RECAP: The Season Finale of ABC’s “The Bachelorette” with Jillian Harris
BACHERLORETTE FINALE: ‘A bachelor that once left ends up in the final two, and a bachelor that was already asked to leave returns to ask to be Jillian’s number one!’
Tonight marked the Season Finale of what ABC has been dubbing the most dramatic season yet of “The Bachelorette,” featuring aspiring bride-to-be, Miss Jillian Harris.
The Canadian cutie first appeared on the last season of “The Bachelor,” where she made it into the top 4 finalists in the running to win Jason Mesnik, who famously chose one woman in the end, and then swapped his choice in the “After the Final Rose” follow-up show.
After completely falling for Jason, but ultimately being given ‘the friend card,’ Jillian won over the hearts of America and was ready to finally find her Mr. Right. As such, ABC invited her back to fulfill the role of the Bachelorette, where she had the opportunity to weed through 30 men, in search of the one.
In the end, Jillian narrowed down her choice to two bachelors: Kiptyn Locke and Ed Swiderski.
Kiptyn, a San Diego native, had Jillian’s attention from the beginning and has been seemingly the perfect package: looks, intelligence, warmth, and chemistry. Her only concern? Was Kiptyn too perfect? Has he truly put his guard down? What happens once they hit a bump in the road?
Ed, an IT Executive from Chicago, came with a lot more work. Midstream, Ed has to choose between his career and his love life, when his boss called saying his job might not be there for him when he got back, and in a split-decision, Ed gave Jillian the news that he had to walk. Several episodes later after missing out on the hometown dates, he reappeared, more certain than ever, that he was falling for Jill and work or no work, he had to see this through. As such, Jillian was able to experience getting over a hump with him, which was a growing process. But, when they get back to the real world, will work begin to take precedence again?
Thus, begins Jillian’s decision for the evening, Kiptyn or Ed?
The episode begins with both men meeting Jillian’s family, and both passed this test (including a written out list of 66 questions from Jillian’s mother) with flying colors. Mom, cousin, and grandma gravitated towards Kiptyn, whereas Dad gave Ed the thumbs up for asking his permission for her hand in marriage. At this stage, Jillian remains torn.
On their final one-on-one date, Jillian and Ed take a helicopter ride over a terrain of active volcanos, followed by a hike through the waterfall-filled wilderness. Jillian felt the pressure of overcoming their not-so-steamy overnight date wherein Ed encountered problems in the bedroom, and Ed continued to express his certain love for her and his desire to be the one she chooses in the end. Ultimately, Ed invites her back to his place, where Jillian discovers that their sexual chemistry does still exist, remarking that it was like “finding that last piece of the puzzle.”
Kiptyn and Jillian start their final date off with a wild speed boat ride that leaves them off on a deserted island with nothing but a picnic basket and some cold beers. Jillian professes “Kiptyn is absolutely the best catch I think I’ve ever met in my life.” Back at the suite, Kiptyn takes the opportunity to finally open up to her and lay it all on the line, “It took me a while to get here, and I feel good about where I’m at now. I see a lifetime with you, I see marriage and kids, I’m falling in love with you. Not a question, I can see my life with you. Just me and you, let’s do this. I want to look your Dad in the eye and tell him I want to marry you and you’ve met my family, but I want to show you my friends and the amazing life that I live. I think you should come and live with me.”
Fairy-tale romance aside, now Jillian has to make a decision, a real decision that will ultimately leave one person very crushed, and suddenly, the show takes a reality check, “I don’t know how my heart is going to be able to hold up when I have to put one guy in the limo and send him home, knowing that I am crazy about him, I just don’t know.”
In a pale pink strapless heart-cut dress, Jillian waits from the podium across a clear blue pond for her first suitor to arrive…
FIRST UP: KIPTYN. Nervously, he professes his love for her and prepares to propose. Jillian, tears running down her face, pulls the band-aid off rather quickly and tells him she has fallen in love with someone else. True to form, Kiptyn’s reaction is eloquent: “This hurts a lot, but I’m a man and I have to get through this. At least I’m leaving here knowing I told you everything.” As Jillian erupts into tears, he goes on, “Thank you for everything throughout this, you’re a beautiful woman and Ed’s a lucky man.” In the limo, Kiptyn takes a deep breath, and pulls the ring box out of his suit pocket, ”It was so good the whole way through, it was so natural. She’s got this love for life and she’ll go after it, and knowing I wont go after it with her now is tough, it hurts. I’ve never had my heart broken before, but today, I’m definitely heart broken.”
Saying goodbye to Kiptyn today was excruciating, but now, Jillian can focus all of her energy on what’s coming next: ED…
NOT SO FAST—Enter stage left, Reid, the recently booted off Realtor from Philadelphia makes a surprising return! ”Every second that went by from the flight home to the limo ride to the airport, I felt horrible. I came back to tell you that I love you.” This was a FIRST for Reid, and his lack of saying it was the reason she originally sent him home. Jillian’s reaction? “Oh my god, I dont even know what to think, what to say, honestly, letting you go was the hardest thing I’ve had to do to date here, I was honestly falling in love with you, I cried that whole night” Reid continues: “But when you sent me away, everything became really clear and I was like, what the hell is wrong with me, why didn’t I tell her!? None of it felt right, and I don’t see you with either of these guys, I only see you with me and the connection that we have is there for a reason.”
Jillian: ”You know what’s going on here right?”
Reid: “Yes, and I think what was going on here without me was all wrong!” [Gets down on one knee] “I love you , and you’re someone I can spend the rest of my life with.” [opens ring box].
Jillian: ”I need to think about this. I was standing here planning to spend the rest of my life with someone else. I need to think and you’re going to wait, ok?”
Reid: “I will wait.”
After some coaching from the show’s seasoned Host, Chris Harrison, Jillian clears her head: ”Are you excited about Ed showing up today? (yes) Getting down on one knee and proposing? (yes) Spending your life with him and marrying him? (yes) Then you know what you need to do.”
Jillian tells Reid she has to go with the feeling she woke up with this morning. He is speechless. More tears from Jillian, and unfortunately, a 2nd break up for her to deal with that day. Shaking her head, she puts him back in his cab.
FINALLY UP: ED. Ed approaches Jillian with her smile beaming and begins his speech, “Jillian, we are best friends, we have that laughter, we have that spark, and chemistry. You’ve changed me as a man and helped me reprioritize my life. You’re everything I could ever ask for. Before I go any further, I need to know that you love me…?”
Jillian: “Yes! There is no doubt in my mind, I love you so much! It was so hard for me not to tell you that I love you all this time.”
Ed: Will you marry me?
Jillian: [Squeals] “Yes! Ed - do you have any idea how much fun we’re going to have!?”
Cut to cute outro reel featuring all their favorite moments of how in love they are, and showing them later that evening, gushing over their very happy engagement. Oh - video production and editing, and how you tease us with Jillian’s supposed turmoil along the way…
Tune in next week for the “After The Final Rose” follow-up episode on ABC, where we get to hear the juicy first hand recount of how it all went down and hopefully an announcement of who the next Bachelor will be!
Any votes? Reid? Kiptyn? Jake? Anyone but Wes, and I’m a happy camper…