S20.E01: Week 1

[FamilyVan]

Lace, didn't anyone tell you that wearing desperation as a cologne is never good? She reminds me of Sarah Silverman in looks. Sarah is way more confident thought.

 

 

Yes!  I am so glad you said this.  From now on I will imagine that Lace IS Sarah Silverman doing her funny acting out of a Bachelorette contestant, so if I do this, all of a sudden Lace has become super hilarious to me.

[Dopeydwarf]

I agree! Plus, he's very handsome and nicely groomed. He seems genuinely nice, too. I can't remember the last time I liked the lead on "The Bachelor" this much. If he stays like this, I think he'll be my all-time favorite.

While hopeful,I'm not holding my breath. i got so suckered in with Pavelka.

[Lemons]

Yes you are right. Let me rephrase it then. I like that Ben doesn't try to hide his religious beliefs. No one in this country should be afraid of stating their beliefs (be it Christian, Jewish, atheist etc.) because they are afraid of offending someone. Personally I identify with Ben in that regard because I am a Christian

 

What I don't like is when people use code words for their "christian" beliefs.  They talk about their "morals" and their "values" and their "small towns"  in a way that makes them seem like they feel superior to others who don't share the same.  That's what Ben did (or the show did).   Did they ever say he's Christian?  But we all seem to assume he is because of his voiceover speeches. 

[jmonkey]

I'm so glad The Bachelor is back. It's my favorite game show. While it's essentially the same show every year with a similar cast of characters and formula, it's like cotton candy for me and I find that familiarity refreshing. You know you're going to see some crazy girls, drunk girls, single moms, someone who's not there for the right reasons, etc. There's always a couple of twists like the twins this year. I think Ben Higgins will be a fantastic Bachelor. He seems like a genuine dude and not famewhorish. Of course I thought the same thing about Prince Farming and I was dead wrong there.

 

It was nice to see Mesnick again as he tries mightily to extend his 15 minutes of fame. Based on what I saw on Celebrity Wife Swap, he and Molly have a good relationship. Of course Mesnick also serves as a cautionary tale for Ben of what not do as The Bachelor. I'll never forget him sniveling on the couch telling Melissa and Molly that he picked the wrong woman. I knew Sean Lowe would be there. He also never misses an opportunity to extend his 15 minutes and the producers love putting him on air since he's supposedly proof that you can find love on The Bachelor. Chris and Whitney were obviously a failure, but since he was the last Bachelor and loves being on TV, he was there to pass the baton. I have high hopes for Higgy. I think he'll be a better bachelor than any of those 3. The problem with Ben (and the previews alluded to this) is that he's going to have too many women at the end who will think they're in love with Ben. He will have to break some hearts, and it will be hard for him to come out of this game looking good unless he gets an incredibly generous edit. Whoever Ben ends up with, she'll be better than Kaitlyn.

 

The contestants mostly blended together, but here are my thoughts on some of the standouts whose names I could remember:

 

Amanda-I thought Amanda and Ben had some palpable initial chemistry. Is she the only who has kids this season? Like Whitney from last season, I wonder how Ben is going to be able to deal with her voice.

 

Amber and Becca-I saw Amber on last season of BIP and I think she's stunning, but she's nowhere near the frontrunner that Becca is. They're both obviously at an advantage because they've played the game before, but I don't see either one winning this. A couple of the other contestants seem to think they shouldn't be allowed another chance, but as a viewer, I like to see past contestants on again. Nick made the last Bachelorette interesting IMO and his strategy got him to 2nd place again. I wonder if the producers are going to beat us over the head with Becca's virginity again as if that subject hasn't been beaten with a dead mini horse.

 

Caila-She's the one who jumped in Ben's arms. She seems like a poor woman's Catherine Lowe to me.

 

Jubilee-WOW! I like her. She has a really nice body. And she's a war veteran. I think she'll go far, but will she be the first black woman to win?

 

Lace-She seems like a terrible human being. I liked Ben's reaction to her craziness at the end. She thought Ben forgot about her due to lack of eye contact, but she got a freaking rose. I imagine Ben wants to get rid of her now, but the producers might keep her for around until she punches someone.

 

Mandi-She's getting the batshit crazy edit and embracing the weird Portland girl archetype the producers created for her. That was pretty funny when she was giving Ben a checkup.

 

Olivia-She's stunning, but why on Earth would she leave a good job for a 4% chance of winning on The Bachelor? Of course her odds are better because she's gorgeous and she got the first impression rose.

 

Shushanna-I kind of like her. She's smart. She's bilingual and a mathematician and she accepted the rose with a unenthusiastic "yeah."

 

Emily and Haley-Can Ben pick them both since they're twins? Things could get awkward if he eliminates one and not the other.

 

BTW what's a nutritional therapist or a chicken enthusiast? What's next? A hot dog enthusiast where a contestant proclaims her love for wieners?

 

I can't believe I'm still watching this, yet I can't wait to see what happens this season. Fleiss has me hooked again.

Edited January 6, 2016 by jmonkey

[Kbilly]

Another doppelganger: I thought Samantha with the raspy voice and father who died of ALS reminded me of Gillian Jacobs from "Community"....but her persona like her "Girls" character Mimi-Rose.

