Now that The Bachelor season 29 star Grant Ellis has been announced, there are several lessons that the show should learn from Jenn Tran's The Bachelorette season in order to avoid making those mistakes again. Grant, a 30-year-old day trader from Newark, New Jersey, made it to Jenn Tran's Top 7 men before she said goodbye to him right before her hometown dates. Grant was then announced as the next Bachelor after his elimination.
Throughout The Bachelorette season 21 so far, Jenn, a 26-year-old physician assistant student from Hillsdale, New Jersey, has had a wild ride. She has made some deep connections despite battling through a lot of drama, and she'll now visit the hometowns of her Top 4 men, including Devin Strader, Marcus Shoberg, Jonathon Johnson, and Jeremy Simon. As The Bachelor producers get ready for Grant's season, here are eight lessons they should learn from their missteps with Jenn's journey.
1The Bachelor Needs A Diverse Cast
Jenn Spoke About The Lack Of Asian Men In Her Cast
Jenn shared, "I can’t really speak to the casting process and the decisions that were made, but it is unfortunate that there weren’t a lot of Asian men this season." Jenn continued, "Asian men haven’t always seen themselves in this position, and I am hoping that me being here and Thomas N. being there, that the both of us can inspire other Asian men to realize that they can do this too if they want. They can be in this position as well. I’m hoping that it inspires them."
The Bachelorette season 21 producers confessed that they made a mistake when it came to Jenn's cast. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, The Bachelorette producer Bennett Graebner took responsibility for the lack of Asian representation in Jenn's cast, confirming that it wasn't Jenn's choice in the process. He said, "That's on us. We didn't do what we needed to do. Our hope is that they will see Jenn and realize this is a safe space. We're not saying it will solve and fix everything. But it is a step."
Because Grant is only the second Black Bachelor, and the producers did such a terrible job with the first, Matt James, hopefully they'll learn from their mistakes with Jenn's cast. Of course, Grant being Black doesn't mean that the cast must be primarily Black, but the show should definitely cast the types of women whom Grant wants to date and eventually marry. He shouldn't be disappointed by the lack of representation of any group like Jenn was.
2Bachelor Producers Should Vet Contestants Better
Sam McKinney Expected Daisy Kent Or Maria Georgas To Be The Bachelorette
We are announcing Grant so quickly so people can still apply to be on his season. If you think Grant is potentially the man of your dreams or you know someone who is apply ASAP!!! #TheBachelor — Robert Mills (@Millsy11374) August 13, 2024
One of the most shocking moments of The Bachelorette season 21 was when Sam M. told Jenn that when he got out of the limousine, he thought, "This girl is not my type. I thought the Bachelorette was gonna be Daisy or Maria." This comment made it obvious that Sam M. had no initial intention of dating Jenn, even though he claimed that he loved her right before he eliminated her. Grant himself called Sam M.'s uncalled-for comment "weird," which was a big understatement.
The Bachelor season 29 producers already seem determined not to repeat this mistake by better vetting Grant's contestants by making sure that they're there for him. In an X post, ABC executive Robert Mills explained why Grant's Bachelor announcement came so much earlier than other recent leads, who've been revealed during the Bachelorette "After the Final Rose" episode. He wrote, "We are announcing Grant so quickly so people can still apply to be on his season. If you think Grant is potentially the man of your dreams or you know someone who is apply ASAP!!! #TheBachelor." This is definitely a step in the right direction.
3The Bachelor Should Stop Having Degrading Group Dates
The Bachelorette's Comedy Roast & Male Stripper Revue Dates Were Humiliating
The Bachelorette is notorious for pushing its contestants out of their comfort zones with degrading group dates. During Jenn's season, the men were asked to roast each other during a comedy routine and to take off their clothes during a male stripper revue, both of which were very embarrassing. While The Bachelor wouldn't dare ask the women to remove their clothes on group dates, there have been other uncomfortable situations, such as group therapy and talent show dates.
None of these activities is conducive to the lead finding love. As Sam Nejad said during Jenn's male stripper revue group date, having the men strip wasn't going to help Jenn find her future husband. Rather than force the contestants into uncomfortable situations in order to see who can handle the pressure, Grant's group dates should be more respectful and lowkey like him and help him really get to know the women on a deeper level.
4The Bachelor Should Avoid Over-The-Top One-On-One Dates
Some Of Jenn's Connections Came From Adrenaline & Weren't Real
Another lesson that the producers should learn is that the connections that come from trauma bonding over going through stressful experiences aren't real. Jenn went skydiving with Marcus, but they really got closer during their calmer Wicked-themed date in Seattle when they spent quality time together. The same thing happened during her date with Devin when they learned about Maori culture. However, Jenn was blinded by the adrenaline rush after she jumped from the Auckland Sky Tower with Sam M. Her exhilaration after the jump made her forget that Sam M. forced her into it, and that he wasn't listening to her at all when she told him that she didn't want to do it.
