when they don’t get their way.
- Do not put your hands on her
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There was an instance in the third episode where she took Zach J. from Utah on a one-on-one date. Things got awkward really quick when Clare leaned in for a kiss and Zach turned away, unaware of what was starting to happen. In an attempt at a redo, Zach grabs her, twice, in a way that looks so aggressive that I was uncomfortable watching it. The two are interrupted by Clare’s dog, and then Clare asks Chris Harrison to send Zach home during dinner.
It’s hard not to feel for Clare when she is on the floor with her dog after this instance. I hope every man knows the concept of no and staying away from a girl once she has rejected you. Once things escalate to a physical level, you can’t take it back, and I can’t imagine an apology good enough after that. Zach didn’t deserve an answer as to why he was rejected the second he put his hand around her throat.
- Clare knew and got exactly what she wanted
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Most importantly, she found love, which is what the purpose of this show is. While the producers have edited Clare in a way that made it seem like she was hard to work with because she knew who she wanted, she shouldn’t be blamed for that. Many Bachelorettes knew on night one, and the audience knew with their first impression rose: Jojo Fletcher with Jordan Rogers, Kaitlyn Bristowe with Shawn Booth, and Becca Kufrin and Garret Yrigoyen.
The others had unique dates and adventures that could probably take their minds off of being in love. Clare was stuck in this hotel, with dates that seemed to be couple-therapy sessions, so she had nothing much to do other than think about love. It’s not her fault she knew it was Dale and couldn’t get her head in the game.
While Clare’s season was cut short because producers couldn’t create great television with her, I would argue that Clare’s journey to love worked out exactly how it was supposed to. Cheers to Clare for finding love and resetting production, and to the start of Tayshia Adams as Bachelorette. This coming week, we’re going to get a Clare and Dale tell all that I believe will solidify their love story once and for all, and start Tayshia’s wonderful journey.