Millions of people tune in to ABC on Monday nights from 8-10 p.m. to watch The Bachelor or The Bachelorette. It’s an addiction, really, and it’s hard to escape the never-ending cycle of watching “true love” unfold. Each season after the final proposal, one of America’s favorite rejected contestants becomes the newest bachelor/bachelorette for the next season, and that trend continues; that is, until now.
is a reality TV show where about 25 female contestants fight for the love of one bachelor. The season continues as the bachelor takes the contestants on multiple dates across the world, slowly eliminating contestants through “rose ceremonies” until the finale. Then, the bachelor will choose his “one true love” and have a grand proposal for the world to see. Once the season is over a new bachelor/bachelorette is chosen, and this upcoming season has taken a new twist by breaking tradition.
Nick Viall was chosen as the next bachelor even though he was not on the latest season, something that hasn’t happened in a long time.
Nick was the runner-up on both Andi Dorfman’s and Kaitlyn Bristowe’s seasons of The Bachelorette and was also on the latest season of Bachelor in Paradise, where former contestants from various seasons meet and live in a house for the summer to try and find “true love.” Unfortunately for Nick, he proposed twice on national television – both proposals ending in rejection – and had a messy breakup at the end of paradise. But, after the latest season of The Bachelorette, JoJo Fletcher’s season, America was shocked to find out that he would be returning for a fourth shot at love.
“I’m not happy,” said Christina Bropson, a senior and Education student. “I really wanted Luke to win it all. JoJo broke his heart and he was supposedly set to fly out to L.A. to start preparing for his season until the producers called and cancelled on him to change it to Nick. So unfair.”
“My friends and I joked that we’d apply for the show if Chase was announced as the new bachelor, but we weren’t expecting an ending like this,” said Jessica Porter, a senior Education student. “I’ve been watching The Bachelor and The Bachelorette for as long as I can remember. I’m not sure how I feel about the mix up.”
Leigh Ricciardi, a junior Psychology student, said, “I used to not like him when he was on Kaitlyn’s season because I thought it was unfair that he came on late. But then on Bachelor in Paradise I saw a different side of him. He’s genuine and wants what’s best for other people.” Jokingly, Ricciardi added, “I also think he’s a hot scruffy man.”
Ricciardi isn’t the only one who felt differently about Nick after Bachelor in Paradise.
Gabby Boucher, a senior and Health and Physical Education student, also felt a weak spot for nick after his premiere on Bachelor in Paradise. “I hated on him on The Bachelorette, especially Kaitlyn’s season because he came in late and stole the show. Then when he was on Bachelor in Paradise, I felt bad for him and wanted him to find love. Everyone there liked him and he wasn’t the center of the drama.”
I, too, felt differently which made me wonder if it was a way to boost his likability. First, he arrived in paradise looking much more fit than he had in the previous seasons of The Bachelorette. He came onto the show and immediately started seeing Amanda Stanton until Josh Murray, the man he’d lost to on Andi’s season, showed up and stole her away. This incident made many viewers feel bad for him and the audience grew some compassion for him. At the end of the season, Nick had been seeing Jen Saviano, but gently told her that he couldn’t be with her and that she deserved much better. He ended the relationship maturely and it made more and more people agree that he wasn’t so bad after all. Now, he’s the bachelor. Coincidence?
Even though I grew to like Nick a little more than I had before, I still wanted Luke or Chase to be the next bachelor. They were opposite types of people but both were viable options. Though Nick isn’t my top choice I still plan to watch his season; hopefully now he’ll have the proposal he’s been desperately trying to have. The season is set to premiere on ABC on Mondays at 8 p.m. in early 2017. The good news here is that, if nothing else, at least Chase and Luke are still single
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