If you watched this season of "The Bachelor," you likely have A LOT of thoughts. And you're not alone.
We put together a panel of viewers to recap and react to the final episode and let's just say their opinions are as enthusiastic as Barbara Weber's tears.
Nothing's Fine, I'm Torn
If you were Hannah Ann, would you have been upset to hear that Madison left two days before the proposal, yet Peter was feeling "torn" the day before?
Michael – This was so crazy. Obviously, shame on Peter for burying the lede. But to me, it was also nuts that Hannah Ann didn't ask for more context on Madison leaving in that moment — and she realizes this looking back on it. I think Hannah Ann was more excited to win "The Bachelor" in that moment than winning Peter, and that came to light in the following weeks.
Lily – Hannah Ann had so many reasons to be angry. We all knew that Madi was the clear front-runner and Hannah Ann was right there with us. Did you see her excitement when he got down on one knee? She couldn't believe it (and neither could we). But then she found out that even when she "won by default" Peter wasn't sure? BIG YIKES. She is totally justified in the righteous anger she showed us last night and honestly, it was a great look for Hannah Ann.
Liv – One hundred percent. I would have immediately stopped the proposal. Not only would I not want to hear that I was basically the second choice, but I wouldn't want to hear the name of another woman you were dating in your "proposal speech" to me. I sooooo wish Hannah Ann said no.
Marisa – Absolutely. I could not believe that Peter neglected to tell Hannah Ann that Madison left during their date, and the fact that he threw it in as a small detail WHILE HE WAS PROPOSING was insane. Hannah Ann had every right to know exactly what went on before accepting a marriage proposal. I don't know what Peter was thinking here. Obviously, Hannah Ann was going to eventually see what happened and question why he was feeling "torn" when she was the only one left. So why not be honest with her from the start?
Barb Gets Her Way
How much is Peter's mom to blame for what happened between him and Hannah Ann? Do you think he would have proposed to her if his mom hadn't pushed so hard for him to pick her?
Michael – I do not. If anything I think Peter got to the point where he resented his family, and they were not the driving force the show led them on to be. I think the biggest reason Peter proposed to Hannah Ann was because he did not want to be the Bachelor that was in love with several women (his words) to not end up proposing to anyone.
Lily – Freakin' Barb. It's very clear who is in charge of the Weber family and she needs to back off her son's love life (or at least steer clear of national tv). While it did come down to Peter's choice to propose to Hannah Ann, I think he internalized what his mom was saying and allowed it to guide his decision-making process. That's a Peter problem, but Barb seems totally ok with using her pull to get what she wants.
Liv – Barb needs an attitude adjustment. Her weeping into Peter's lap begging him to pick Hannah Ann was absolutely disgusting. However, Peter doesn't get off that easy. He is a big boy who makes his own decisions and should be held accountable, with or without Barb's emotions. I think Peter would've still proposed to Hannah Ann because he sucks at making decisions and tries to talk himself into everything and ends up doing a lot of damage in the process.
Marisa – Barb is to blame for SO MUCH. She has raised a son that can't make a decision without her, allows others to manipulate him with tears, and doesn't take accountability for his actions because he knows his parents will support him. There is no way he would have proposed to Hannah Ann if his mother hadn't gotten in his head. At the end of the day, Peter is a grownup who should be able to make his own decisions, but it's clear he is too afraid to. Thanks to their incredibly unhealthy family dynamic, Hannah Ann, Madison, AND Peter all got hurt.
A Second Chance
Do you think Madison would have reached out to Peter for a second chance if Chris Harrison hadn't interfered?
Michael – If she really loved Peter, maybe she shoots him a text or DM when she sees how everything actually played out? It was pretty clear watching it that he never loved Hannah Ann, and truly did consider Madison his number one girl.
Lily – I don't think so — at least not before After the Final Rose. Madi made a very mature choice in leaving Peter during their date in Australia and she obviously felt convicted in that. Look at our girl go, making a choice and sticking to it!! Or so I thought. If producers would have left it alone, I could see them having a little chat at AFR and still reaching the same conclusion — to take it one day at a time.
