The Bachelor is just beginning with its 22nd season on ABC.
The journey has come to its final chapter, though, as the Final Rose ceremony has been filmed, and The Bachelor spoilers have leaked.
Hard. Raise your hands if you’re surprised … anyone?!
Of course not. At this point, The Bachelor spoilers leaking before the season is a foregone conclusion. Not unlike the winners breaking up!
We kid … sort of. The show’s track record isn’t what you would term as great. Or good. Just saying. Anyway, back to the lecture at hand:
Arie Luyendyk Jr., the runner-up on The Bachelorette in 2012, has finished filming his starring turn that no one expected him to get.
Did he make the most of his long, sort-of-awaited chance?
After being rejected by Emily Maynard, who has had like 12 kids since then, Arie took the reins of the reality franchise – and found love.
Oh yes. The 36-year-old has sped to the finish line, seen the checkered flag and all the terrible race-car driving puns you can dream up.
Anyway, ready to meet Arie’s final four – and the winner?!
1. Tia Booth. A 28-year-old physical therapist from Arkansas, she is BFFs with none other than Raven Gates, a.k.a. last year’s runner-up.
Hey, it worked out pretty well for her bestie, this show.
Rumor has it that, similar to Raven, there’ll be some big time drama involving her ex-boyfriend back home in the Natural State.
Here’s hoping unlike Raven, Tia has orgasmed before.
2. Lauren Burnham. Blonde Lauren B.’s have won The Bachelor before (Bushnell) so the Virginia Beach product has that going for her.
(That means nothing, but it is a fun coincidence right?)
Burnham, 25, works for Vonage in the sales department, yet she went to medical school and has a B.A. in psychology she isn’t using.
Wonder how her parents feel about that. Or this show.
3. Becca Kufrin. Rebecca Kufrin, who goes by Becca, is 27, is a Minnesota girl who lost her dad and whose mother has battled cancer.
From what we’ve heard, her cancer is in remission at least, but this Midwestern girl next door has been through a lot at a young age.
We can’t guarantee that these struggles will be the topic of an emotional date conversation with Arie, but … okay, yes we can.
That’s 100% guaranteed.
4. Kendall Long. She’s 27, works as a set dresser in L.A., and reportedly has a twin sister named Kylie. You can’t make this up.
This Kendall has the same birthday as the more famous Kendall (Jenner), with whom she shares a birthday. And that’s not all:
Long has done production work on Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Wild. She also plays the ukulele and sings, which is neat.
Arie goes on hometown dates with these four on the ninth episode of 2018. Thanks to Reality Steve, we know how it plays out.
Before we get to that, though: Steve deserves a special shout-out this year for posting spoilers despite the threat of legal action.
The production company behind the show is trying to silence him, but The Bachelor spoilers must go on! Steve has our respect.
Anyway, the post hometown-dates Rose Ceremony elimination is Tia Booth. Another great run and near-miss for the Arkansas contingent.
Then it’s off to Cusco, Peru, for Overnight Dates, where Kendall Long made it despite never getting a one-on-one ALL YEAR.
At least not one that was filmed. Rare. But also a harbinger of doubt as to her realistic chances of winning the 2018 season.
She doesn’t. Kendall Long finishes in third place.
That leaves us with the epic showdown of Becca Kufrin vs. Lauren Burnham for the final rose and the Neil Lane ring they will one day return.
Just kidding, again. But again, sort of serious.
All jokes and predictions of doom aside, when the dust settles and the season finale draws to a close sometime in March on ABC …
Arie Luyendyk Jr. is engaged to Becca Kufrin!!
Congrats? We suppose? Just as Steve isn’t scared of lawsuits, he’s not scared of being wrong here … even if he sometimes is.
That’s the thing, though. Even when he initially botched The Bachelorette spoilers last year, he came back strong three weeks later.
In other words, he still had the ending right far before it aired, having corrected his own initial mistake, which is honestly more impressive.
Regarding Arie and Becca’s chances, though, Mr. Luyendyk is reportedly cast in the mold of Nick Viall, a.k.a. not here to find a wife.
He’s here to build his brand, whatever that consists of, and he probably does kind of like Becca a lot, ‘cause we’re hearing she’s awesome.
Let’s just say, without passing too much judgment too quickly, that there’s nothing in Arie’s past that suggests he’s the marrying type.
Sure, people change, but his reputation precedes him, and there are many stories that should surface once tabloids really start digging.
And dig they will. Oh, they will mine this treasure trove hard, and it likely won’t end well for Becca, who will have to weather that storm.
That’s all we’ll get into for now, but with another month to go until the journey officially begins, you best believe we’re just getting started.
Hit the comments below and tell us if you believe Arie and Becca will indeed get engaged, and assuming they do, if they stand a chance.
Given who he is, and this track record, it’s a slim one …
