Holy Bachelor Finale Batman
Okay, so I don’t talk reality TV much here on the blog (that might change though, because I am a crazy person and reality TV is lyfe) but something happened this week that shook the world (or at least it shook Twitter). For once, Chris Harrison wasn’t lying when he promised us THE MOST DRAMATIC FINALE IN BACHELOR HISTORY. To be completely fair and accurate, nothing happened on the finale that hasn’t happened before, but it happened so long ago that most current Bach fans weren’t around the first time, and there was that whole unedited scene business (more on that later). It really was a crazy five hours of television, and I have all the thoughts, and no one to talk about them with, so you’re stuck with me, friends.
Okay, a quick recap in case you missed it or like have an actual life: Arie, after one of the most boring seasons in the history of The Bachelor, proposed to Becca. Becca is awesome-funny, smart, sweet, beautiful-she’s got it all. After being engaged for approximately six weeks, Arie makes contact with his second choice, Lauren, through Instagram and then over the phone. Apparently he tells Becca he needs closure while actually telling Lauren he can’t stop thinking about her. This all happens off camera. Arie decides he made a mistake in dumping Lauren and proposing to Becca so he calls up Chris Harrison and the Bach producers to arrange for a camera crew to stop by his next weekend getaway with Becca. Arie and Becca meet up at a private house in LA, Becca thinking she is there for one of the “Happy Couple” weekends the final pair gets to have during those awkward few months between when filming ends and when the finale airs. Instead, Arie breaks up with her on camera, displaying an alarmingly absent sense of empathy. He sits and watches her cry and refuses to leave even when she repeatedly asks him to go. It’s the first time a reality show has ever aired an unedited scene and -spoiler alert-it needed to be edited. It’s about thirty minutes of a painful break up, and it was brutal. The next night After the Final Rose airs, and we see Becca confront Arie in her poised, badass way. Then we see Arie propose to Lauren because, you know, there’s nothing as romantic as proposing to the girl you dumped with you ex-fiance feet away from you. The show ended on a high note with the announcement of Becca as the next Bachelorette. It was basically a three hour roller coaster of emotions (the first two hours were boring as shit).
(ABC/Paul Hebert)
I have nothing to say about this miraculous travesty that hasn’t already been said, but there are some key points I want to make. The main argument swirling around Twitter was whether or not ABC should have aired the breakup footage. I am in the hard no camp on this one, though I do think it ended up benefiting Becca in the long run because she came off like a classy champ and Arie looked like a psychotic asshole. Becca said on ATFR that she was fine with it being filmed, however, I think she might have had a different answer if she hadn’t already known she was going to be the Bachelorette. ABC faced a lot of social media hate for airing the scene, so I’m sure they prodded her to make that statement. Arie said he wanted to show the breakup so that the world could see it was his fault, and not Becca’s. Again, he said this after the fact, after America railed on him (number one trending topic on Twitter for hours) for filming such a private and personal moment. Based on what he said (and didn’t say) during the breakup itself, I don’t think his motivation for filming the scene had anything to do with wanting Becca to come out on top. She did, and deservedly so, but I don’t think that was his intention.
Same girls, same. (ABC/Paul Hebert)
To be totally and completely honest, I could not give a fuck less what happens to Arie and Lauren in the future. I guess I’m cool with them being happy, but they are so inconsequential at this point that I don’t even care. If they make it, cool, if not, okay. **shrug** However, I don’t think it’s right to hate on Lauren at this point. Who hasn’t been dumped and then dreamed of the moment when the ex comes back and says how wrong he is and how much he screwed up? Lauren is in love with Arie, and whatever you think about her personality (or lack thereof) doesn’t really matter. She took him back because she loves him, not because she hates Becca. It has nothing to do with that. I really, really hate how quickly women blame the other woman. Don’t blame the woman for being with your man, blame your man for straying in the first place. So let’s lay off Lauren, m’kay? She deserves our pity, because all she’s going to hear for the rest of her foreseeable future is Arie’s moans and “I love that”.
Speaking of gal power, the best thing to come out of this season is the badass tribe of women supporting Becca. Of course, she has her friends from the show, who have shown amazing solidarity considering just a few weeks ago they were all making out with the same dude. And it’s awesome to see all of the strangers supporting Becca on social media, many of whom began Venmoing her money so she could buy herself a drink (and because she’s a stellar human being, she donated it all to Stand Up to Cancer). WOMEN SUPPORTING WOMEN. Let us take that away from this experience.
(ABC/Paul Hebert)
I am legitimately excited for the next season of The Bachelorette, and I can’t wait to see some more of Becca’s men, especially Lincoln with his adorable accent, and Banjo Guy, because well, he’s got a banjo. No matter how shitty things felt in the moment, Becca, you came out the winner in this situation. Homegirl walked away with a pair of Louboutins, a kickass squad, and the chance to find her dream mans. #winning
Did you watch this season of The Bachelor? What did you think of all the shenanigans?
March 12, 2018 @ 9:02 am
I was also sadly hooked on this season of the Bachelor, haha! I had taken a hiatus for a few years but when I heard Arie was coming back I was very curious so I watched this one, and now I’ll continue to watch for Becca (I know, this is how they hook us!). I couldn’t believe Arie was that much of a jerk. Both women I think handled things really well. But seriously, here is a guy who just goes on about how much he wants to find a wife and how important this is to him, and then he proposes to the wrong woman? And I thought it was pretty messed up to then propose to Lauren on After the Final Rose. Did you not learn anything about proposing? Maybe you should wait, give it a little time! If I were Lauren I totally understand about taking back the guy you’re in love with who realized he was wrong, but I might be a little hesitant about agreeing to marry him so quickly.