 

I hate the twins thing. "We've never dated the same guy!!!!" I should hope not, right? The only way I'm on board is if they have to do a 2 on 1 date and one gets brutally rejected because...serves them right.

[reggiejax]

Olivia-She's stunning, but why on Earth would she leave a good job for a 4% chance of winning on The Bachelor? Of course her odds are better because she's gorgeous and she got the first impression rose.

 

She is 23, and at this point in her career any job is just a stepping stone to something better. She is a weekend anchor in Virginia, I believe. Even if this doesn't work out, she can readily go back to another job of equal value. And at this level of TV news, appearing on The Bachelor won't be considered a mark against her.

 

But of course she is not appearing on the show based on a 4% chance (all things being equal) of being chosen by the Bachelor. In fact, I imagine her real goal is to not be chosen by The Bachelor, but rather that she becomes the Bachelorette.

 

I would say that she would have to be an early favorite for that role. But of course it doesn't always work out that way, just ask Britt, who was last years sure thing.

Edited January 6, 2016 by reggiejax

[Shelby]

Ben is a dork. There's something insincere and creepy about him to me. I could see dates with him being very awkward and uncomfortable.

I can't put my finger on what's wrong with him, just a strong gut feeling.

[halkatla]

Mandi for the win!! She had me laughing from the first. I can´t believe yucky Lace got a rose though, she´s horrid (but it was funny seeing her trying to look sultry while talking to Ben). I was impressed by Tiara the chicken lover as well, she made chicken enthusiast seem like a really legit profession. Ben is really handsome, seems like a nice, normal bachelor. The women are all really pretty (except for "Lace" - what a stupid fake sounding name).

Edited January 6, 2016 by halkatla

[violet and green]

That's funny, because I think Lacey (I am just going to refuse to call her that dumb name) is the most beautiful woman there. I hope she sobers up and stays around and personality disorders things up for me!

 

Olivia is creepy and disingenuous, but also beautiful in a neatly symmetrical blonde kind of way - but Lacey is the standout beauty for me, such a classic beauty. I even like her little jaw thing.

[jette]

Lauren B = Emily Kinney from the Walking Dead - anyone else see it?

 

I think the fact that the cameraman seemed to be hiding behind the shrubbery in an attempt to film her time with Ben was very telling, like they were already trying to get "alone" time.

 

Ben's learned from the worst and is being careful from the get-go. Looking forward for a very polite and sincere season - gentlemen are so appealing.

[neural-plasticity]

I doubt that was his parents' home. He said to them "back home" at one point, or something similar that made it cleat that house is nowhere near his dinky home town. If they still live there, it's a rental somewhere else. If not, they also ditched small town Warsaw for somewhere more interesting.

I actually grew up close to that area. My hometown is an hour away and my high school was in the same conference as his. I also have family that live there and my college I went to was about half an hour away from Warsaw. There are a lot of really pretty lakes in that area. The great thing is you can get those types of houses for relatively cheap compared to other places. It wouldn't surprise me at all if that was their house in Warsaw.

Also, they edited Warsaw to look much more country than it really is. Although there IS farmland there, there's also a decent size town with some things to do. I would say the majority of the people who come from that town are NOT farmers, including him.

[ljenkins782]

I hate the twins thing. "We've never dated the same guy!!!!" I should hope not, right? The only way I'm on board is if they have to do a 2 on 1 date and one gets brutally rejected because...serves them right.

 

Yep, that would certainly be the hope. I get where the show is feeding into the (weird, IMO) twins/sisters dating/sleeping with one man fantasy, but I doubt that it's a regular occurrence in real life. 

 

Olivia is creepy and disingenuous, but also beautiful in a neatly symmetrical blonde kind of way

 

Both times I saw Ben and Olivia interacting, it seemed very awkward to me, but then the interviews afterward (and the first impression rose) seemed to say otherwise. I distinctly felt that "yikes, no chemistry, this one's gone" vibe when they were talking, but apparently  they had some. 

[halkatla]

 

There's that scene where she modeling in front of the other bachelorettes and she's like, "See, laaaace!" I hope she doesn't try to wear something lace every episode cause LAME.

I didn´t see that but I noticed the lace on her dress when she was on her second conversation with Ben. She should be called Lame, not Lace.

 

I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but in this group her level of crazy/drunk is just too much. When Arie picked the crazy (I´ve forgotten her name) he didn´t have nearly as much to choose from.

[neural-plasticity]

I had no idea Olivia was only 23! She looks SO MUCH older than that (I noticed a lot of the girls looked much older than their age). I agree with some who have posted negatively about the age range this season. There's no reason a 23 year old should expect to be engaged to someone after 2 months of barely spending time with them (especially ALONE).

[truthaboutluv]

Both times I saw Ben and Olivia interacting, it seemed very awkward to me, but then the interviews afterward (and the first impression rose) seemed to say otherwise. I distinctly felt that "yikes, no chemistry, this one's gone" vibe when they were talking, but apparently  they had some.

