Peter Weber’s season of The Bachelor premiered on Monday night with a three-hour marathon episode, and he narrowed his initial field of 30 Bachelorettes down to 22 after the first Rose Ceremony. Who are the favorites this season, and which women need to make up ground? We’ll be recapping each episode and ranking all the contestants weekly on FTW.
1. Kelley
It was revealed early on that Kelley previously met Peter in a hotel around a month before each of them arrived at the Bachelor mansion, and while the events of that night are as of yet a mystery, it’s clear that Kelly and Peter forged a very strong connection during their encounter.
Kelly was selected for the first group date, a day at flight school that culminated with an obstacle course race for the right to take a sunset flight with Peter. Kelley navigated the course expertly and the competition came down to a tricycle race against Tammy around a bunch of cones – but Kelly brazenly rode through all the curves and cut the track in order to win.
Kelley is how I want my 2020 to go versus how it’s actually gonna go, Tammy #thebachelor pic.twitter.com/ssgPJuEOp6
— kat (@needy_kat) January 7, 2020
Tammy protested, yelling that Kelley was obviously cheating, but as we’ve seen before in this series, the rules are really more of a suggestion. Tammy likely would have won had Kelley adhered to the course guideline, but instead Kelley got to spend a romantic evening with Peter.
me explaining to my dog that Kelley cheated and she shouldn't have gotten the rose #TheBachelor pic.twitter.com/DzyWvV3WDI
— The Bachelor Diaries (@thebachdiaries) January 7, 2020
At the cocktail party that night, things got even weirder. The hotel hosting the party was the very same one where Kelley and Peter met, and they took the time to re-enact their first meeting. Peter made an aggressive move, hoisting Kelley onto a bar so they could kiss, and later rewarded her with the group date rose.
What happened, exactly, during this initial meeting in a hotel? Peter remarked during the episode that he had not stopped thinking about Kelley since they met, which would imply that they didn’t just have a short, introductory conversation a month earlier. Time will tell, but for now, Kelley has a major advantage on the field.
2. Victoria P.
Victoria P. breezed through the first rose ceremony and went on the flight school group date, where she bravely took a turn inside a human gyroscope despite knowing that she’d deal with motion sickness afterward (or during). She aced the ride and threw up in a nearby bathroom, but Peter rushed to check on her and make sure she was feeling OK.
That night, Peter recalled that Victoria P. had mentioned that she’d never received a rose from a man before, and he excused himself from their conversation to go pick a few flowers outside the hotel. I’m calling it now, Victoria P. is a lock for the final three.
Peter picking flowers for Victoria P because she’d never gotten any😫😫😫 I’m not crying you are! #TheBachelor pic.twitter.com/fEXJP4rQPq
— V (@ggandp) January 7, 2020
Unranked: Hannah Brown
GUESS WHO’S BACK?
The show opened with Peter saying that he truly did fall in love with Hannah B., and given how strongly he felt for her, he was hopeful that he could fall in love again. Maybe he doesn’t have to! Hannah B. showed up on limo night, stunning the cast, to wish Peter well and give him a pair of wings that Peter had given her last season. It was a touching moment, and seemingly was the end of Hannah B.’s involvement in the season…. until she showed up on the second group date.
The second group date, which will occur next week, will be a performance in front of a live audience. With no previous explanation, Hannah launched into the iconic tale of her night inside a windmill with Peter, making all of Peter’s new love interests extremely uncomfortable, before revealing that each woman would have to tell a story from their sex life to a crowd.
After the presentation, Peter found Hannah crying backstage, and she revealed that it’s been very difficult to return to the show and be around Peter, as she still apparently has feelings for him. Peter asked if she regrets sending him home on The Bachelorette, and Hannah said she questions it all the time. Peter then floated the idea of asking Hannah to join his cast, to which Hannah said “maybe.”
As I argued last season, it’s entirely possible that Hannah and Peter would be engaged right now if Luke P. hadn’t wrecked her entire season. While it’s highly unlikely she joins the show given how busy she was with Dancing With The Stars at the time of filming, you get the feeling this won’t be the last time we see Hannah.
3. Madison
Casually aiming for Pilot Pete’s heart like… #TheBachelor pic.twitter.com/URIJD3Q8Np
— The Bachelor (@BachelorABC) January 7, 2020
Madison, a natural Hannah B. rival from Auburn, Alabama, earned the first solo date of the season – and was immediately thrust into an incredibly awkward position. Instead of getting to spend the day alone with Peter, Madison served as Peter’s date to his parents’ vow renewal ceremony. Before ever getting a chance to have a serious conversation with Peter, she was meeting his grandparents and family friends, and to her credit, she seemed to thrive in the environment. Madison got a glowing review from Peter’s mom, and even caught the bouquet.