Liv – Honestly, no. I think Madi was at that point in the process of grieving and moving on. Obviously she had the feelings, but I think that's why they sent Chris Harrison down there because Madi didn't make any moves to reach out.
Marisa – I honestly don't. I think Madison, though she might have been regretful, truly wanted what was best for Peter and planned to be respectful of him and Hannah Ann. If she had waited until the final episode aired to see him, I find it hard to believe that Barb's incredibly biased and hurtful opinions wouldn't have kept her from pursuing a relationship with Peter.
Hurt Me Once
Peter claimed that he and Madison "both hurt each other" and did not confidently say that he wanted to give a real relationship with her a try. Do you think he has a right to feel hurt by her after everything that happened?
Michael – I'm not sure if he has the right, but I do think he's genuinely exhausted and regrets the decisions he made and how things ultimately planned out. I think the most human and real things Peter has said has been that the whole idea of "The Bachelor" and falling for people in this setting is not natural, and he's had a hard time navigating that dynamic.
Lily – I actually dropped the bag of chips I was stress snacking when he said that. When did she hurt him? By deciding to leave after all he had decided to put her through? Sure, I can see how our bachelor is a little butt-hurt over it, but he's the one who usually gets to do the breaking up, not the one who gets broken up with. Welcome to the wild wild west, Pete.
Liv – Everyone has feelings and if Peter was hurt then he was hurt. There's no way around that. But he definitely has to understand that it is not equal. He burned a lot of bridges with Madi that he will have to build back up if he wants it to work.
Marisa – I do not. I assume that Peter feels "hurt" because Madison left him, but it's mind-boggling to me that he can't understand why she left. They were already on shaky ground because of a mistake HE made, and then his mother essentially told Madison that she wasn't a fit for her son. If anything, Peter should be apologizing to Madison for his family, for the mistakes he made, and for not running after her the minute she left. He proposed to another woman for crying out loud!!
Stand By Your Woman
Do you think that Peter did enough to stand up for Madison while his mother continuously put her down during the live show?
Michael – Hard for me to say, I was covering my eyes. But probably not, since Madison felt the need to jump in and defend herself. And good for her!
Lily – Absolutely not! Peter, while he said that his family needed to respect his relationship with Madi, did not actually stand up to his parents. He "sat down and partially turned around," both literally and figuratively. He did not seem distraught at all about what Barb was claiming about his now-girlfriend (right, that's where they left it?). As Madison said herself, her feelings and values are just as important as Peter's — his parents did not seem to like that one bit.
Liv – I think Madison did that herself. She does NOT need a man to speak for her or stand up for her because she has a beautiful way of making sure that she is heard. That being said, I think Peter did what was appropriate to stand up for Madi. Barb was throwing shade, but what person is going to call out their own mother on national television? I'm sure they had a very heated conversation afterward though.
Marisa – Nope! He sat there and let his mother rip into the woman he apparently loves for far too long. It almost felt like Peter believed Madison owed them all an apology. I understand he's close with his family, but when you choose someone as a partner, they need to come first. Madison deserves better.
It's Over Now
Rate this season on a scale from 1 to 10.
Michael – @WeRateBachelors: this is peter. he is a pilot. he looks amazing with a shirt off. he is over 6 feet tall and can grow an average beard. he is good at showing emotion, but not very good at talking. he has a huge scar on his forehead because he is a doofus. peter needs somebody to love him. 13/10
Lily – A two. Maybe a three. We received absolutely zero closure and honestly, how rude.
Liv – I give this season a three out of 10. Ninety percent of this season sucked and had stupid drama or was boring. But there was some juicy drama and some boss bitches that came out of this season so a three is as HIGH as I will go.
Marisa – I've been watching this show for a long time, and this might be the worst season I've seen. I give it a three. It left me totally unsatisfied. It may have been "the most dramatic," but drama doesn't always equal entertainment.
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