Guilty Pleasure Recap: The Bachelor Season 19 Finale
Leading up to the finale of The Bachelor this week, ABC repeated this teaser: “After the final rose—a surprise twist no one saw coming!”
So what’s that all about? Are they talking about Prince Farming? The Bachelor Nation goes wild conjuring an assortment of scenarios. Does the finale end with one decision followed by a sudden change of heart in their “After the Final Rose” special? Or does this teaser have absolutely nothing to do with our bachelor. Could there possibly be something else we never saw coming?
We’ll have to wait for the “After The Final Rose” show to get the scoop.
But first…
The Bachelor Season 19 Finale (Episode 11)
America is holding its breath over this one, right? Wrong, as far as I’m concerned. Though our Prince Farming, aka Chris Soules, keeps walking around wishing for “clarity.”
Well, I know exactly what he has to do. Check out my previous recaps for my take on his final rose. I said it long ago. Chris Soules only left himself one choice. I’m not a psychic, but I saw this one coming long ago.
The show opens with our bachelor lamenting his confusion and wishing he wasn’t vacillating so much. “I could go in either direction. I have no idea what I’m gonna do,” he says. Maybe you don’t know what you’re gonna do, but I certainly do and so does every other Bachelor fan in America. At any rate, Chris, you’re not going into this decision with the best attitude for proposing to anyone in two days.
We are in Dubuque, Iowa, for meetings with Chris’s family and the two remaining ladies. First up is Whitney. She’s still gushing over Prince Farming and over the moon about meeting his family. Whitney longs for a mom and dad. You might recall that her story is sad. Her mom died 10 years ago and her dad has been absent from her life since she was 6 months old. Naturally, she longs for a mom and dad.
Chris certainly has sweet, caring parents who are ready to marry off their 33-year-old son and extend the Soules/Farming family. Whitney gives a toast, proclaiming, “Love is most important to me. You can be a nurse anywhere.” She assures his family that she is ready to move to tiny Arlington, Iowa, and wouldn’t even look back at her hometown of Chicago. And I believe this woman.
In a heart-to-heart with his family, Chris expresses how torn he is between the two girls. His family immediately fell in love with Whitney. After all, she’s everything Chris says he wants. From Episode 1 Chris expressed his desire for a wife and starting a family. Whitney voices the same desires. It’s a no brainer, right? So why are the producers milking this with the will he or won’t he scenario? Even his sisters remind Chris that he’s on this journey to find a wife, not a girlfriend. They see Becca’s vacillating as a “red flag,” but Chris remains steadfastly defensive about her. His brother-in-law- got it right: Becca is that girl at the bar who seems unapproachable, but that’s what makes her so magnetic. It’s all about wanting something you can’t get.
Now it’s Becca’s turn to meet the family. She is very honest with them. When she is asked if she loves Chris, she replies, “I’m not there yet.” Reminded that Chris could propose in a few days, Becca responds, “I’m not going to pick up my life and go.”
Chris’ sister Lori thinks picking Becca is too risky. With Becca, he’s just opening himself up to a long distance romance, which rarely work out. Becca also tells Chris’ mom that she isn’t in love yet. That’s not what the mother of a 33-year-old man wants to hear, especially when she’s eager for grandchildren.
Following the family meetings, Chris Harrison is at the theater in the round with all The Bachelor fans and the girls from this season. He throws out the teaser, “Something will happen on this show you have never seen before.”
But first: the final dates!
We start with Becca. Chris pointedly asks her, “Do you see yourself with me and the small town life that I have?” Becca, famous for flip-flopping, is still on the fence. She says she can’t make any promises about when she might move to Arlington. The bottom line—sorry Chris, but Becca’s just not that into you.
Chris, why do are you so cloudy? What more do you need to hear? Becca is frightened since love is unchartered territory for her. Sorry, Becca, but most girls who fall in love are thrilled about it. She’s sadly emotionally unavailable. I don’t see a choice here. It’s got to be Whitney or no one. But our Prince Farming is still moping around wishing for certainty. How clear can she make it for you? Move on already!