During Joey Graziadei's Bachelor season, his most meaningful one-on-one dates were lowkey, such as when he hung out at a local bar with his future fiancée, Kelsey Anderson, or went to a concert with runner-up Daisy Kent. Joey might be less of a thrill-seeker than Jenn, but it helped him to connect with the women on a deeper level. Grant needs the same thing. His one-on-one date with Jenn, in which they went horseback riding on the beach and had a picnic, is a good example of the kind of date that's more conducive to people getting to know each other.
5Bachelor Producers Must End Stunt Casting
Suspected Producer Plant Aaron Erb Ruined The First Half Of The Season
The Bachelor season 29 should avoid stunt casting so that they don't waste Grant's time. Through the years, the producers have cast everyone from siblings of past contestants to alums of the franchise in order to create drama. Jenn's season was no different as The Bachelorette season 16 and Bachelor in Paradise season 7 alum Noah Erb's twin brother, Aaron Erb, joined her cast. The problem was that Aaron seemed like a producer plant rather than a genuine contestant.
Aaron's feud with Devin culminated in him giving him a self-improvement book, Principles for Self-Growth: How to Understand Yourself and Gain Emotional Depth by Dr. Brandon O. Conner, that was almost identical to one that his brother, Noah, had received from Bennett Jordan during The Bachelorette season 16. However, it was very strange that no mention of Noah's book was made on the show.
In addition, Aaron's book doesn't seem to exist outside of The Bachelorette, and the author shares a name with one of the show's producers. Also, the book had a misprint on its spine that said, "Priciples for Self-Growth," making it all the more suspicious. It all felt very staged and scripted.
Not only that, but Aaron later left the show early to attend flight training, which he'd applied to before the show. It was strange that he'd join Jenn's cast knowing that he might get called away. Even worse, right before he exited the show, he gave Jenn a cryptic warning that some of the men weren't ready for an engagement, but he refused to give her names. Aaron appeared to be cast on the show only to create drama, and it seemed clear that he had no intention of getting engaged to Jenn in the end. Hopefully, Grant's season won't have any producer plants.
6Bachelor Producers Must Stop Latecomers From Crashing The Show
Jenn's Ex-Boyfriend Matt Rossi Almost Ruined Her Journey
One of the most shocking, and then anticlimactic, parts of The Bachelorette season 21 was when Jenn's ex-boyfriend, Matt Rossi, tried to join her cast after declaring his love for her. The show hyped it up and even ended the episode with a cliffhanger, only to reveal in the following week that Jenn had turned him down and asked him to leave. Matt then apologized to the men, and went home. It was another moment that seemed fake and scripted, but it did rattle some of the guys, which was unfair and showed no regard for their feelings.
Hopefully, The Bachelor season 29 won't allow anyone to enter Grant's cast late. This has happened in the past with Nick Viall joining Kaitlyn Bristowe's Bachelorette season and Blake Moynes joining Katie Thurston's season late, in addition to women joining Matt James' Bachelor season a few weeks in. It's insulting to the contestants who have been there since the beginning of the season, and confusing to the lead. Grant doesn't need this kind of drama.
7Bachelor Producers Should Put A Stop To Bullying
Sam McKinney & Thomas Nguyen's Behavior Shouldn't Have Been Tolerated
Although bullying is common in Bachelor franchise shows, it shouldn't be allowed. Sam M. and Thomas showed some unacceptably bad behavior during the season, getting into heated confrontations with their fellow contestants. In addition, Sam M. made some very threatening comments towards Devin in his confessionals, stating that he'd snap him in half, and that, if it was a competition, he'd step on his neck. No one wants to hear that kind of violent language on a show about romance and love.
Hopefully, Grant's season won't be dominated by bullies who hurt others to get what they want. It's always very frustrating to watch people like that take up all of the show's airtime. Viewers barely know Jeremy and Jonathon, who Jenn chose for her hometown dates, because so much time was spent on villains who ended up going home. Jenn and her men deserved better than that, and so does Grant.
8Bachelor Producers Must Stop Manufacturing Drama
Producer Interference Has Always Been A Problem
The biggest lesson that The Bachelor season 29 producers should learn from Jenn's season, and really every one before that, is that viewers tune into the show to watch the love stories, and not the producer-manufactured conflict. Jenn's season was dominated by degrading group dates, producer-planted and unvetted contestants, bullying, and unnecessary drama. Now that Jenn has finally gotten to her hometown dates, hopefully things will settle down, and the focus will be on her love story.
The Bachelor season 29 producers have a lot to learn from their mistakes with Jenn's Bachelorette season. Grant was the perfect choice for the Bachelor because he's so ready to be a husband and a father. He's a true gentleman, who's very kind and thoughtful. Hopefully, the producers won't ruin his journey because Grant deserves to have a wonderful experience as the Bachelor.
