Season 21 of "The Bachelor" has been by far the most entertaining and dramatic yet. With a completely incompetent bachelor, a mild alcoholic front-runner, and the most drama filled season imaginable, you missed out on a lot. I hope whatever else you were doing was worth it.
You’ve undoubtedly heard of some contestants: Our Lord and Savior Rachel, Make America Corinne Again, and Swamp Rat Taylor, just to name a few. Chances are, if you’ve fought with a girlfriend who’s been watching, she may have hit you with a term, “Emotional Intelligence,” and that too stems back from "The Bachelor" Season 21. Iconic quotes about the napping habits of our previous presidents and basketball stars have come out, and yes, you guessed it, they too come from "The Bachelor." So even if you didn’t attend “Jade and Tanner’s Wedding,” or you chose not to participate in “farm chores,” or maybe you relate to your heart being gold, or your vagina being platinum. Regardless of whether or not you understand or relate to any of these Bachelor references, here are the top ten most entertaining moments of season 21 of "The Bachelor" as we look back on where we’ve been at the end of this rollercoaster of a season.
10. XOXO GOSSIP GIRL
Every millennial knows and understands the quote, “XOXO Gossip Girl.” The token phrase that ended nearly every episode of Gossip Girl; a phrase that has a strong connection with the art of being petty and shady. While we totally understand and have come to expect the phrase to come up in arguments, on the internet, and among other forums, the phrase made a guest appearance in "The Bachelor" this season which leads us all for a wild ride. Marking the beginning of the craziest and quite possibly the most entertaining contestant ever on "The Bachelor," Corinne came into our lives full force and taught us that she as ready to win.
9. Alexis, The Dolphin Shark
The first episode of season 21 had, as we all have come to know and expect, first impressions. A rose is given to the most memorable girl for the bachelor, the contestants all dress in their very best and often use puns or other means to capture the attention of the bachelor, and we most importantly learn who everyone in the season is. While first impressions mean lots and an unnecessary amount of contestants all wore red dresses which sparked a panic that spread like a wildfire, one contestant's outfit stood out most from the crowd. Alexis, an aspiring dolphin trainer from New Jersey hoped to impress and score a rose from Nick the very first night through her interesting outfit choice. The dolphin enthusiast chose to sport a shark Halloween costume, claiming it to be a dolphin. Later in the night she even swam around in the pool in her costume and imitated dolphin noises.
8. Nick Crying
Nick Viall, quite possibly the most irritating person I have ever seen on a reality tv show (and that includes Taylor from this season) had quite the reputation for letting the tears roll. Now before I dive in, I would like to remind you that my comments on Nick’s behavior stem nowhere from the gender roles we place on men in our society, but rather from the poor timing and sheer inappropriate manner that crying occurred in. While a dating show can get messy, as emotions are always in play, it seemed very likely that someone who was rejected twice when he proposed to two women, would get emotional during his own quest to find love. Nick is an emotional guy, which is totally acceptable but decided to show his emotions at inappropriate times. A suggestion I might have for Nick if he ends up not finding the one this season, would be to try not to cry when breaking up with a girl. If you decided that a relationship with someone isn’t worth continuing, that’s fine and respectable, but do not give them mixed signals suggesting that you have more feelings for them than you say and that a relationship might be possible again in the future. Just don’t break up with someone and be the one crying in general, not a good idea.
7. Rachel, Literally All The Time
Rachel, the star of "The Bachelorette" season 13, was announced early in this season of "The Bachelor." While it does make sense that a smart, attractive, and motivated woman would be the one chosen for such potential, it brought out something interesting in all of us. Realizing that Nick would not choose Rachel, even before she was asked to leave, I think we all began to realize that we did not want Nick to have “the best woman” in the contestant pool. Nick Viall is not a great guy, and he doesn’t deserve someone amazing. Sure everyone deserves happiness, but does Nick Viall deserve someone significantly better than him if he continues to be exposed as a shady and morally gray individual? If you ask me, Rachel was lucky and now has a true chance at finding someone worth her time.
6. Jade and Tanner's Wedding 9 Months Ago
If you watched even the first episode, you know all about “Jade and Tanner’s Wedding nine months ago.” In the beginning, it seemed like what would come from this wedding, what should be a happy and positive time, would be full of drama and entertainment. Liz, a contestant on the show, was accepted onto the show and then revealed that she had slept with Nick before the show, nine months prior to Jade and Tanner’s wedding. What spelled out great drama and tension that could last for an entire season quickly became nonexistent after the third episode of the season. This all took a quick turn when the producers of the show began to really beat a dead horse. If you’re looking for a new drinking game, watch the first three episodes of "The Bachelor" Season 21 and take a shot every time you hear “Jade and Tanner’s Wedding.” On second thought, you might not make it past the first episode.
