Two new Bachelorettes announced to cap off Matt’s train wreck of a ‘Bachelor’ season

Last night was the two-hour season finale of The Bachelor coupled with an hour-long “After the Final Rose” special, and Bachelor Nation was just exhausted. It’s been one helluva season.

Firstly, we learned that just because ABC cast the first Black Bachelor, that doesn’t mean behind the scenes the producers or the network know what it means to be Black in America (pretends to be shocked). Rachael Kirkconnell, whom Matt James ultimately picked in the finale, and host Chris Harrison both have been caught up in racist controversies that have marred the season, leaving Matt James and Bach Nation so very tired. So right off the top, the fam was not feeling three hours of this.

Knowing that Emmanuel Acho was going to host the “most uncomfortable” ATFR special in Bachelor history was the only thing to look forward to. And we’re so glad, after a season of major rumours and spoilers floating about the internet, that we were actually left pleasantly surprised with the announcement of the new Bachelorette.

Emmanuel warned us that they had a “curveball” in store, and the man was right. We all assumed brave, brazen, and ballsy Katie Thurston was going to be announced as the new Bachelorette. Well, she is! Huzzah! But she’s not alone! The Queen that Matt did not deserve (and callously swept aside in the two-hour finale) Michelle Young will join Katie.

“We’re the Bachelorettes,” they joyfully announced in unison, starring in their own, separate, back-to-back seasons, with Katie going first! 

Do you hear that? That’s a huge cheer coupled with a huge sigh of relief expressed around the world right now. Move over, men who go on an engagement show who aren’t ready to get engaged (yes, Matt we’re looking at you!), the women have spoken and they’re taking your jobs!

"I'm ready to find love," Katie said. "And not just the temporary kind — I'm talking forever, my husband. And I'm in a place in my life where I feel like I'm the best version of me."

That was the best part of the ATFR special, let’s get to the worst. Namely, Emmanuel Acho wrote the book on uncomfortable conversations with a Black man (seriously, that’s the book’s title), so we knew that his chat with Matt James, Rachael Kirkconnell, and the two of them together was going to be rough viewing.

Matt, who is clearly sporting the I’m-recently-single beard, was hurting really badly, not only from his breakup with Rachael, but her past photos that re-emerged that are mired in racism, which also clearly hit him personally. He expressed to Emmanuel that he felt an immense pressure to be the best person he could be at all times because he felt a duty to show viewers who only know Black men as stereotypes to see his humanity. That’s a huge weight to bear, coupled with the fact that The Bachelor is a show loaded with heartbreak every single week, and that’s ultimately on him.

When he learned that Rachael’s 2018 photos at an antebellum-themed party weren’t fabrications but real, the pain on Matt’s face was palpable as he described the realization that Rachael just didn’t understand what it meant for him to be a Black man in America.

Emmanuel pressed him on those points however, wondering if the Rachael he fell in love with was still the same person, and suggested that 2018 was a long time ago.

“You know what was a long time ago? Plantations,” Matt countered in a mic-drop moment, reminding us that nope, 2018 wasn’t that long ago, and yes, slavery is a wound that will sting for a long time.

Matt was already taking his time to formulate his answers with Emmanuel, but when he joined Rachael on stage, the pauses became entire windows of silence. Rachael again apologized, Matt graciously expressed how disappointing the whole scenario was, but every time she tried to reach for him, he pulled away. 

Emmanuel, being the consummate professional, tried to drive forward the conversation, asking if there was a chance for reconciliation in the future. Matt’s face was a theatre of expressions, but we have truly never seen a more pregnant pause in our lives. Even Emmanuel whispered a “wow” at how tangible Matt’s inner turmoil was.

This entire season has left two people previously in love now with nothing but wounds, all because of something that was so preventable with more education.

There were some bright spots throughout the tense hour, including Michelle finally having her face-to-face with Matt. It turns out that after he broke up with her and left her alone in that room, he refused to speak to her for even two minutes so she could get the closure she needed. C’mon Matt! Really? So now was our future Bachelorette’s chance, and she managed to slip in some well-deserved digs and zingers!

“You taught me what I’m looking for and what I’m not looking for,” she said. “I hope you move on to kissing with your eyes closed, and come up with more phrases other than ‘thanks for sharing!’”

And BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE.

But the biggest delight of the evening was host Emmanuel Acho, who showed a different way of hosting this special. He asked tough questions, demanded answers, and led the conversation where it needed to go.

Bachelor Nation wasn’t missing Chris Harrison that’s for sure, and even though Chris was narrating some of the special in voice-over. We already know that he won’t be returning for Katie and Michelle’s Bachelorette seasons and it looks like popular opinion thinks he doesn’t need to return. TBH we need more Acho!

Okay, who’s ready for Katie’s season to start pronto? *Checks watch* Is it summer yet?

BEFORE YOU GO: Beyonce and Megan Thee Stallion make history at the Grammys

[video_embed id='2161103']BEFORE YOU GO: Beyonce and Megan Thee Stallion make history at the Grammys [/video_embed]