 

I didn't think they seemed really awkward and I definitely thought she would get a rose but I really didn't expect her to get the FIR because from the editing he seemed way more into Lauren B. I thought. Ben was full on blushing when talking to Lauren and it was one of the moments when he didn't seem like he even knew what to say or do with himself. So I was really surprised he gave it to Olivia but I'm guessing the editing just didn't show the better parts of their conversation. I mean hell, he kept Amber who it's clear he had no clue who she was and they really didn't show much conversation with them other than Becca introducing her when she walked in. 

 

When Arie picked the crazy (I´ve forgotten her name) he didn´t have nearly as much to choose from.

 

Huh...I'm confused. Arie was never the Bachelor (except for the alternate universe his remaining 20 stans live in).

 

One thing I forgot to mention about crazy Lace was after Ben searched her out to explain himself about the kiss, afterwards, in her TH/VO, she says that Ben reassured her and that he explained how some of the women were just shady. And I'm pretty sure Ben DID NOT say that. Even if the full conversation was edited, I can't see Ben saying that so that alone showed how Lace was living in her own world and hearing what she wanted to hear. 

Edited January 7, 2016 by truthaboutluv

[Canada]

I think that was the most boring two hours I've spent in my Bachelor history.  Yawn!  If Lace and Rosehead are the best they've got, this is going to be even more boring than Chris's season.

[yorklee2]

This is going to sound shallow but I think Ben's group of women are not particularly attractive. Caila is cute/pretty, Jubilee is pretty and seems genuine but other than them the ones I thought had a natural beauty, Jessica and Laura, he sent home. Lace is pretty but crazy. Lauren who he seemed to have a connection with is in my opinion not that attractive. She has thin hair, a high forehead and when they showed her in profile sitting on the couch with some of the other women she had a prominent, pointed nose. I don't know the season's young but if she goes far, (which looks likely at this point) maybe she'll have a awesome personality and grow on me. I'm just a little disappointed with this season's women considering Ben is very attractive and seems to be a great guy.

 

Which makes me wonder. Chris S. had a abundance of beautiful women. Britt, both Ashley's, Kaitlyn, Amber, (who I think is prettier than Becca), Samantha, come to mind. Even Kaitlyn had a slew of awesome guys. Cupcake, Jared, both Ben's, Tanner. Why does Ben get a so-so selection?

 

I hope Jubilee goes far enough to be in contention for the Bachelorette. I think she would be great. She couldn't be any worse than some of their last few picks. She would create interest and the producers could say..."A Bachelor First".

Edited January 7, 2016 by yorklee2

[ByTor]

One thing I forgot to mention about crazy Lace was after Ben searched her out to explain himself about the kiss, afterwards, in her TH/VO, she says that Ben reassured her and that he explained how some of the women were just shady. And I'm pretty sure Ben DID NOT say that. Even if the full conversation was edited, I can't see Ben saying that so that alone showed how Lace was living in her own world and hearing what she wanted to hear.

Same as when she said that she was about to kiss Ben when Mandi interrupted. Again, unless editing was at play, what we saw was Ben trying to tell her why he WASN'T going to kiss her. Edited January 7, 2016 by ByTor

[bosawks]

Ben is a dork. There's something insincere and creepy about him to me. I could see dates with him being very awkward and uncomfortable.

I can't put my finger on what's wrong with him, just a strong gut feeling.

 

Well, the first thing that's wrong with him is that he's on this show..........

[seasick]

They started with 28 and 7 are gone.  That's 21.  I can nix out the following:  

 

Lace and Mandi (crazy)  Amber- retread;   the Twins--gimmick;   Amanda -- 2 babies? no;  Samantha annoying voice and will focus on the sympathy rose for her Dad's ALS)   Shushushanana- can't or won't speak english-- enough:  Leah (the football hike--that can't be unseen)  nix.   that's 9 I think won't have a chance.  So down to 12 possibles.

 

I think coming attractions show Jubllee being super clingy and having a meltdown.  I predict she's out before hometowns.

 

Once they discover where the bodies are buried along Olivia's paths to success, she will be out.   She will likely make the hometowns, but I don't think she will vibe well with Ben's church group.  She's super type A and intense.  Not the One.

 

So off- the-bat I see only 10 possibles, and of course more will be revealed as we learn their personalities.  .  

 

Yes Becca is a retread, but her very laid-back style of not selling herself and being over-anxious is refreshing.  I think she could make F4 at least.      

These are my predicitons.  we'll see....!      

[truthaboutluv]

Huh, I actually think Ben is as genuine as a person can be on these shows. I've missed many of the seasons over the years but I never liked Mesnick, Ben F., Jake, etc. Something about them always bugged me even before their seasons aired. But I just think Ben's kind of bland. That said, I don't think he's that innocent.

 

No one will convince me that Ben didn't know fairly early that he wasn't interested in Kaitlyn (especially when she was coming to his and Shawn's room to hook up with the latter) and I don't buy for a second he was heartbroken over her. But he realized if he played his cards right, he'd likely be the next Bachelor and well, obviously.

 

eta: I noticed some were saying that Becca was probably a producer pick because of how late Ben called her but I don't believe it. I think she was left for late for the dramatic factor. None of the women are that bothered by Amber who let's face it, they likely don't even know, much like Ben himself. But a lot of them are clearly threatened by Becca's presence.

 

It'd be hilarious if we have another season of Becca saying she can't tell the lead she's in love with him.

