The Bachelor Season 21 Episode 1 Recap

We’re back, ladies and gentlemen. It seems as if we were just here. I mean, we kind of were as “Ben and Lauren: Happily Ever After?” ended its first season at the end of November and that had enough cameos from our favorite franchise contestants to tide us over until now.

Tonight, though, the 21st season of “The Bachelor” started with Nick Viall as the guy calling all of the shots. Here’s what you need to know about Nick: This is Nick’s fourth time on a show in this franchise. Yes, you read that right. He is the runner-up of two previous seasons of “The Bachelorette,” appearing both on Andi Dorfman’s and Kaitlyn Bristowe’s seasons. He also appeared on Season 3 of “Bachelor in Paradise,” which aired this past summer.

I’ve said this before, but I did not like Nick at all during his first two franchise appearances; I honestly thought he was a complete tool. But, he redeemed himself in my eyes on “Bachelor in Paradise, ” and I’m looking forward to seeing him hopefully (fingers crossed) find love this season as the Bachelor.

Without further ado, let’s get to recapping the first episode!

Hottest Moment:

It’s only the first episode, so there were not that many hot moments. BUT, they did film Nick showering for his introduction video which was simultaneously both weird and super hot.

Awkward Entrances:

There were way too many weird and awkward entrances for my liking this season. Here’s a brief rundown of the worst ones and let’s hope it does not lead to more weird, awkward moments throughout the rest of the season (despite the fact that they are such good television).

Taylor: Taylor seemed really normal from her introduction video. Therefore, I was totally not expecting her to say, “before coming all of my girlfriends were like ‘no. He’s a piece of shit’” right to Nick’s face. He definitely was not expecting that and was taken back for a moment. However, she seems like a nice girl, so I won’t hold this against her.

Jasmine G: She brought Neil Lane with her. Lane is the one who creates all of the engagement rings for the Bachelor franchise; Nick is very familiar with him having picked out engagement rings for both Andi and Kaitlyn. He even jokes that he thought “the last time was the last time.” It was a funny moment but just a little too much desperation for the first night.

Hailey: She wasn’t wearing any underwear. I understand she thought it might be sexy. But to me, it came off as a girl who was trying too hard.

Jami: Jami opened with “you have some balls, and so do I” and I had no idea where she was going with it. Luckily, she revealed that it was just a nose ring with balls on each end. But, still, this might be one of the weirdest arrivals I have ever seen.

Josephine: I knew she was going to be a weird one immediately when she was meowing to her cat in her introduction video. But, she took it to a whole other level with her entrance. She brings with her what looks like a normal book only for Nick, and the rest of America, to find out when she opens it that it is not. She opens it to reveal an uncooked hotdog and says, “you’re a weiner in my book.” Then she proceeds to ask him if he wants to “lady and the tramp” it. Nick is a good sport about it but this has to be one of the weirdest arrivals in franchise history.

Lacey: Homegirl arrived riding a camel. Then, she proceeded to use the following pickup line, “So I hear you like a good hump.” No, girl. Just no.

Alexis: “I just love people that are weird because I’m weird.” When Alexis said this in her introduction video, I knew she was going to do something weird in her limo arrival. Then she talked about her love of dolphins in her video package and I guessed her arrival would have something to do with this passion of hers. However, I never guessed she would dress up AS A DOLPHIN (it’s totally a shark costume but she says it’s a dolphin). I was weirded out, Nick seemed weirded out, and my guess is that the rest of America was weirded out.

Liz: Liz gets her own category because she has such an interesting and sort-of complicated story. Her biography on the website simply says that she is a 29-year-old doula from Las Vegas. However, she reveals in her introduction video that she is actually Jade Tolbert’s best friend. More importantly, she reveals that she has already met (and slept!!!) with Nick. They met at Jade and Tanner’s wedding, where Liz was Jade’s made of honor, this past January and apparently hit it off. After their night together, Nick asked for Liz’s phone number but she didn’t give it to him because she thought he was just being nice. Liz and Nick had not talked since that night but Liz wanted to get to know him better so here she is.

Fast forward to the first night at the Bachelor Mansion. When it is Liz’s turn to get out of the limo, she doesn’t mention their past as she is curious to see if he remembers who she is. When Nick does not say anything about it either, she plays it off, saying that she likes a little bit of mystery. But, little does she know he actually remembers who she is and their night together. When they get their one-on-one time, Nick questions why he hasn’t heard from her since then and that it was very easy for her to get his number if she wanted it. Liz admitted in her conversation that she had a preconceived idea of Nick but, like a lot of America, that changed when she watched Bachelor in Paradise.

Their conversation ends on an unresolved note as someone comes and interrupts them. However, here’s to future conversations and them trying to figure this out because I like them together and I am so here for this.

First Tears:

This award goes to Jasmine G. She’s upset about the fact that Nick is trying to do the right thing by talking to the girl that asked him first.

Most Likely Villain:

Corrine. She already got a bad reputation on night one for stealing Nick from Vanessa and for going in for the first kiss. She is going to bring the D-R-A-M-A this season, and I am ALL here for it.

My Favorite Contestants:

Rachel: So far, Rachel is hands down my favorite. She is an attorney in Dallas, so she’s clearly smart. But right away, I related to her when I saw her dancing to music while she was vacuuming. She kept her entrance simple but punny with a fantasy football reference, and Nick could not keep his eyes off of her as she entered the mansion. When they talked, it was obvious that they had a good rapport with one another. I was really glad that she got the first-impression rose and hope she sticks around till the very end.

Danielle L: She opened her first nail salon when she was 23-years-old (she’s now 27) and has since opened two more. She’s clearly determined but still comes off sweet and humble. She was the first one out of the limo (wearing a killer black dress I might add), and Nick immediately seemed taken by her.

Vanessa: She is a special needs teacher which means she’s patient and clearly good with kids. Her one-on-one time with Nick was interrupted by Corrine, but I think she will stick around for a little while.

Danielle M: For some reason, I just really liked the contestants named Danielle this season. This one is a neonatal intensive care nurse so like Vanessa she’s clearly good with kids. She seems super sweet. I don’t know how far she will go this season, but I’m excited to see more conversations between her and Nick.

Raven: Raven is a small-town girl which immediately won her points in my book because I am too and can totally relate to the struggle of the only fun things to do being “mudding, shooting guns and reading your Bible.” She seems really genuine, and I hope she sticks around for a while.

 

 

The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8 pm EST on ABC.