Fans eagerly return for the newest The Bachelor season, anticipating another journey filled with seemingly genuine connections, champagne-fueled drama, and awkward group dates. While the franchise continues to promise true love, The Bachelor has long faced accusations that some contestants—and even its leads—are more interested in leveraging their platform for fame rather than romance. Season 29’s Grant Ellis may be the latest to follow that trend.
Season 29 introduces Ellis, the 31-year-old day trader and former basketball star, as he begins his quest for love. He previously appeared on The Bachelorette before making history as the franchise’s second Black male lead, following Matt James in 2021. The season premiered on January 27, 2025, featuring 25 women competing for Grant’s heart. Each week, roses symbolize both love and survival in a competition that no contestant dares to admit is a race to the ring.
Concerns about Grant emerged even before the season premiered. Just before the show’s debut, he released a single titled “Party Girl,” leading some fans to suspect the timing was a calculated attempt to leverage his newfound fame rather than a genuine pursuit of love. Now, with inconsistencies in his behavior and growing skepticism among fans, the show faces renewed criticism over its casting decisions.
The franchise has struggled with controversy in recent years, including the backlash from Jenn Tran’s season of The Bachelorette, the first Asian Bachelorette. During the finale, she and contestant Devin Strander proposed to each other, only for Strander to call off their engagement in August 2024—over the phone—before the finale even aired.
The Bachelor franchise faced significant criticism for failing to screen contestants thoroughly and casting Strander despite a prior restraining order from an ex-girlfriend. With its credibility at stake, The Bachelor now faces high expectations to recover from past missteps.
Similarly, The Bachelor’s first black lead, Matt James, saw his season overshadowed by allegations of racism within the franchise.
When asked about being the first Black Bachelor, James explained, “I feel a load of responsibility….But in that, I feel like my experience isn’t everyone’s experience. I can only go and speak on things that I’ve experienced and live out my truths and do the best I can to represent who I am and how I was raised. “
As Time Magazine wrote, “Viewers watched James select his final four women—one of whom is 24-year-old Rachael Kirkconnell, who has been called out online for appearing in photographs wearing culturally appropriative costumes, attending an antebellum-themed party in 2018 and more.”
With heightened scrutiny, Ellis’s season is under even closer watch as viewers hope for a significant improvement from both Tran’s and James’s seasons. However, fans have begun questioning whether winning The Bachelor truly means winning at all.
Ryan Smith, MCAS ’28, noted, “I just think that he feels very unauthentic. After watching other seasons, it is clear that he is there for the wrong reasons. I am honestly hoping my favorite girls get eliminated so they don’t have to marry him.”
Mycayla Canlas, MCAS ’28, explained, “I feel like the people who go on The Bachelor know that they will be in the spotlight.”
Tensions escalated in the third episode when contestant Rose Sombke confided in Carolina Sofia that Ellis had told her he was thinking about Sombke while dancing with Carolina. Feeling blindsided—especially after a seemingly genuine date—Sofia confronted Ellis and who appeared shocked and denied ever making the remark. However, upon rewatching the episode, fans discovered that Ellis had indeed said those words.
Ellis said to Sombke, “And I just want to make sure that you know that. Because I’m very interested in you… You know, the whole dancing thing on stage and everything. I was thinking about you.”
Rather than fostering genuine connections, the show portrays the women as manipulative and deceitful. However, the real issue may not lie among the contestants but with the prize itself— Ellis.
Other viewers have an optimistic opinion of the bachelor.
“While I believe Grant Ellis hasn’t come about the emotional aspect of the drama in the best way thus far this season, I believe he is there with genuine intentions to find a lasting partner,” said viewer Riley Wiggins. “Looking ahead to the season, the way he’s portrayed as of in the previews comes off as someone who tries to stay true to himself, but I get the feeling that he will exhibit challenges in decision-making this season.”
Only the upcoming episodes will determine whether Grant’s intentions are sincere and how this “tournament of love” will ultimately unfold.
Matcha enthusiast, Reality TV Binger, and lover of all things vintage
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