I’m Over Grant Ellis As The Bachelor (He Has Been Refusing To Take Accountability For His Actions All Season)

After watching this season of The Bachelor, I've decided that I'm over Grant Ellis as the lead because he's proven he cannot take accountability, and he's let too much drama from one person distract from the goal of the show. Grant, a former basketball player turned finance pro, originally appeared on Jenn Tran's season of The Bachelorette. Audiences were drawn to his good looks and carefree attitude. In the premiere, he introduced viewers to his family and was open about how his childhood shaped him into the man he is and made him know what he wants in a partner.

Grant is now down to his final three: Juliana Pasquarosa, Zoe McGrady, and Litia Garr. While he stated he intends to find a wife and settle down, I feel like Grant is in over his head. He can't keep the focus on romance, and instead has let drama with Carolina Sofia take over the narrative. At this point in the season, it's too late for Grant to redeem himself in my mind. I'm still curious to see who he chooses, but I'm convinced that Grant didn't know what he was getting into by agreeing to be the lead.

Grant Let Zoe Take The Blame For Stealing Him Away

Grant Could Have Said No

On the season's first group date, a basketball free throw challenge, each of the women was given the chance to show off their skills on the court. Zoe McGrady chose to take her free-throw time and steal Grant away, which upset a lot of the women. It was a rogue move on Zoe's part, and Grant could have politely declined because it wasn't fair to the other women. Instead, Grant grinned and let Zoe lead him away for a little one-on-one moment.

The rest of the women and the children who were participating in the group date were left to stand awkwardly on the court and wait for them to return. Everyone could sense that Zoe's move wasn't sitting right with the rest of the women. Everyone, it seems, except Grant, who willingly went along with it. Chloie Costello even stated the group was learning there were no rules when it came to The Bachelor.

True as that may be, Zoe's move put the rest of the women off and added tension to the group. If Zoe had taken her turn to throw the ball, it would have taken a few seconds, but she took Grant away from the group for much longer, which didn't feel fair. Grant should have turned down Zoe's request to leave the court, and when he didn't, it showed he was here for the drama.

It Was Grant’s Fault Rose Left

Grant Didn't Take Accountability For His Words

A large bulk of The Bachelor season 29's drama started during a musical challenge with the singer Mario. Carolina ends up winning the challenge, and she dances and makes out with Grant in front of all the women. This sets off a chain of events that results in Rose Sombke choosing to leave the competition.

Rose shared with Grant that watching him and Carolina dance made her upset, and Grant told her, in these words, that she didn't need to worry:

"I'm not going to sit here and lie. You're somebody that I do think about. Like even today, you know, the whole dancing on stage and everything, I was thinking about you. I don't want you to think that I'm not paying attention, because I am."

Now, Rose may have misconstrued what he said to mean that he was thinking about her instead of Carolina, but he did say the words, "I was thinking about you." Rose took that back to Carolina; Carolina confronted Grant, and Grant said it was a "lie." Grant then goes back to admonish Rose for saying the words he said.

The Bachelor season 29 hasn’t been the most exciting in terms of drama, nor has lead Grant Ellis offered the most to viewers. While he’s doing a good job as the lead, the show hasn’t been exciting this season, and I’m hoping it takes a break. Much like The Bachelorette, which won’t return in 2025, I’m hoping The Bachelor takes 2026 to cool off and allows its sister series to take the lead. The franchise could use some time to recuperate.

 

 

 

Grant is too concerned with the implications of what Rose said to Carolina to bother with the fact that Rose wasn't lying. When Carolina tells Grant what Rose said, Grant gets defensive and says it makes him look like a "player." Instead of taking accountability for causing the entire issue, Grant blamed Rose for misunderstanding what he said and for starting drama with Carolina.

Rose, sensing what was happening, chose to leave rather than continue to be embarrassed by Grant's inability to own the truth at the expense of his image. I'm so glad Rose chose herself and decided her dignity wasn't worth Grant. If he can't take accountability in this scenario, he won't be able to in general.

Grant Blames The Women For Being Closed Off

Grant Played Favorites

As the season progressed, Grant played favorites with Carolina. Her drama was the focus of a few episodes, which turned the other women off. Grant could sense this with the other women, but he somehow couldn't figure out why they were all out on him.

During a conversation with Grant in Scotland, Zoe confesses she feels less connected to him than the other women, i.e., Carolina. She hasn't gotten a one-on-one date with him. She shares that the other women are salty because Grant's been so focused on Carolina, they all feel insecure about their connections with him.

"The first thought in my head is like, damn, let me just pack my bags and go home. But I showed up for one more chance to hope by the end of the day that you would see me. And then obviously we saw that one girl got more attention, someone who's already gotten a lot of attention. It's really tough for me to see all of that and just continue to question where you're at."

Instead of acknowledging how Zoe and the other women feel, Grant blames Zoe for being closed off with him. He says they started strong, but he was left questioning her feelings because she pulled back from him. She's pulling back because his attention on Carolina and her emotional outbursts are making her—and everyone else—doubt their connections with him.

Grant Wasted Everyone's Time With Carolina

Carolina Was A Major Distraction

From the beginning of the season, I was sure that Grant was going to choose Carolina in the end. Carolina had a chemistry with Grant that the other women didn't. Grant wasn't shy about making it clear Carolina was a favorite, as she won group challenges and got to go on a special one-on-one date with Grant in Las Vegas.

Drama seemed to follow Carolina wherever she went. From the Rose issue to Carolina flaunting her relationship with Grant to Carolina sulking her way through later challenges because she was upset about Grant, it became the Carolina Show. The other women were annoyed, but Carolina seemed to brush it all off for the sake of Grant.

If Grant hadn't sent Carolina home, I would have said Carolina's drama was worth it because she and Grant have a connection. But after all was said and done, Grant sent Carolina packing. The entire season has revolved around Carolina and her emotions, and for her to be sent home felt like we'd just wasted our time.

She not only cost him a chance with Rose, but she nearly caused all of the other women to pull back from Grant because he was so preoccupied with Carolina. Sending Carolina home was the right move, but it puts how much of a distraction she was into focus. If Grant eliminated Carolina because he finally wanted to explore his other connections, it feels like too little, too late.