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Warning: There are spoilers ahead for the Monday, March 5, season 22 finale of The Bachelor.
After what was considered by many to be a relatively dull outing, The Bachelor season 22 concluded in dramatic fashion on Monday, March 5, when Arie Luyendyk Jr. sent Lauren Burnham home and proposed to Becca Kufrin — only to change his mind a few weeks later.
What followed was an unedited, super-emotional, on-camera breakup, with Arie admitting to Becca — his fiancée — that he was still in love with the woman he had let go. It wasn’t a totally unprecedented move, of course — there have been plenty of dramatic endings in the show’s history. But that didn’t make watching it unfold any less uncomfortable. In fact, it was downright brutal.
Members of Bachelor Nation agreed, and were very vocal on social media about the cringe-fest.
1. Ben Higgins, who told both JoJo Fletcher and Lauren Bushnell that he loved them on his season 20 finale, tweeted his disbelief that Arie and Becca’s conversation ended up on camera. He then also wondered if it meant that he and Jason Mesnick — whose previous on-camera Bachelor breakup serves as Arie’s closest predecessor — were now off the hook.
How did this breakup end up on camera? Seems like a private conversation. We don’t belong in this conversation….but im still watching #TheBachelor
— Benjamin Higgins (@benhiggi) March 6, 2018
But real talk does this mean @jason_mesnick and I are off the hook now?? #TheBachelor
— Benjamin Higgins (@benhiggi) March 6, 2018
2. Molly Mesnick shared her expertise, having been in this situation before.
Wouldn’t you consider learning from the mistakes of those before you – maybe call and ask what NOT to do…like filming the breakup 🤔🤔🤔 #TheBachelor 🌹
— Molly Mesnick (@MollyMesnick) March 6, 2018
3. JoJo Fletcher knew something was up. She later tweeted, “STOP.FILMING.HER.”
They don't FILM happy couple weekends… WHAT ARE THEY TELLING BECCA!?
— JoJo Fletcher (@JoelleFletcher) March 6, 2018
4. Vanessa Grimaldi, who ended her Bachelor engagement to Nick Viall last year, didn’t watch the season because of the anxiety it gave her, but tuned in for the finale — only to freak out.
You. Do. Not. Play. With. Someone's. Heart. Like. That. SPEAK ARIE! SAY SOMETHING MEANINGFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
— Vanessa Grimaldi (@VanessaGrimaldi) March 6, 2018
5.Bachelorette season 7’s J.P. Rosenbaum said what SO many were thinking.
Not in agreement with this made for tv moment. #thebachelorfinale
— J.P. Rosenbaum (@JP_Rosenbaum) March 6, 2018
6.Bachelorette star Kaitlyn Bristowe agreed with Rosenbaum, sharing her disappointment in the show’s choice to air Becca’s humiliation.
This is just awful….. why are they filming this https://t.co/1w6O8Rzqz6
— Kaitlyn Bristowe (@kaitlynbristowe) March 6, 2018
7. Christen Whitney, from Bachelor season 21, joined the anti-Arie chorus.
“Hey are you ok” by Arie J is a definite front runner in stupidest question of the year #thebachelor
— Christen Whitney (@Christen_mae_) March 6, 2018
8. While Bachelorette‘s Diggy Moreland was one of the overwhelming number of people speaking out in support of Becca.
Becca is so classy.
She didn’t cry, or curse him out, or load her pistol or anything.
Way to be a class act Becca. We applaud you.#thebachelor #thebachelorfinale
— Diggy Moreland (@diggymoreland) March 6, 2018
ARIE: “Are you okay??”
Seriously?? Now I want to fight him. She didn’t lose @ UNO, you broke up with her dude!! #thebachelor #thebachelorfinale
— Diggy Moreland (@diggymoreland) March 6, 2018
9. Many, including Bachelor season 20 alum Caila Quinn, praised Becca’s poise.
So happy Becca is logically confronting the issue and not blaming herself asking if she did anything wrong! 👏🏼 #thebachelorfinale
— Caila Quinn (@CailaQuinn) March 6, 2018
10. Sean Lowe, who proposed to (and is now expecting a second child with!) Catherine Giudici on season 17 of TheBachelor, detailed his wife’s breathless reactions. Catherine, for her part, shared her own shocked and speechless video.
I don’t like this one bit. Shouldn’t have filmed. #thebachelor
— Sean Lowe (@SeanLowe09) March 6, 2018
The show was over 30 mins ago and Catherine is still in the red zone. She’s talking so fast I’m not sure she’s getting air. She’s very angry. She’s telling me all the things she would have done to me in if she were Becca. I’m scared.
— Sean Lowe (@SeanLowe09) March 6, 2018
11. Evan Bass, another Bachelor success story, was left explaining the finale to his nine-year-old son. Not an enviable position to be in!
My 9 year old came running up the stairs asking “Who won?” and I had to explain to him that this is not a game show and those of us that win really only get a minivan, a wife, children, and a neil lane ring (not necessarily in that order) #thebachelor
— Evan Bass (@ebassclinics) March 6, 2018
UPDATE: My 9 year old is refusing to go to bed until he sees the “clip that’s not edited.” 2ND UPDATE: The longer he watches the more I’m concerned about his need for long term therapy #thebachelor
— Evan Bass (@ebassclinics) March 6, 2018
Arie was (understandably) slammed in his Instagram comments following the finale, but, hey, we can’t say he didn’t warn us. He admitted early on that he fell in love with two women during his time on the show. But that didn’t make watching the devastation any easier.
It’s not over just yet — on Tuesday, March 6, at 8pm ET on ABC, part two of the finale will air with a reunion between Becca, Arie, and Lauren.
What did you think of the Bachelor finale? Let us know @BritandCo.
(photo via ABC/Paul Hebert)
