To Ring or Not to Ring: Bachelorette Final Rose, Part 2

Not-So Breaking News in Bachelor Nation: ERICH sent a series of flirty and wrong-reasons-esque texts to another girl before stepping out of the limo Night 1, according to Jesse Palmer and much of the internet.

This kind of organized dirt dig-up has become typical for the final few contestants over the years. But social media drama like this doesn’t usually get air time (with the exception of Chris Harrison’s forced exit). My guess is that since Gabby says she and ERICH spoke months ago about his messages, she wanted to discuss the texts on air so she didn’t look stupid for staying with him. Monday’s “Dancing with the Stars” Gabby looked good-nervous and fun, not anxious and questioning her relationship. I am not surprised that they’re together from her expressions. We know Gabby shows exactly what she’s feeling, even when masked by a “sure, sure.”

Before the engagement, ERICH admits to Gabby behind closed shades that he “never expected this to happen” and I think that’s the vibe we’ve been getting from the men this season. Instead of finding love, then fame, many have come for fame first and then freaked out when they actually care about the lead.

There is no way ABC would willingly and purposefully bring up these texts against their leads after their less-than-ideal track record. They still want to show the image of successful relationships. That’s my guess why we didn’t get any discussion on ERICH’s blackface yearbook. While ERICH has issued an apology and fellow-cast members from the show have spoken out in support of ERICH and his antiracist education since high school (when the photos were taken), Bachelor Nation was outraged that ERICH’s past racist actions were not also addressed in the 3-hour finale.

These conversations really overwhelmed the After the Final Rose. Rachel who?

Just kidding. Bachelor Nation is pissed about that too.

I knew it was going to be bad when 24 minutes in Rachel and TINO had already rode off into the sunset on a pearly white steed. No peak at the men looking at rings. Talking about nerves. None of it. The episode was slated for three hours, and they sure did get their drama’s worth.

The show cuts to LIVE almost immediately, where Rachel reveals TINO cheated on her only a few weeks int their relationship. I think this is a first for Bachelor Nation. Sure, plenty of couples have broken up before After the Final Rose, but cheated? To clear away any he-said-she-said, producers decide to show film all of the gory details Becca K-style.

Rachel sobs to Gabby about her flailing relationship with TINO and his insistence to keep his infidelity a secret, even from Gabby. “You don’t want me to have support in this time? You just want me to sit by you at After The Final Rose and act like none of this happened because you want me to protect your image?”

As soon as TINO walks in to see Rachel, he knows that cameras are there. He is visibly agitated, belittling her feelings with “It was the tiniest thing ever.” Her eyes bulged just like mine. He literally wrote their arguments in a journal to read to her. He seems way more worried about coming off bad than actually repairing their relationship.

Bringing TINO back onto the stage for After the Final Rose felt a bit like overkill, but I do understand it’s in their contract. Fine. A bit of a cheap trick for views but I’ll let it slide. What I cannot get behind is AVEN coming out in front of both of them to ask for a second shot, TINO right next to Rachel, body still warm. The memes were true. Rachel did realize watching back The Final Rose that AVEN loves her for real. People might say it happened too fast but they were engages for maybe a two weeks. They’ve been broken up for a month. I think that’s time. But it absolutely should have happened once TINO was off-stage or later in the night. Something!

Was this the most dramatic finale yet? Maybe. It’s defiantly tied with Clayton’s Bachelor season. It surely is the most talked-about finale yet, per Jesse’s promise, with everything about the episode picked apart by the internet. But I feel like all of the off-camera action took away from the proposals and couples themselves. Although the episode itself is gossip-worthy, I felt let down by the romance of it all. Including the Bachelor pick… ZACK!

Not gonna lie, the gossip was hot on this over the past week. This pick was not a surprise. Is he my first pick? No. The choice feels a little blah. I’m almost certain NATE was producer’s original pick until his own texts got released, Zack stealing the spotlight after the outrage over his overnight with Rachel.

When Jesse said “I’m just happy the Bachelor doesn’t look like me for once,” I laughed way too hard. It summed up the pick perfectly. Does anyone want to tell Jesse that ZACK is also a tall white cis het man with light brown hair teased toward the middle with a 5-o’clock shadow and black suit? Out of all the men this season he probably has the closest resemblance to Jesse! Zack feels like every other Chris Soles, Ben Higgins, Peter Webber, and Sean Lowe. A simple nice guy with no personality. And it doesn’t help that I can’t stop hearing Kronk whenever he speaks.

His journey begins with a shiny tarp, fake flowers, and five bad inros live on tv. To differentiate this season from past surprise limo entrances, the top-voted intro gets a rose, giving a bit too much American Idol for me.

BROOKLYN - Texas girl looking for an excuse to move back. Nice but a little rehearsed.

BRIANNA - Selfie girl. Picture in the pocket was smooth but the idea itself felt very “what’s good for the camera” to me. I’m calling wrong-reasons.

BAILEY - Are we going in alphabetical order? I don’t know. Just moved to California. Red flag. Reminds me of Becca K.

CAT - She reminds me of Trisha Paytes, in her face and humor. “Dating me is not for the weak.” Believe people when they tell you who they are. Red flag.

CHRISTINA - Brought nips of alcohol in her shoes, joking that she showered. She sounds both fun and genuinely nervous which is sweet. I like her.

And the winner is… BRIANNA. Looks like we’ll have to see their connection on ZACK’s season this winter. Fitting as ZACK’s season will be our next Bachelor Nation recap. I gues we’ll have to check up on our happy couples then. <3