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A few minutes into theThe BachelorsfinaleTuesday night, I finally realized what this season reminded me of.
Distraught and overwhelmed, positive he only wanted to be with Cassie, Colton immediately did the same thing.
Its a segmentThe Bachelorhas replayed dozens of times.
The Bachelorfinale reminds me ofBlack Mirror.
Its a specificepisode ofBlack Mirrorfrom the shows fourth season, an installment called Hang the DJ.
(I am about to spoil this episode.)
When they do escape, we discover that they were a simulation being run inside a dating app.
This is exactly what made ColtonsBachelorseason so compelling, right down to the dramatic wall-scaling exit.
Its very rarely romantic when a man chases a woman whos dumped him.
It is at best presumptive; at worst its seriously scary.
But when Colton sat down with Cassie again, he managed to thread that very tiny needle.
They did not have to get married, he told her.
They did not have to be engaged.
Colton and Cassie were still onThe Bachelor, of course.
Whenever weve seen visible producers onThe Bachelorin the past, its because something Bad and Exciting has happened.
Producers typically appear onscreen when the production is desperately trying to wrangle someone back into place.
The couple was still onThe Bachelor, but they walked away from the fundamental premise of the show.
The normal rules had dissolved.
They had exited the simulation.
ThisBachelorseason was not perfect.
After 23 seasons, watchingThe Bachelors own premise become a slain dragon is pretty satisfying.
Its fine for one person on one season to smash the game and walk away, but everybody?
Its the first time Ive almost wanted to believe him.