I noticed that she wasn't shown saying she loved him in the preview, when they showed multiple women telling Ben they love him. This, even if she was shown a lot which means she likely makes it pretty far. 

I put this behind spoiler bars because I'm not sure what the rules are on this thread for preview talk. 

Edited January 7, 2016 by truthaboutluv

[Bugs Meany]

eta: I noticed some were saying that Becca was probably a producer pick because of how late Ben called her but I don't believe it. I think she was left for late for the dramatic factor.

 

And sometimes the call-ups are not shown in the order they actually occurred. People have often noticed contestants holding roses before we see them receiving one. (The limo entrances are always re-ordered in the editing room.)

[Alapaki]

Which makes me wonder. Chris S. had a abundance of beautiful women. Britt, both Ashley's, Kaitlyn, Amber, (who I think is prettier than Becca), Samantha, come to mind. Even Kaitlyn had a slew of awesome guys. Cupcake, Jared, both Ben's, Tanner. Why does Ben get a so-so selection?

 

 

I think Ben (a relatively "stable", read "boring" Lead) was selected to counterprogram the Kaitlyn-as-slutty vibe that developed last season.  Much like Chris S. was chosen (IMO) to cleanse the palate from Andi's bitchiness.  But that means that the show needs to bring the entertainment value in through the female contestants.  And "entertainment value", to Mike Fleiss, means a heaping helping of The Crazee.

 

Huh, I actually think Ben is as genuine as a person can be on these shows. I've missed many of the seasons over the years but I never liked Mesnick, Ben F., Jake, etc. Something about them always bugged me even before their seasons aired. But I just think Ben's kind of bland. That said, I don't think he's that innocent.

 

 

I agree.  Relative to the other guys you list, Ben seems like the "nicest".  But the saying "most guys are only as monogamous as their options" applies to "nice" guys too.

[Shelby]

The way his eyes are constantly darting around for no reason makes me think he's insecure or looking for approval. Really idk what he's looking at, but it's shifty.

He is meek and oh-so-boring. If I had to go on a date with him, my mind would be wandering all over the place wondering when it was going to end. Doing laundry sounds better than a date with Ben.

[CalamityBoPeep]

Both times I saw Ben and Olivia interacting, it seemed very awkward to me, but then the interviews afterward (and the first impression rose) seemed to say otherwise. I distinctly felt that "yikes, no chemistry, this one's gone" vibe when they were talking, but apparently  they had some. 

 

Yeah, when he was talking with Olivia, his eyes were glazing over as she spouted all her "I am awesome" stuff. He looked pretty disinterested to me. With the first impression rose, I thought he'd probably had his choice nixed by the producers (maybe because of a really strong "connection!" (hey, how long has it been since we've heard that one, anyway?)). So, if the producers nixed his first choice, I can see him going over the list of all the possibilities, finding out who they wanted to stay, and going "eh, whatever." Give it to someone he doesn't care about staying, just to let the producers have their drama.  He was just so checked out during the Olivia conversation, it seemed like a "I don't give a damn" rose to me.  And if he's already narrowed the field, in his mind, to one or two ladies that would make some sense as an approach.

 

The way his eyes are constantly darting around for no reason makes me think he's insecure or looking for approval. Really idk what he's looking at, but it's shifty.

 

 

I was wondering if he was trying to keep his eyes off the cameras.  I'm pretty sure they're instructed to not look directly at the camera, but I'd bet that's pretty hard to do. If I were in that position (ha! as if!), the very fact that I was told not to look at the camera would have my eyes going every which way, trying to avoid it.

[Lamb18]

The way his eyes are constantly darting around for no reason makes me think he's insecure or looking for approval. Really idk what he's looking at, but it's shifty.

He is meek and oh-so-boring. If I had to go on a date with him, my mind would be wandering all over the place wondering when it was going to end. Doing laundry sounds better than a date with Ben.

My guess is he's looking at the different cameras and off-stage personnel. He's probably nervous about always being in the spotlight which is different from when he was on The Bachelorette.

[StatisticalOutlier]

 (Help me out here:  are they referred to as contestants? suitors? bachelors? or just the guys/men/boys/etc.?)

 

In my household, we refer to them as "combatants," regardless of gender.

[Blakeston]

Personally, I have no interest in hearing anyone who's agreed to be the Bachelor or the Bachelorette go on about how moral they are - regardless of whether they mean it in a religious sense.

 

If you're the Bachelor, you're going to have to lie, and manipulate women into thinking they have a chance with you so that it will be more dramatic when they get rejected. And I don't buy for a second that any Bachelor or Bachelorette is doing it just to find the right person - it's an ego boost, plain and simple.

 

I don't blame them for agreeing to do a show like this. My feeling is, if you want to be a celebrity, go for it. But don't try to tell me about how your morality is your biggest priority.

[Marciac10]

 

 

 

 

I doubt that was his parents' home. He said to them "back home" at one point, or something similar that made it cleat that house is nowhere near his dinky home town. If they still live there, it's a rental somewhere else. If not, they also ditched small town Warsaw for somewhere more interesting.

