Roses are red, violets are blue, Prince Farming is off the market, and his love for Whitney is true! Season 19 of the The Bachelor on ABC seemed to be one of the weirdest seasons thus far. From widows to virgins, the women all had their own story and a chance to win the heart of Prince Farming (or more formally known as Chris Soules).
On Jan. 5, the premiere of The Bachelor introduced audiences to 30 women who were ready to take their shot at love. The heart they were competing for was one of Season 18’s fan favorites. An attractive farmer from Arlington, Iowa, Chris set out to find a woman who was ready to become Mrs. Farmer, but from the very first episode it was clear that he didn’t know exactly what he had signed up for. As soon as the last woman got out of the limo to introduce herself, it was as though someone had screamed, “Let the games begin!”
The whole season was a series of ups and downs that created backstabbers, best friends, and belly laughs. There was Tara Eddings, who was so drunk on the first night that she could not even stand. Then there was Ashley Salter, who was hands down the most unusual contestant The Bachelor had ever seen. From her random babbling to her picking an onion off a tree during one of her interviews, there was never a moment when people knew what she was talking about. Viewers got their dosage of laughter from contestant Carly Waddell, who was quick to poke fun at women who she thought were being fake. But the most controversial contestant in Season 19 was Kelsey Poe, a conniving widow who made it clear that she was not on the show to make friends. Faking panic attacks and using her tragic life story to her advantage were just a few ways Poe tried to win Chris’ heart.
In the end, Chris narrowed it down to two women: Becca Tilley and Whitney Bischoff. Becca is a 26-year-old chiropractic assistant from Shreveport, LA. She was one of the two virgins on Season 19, and waited until she was in the final three to inform Chris. Becca believed this information would hurt her chances of winning Chris’ heart. As time went on, Becca expressed concerns about actually being in love. Though she had never told a man she loved him, she continuously stated that she thought what she was feeling might be love. The way Becca acted in each episode with Chris made it seem like she was ready for a boyfriend, not a husband.
Whitney, who made it clear she was ready to be a wife, was the one who went home with the grand prize. Every single episode, Whitney showed just how much she was in love with Mr. Farming. The way her face lit up each time she saw him, there was no questioning her feelings. Whitney is a 29-year-old fertility nurse from Louisville, KY. From day one she was memorable when she told Chris, “I make babies for a living!” Her bubbly personality and sweet southern accent warmed the hearts of viewers, which made the finale exciting when Chris proposed to her.
Of course the season would not be complete without some controversy surrounding the finale. Many people said that Chris actually wanted Becca, which I agree with. It seemed as though he was trying so hard to get Becca to tell him that she loved him, but she was not budging. A lot of scenes in the final two episodes showed Chris and Becca discussing what would happen once the cameras were turned off. Would she move to Arlington? Would she ever fall in love with him? Was she ever going to be ready for marriage? It seemed as though all the answers to those questions were no, so Chris was forced to choose Whitney. While I don’t question his love for Whitney, I just think he wished Becca had had stronger emotions.
Now that the cameras have been turned off for about six months, are Mr. and Mrs. Farming still in love? According to the reunion: yes! Both showed smiles and shared laughs on their first public outing together since the proposal. Whitney was one of the only contestants that admitted she would be okay with moving to Iowa, and they plan to do just that. But before they can, Chris is already moving on to another reality show, Dancing With The Stars. Previous bachelors and bachelorettes have competed on the reality show, but have admitted that it hurt their relationship. Whitney will most definitely be seen in the audience while her fiancé is dancing, but it seems like their time together will be cut very short.
Before ending the finale, the host of both The Bachelor and The Bachelorette announced who will be the next to try and find true love. In a shocking twist, it was revealed that there would be TWO bachelorettes next season. Contestants from this past season, Kaitlyn Bristowe and Britt Nilsson, are creating history by being on the first season to ever have two bachelorettes. How will this work? No one seems to know yet! Both women went on Jimmy Kimmel Live and appeared to be left in the dark on how Season 20 will be running. Many viewers are confused as to why ABC would alter the dynamic of the show, but after the same plot line for the past few years, I think it is time for a change.
IMAGE TAKEN from christiantoday.com