Madison and Peter then went to dinner, and she told him that she felt at home with his family, and Peter said it was refreshing to hear her talk glowingly about her family. In a classic Bachelor move, the dinner turned into a surprise concert by Tenille Arts, who welcomed Peter’s family to invade Madison’s alone time for the rest of the night.
Hopefully Madison wins, or the Weber vow renewal photos will be awkward af. #TheBachelor
— Jared Bright (@BrightLights89) January 7, 2020
4. Hannah Ann
Hannah Ann decided to be aggressive on night one, and her decision to interrupt three separate conversations ended up scoring her the coveted First Impression Rose. After Peter had met all the women, Hannah immediately handed him a drink as he walked inside the mansion to give his opening address, which is a total pro move that I hope she plotted months in advance. In her first conversation with Peter, she presented him with a painting that she made with her dad, which will hopefully end up on eBay if she doesn’t win.
Seriously no shots at Hannah Ann and her dad but their painting looks like it belongs in a Comfort Inn hotel bathroom #TheBachelor pic.twitter.com/ioj2iFBqzU
— Bachelor Party (@BachPartyPod) January 7, 2020
She then interrupted Deandra and Shiann, making early enemies in the process, but Peter said later that night that he appreciated how bold she was. The internet, however, was not as impressed, with some members of Bachelor Twitter comparing Hannah Ann to Luke P.
Why is Hannah Ann the new Luke P #TheBachelor pic.twitter.com/3UOR6sjCO3
— Leah Hostetler (@Leahhos716) January 7, 2020
5. Tammy
Tammy was robbed. She made a memorable first impression on night one with Peter, screening him with a metal detector and planting a condom on his person to discover during a frisk. She then made a comeback in the flight school challenge and was poised to beat out Kelley and earn a private flight with Peter – but she played by the rules and lost. Tammy became a fan favorite in the first episode, and while I hope she can recover from this injustice, she likely at least secured a spot for herself in Paradise.
Tammy is the goat #TheBachelor
— Demi Burnett (@demi_burnett) January 7, 2020
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T-6. The “women we haven’t really met” division
The three-hour Bachelor premiere felt like a marathon, but there still wasn’t enough time to highlight all of the 30 women in the cast. Here are all the women who have yet to make a lasting impression, but did enough to escape the first Rose Ceremony.
Alayah
When Pilot Pete looks in your general direction. #TheBachelor pic.twitter.com/lRBQ3EXVoL
— The Bachelor (@BachelorABC) January 7, 2020
Alayah was the first woman out of the limo, and she brought Peter a letter from her grandmother to read later in the evening. A smart strategy!
Kelsey
I can’t remember anything Kelsey did aside from telling Peter that Hannah made a mistake by letting him go during her limo exit.
Kiarra
Kiarra HID INSIDE AN AVERAGE-SIZED SUITCASE and was rolled up to the mansion on a cart.
This definitely deserves a spot on the Mount Rushmore of my illustrious career. Helping put this together for Kiarra was the perfect way to get this season off the runway. #BachelorNation #PilotPeter #suitcase pic.twitter.com/V3jPqjD7zc
— BachelorSuitcaseGuy (@thatsuitcaseguy) January 7, 2020
Lauren
Lauren didn’t do much in episode 1, but she gets points for wearing a sparkly bodysuit to stand out from the pack.
Lexi
Lexi arrived in a classic car because she “likes to go fast.” Peter pumped the brakes immediately and left her off both group dates, which isn’t a good sign.
Alexa
Alexa received a video introduction, which is usually an indicator that a contestant will be a major player, but was mostly invisible in the premiere.
Courtney
Courtney had a runway controller wave her in and she pedaled up to the mansion on a child’s plane-shaped bike.
Jasmine
We only saw Jasmine get interrupted by Victoria F. on the first night, and she wasn’t featured alone with Peter during the group date cocktail party.
Payton
The first thing she said to Peter was “FOUR TIMES,” which is maybe a questionable decision, but she made it through the Rose Ceremony and is on the second group date.
Sarah
Sarah is one of my early picks to make a deep run, but she had a very small role in the premiere.
Sydney
Sydney, who is a from Alabama, bawled in a confessional after not winning the flight school challenge. That night at the cocktail party, she was interrupted by Kelley.
