I think in some ways, my relationship with this show parallels the relationships on the show. At the beginning of the season, I was incredibly skeptical. Sure, Travis is a great catch, but what were the odds that he was going to truly fall for someone by the end of his experience? Many of the women on The Bachelor have been asking themselves that same question and were surprised by how real their feelings became. And I’ll admit it. I still feel that this show is stupid and artificial, yet when I watch it, I can’t peel the smile off my face. I love the kisses, the nail-biting rose ceremonies, the merciless firing squad of parental questioning. And I definitely think that Travis is the best bachelor ABC has ever selected.
After a round of hometown dates, Travis had to shrink his circle of would-be brides from four to three, a decision that obviously tore him up inside. I had initially predicted that Sarah from Canada would be the last woman standing, but after getting to know her a bit better during the last episode, I can understand why Travis sent her home. There’s no doubt that she’s a great girl: bubbly, sweet, adorable, and affectionate. She’s also outdoorsy and adventurous, two qualities that are important to Travis. Unfortunately, it all came down to age and experience and with a decade dividing them, Sarah and Travis just weren’t at the same places in their lives. Also, the fact that she never told Travis that she was still living at home seemed a bit fishy. Sure, she’s a 23-year-old student and has nothing to be ashamed of, but I can see why it put Travis off.
Sarah also wasted too much energy knocking the competition. I know she disliked Moana, but she needed to set those feelings aside and concentrate on herself and Travis. The fact that she didn’t do that was a sign of her immaturity. I’m not saying that it was wrong of her to be concerned about Moana (and if she had known how close they had become, it probably would have freaked her out even more), but a girl like Sarah needs to know that she’s the only one. And who can fault her for that?
I would be shocked if Susan made it to the final two. Sure, she’s beautiful and seems to say all the right things, but she strikes me as a tad phony. She’s “a smitten kitten”? Excuse me while I dry heave. I know that Susan has some pageant experience under her belt and it definitely shows in her actions and words. She even told her dad that she hoped she didn’t “get cut” this week, which sounded more like the lingo of somebody on an audition rather than a woman in love. Even though she denies it, Susan’s motivations for doing the show are tied up in her desire to make it in L.A. as an actress. And good for her if it helps, but Travis would be a fool not to see this and even more of a fool to keep her around. Plus, she’s only 25, and like Sarah, still has a lot of her life to figure out. Susan is not right for Travis.
Nor is Sarah from Tennessee, as much as it pains me to admit it. There’s nothing wrong with this woman; in fact, Sarah has all of the qualities of a wife-to-be. She’s pretty, approachable, good with kids, sweet, and very grounded. She even likes to camp and fish. But it all comes down to geography. Sarah has established a life for herself in Nashville and is very close to her family. And although Travis currently lives in Nashville, he’s made it very clear that he doesn’t want to stay. He wants to live in the Rockies in Colorado. Sarah’s family wasn’t too pleased to hear about that and even Sarah said that when she has kids, she wants to live close by her parents.
But even if Sarah were game to live anywhere to be with Travis, I still don’t think it would work out. On the surface, Sarah doesn’t strike me as a complicated person. Things are black and white for her. I wonder if she’s ever truly questioned where she comes from or what she’s doing. I mean, good for her if she’s got everything figured out, but Travis appears drawn to someone a bit more mysterious and complex. Sarah’s just so incredibly normal that it doesn’t seem like there’s anything else to know about her. This assessment may sound unfair, especially given how little the average viewer can actually find out about any of the people on this show, but Sarah has had a lot of face time on ABC. In my previous column, I dubbed her the narrator of the show because she was on so often. And given what I’ve seen, I don’t think she’s what Travis is looking for.
But Moana is. While the other women on the show thought that she was putting on an act, I think Moana is the real deal. She hasn’t had pat answers to Travis’s questions. She hasn’t forced Travis to list his three main goals in life. And she stuck up for herself when the other women in the house attacked her. Moana is a risk-taker and isn’t afraid to stumble over herself a little. The fact that she’d be willing to move with Travis makes her a good fit for him, as does her passion for life and her no-B.S. family. Even though her dad was really tough on Travis, I admired him for it. And in the end, I don’t think those tense moments will play much of a role in how Travis feels about Moana. Those two were meant to be together.
Plus, how often does the villain win? It would be so satisfying to think about girls like Tara sitting at home, watching Travis give Moana the final rose, their mouths agape with jealousy. Can ABC rig some hidden cameras in their living rooms during the finale, please?
