Just over three months since the dramatic announcement that 36-year-old Wisconsin native Nick Viall would be the next “Bachelor,” the franchise’s flagship show has wrapped and the cast of new bachelorettes has been announced.
Of course, Nick’s journey started long before that August reveal, when he played the role of runner-up ― and villain ― on Andi Dorfman’s season of “The Bachelorette,” and then as runner-up on Kaitlyn Bristowe’s season, where he played less a villain than a contestant divisive for his mere presence. Then, on “Bachelor in Paradise,” he had a summer romance with Jen Saviano, only to break up with her during the finale. But at last, it seems, he’s convinced enough of Bachelor Nation that he deserves a shot at love, reality TV-style.
So what sort of woman does ABC think Nick will fall in love with? Could it be a a spunky brunette? Hmmm ...
So, yes, it’s no surprise that the majority of ladies vying for Nick’s affection happen to have brown hair. But some other strong trends also jumped out as we surveyed the group of 30 (30!!) women assembled to win Nick’s sensitive yet manly heart:
1. They love dolphins.
Much like his last on-camera girlfriend, Saviano, who notably described dolphins as the only other mammals to have sex for pleasure, many of Nick’s future girlfriends are crazy about these sea-dwelling creatures, whether because they “rescue lost sailors” or are “cute.” Some of his lady suitors want to train dolphins, others want to be them, others just like them.
2. They’re under 28.
Nick, remember, is 36. More than half the women on his season are under 28. There are more 23-year-old women on this season of “The Bachelor” than there are women over 30.
3. They think Olivia Pope is a boss lady.
These are women who enjoy suspenseful drama with a strong female lead! Best enjoyed with a large glass of wine, curled up on the couch on a Thursday night. (Shonda... are you making a guest appearance this season?)
4. They have an affinity for tattoos — specifically hearts and butterflies.
Apparently Nick likes some “edge,” because these ladies are all inked up ― whether it’s Christian references, butterflies, a heart-shaped grenade, or more cryptic inscriptions. See, wifeys can have tattoos!
5. They don’t seem to be the most avid of readers.
Favorite books and authors cited included a few standouts: Steve Harvey, author of Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man; Nicholas Sparks; The Five Love Languages (”Bachelor” required reading); and “I need to read more books.”
6. They aren’t all white!
Ending on a hopeful note, at least nine of the 30 women on “The Bachelor” this season appear to be women of color, including several black women. Even the most diverse of the last few seasons, Sean Lowe’s, only included six women of color out of 26 contestants, still a lower percentage than Nick’s upcoming season. It’s not much, but we’ll take even baby steps towards progress at this point.
All this is to say: ABC, our first black Bachelorette had better be coming next season. We’re waiting.
For more on Nick V.’s bachelorette roster and the upcoming season, check out HuffPost’s “Here to Make Friends” podcast below:
Do people love “The Bachelor,” “The Bachelorette” and “Bachelor in Paradise,” or do they love to hate these shows? It’s unclear. But here at “Here to Make Friends,” we both love and love to hate them — and we love to snarkily dissect each episode in vivid detail. Podcast edited by Nick Offenberg.
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