I have a confession to make. I’ve been fighting it, but it’s time to come clean. After three Bachelor franchise seasons of being Nick Viall‘s biggest fan, it’s over. I cannot stand him. He is horrible. I finally see what everyone else saw before. No one tell my stepmom because she’ll never let me live it down.
More:Even Kelly Ripa’s Telling Nick Viall to Run Far Away From Corinne
Through Andi Dorfman’s season, I loved Viall. I rooted for him. Even during that awful “After the Final Rose” moment when he called her out on live TV for the sexy time they had, I made excuses for him. “He’s just heartbroken and made an impulsive bad decision!” I cried through my wine.
During Kaitlyn Bristowe’s season, I was delighted to see him return. I thought the immediate hate he got from all the other guys was pretty unfair — after all, he just wanted the chance to get to know a girl he liked, just like all of them. He and Bristowe had explosive chemistry, and sometimes that leads to things like sex because they are humans and that’s normal. I didn’t think Viall did anything wrong, unlike basically all of the rest of Bachelor Nation. I was a lone woman crying “Team Nick!” in a sea of haters.
On Bachelor in Paradise, Viall redeemed himself in the hearts of many. I called almost immediately that he was on the show to become relevant again, that he was being groomed to be our next Bachelor. And the fact that he was on his best behavior only reinforced my predictions. I breathed a sigh of relief as America began to see the Viall that I had always loved, as he gained favor and as he was crowned Bachelor. I knew his time to shine had come.
More:Kaitlin Bristowe Isn’t Here to React Dramatically to Nick Viall’s Rude Comments
And then. And. Then. Viall, who had been the leading man of my heart for so many years, was finally the leading man of Monday nights on ABC. He deserved it. He had put in the work and earned that spot. And he was such a giant, embarrassing flop.
I’ve been defending Viall all season, but it’s time for even me to give up on this one. He’s been wishy-washy and noncommittal week after week after week. He’s sent women home after great dates with no explanation. He manufactured drama by having an awkwardly staged sit-down with Dorfman. He let Corinne Olympios make it to the final four (some of my fellow SheKnows writers actually liked her — this I will never understand). Viall wasn’t in this for a wife. He was in this because he quit his software sales job to be a model before he realized he’s a decade too old and he needed a backup plan, stat.
And look! It worked! Nick Viall is back on reality TV and making that all-too-familiar transition from Bachelor Nation to Dancing with the Stars. He’s guaranteed a paycheck and, like, one more month of relevance. Except Viall failed to take an important factor into account: Viewer votes play a part on the success of DWTS contestants, and he already blew his shot at being America’s sweetheart. He came back from villainhood just to slowly and noncommittally sink back into its depths. Viall, who overcame all the odds, succumbed to them again, and even his former No. 1 fan won’t defend him anymore.
More:Everything Nick Viall Has Done Right and Wrong as the Bachelor
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