It’s that time of year again…"Bachelor" season! With a new season fully upon us, we now have the opportunity to watch this year’s leading man, the adorable Ben Higgins, in his search for love. Personally, I believe Ben is arguably one of the nicest, most genuine guys the show has had to date. His looks definitely don’t hurt, either. Despite his good intentions, however, there’s always sure to be bumps along the road.
This leads us to the philosophical question: is the Bachelor truly the Bachelor without drama and breakdowns squeezed between moments of outlandish dates and intimate moments? Despite the fact that the show is still in its early stages, it’s definitely been filled with its fair share of all of these things. Throughout all these moments, I’ve had many thoughts running through my head. Some have been negative, some positive, and some have just stemmed from straight-up confusion. Despite their origins, however, I’d like to share with you some of the most common thoughts I’ve had while watching "The Bachelor" this season.
1. Is Ben even real? He seems too perfect.
As I mentioned earlier, Ben seems like a genuinely nice person that actually pays attention to what the women say. I remember in an earlier episode, he sat down with some of them individually and gave them sentimental things during one of the cocktail parties (Does anyone remember the episode where he made hair clips with mother of two Amanda?). I like that Ben is such a great person, inside and out, who isn’t afraid to show his heart on his sleeve. When he likes a girl, he isn’t afraid to show it, whether it’s through his words or through actions. I also love how you can tell when he’s smitten with a girl because he gets awkward, but in the cutest way possible. He’s the total package, a fact I doubt many would contradict.
2. How is it possible for Olivia to get more annoying by the episode? Followed by: Why is Olivia even still here?
I’m honestly a little disappointed with how Olivia has turned out this season. In the season premiere episode, she seemed like a sweet girl. She and Ben immediately hit it off and anyone could see that the chemistry was there. However, by episode two, we got a glimpse into the “real” Olivia, i.e. a selfish, over-confident girl that is insensitive to the feelings of the other girls and even to Ben at times. Her constant interviews show how competitive she is, with her often saying things in the form of “He’s my husband. These other girls need to back off.” Or, “I don’t know why these other girls are even here when I’m the future Mrs. Higgins.” A lot of her comments are plain rude, as well as disrespectful to the other girls. I feel like it is only a matter of time before Ben sees through the façade she puts up when he’s around. Also, can we please talk about the fact that she always opens up her mouth really wide when doing interviews? What’s up with that and how do we get here to stop? It’s a little unnatural how often she does this.
3. I want to live in that mansion.
The California mansion the contestants reside in during the show is truly an amazing house. I can’t lie, it looks like the ultimate hangout place. Throughout the seasons, we’ve gotten to see glimpses of it here and there. Although we have yet to be shown a formal tour, it looks spectacular. Complete with a backyard pool, as well as the infamous front entryway where the newest bachelor or bachelorette waits to meet the potential love interests, this mansion seemingly has it all. Searching online, I was even able to find that it has around 8,000 square feet, as well as six bedrooms and nine bathrooms! This house has everything, and I can only imagine how much fun it would be to live there, even if it was only temporarily.
4. How are these girls able take that much time off from their jobs?
This has been a question I’ve always wondered when seeing the contestants’ professions. While some of them outright state they are unemployed, and we can assume others are simply by their descriptions (does anyone remember this season’s chicken enthusiast?), many of them also have jobs that don’t seem very lenient. It makes me question how they brought up the topic with their bosses about leaving for an unknown extended amount of time to be on a reality show. I know over the years, some contestants have spoken about being forced to quit their jobs to be on the show. However, for those that have kept their occupations, it makes me wonder who they’re working for and if I’d be able to take off that much time if I started working there.
5. Can there just be one episode where one girl doesn’t start drama with another girl?
It seems like every episode, there is some sort of drama that unfolds. The fact that most of it occurs over petty reasons that make me want to roll my eyes. It makes me wonder if these grown women act like this in their daily lives or if they’re just playing it up for the camera. Either way, I wish that the women would get over their misunderstandings and differences so everyone could get along. While I understand the Bachelor is a competition, it doesn’t do anyone any good when one girl is calling out another girl when she’s sitting by the bachelor (I’m looking at you, Amber). It simply creates more tension in the room, which is already so noticeable that I find myself cringing at times. In addition, the girls that complain about how hard it is for them to see him with other girls, I can only shake my head. Didn’t they know that was part of the game when they signed up? Have they even watched the Bachelor before?
6. I wish I could have my own private concert/plane on my date.
I’m convinced there is no such thing as a “normal” date on the Bachelor. Every excursion seems to be filled with outlandish details, whether it’s a private helicopter ride or a private, romantic dinner followed by a private concert. If it’s not one of those kinds of dates, it then usually involves traveling to an exotic, far-off location. While these dates are obviously amazing, they’re not realistic, and they set the relationship bar extremely high. It makes me wonder if Ben and the girl he chooses will have a hard time adjusting to going on dates that aren’t so extravagant after the cameras are gone.
7. I hope Ben finds a girl that’s in it for the right reasons.
In the end, the hope is that Ben will find someone he loves and is ready to take that next step with. However, it’s impossible to overlook the fact that there are contestants every year that aren’t in it for that reason. Some of them are simply seeking their fifteen minutes of fame on national television. It’s a shame but a sad reality that is often faced on the show. I can only imagine the heartbreak Ben would endure if the woman he chose turned out to be a girl that was in it simply for the fame, and not for him. My only hope is that by the season finale, Ben will be proposing to the love of his life and that they will live happily ever after.