Next scene. Chris’s date with Whitney. He brings her to the farm to harvest corn, noting, “Some of my happiest times are harvesting corn.”
Now, I would be thinking, with all The Bachelor program money, is the best they can do for a final date? I’m out of here.
But not our Whitney. She bubbles over with excitement. This girl actually thinks it’s just great that Chris is allowing her to join him doing something he loves. Seems more like manual labor, but she thinks it’s special.
So what’s it going to be, Chris Soules? Will you take your chances with emotionally unavailable Becca? Will she ever fall for you?
OR: Whitney—ready now! In love now! Thinks harvesting corn is “special!” What more do you want, Prince Farming? You’ve got your girl right here.
The big decision takes place at the family barn. OK, I’m done with this farming theme. I want exotic locales. I want kissing under waterfalls, sailing while snacking on chocolate-covered strawberries and dining on the roof of the Bellagio.
Chris Soules’ voiceover says, “I’m standing in the place where I raised my first pig.” Now, ladies, how’s that for romance? I must get that image out of my mind. He continues, “I may not propose to anyone today. I’m so torn.” More drama. Will he or won’t he?
Back at the theater, Chris Harrison continues to sell us on how shocking and amazing the ceremony will be. “What happens after the final rose will change everything.”
We return to the barn as the first limo drives up the path. Now, fans of The Bachelor have been conditioned to know whoever is in that first limo is the loser.
I give Prince Farming credit. He smartened up and is sending the right one home. Becca gets out of the limo. He lets her down easily and she sheds no tears. Becca shrugs it off. Obviously our Prince was more torn up about this than Becca. I actually think I heard a great, big sigh of relief when he let her off the hook.
Whitney arrives in the next limo. Our prince gets down on one knee and offers the ring. YES! That’s the right decision and the right girl if you are serious about wanting a wife and starting a family.
Back to the theater with Chris Harrison and the audience. He’s at it again with his shock and awe teasers. This time he says, “We have an unprecedented announcement that will leave everyone speechless.”
But first, Chris Soules is put through the stress of seeing Becca again. She’s still luke-warm and our Prince looks longingly at her. When she leaves the stage, Chris Soules insists that he is ready to move forward. That’s the cue for Chris Harrison to bring out Whitney. She’s still bubbly and, thank goodness, she hasn’t watched this season, except for her dates. There’s something to be said for the adage “ignorance is bliss,” especially in this situation.
Jimmy Kimmel, accompanied by a cow, stops by to congratulate our couple, and then states the obvious, “Becca really wasn’t that into you.” Yes, that’s what I’ve been saying all along.
Our newly engaged couple goes off into the sunset and we are left with Chris Harrison who is now ready to reveal the cause of all his blustering. Oh, you crazy producers! You know the formula needs a little tweaking, a little twist, so here it is: The next Bachelorette, or should I say Bachelorettes, are introduced—Kaitlyn and Britt. Both girls enter beaming and ready to start their adventures. Supposedly, Bachelor Nation and the producers couldn’t ’decide which of these two would make for the best show so they decided to go with two Bachelorettes.
Stay tuned, fans! The Bachelorette(s) begins on May 18.
But first, our happy couple appears on Good Morning America and Live with Kelly and Michael on Tuesday morning. And as much as they say they want a normal life, the next stop before the farm is Dancing with the Stars. OK, Chris Soules, if your dancing matches your singing, this will be a very brief stop before the farm.
Tune in to ABC at 8 p.m. on Monday, March 16 to watch Chris Soules take on his next really big challenge.
Barbara Anne Kirshner is the author of Madison Weatherbee-The Different Dachshund. She is a regular contributor to DansPapers.com.
Read more Guilty Pleasure Recaps of The Bachelor Season 19: Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8, Episode 9, Episode 10