 

Having been to Warsaw, that was most likely Lake Winona where the house was located.  It's a huge lake and there are a lot of big homes on it as well as smaller homes.  My SIL lives by the lake and I enjoyed visiting there so was excited to see them sitting there.  Whether it was the parent's house or belonged to friends of theirs, we don't know.   

Edited January 8, 2016 by Marciac10

[leighdear]

According to this, his parents now live in Lake Winona, even though he grew up in Warsaw.  This site usually has accurate info on the contestants of this franchise, but no guarantee it's right.  

http://okhereisthesituation.com/2015/03/who-is-bachelorette-contestant-ben-higgins/

[Lemons]

According to this, his parents now live in Lake Winona, even though he grew up in Warsaw.  This site usually has accurate info on the contestants of this franchise, but no guarantee it's right.  

http://okhereisthesituation.com/2015/03/who-is-bachelorette-contestant-ben-higgins/

 

He was born in March of 1988 and graduated high school in 2008? 

[leighdear]

As I said, no guarantee it's right!  *LOL*

[ElectricCityy]

Ben was born in 1989. He is 26.

[MsPH]

I like Ben so far. He's a little bland, but aren't all leads? I can't think of any male leads from the US Bachelor, who've impressed me with their personality. Even the ones who turned into trainwrecks started out bland, so it's to be expected. TPTB do their best to eliminate any interesting bits of conversation that may have occurred. At least Ben seems like a genuinely nice person and more relatable than most leads, plus he can string a sentence together. I can believe he has his insecurities, especially if he's used to being in relationships where he's the more eager party and ends up getting dumped. That will raise insecurities in anyone, especially in someone who wants a true companion for life, not just a string of flings. I like that he doesn't think he's God's gift to women, though I hope he's not blind to their faults, since he already said they're out of his league. Sounds like he has a habit of putting women on a pedestal and that's not attractive to most women. I do always hold out hope for a genuine love story on this show, so I'm happy when I can root for the lead. Drama is not why I watch, on the contrary it bores me more each season, since it's usually so contrived and producer instigated.

 

I also think we already saw signs of Ben being a red-blooded male both during the first night and in the previews, so that's a relief! My main worry was that he'd act like a timid teenager, but clearly he just wasn't into Kaitlyn at all.

 

I would've given my rose to that mini horse!

[dom16]

I also think we already saw signs of Ben being a red-blooded male both during the first night and in the previews, so that's a relief! My main worry was that he'd act like a timid teenager, but clearly he just wasn't into Kaitlyn at all.

There's a screencap from the preview floating around on Twitter where he's kissing a girl in a waterfall and he's definitely, um, excited to be there with her. So yeah, it was just Kaitlyn he had no interest in.

[Bobcatkitten]

Winona Lake is just outside Warsaw. A beautiful lake and affluent part of the area. 

[himela]

I predict the show will be about Olivia and Lauren (?) the flight attendant. In this show I always assume that the bachelors (and bachelorettes) know who they want to choose from at least the first 1/3 of the show but they keep the rest to actually complete the show. I bet Ben already knows at least the top three but he has to follow the rules. However we'll just keep watching for the drama and to take our minds away from our real life problems as we always do with reallity TV. At least Ben is a likeable bachelor, down to earth and as humble as can be. I hope fame will keep him to the ground.

[Padma]

I like Ben so far. He's a little bland, but aren't all leads? I can't think of any male leads from the US Bachelor, who've impressed me with their personality. Even the ones who turned into trainwrecks started out bland, so it's to be expected. TPTB do their best to eliminate any interesting bits of conversation that may have occurred. At least Ben seems like a genuinely nice person and more relatable than most leads, plus he can string a sentence together. I can believe he has his insecurities, especially if he's used to being in relationships where he's the more eager party and ends up getting dumped. That will raise insecurities in anyone, especially in someone who wants a true companion for life, not just a string of flings. I like that he doesn't think he's God's gift to women, ....

 

I also think we already saw signs of Ben being a red-blooded male both during the first night and in the previews, so that's a relief! My main worry was that he'd act like a timid teenager, but clearly he just wasn't into Kaitlyn at all.

ITA about Ben. I prefer someone bland and humble, even insecure, over someone arrogant and self centered any day. Plus, these women are going to put HIM on a pedestal so whatever self-doubts he has in real life probably won't be the least bit noticeable once the show gets going. He might not even be that bland, since from Kaitlyn's season he seemed thoughtful (as in "liking to think about things") and as if he also might have a sense of humor.

 

Confirming that he just wasn't into Kaitlyn at all (as it seemed, politely, he wasn't) makes me think even better of him.  I'm hoping for a "love story", too, (with or without marriage) and I think there were enough likeable women in that group that it's a real possibility. Plus, I'm not sure, but it looks as if they may travel abroad--always one of the highlights of this show.

[seasick]

I predict the show will be about Olivia and Lauren (?) the flight attendant. In this show I always assume that the bachelors (and bachelorettes) know who they want to choose from at least the first 1/3 of the show but they keep the rest to actually complete the show. I bet Ben already knows at least the top three but he has to follow the rules. However we'll just keep watching for the drama and to take our minds away from our real life problems as we always do with reallity TV. At least Ben is a likeable bachelor, down to earth and as humble as can be. I hope fame will keep him to the ground.

