Hearts Break as Jenn’s Tragic Season Of The Bachelorette Comes To An Unprecedented End
Although Jesse Palmer gives Bachelor Nation empty promises of unprecedented seasons every year, Jenn Tran’s season of The Bachelorette had a heartbreaking, tumultuous ending that might actually be an ending fans have never seen before. Let’s break down this shocking end to Jenn’s journey.
Jenn brings her final two men to meet her brother, mother, and aunt as one of the final steps before the proposals. Devin is first to meet the family and, while the family liked Devin, Jenn’s brother couldn’t confidently give his blessing. Jenn’s mother was worried that this journey hadn’t been long enough for a pure intentioned proposal to happen. While this is a totally valid concern in the real world, the world of Bachelor Nation races to the altar. While Devin’s meeting with the Tran family wasn’t perfect, he didn’t seem deterred for his love for Jenn.
Marcus was the next man to meet Jenn’s family and it’s safe to say Jenn’s mother loved him. The only problem? He didn’t know if he was ready to get engaged. Again, a totally valid concern, especially after only dating for a couple months, but that’s not how Bachelor Nation operates.
Jenn and Devin go on their final date before the proposals. This sweet Hawaiian date followed the happy couple as they were guided in a spiritual mediation where they’re advised to let go of any insecurities that are holding them back from love. Devin and Jenn reaffirm their love for one another and it seems that Devin is all in for Jenn. Happily ever after, right? Wrong.
When the show returns to the live After The Final Rose hosted by Palmer, he asked Jenn’s brother how he’s feeling about the outcome of this journey. All James had to say was he’s upset. It’s safe to say this blunt answer was pretty damning for how the rest of the season would go.
While audiences expected Jenn and Marcus to also go on a final date, that would never come. Jenn reflects on her feelings for Marcus and realizes she is done waiting for Marcus to fall in love with her. In this author’s opinion, Jenn was completely right to act on this. Jenn confronts Marcus in his hotel room, and asks him if he genuinely sees a future with her. Audiences watch as Marcus struggles to find the right words, but he finally tells Jenn he loves her. Did it seem like a last ditch effort at a hail mary? If you were to ask me, I’d say yes. Marcus simply was too late to tell Jenn he loved her. Jenn sends Marcus home, leaving audiences puzzled about how her season will end.
The show returns to After The Final Rose, where Marcus has joined Jesse to talk about his ending. Jenn joins the two for the live broadcast and her conversation with Marcus is mature. It’s clear the two hold genuine respect for each another and they just want what’s best for one another. Here’s hoping Marcus finds someone who he loves wholeheartedly soon.
The show has teased a conversation between Jesse and Jenn all season and we finally got to see what it was about. This season-long promo made audiences believe Jenn might not end up with anyone. However, this conversation finally revealed that Jenn wasn’t going to be proposed to, rather she was going to do the proposing. Jenn reveals she chooses Devin and wants to make Bachelorette history as the first Bachelorette to pop the question. Once again, all seems well for Jenn and Devin, but Palmer reassures us that nothing is as it seems. When the show cuts back to After The Final Rose, Jesse lets the audience know that they won’t be showing the proposal until Jenn gets to tell her side of the story. Before the show cuts to a commercial break, we see a nervous Jenn backstage, sobbing.
Jenn bravely faces the music and tells the true story of her season. She reveals that she and Devin were happily engaged, but Devin’s energy completely changed once they left Hawaii. She tells Jesse that he began avoiding her texts, back tracking on all the promises he gave her, and ultimately called off the engagement. What could make this even worse? He called off the engagement over the phone. Bad move, Devin.
As Devin joined Jesse and Jenn on stage, he was greeted with no applause and a handful of hecklers. While he tries to defend his decision and apologize to Jenn, she rightfully tells him how much he hurt her. Jenn does not hold back at all. She reveals that mere hours after he ended their engagement, she woke up to see that Devin followed Maria Georgas on Instagram. This is a blow to the gut when you remember Maria was the original Bachelorette for this season, but ended up dropping out at the last minute. Jenn also reveals that Devin seemingly wasted no time mourning their relationship and instead he partied in New York with other exes of Jenn.
Palmer tried to let Devin tell his side of the story, but Devin failed to give any answers with substance. Just when audiences thought Jenn had dealt with enough, the show aired the proposal to the in studio audience and for all of America to see. Fans were forced to watch as Jenn watched the proposal. While this is a reality show, I think making her stay out there while the proposal footage played was an unnecessary cruelty that could’ve been avoided. Jenn’s journey ends on a sad note, but Palmer does his best to reassure her that she is a strong, indepedent woman who handled this situation with grace.
After Jenn and Devin’s tumultuous reunion, the audience was left craving redemption for Jenn. She was dealt a peculiar deck as this season’s lead. As previously mentioned, Maria Georgas confirmed she was this season’s original Bachelorette, but she backed out weeks before production was supposed to start. Jenn was a backup Bachelorette the show brought in and, even though she was a fantastic Bachelorette, I can’t help but feel she was mistreated. All the men for this season were cast for Maria’s preferences, not Jenn’s. Jenn was forced to explore connections with men who expected a different woman and who appealed to a different woman. If I were a producer of this show, I would push for Jenn to get a round two as the Bachelorette with a lineup of men who are there for her. Jenn deserved so much better.
While Jenn’s journey for love didn’t go as planned, she isn’t leaving our screens just yet. This morning, Good Morning America announced Jenn as one of the contestants for Dancing With The Stars season 33. While Jenn didn’t win the game of love, let’s hope she wins the game on the dance floor.
