This season of The Bachelorette has been anything but ordinary. From it’s odd beginning, where two broken hearted women were once again pitted against one another to vie for the attention of not 1, but 25 men. To Ryan M. being too “horned up” to handle and getting the boot before the first rose ceremony. It was a refreshing change of pace when 29 year old tattooed, fowl mouthed, Canadian native Kaitlyn Bristowe was chosen as this season’s bachelorette. But with changes come controversy and this seasons doe eyed bachelorette was never short on shock.
Injuries, voluntary departures, and boundary bending bromances were just the tip of the iceberg when it came to the drama we endured in this season of The Bachelorette. But what appeared to be the shock of the season was when Nick Viall, a 34 year old software sales exec from Waukesha, WI, and past Bachelorette contestant, showed up in New York to reveal his feelings for Kaitlyn and ask to be on the show. We then learn that Kaitlyn and Nick had an online relationship prior to the show corresponding via Facebook, leading to Nick deciding he couldn’t let Kaitlyn go so easily and had to see the potential the two could have as a couple. A hesitant Kaitlyn seeks advice from two former Bachelorette contestants who also just happen to be at the same bar and back Nick up as a great guy. Of course the remaining guys would be thrilled at the prospect of not only bringing another guy into the fray, but one that Kaitlyn had a proven connection with outside the confines of the mansion, right?
Much to their chagrin, Kaitlyn tosses aside the remaining contestants concerns in the name of love and tells Nick to unpack his bags and stay for a while. What follows was to be expected. Many sit downs with the bonded group of guys and the outsider Nick, demanding to know whether he’s truly there for love or to be on television. Despite all of the guys reservations, and poor, poor, Joshua, who finally spoke up to Kaitlyn about the matter only to be thrown under a bus by every other contestant claiming they had no harsh feelings about the addition of Nick, resulting in his departure. Here we find ourselves down to the final two. Shawn Booth, the perfectly quaffed love child of Ryan Gosling and Calvin Harris with jealousy issues unmatched by anything you’ve witnessed since high school. And big surprise here, Nick Viall, clawing his way through to the bitter end despite Shawn’s multiple threats to Kaitlyn of early departure if Nick continued to receive roses.
So here we find ourselves, down to the final two, and truly stumped as to which man Kaitlyn will choose to be her husband. Now, this wouldn’t be a Bachelorette finale without some surprises, drama, and lots of tears. With such a dramatic season and a finale with two men who loathe one another, it’s completely logical for Kaitlyn’s family to have concerns when it came time for both final contestants to meet the members of Kaitlyn’s Canadian clan. It came as no shock when Kaitlyn’s mother, Leslie addressed Shawn with his jealousy and Nick with his intentions. Both seeming to prove their love for Kaitlyn runs deep it was no surprise that Kaitlyn was still toggling between the two until the bitter end.
The events that followed the men’s visit with Kaitlyn’s family however, no one saw coming. This season has been one of firsts from the very beginning with two bachelorette’s, Kaitlyn sleeping with Nick well before the perfectly moral and not at all grotesque “Fantasy Suite,” episode, to the shocking first of allowing both men to propose. Choosing no one has been done in the past, but wouldn’t have fit Kaitlyn’s dramatic flair for The Bachelor franchises 30th installment. Also adding that she did truly seem to be in love with not just one but both men.
But who would have guessed that Kaitlyn was in love with not one, not two, but three men. What people seem to overlook is the amount of time the Bachelor and Bachelorette contestants spend with host, Chris Harrison. Not just on camera for each cheeky side interview and check up to see how the contestants are faring, but the off camera time as well. This season, that off camera time proved to be just enough for our beautiful bachelorette to fall for yet another Chris. When put in a pickle, and truly not being able to choose between Shawn or Nick, Kaitlyn supplied us with the biggest shocker in Bachelorette history when she tearfully turned down both proposals only to then confess her feelings to Harrison, who divorced from his college sweetheart, Gwen in May of 2012 after two children and 18 years of marriage. What was even more shocking was the unsurprised reaction from Harrison and the reveal that Kaitlyn’s feelings were anything but unrequited. Harrison had also found the choosing of Kaitlyn as The Bachelorette a refreshing change of pace and further reveals that when they first met while she was a contestant vying for Chris Soules’ heart, he instantly fell for her but held back knowing he could not pursue her once she was chosen as this seasons bachelorette. Looks like Nick wasn’t the only one to develop feelings for Kaitlyn outside of the original 25 men.
So what is next for this beaming couple after riding off into the sunset with Harrison holding the final rose and no host to close out the show? Only one thing can be certain, we are all in store for an entertaining and utterly awkward ‘The Bachelorette: After The Final Rose.’