I think you're right about Olivia and Lauren ( B i think is the flight attendant)  being major players. 

 

Ben does seem down to earth, but I've been fooled before.  I actually think I was on board with Jake Pavelka and assumed he would go for a 'nice girl" .  Instead he went for that hated crazy witch Venetia ( or something)  He got what he deserved tho.

 

Just about everyone, including me thought disgusting Blob Ginuea was a gonna be a great down'-to-earth guy and he was an obnoxious, egotistical fame superwhore, just there for exposure.

 

Ben Flapjack seemed like he was looking for someone nice and ended up choosing the most hated and wiley Courtney.  

 

It looks like Olivia is going to be the most hated    "I'm here to win, not make friends with you losers"  girl.  I hope he''s wise enough to see the red flags.

 

Agreed Ben wasn't into Kaitlyn.  She seemed a little used-up by the time he got there.  

 

I know it's still early, but I'd like to hear others' F4 predictions

[reggiejax]

BTW what's a nutritional therapist or a chicken enthusiast? What's next? A hot dog enthusiast where a contestant proclaims her love for wieners?

 

 

Technically, they already had a hot dog enthusiast. Former Bachelorette Jillian Harris, who stood out on the first episode of Jason's season, way back in the Cretaceous era, with her theory on hot dog toppings. Some nonsense about what a guys favorite toppings said about his personality. She even ended up cooking up some hot dogs that night. I ultimately ended up liking Jillian, but at first I hated her over her theory on ketchup on a hot dog. I forget exactly what she said, but it wasn't the only acceptable answer, which is "you are the spawn of Satan, and need to be put down immediately!". 

[leighdear]

Confirming that he just wasn't into Kaitlyn at all (as it seemed, politely, he wasn't) makes me think even better of him

Ben let Kaitlyn take him all the way to #3 and the Fantasy Suites.  And he said he loved her.  If he wasn't in it for real, he could have walked at any time.  But he perpetuated the farce, so I don't give him a huge amount of credit if he later admitted he really wasn't into her.  That's basically saying "I lied".  

[Lemons]

Ben was born in 1989. He is 26.

 

Someone posted a link that said he was born in March of 1988 and graduated high school in 2008.  Is the graduation date accurate? 

[dom16]

Ben let Kaitlyn take him all the way to #3 and the Fantasy Suites.  And he said he loved her.  If he wasn't in it for real, he could have walked at any time.  But he perpetuated the farce, so I don't give him a huge amount of credit if he later admitted he really wasn't into her.  That's basically saying "I lied".  

He's never come out and confirmed that he wasn't into her, I just think it was more of a "Bachelor bubble" type love (as are 95% of the F2/F3/F4 who say they're in love with the lead every season) and once he was eliminated it didn't take him long to get over her. And I think we'll see him a lot more into some of the girls this season than he was with Kaitlyn. 

[yorklee2]

 

No one will convince me that Ben didn't know fairly early that he wasn't interested in Kaitlyn (especially when she was coming to his and Shawn's room to hook up with the latter) and I don't buy for a second he was heartbroken over her. But he realized if he played his cards right, he'd likely be the next Bachelor and well, obviously.

This really got me to thinking and I realized a lot about this made sense. It's also true that Ben and Shawn have been close ever since they roomed together during the show. Kaitlyn and Shawn have always been very vocal about their support for Ben as the next bachelor and started voicing it right after her season ended. Now that could be because he's a great guy that's extremely likeable but what if it goes deeper than that. The night Kaitlyn came to their room and hooked up with Shawn, what if there was a conversation to the extent, "If you keep quite about this I'll see you go far enough and push for you to be the next bachelor". I know we saw the conversation where Ben told her he knew something had happened that night because he sensed a change about her when he came out of the shower, but this was only after he was already in like third or fourth spot and they could have used that to help set up the "poor unloveable Ben" scenario. Besides the producers knew at that point that the show was a trainwreck and realized Ben's admission wasn't going to hurt things any worse.

 

Also I saw hardly no chemistry between her and Ben at all whereas she had tons with Jared and seemed to genuinely like him. She even cried when she sent him home. I remember at the time that made no sense to me why she kept Ben over Jared. Even if that type of conversation never took place in the very least Kaitlyn knew that Ben was aware of what happened and they all realized (her, Ben and Shawn) that she owed him one. It may be far fetched but on this show at this point nothing would surprise me.

 

I hope I'm wrong.

Edited January 9, 2016 by yorklee2

[Wings]

The way his eyes are constantly darting around for no reason makes me think he's insecure or looking for approval. Really idk what he's looking at, but it's shifty.

He is meek and oh-so-boring. If I had to go on a date with him, my mind would be wandering all over the place wondering when it was going to end. Doing laundry sounds better than a date with Ben.

 

His  gets distracted and his eyes fall on the camera and crew at times, that is the shifty thing you are seeing.  They are instructed not to do this but it must be difficult.  

[Swedish Chef]

Ben almost lost me when he said, "I have came," but he redeemed himself when he chose not to follow Chris Soules's advice to make out early and often and with as many of the ladies as possible. Chris, you were truly the worst. I mean, Sean is incredibly annoying, but at least he isn't the immense, sucking vacuum that is Chris Soules. And neither (so far) is Ben, so I'll continue to watch.