5. Raven's First Orgasm
*Disclaimer, I personally think Raven is absolute trash and will do my best to keep my opinions separate from discussing her entertaining story arc at the very least.*
Raven, the contestant from Hoxie, Arkansas, who wowed everyone with her roller blading skills and her ability to drive an ATV through the mud while wearing white clothes, had a secret up her sleeve the entire season. Revealed in the fantasy suite episode of the season, Raven had never experienced an orgasm before in her life. With other moments being a fright in a haunted Louisiana mansion, and the adorable reveal that her father is now cancer free, Raven always seemed to capture our attention just when we were officially done with her. Now, the small town girl with family values that correlate well with Nick’s personality had some new experiences under her belt, and might just leave with a ring if she plays her cards right.
4. Presidents and... Professional Basketball Players?
What do Michael Jordan and Abraham Lincoln have in common? According to Corinne, they both took naps. While this quote alone is probably more than enough to write an article on itself, I think it’s important to realize that this is only one of many quotes that we have been blessed with by Corinne herself. Corinne herself is a work of modern art, with her open and up-front personality, and to combine it with her interesting and quirky manner of discussion, we reach a connection that seems to just make us all question how Nick could have given up the chance to spend a lifetime with the woman. “Michael Jordan took naps. Abraham Lincoln took naps.” If these two great men could take naps and still manage to be successful, then so can Corinne and I!
3. "Make America Corinne Again"
All aboard the Corinne express. The most important thing you will need to know about this season of "The Bachelor" all deviates from one primary source, Corinne. In the heat of an epic battle, Corinne coined the slogan, that could potentially win presidential campaigns if she thought about it, “Make America Corinne Again.” What better way to assert dominance than by projecting your own self-confidence through a statement that suggests you are excellent enough to have an entire country designed around you?
2. The Voodoo Doll
In the heart of Creole culture, the Louisiana Bayou, two women battled to the death (essentially) for the love of one man. Corinne and Taylor journeyed into the swamp for a two-on-one date with Nick, conveniently after the destructive rampage that had been causing a rift between the contestants in the house. Corinne personally approached the shaman and asked for a voodoo doll that she could use to grant bad luck upon Taylor. While it was concerning and sad to see her resort to wishing bad things upon someone, the drama was in full swing and Taylor would be asked to leave "The Bachelor" that evening.
1. Taylor vs. Corinne
A woman who runs a multi-million dollar company and a woman with a master’s degree from John’s Hopkins go in tooth and nail for each other in the ultimate battle for success. Corinne and Taylor’s drama can be traced all the way back to her napping comment made in response to her sleeping through a rose ceremony because she had already received immunity for the week. Taylor, frustrated by Corinne’s disrespectful behavior, took it upon herself to begin speaking disrespectfully about Corinne without actually knowing her on a personal basis. My opinions on who is right and wrong on the matter aside, the petty drama began as something entertaining and grew into so much more as the two continued to hash it out. The sheer immaturity of both became the focal point of the season and the message of finding love had been lost, along with the audience’s attention for Nick Viall. Ultimately, Corinne won the battle, with Taylor being sent home on their Louisiana two-on-one date, which then resulted in Taylor returning to interrupt Corinne and Nick on a now one-on-one date after being asked to leave. While Corinne had always exuded a level of immaturity and child-like behavior, I was more so disappointed in Taylor, who had always attempted to be professional and seen as a mature woman. After not getting her way, Taylor threw the ultimate reality tv tantrum and showed the world her true colors, intentionally attempting to sabotage Corinne and her own chance at success in a manner that can only be compared to as, “If I can’t have him, nobody can.”
Season 21 of "The Bachelor" was the first season I had watched, and while I hope I will be able to say it was also the last, I refrain from making that comment right now. I can whole-heartedly exclaim that I will be watching my first season of "The Bachelorette" this summer, as I watch Rachel on her journey to find love and happiness. I won’t make a prediction on the results of this season of "The Bachelor," but regardless, I feel that Nick truly isn’t in love with Raven or Vanessa. Only one more day until the world finds out what will happen, and all I know is that regardless, Nick gave up many women who had been better fits for him, merely to find himself unhappy with the opportunities he now faces.
Regardless of Nick's ending (happy or not), tune into the season finale of The Bachelor for what can only be more entertaining and funny moments!