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17. Natasha
Natasha made it through night one, but it’s possible that a feud could derail her progress with Peter. When interrupted by Mykenna, Natasha came back immediately with a giant paper airplane, and then awkwardly stood a few feet away as Peter and Mykenna kissed.
18. Deandra
Deandra wore a windmill on her back to make her entrance, and asked Peter if he was ready for a fifth round. A little too on-the-nose.
19. Mykenna
💯💯💯 #TheBachelor pic.twitter.com/uGaiqejzCo
— The Bachelor (@BachelorABC) January 7, 2020
Mykenna has future Bachelor in Paradise star vibes, and she got so much screen time in Week 1 that she’s clearly being set up as a main antagonist in the cast. Mykenna cried in a confessional after not getting the First Impression Rose, a result that made her “question a lot of things,” and also let out a primal roar when Hannah B. arrived to the mansion.
I need MORE!!! pic.twitter.com/fkxGqVH9SE
— The Bachelor (@BachelorABC) January 7, 2020
20. Shiann
Shiann gave Peter a barf bag for their first meeting, and spent the rest of the episode being severely emotionally affected by the actions of the other women in the mansion. You have to have Dylan-on-Hannah G. levels of tunnel vision to succeed in this game, and I’m not sure Shiann has the mettle.
21. Savannah
Savannah tried to be bold with her entrance, but went so far over the line that it was a bit creepy. She blindfolded Peter, did some ASMR whispering in one of his ears and then kissed him.
22. Eunice (eliminated)
Aren’t we all? 😉✈️ #TheBachelor pic.twitter.com/sB4Lh8LmRD
— The Bachelor (@BachelorABC) January 7, 2020
Eunice should have advanced on the strength of this pun alone.
23. Maurissa (eliminated)
Maurissa received a video intro, and was one of the more surprising cuts in the Rose Ceremony. She made a pinky promise with Peter during their first meeting – and if Peter’s already breaking those, this season is headed for chaos.
24. Megan (eliminated)
Megan was one of three flight attendants in Peter’s cast – and Peter eliminated all three of them. She had one of the better introductions, using an intercom to announce she had “direct service to Peter’s heart.”
25. Jade (eliminated)
Jade may have received the least screen time of any contestant in Week 1. So long, Jade!
26. Avonlea (eliminated)
I’m mostly relieved I don’t have to learn how to pronounce Avonlea’s name.
27. Jenna (eliminated)
Jenna showed up at the mansion with an emotional support cow. Seriously.
Jenna is hands down my favorite! She brought a freaking cow!!! #TheBachelor pic.twitter.com/AERjpryhof
— Makaela (@makaela922) January 7, 2020
28. Kylie (eliminated)
Kyle brought a package of condoms for her first meeting with Peter to rant about his windmill experience. Maybe next time don’t immediately remind Peter about all the sex he had with his ex-girlfriend?
29. Victoria F.
Peter’s decision to give Victoria F. a rose was the most shocking of the night, and given how dramatic she’s proven to be in confessionals, she feels like a contestant the producers want to keep around to spice things up. In her first meeting with Peter, Victoria F. stumbled through a joke about her dry sense of humor and laughed it off, resulting in a hilariously awkward moment. Later that night, Victoria F. brought up the joke again to Peter, who had to ask Victoria F. to repeat it because he couldn’t remember.
Victoria F. Refusing to abandon this joke #TheBachelor pic.twitter.com/Knafs8dgsZ
— Sabine (@sabine_machine) January 7, 2020
This crushed Victoria F., who couldn’t believe that Peter didn’t remember her punchline. Her chat with Peter was interrupted, which seemed to indicate that she only ever talked to him about a lame joke during the entirety of night one, and still somehow received a rose.
Victoria F: telling her terrible joke for the second time tonight.
Literally all of us:
#TheBachelor pic.twitter.com/FWUR53YEQe
— Laura Reuter (@HeyLauraReuter) January 7, 2020
30. Katrina (eliminated)
She’s not wrong 🤷♀️ #TheBachelor pic.twitter.com/w0nUqIKTpA
— The Bachelor (@BachelorABC) January 7, 2020
Katrina has a hairless cat at home. That’s really all you need or want to know.
Me when I’m watching the bachelor with my parents and Katrina brings up her hairless pussy cat #TheBachelor pic.twitter.com/vVJuVpys7M
— Spoorthi (@SpoorthiDatla) January 7, 2020
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