I have been a fan of the Bachelor since Trista and Ryan’s season. My mom and I used to watch together, and over the years, I’ve found a group of girlfriends who love and appreciate the show as much as I do. So, this season, I thought it would be fun to recap the Bachelor.
When they announced Matt as the Bachelor earlier this year, I wasn’t sure what to think. He’s the best friend of Hannah Brown’s runner up, Tyler Cameron (and I do love me some Tyler). But, after watching this first episode, I’m holding out for a good, old-fashioned love story. We got a great love story with Tayshia and Zac and Clare and Dale last season, and I’m ready for another one.
First of all, how cute is Matt’s mom? I love their relationship, buuuuut I am a *bit* concerned that he’s never been in love before. He wants someone who has “weathered storms,” but the majority of the cast are women in their early 20s. What trials could they have been through?
This season takes place at Nemacolin Resort in Pennsylvania, and while it won’t have all the travel we have been used to – or the Bachelor Mansion – it looks gorgeous. And, call me old fashioned, but I really enjoyed Tayshia and Clare’s season because they had to come up with some really creative dates that resembled some real-world dates we might all go on at some point.
Now, I do watch the seasons spoiled – thank you, Reality Steve, but I won’t write about any of the spoilers I’ve read in my recaps for those of you who prefer to watch unspoiled.
Each season, several of the women get special intro packages. This year, they featured a ballerina, the show’s first deaf contestant, an attorney, a contestant who was born and raised in Ethiopia and a broadcast journalist- turned caregiver for her dad.
Bless his heart, Matt looked so nervous before the women pulled up in the limos. Matt did do something that has not happened before. He pulled Chris aside for a chat right before the limos were pulling up. He and Christ touched on a conversation about race, and he hit some key points. As the product of an interracial marriage, Matt’s main concern lies with not wanting to put pressure on himself to choose someone based solely on race. I hope these conversations are explored a bit deeper throughout the season.
The Bachelor Contestants
The first woman out of the limo is Bri. Loved her green dress. Next up we have Rachael, 24, a graphic designer. Next, is Sarah, the broadcast journalist mentioned above. Jessenia, social media marketer, 27, hails from Texas. Chelsea, 28, is a runway model. She is tall. Matt towered over most of the women, but she is almost as tall as he is. Mari, 24, is a marketing director.
The second limo pulls up. Magi is first out of the second limo. She is the contestant from Ethiopia. Carolyn, 30, is a journalist from LA. She gave Matt some lavender (?). Sydney, 28, is a marketing specialist. Kristin, 27, is the attorney. She found Matt guilty of being fine. Anna brought Matt a survival kit complete with red flags.
We knew it wouldn’t be long before the antics began. Khayla pulled up in an old school truck, which Matt seemed to appreciate
Serena was the first contestant to trip on the stairs. It was really only a matter of time. (They did these girls wrong with the amount of stairs they needed to climb.) Serena P., who is 5’2″, brought a stool. Alicia, the professional ballerina, showed us some of her moves right out of the limo. The next contestant, Saneh, showed up in goat slippers. Alana reenacted a scene out of Lady and the Tramp for the first kiss of the evening.
Oh boy. Kaili showed up in lingerie. She’s a hostess. Wife material? I’m not so sure.
The third limo pulls up. I’m entering the point of my evening where I’m not going to be able to keep up with all of them. Abigail, the first deaf contestant, comes out and explains right away that she is deaf. Corinne is up next, and she seems really sweet. Marylynn, 28, felt like she was brought here to meet Matt. Emani is next. Lauren, an attorney, had one of the prettiest dresses of the evening. Pieper is next, love the name. Her last name is “James.”
Next up, we have a pizza delivery car. Out pops, MJ. She brought Matt some pizza.
Katie is up next. She brought a little “friend” for Matt. I’ll leave it to your imagination, but her “friend” got her through the pandemic – during the lonely times. She named her little friend, M.J. M.J. got the very first black box of the season.
Kimberly arrived with a fish. Cassandra a social worker, showed up rocking a Mrs. James jersey. Illeana asked Matt if she could put her balls (her meatballs) in his mouth. (these girls are wild). Kit, 21, a socialite from New York, showed up in a Bentley.
Our next contestant, Victoria (like the Queen) was carried in on a throne: very Cinderella vibes. She was our second contestant of the evening to trip on those stairs.
Matt started the evening off with a prayer. He was the first contestant I’ve seen do that. Amen to that, Reverend Matt James. I hope he can find a hidden gem in that group of woman who appreciates his faith and can keep the man grounded. It should be a heck of a season – per the usual.
Eliminations
- Kimberly: our fish thrower did not make the final cut
- Saneh: Matt must prefer human feet opposed to goat feet
- Amber: sorry – there were so many women – I don’t really remember an Amber.
- Alicia: the ballerina
- Emani
- Corrine
- Carolyn: the journalist
- Casandra: the girl who showed up in a Mrs. James jersey
Projections
The women who stood out to me right away were:
- Abigail – she seems very down to earth and grounded. She also got the first impression rose, which has typically indicated that a contestant will go far based on past seasons.
- This might be an unpopular opinion, but I also really enjoyed Katie (the girl who arrived with her “friend”). She seems like she doesn’t take herself too seriously.
- Bri. She also seemed down to earth, and I loved her smile.
- Sarah: based on my first impressions of the women, Sarah seems like she has faced some adversity in her life, which I think would be make a an emotionally mature partner for someone.
- Rachel: She teared up after Matt’s prayer, and she seemed like she has the potential to take this process seriously.
The villain: Victoria (like the Queen)
Now, I don’t always love the first few episodes of the Bachelor because there are soooo many women to keep up with and it can be difficult to tell them all apart. I’ll be back with recaps every Tuesday throughout the season!