[ShaNaeNae]

Is it me or does Ben resemble Peter Brady? Maybe this was already talked about but I didn't watch him on the Bachelorette so....

 

Oh my God my life is complete. That's IT! I thought he resembled Mesnick a bit, yet I always thought Mesnick resembled Courtship of Eddie's Father. My life has come full circle because...yes, Peter Brady.

[catrice2]

I'm so glad The Bachelor is back. It's my favorite game show. While it's essentially the same show every year with a similar cast of characters and formula, it's like cotton candy for me and I find that familiarity refreshing. You know you're going to see some crazy girls, drunk girls, single moms, someone who's not there for the right reasons, etc. There's always a couple of twists like the twins this year. I think Ben Higgins will be a fantastic Bachelor. He seems like a genuine dude and not famewhorish. Of course I thought the same thing about Prince Farming and I was dead wrong there.

 

It was nice to see Mesnick again as he tries mightily to extend his 15 minutes of fame. Based on what I saw on Celebrity Wife Swap, he and Molly have a good relationship. Of course Mesnick also serves as a cautionary tale for Ben of what not do as The Bachelor. I'll never forget him sniveling on the couch telling Melissa and Molly that he picked the wrong woman. I knew Sean Lowe would be there. He also never misses an opportunity to extend his 15 minutes and the producers love putting him on air since he's supposedly proof that you can find love on The Bachelor. Chris and Whitney were obviously a failure, but since he was the last Bachelor and loves being on TV, he was there to pass the baton. I have high hopes for Higgy. I think he'll be a better bachelor than any of those 3. The problem with Ben (and the previews alluded to this) is that he's going to have too many women at the end who will think they're in love with Ben. He will have to break some hearts, and it will be hard for him to come out of this game looking good unless he gets an incredibly generous edit. Whoever Ben ends up with, she'll be better than Kaitlyn.

 

The contestants mostly blended together, but here are my thoughts on some of the standouts whose names I could remember:

 

Amanda-I thought Amanda and Ben had some palpable initial chemistry. Is she the only who has kids this season? Like Whitney from last season, I wonder how Ben is going to be able to deal with her voice.

 

Amber and Becca-I saw Amber on last season of BIP and I think she's stunning, but she's nowhere near the frontrunner that Becca is. They're both obviously at an advantage because they've played the game before, but I don't see either one winning this. A couple of the other contestants seem to think they shouldn't be allowed another chance, but as a viewer, I like to see past contestants on again. Nick made the last Bachelorette interesting IMO and his strategy got him to 2nd place again. I wonder if the producers are going to beat us over the head with Becca's virginity again as if that subject hasn't been beaten with a dead mini horse.

 

Caila-She's the one who jumped in Ben's arms. She seems like a poor woman's Catherine Lowe to me.

 

Jubilee-WOW! I like her. She has a really nice body. And she's a war veteran. I think she'll go far, but will she be the first black woman to win?

 

Lace-She seems like a terrible human being. I liked Ben's reaction to her craziness at the end. She thought Ben forgot about her due to lack of eye contact, but she got a freaking rose. I imagine Ben wants to get rid of her now, but the producers might keep her for around until she punches someone.

 

Mandi-She's getting the batshit crazy edit and embracing the weird Portland girl archetype the producers created for her. That was pretty funny when she was giving Ben a checkup.

 

Olivia-She's stunning, but why on Earth would she leave a good job for a 4% chance of winning on The Bachelor? Of course her odds are better because she's gorgeous and she got the first impression rose.

 

Shushanna-I kind of like her. She's smart. She's bilingual and a mathematician and she accepted the rose with a unenthusiastic "yeah."

 

Emily and Haley-Can Ben pick them both since they're twins? Things could get awkward if he eliminates one and not the other.

 

BTW what's a nutritional therapist or a chicken enthusiast? What's next? A hot dog enthusiast where a contestant proclaims her love for wieners?

 

I can't believe I'm still watching this, yet I can't wait to see what happens this season. Fleiss has me hooked again.

 

I have never watched the Bachelor, but of course I know about it from following pop culture, etc.  Are you kidding? NO way this franchise will allow a black woman to win, or to be the next Bachelorette? (as suggested by another poster).  In fact I fully expect them to create unreal drama around Jubilee to further reinforce why the interracial thing doesn't work, or why the Black people don't go far on this program.  Already on different boards I have heard her called too aggressive, too sexual, too "street" (tatoos?), unintelligent, having nothing to offer but sex, leading with sex and physical attraction,  and just being too "different" than Ben.  I saw a post on the previous page about her big lips and nostrils...and someone saying she is clingy....aren't they all? 

 

I think the negative publicity made them cast someone and actually show them going on a date in the previews (and maybe even a kiss, but I'd bet it was from the side, or more her kissing him than the other way around) just so that they can say "see, we are not discriminating!"  I am also sure that they have had several very successful minority women apply that had a certain "look," (i.e., no "offensive" tattoos, etc.) and they did not progress or were not chosen, but the one that they are going to manufacture (because no way do I think this show is real) has to have a flaw.  When I say minority, I would bet over the years we have not seen an abundance of Asian or Hispanic potential partners either. 

 

If he does show her some attention I can't imagine the pressure she would feel in the house with the rest of the women.  I will certainly monitor this season to see if I am wrong, but I doubt it!  I find it interesting that the show "UnReal" will have their season be about a dating show...where the Bachelor is black!  They can do it on a fictional show on a cable channel, but not in real life. 

[Superpole2000]

I have never watched the Bachelor, but of course I know about it from following pop culture, etc.  Are you kidding? NO way this franchise will allow a black woman to win, or to be the next Bachelorette? (as suggested by another poster).  In fact I fully expect them to create unreal drama around Jubilee to further reinforce why the interracial thing doesn't work, or why the Black people don't go far on this program.  Already on different boards I have heard her called too aggressive, too sexual, too "street" (tatoos?), unintelligent, having nothing to offer but sex, leading with sex and physical attraction,  and just being too "different" than Ben.  I saw a post on the previous page about her big lips and nostrils...and someone saying she is clingy....aren't they all? 

 

I think the negative publicity made them cast someone and actually show them going on a date in the previews (and maybe even a kiss, but I'd bet it was from the side, or more her kissing him than the other way around) just so that they can say "see, we are not discriminating!"  I am also sure that they have had several very successful minority women apply that had a certain "look," (i.e., no "offensive" tattoos, etc.) and they did not progress or were not chosen, but the one that they are going to manufacture (because no way do I think this show is real) has to have a flaw.  When I say minority, I would bet over the years we have not seen an abundance of Asian or Hispanic potential partners either. 

 

If he does show her some attention I can't imagine the pressure she would feel in the house with the rest of the women.  I will certainly monitor this season to see if I am wrong, but I doubt it!  I find it interesting that the show "UnReal" will have their season be about a dating show...where the Bachelor is black!  They can do it on a fictional show on a cable channel, but not in real life. 

The only criticisms of Jubilee that I have read (including my own) had nothing to do with her race. They were the same snarky criticisms we make of all the participants on this show (i.e the comments about fashion, makeup, tattoos, etc.). And the show itself could have a minority lead (they've done it before). If you actually watch the show before condemning it and its participants, you would struggle to find any evidence of racial tension. I'm not saying that it can't be lurking in these contestants' heads, but we don't see evidence of it come out on screen.

 

I do agree that there is systemic racism involved in this franchise because when you select 95% of your contestants to be white then odds are your next season lead is going to be white. But the situation is complicated. If you cast a black lead, for instance, do you skew the contestant pool more black? Do you go 50-50? I don't think our society would agree with any racial mix, which is why this franchise can't win in this area.

[catrice2]

Yes, but you can only speak for yourself and the experience you have had watching the show. The friends I know who watch the show and I guess the boards, or Facebook or whatever have already shared some choice comments, and I found a few without even looking. I totally get that they had one or two Latina leads, but you know in America when people start talking about diversity on television, for whatever reason they are typically talking Black people. I also mentioned Asian and Hispanic, and they would more than likely go with a certain physical type of Hispanic.

I don't watch the show, but I am confident that you are correct about the racial tension... but then again, why would there be racial tension when there are no, or very few black contestants that are eliminated early? I am also sure that the girls don't have tension because they don't see those contestants as serious competition, and the minority girls themselves probably don't either, they are using it as some exposure as a stepping stone to something else. I also think there was something in the news one year on the Bachelorette? where one of the male contestants did say something racial to the black contestant...but someone else would have to verify that.

As I think about it, I see them going with a Black female Bachelorette before I do a male Bachelor. You are correct, it becomes complicated when you are casting for the show because either the people are not sincere and are just trying to be on tv, or you are searching for a large pool of people who are willing to date a minority and have that play out on television. That is a toss up though, as they risk offending Caucasian males who don't want to see a Black man with "their" women, Black women who feel like a "good black man is going to another Caucasian girl, etc. I think they would think a Black Bachelorette would be less threatening to the wider audience, but black men are more inclined to date outside of their race than black women. It is a difficult situation, and I am curious to see what UnReal does on their show.

I see your point about the ratio of the contestants as well. Who knows? Personally I think the idea of dating a man (or woman) that is dating several people at the same time and having that play out on television frightening, so props to any of them that have the courage to expose themselves that way.

Although I would like to say "people are just people," based upon the history of television and the media, I know that if Jubilee or anyone that comes after her turns out to be crazy, etc. that is going to be looked at through a different lens than the other Caucasian contestants that have done the same or worse. People don't have to agree with me, but I know it is true. I don't know where Ben is from, but i would think you are more likely to find a man willing to date another race that has grown up in a city around diversity than a small town person.

With that being said, I am in a mixed race relationship, my husband is from a small town in Indiana, and his family couldn't have been more amazing about it . We, however, did not live there or meet there and I often wonder if the experience would have been the same if we had. I've always believed our issues are more regionally, etc. based than racial..he is a product of divorce, my parents have been together for 40 years...differences like that. I love country music, he detests it. He will listen to rap, and I tolerate it on a limited basis.

It will be interesting to see what happens if this contestant does go far. I hope you have a fun time watching this season, and as with many shows, I will be reading the boards to keep up with what is happening.