Grant Ellis: Bachelor of Boredom 

The final rose shocked Bachelor Nation, proving Grant Ellis to be emotionally naive and unprepared for his tenure as “The Bachelor.”

Ellis — a 31-year-old day-trader — starred in season 29 of “The Bachelor,” which aired its finale March 24. 

With a Jan. 27 premiere, the series began with 25 women vying for Ellis’ attention and hand in marriage. From the start, contestants made compelling introductions, spanning Alexe Godin’s llama to Zoe McGrady’s T-shirts printed with her and Ellis’ faces.

During the premier, Ellis awarded Godin both the first impression rose and the first one-on-one of the season — the only instance of a contestant winning both opening awards in the show’s 23 years. However, in general, Ellis also failed to make an impression, lacking in both personality and passion.

Early signs of trouble were visible within the season’s opening episodes. Following the premiere, two group dates and Godin’s one-on-one, brewing tension between contestants Alli Joe Hinkes and McGrady with Ellis. Ellis, true to himself, was oblivious to the conflict.

Adding to the contentious pot, contestants began dropping like flies for reasons outside the show’s control. An unexpected departure by Beverly Bortega the day of her one-on-one shocked Bachelor Nation. She exited due to a medical emergency, later revealed to be appendicitis.  

After continual drama with Carolina Sofia, Rose Sombke went home on her own accord in week four, unable to handle the tension between housemates. 

Throughout the drama, two contestants eventually arose as the ultimate rivals for Ellis’ affection — the main antagonist Carolina Sofia and sure-headed Juliana Pasquarosa.

Between contestants’ heated arguments and sudden exits, Ellis sits in the middle, poorly handling confrontation and doing nothing to combat the tension between the contestants. 

Pushing aside others and monopolizing Ellis’ time, Sofia became the number one enemy for the other women in the house. Rather than deflate tensions, Ellis mindlessly fanned the flames by continuing to pursue connections with other women while still entertaining Sofia.

Though “The Bachelor” is infamous for its two-faced stars, rarely have they been as callous as Ellis. During the season’s last leg, during which the final four contestants visit their hometowns, finalist Dina Lupancu’s family declined to participate, resulting in her elimination.

This was a surprise to Lupancu considering Ellis told her it wouldn’t affect his decision. 

During the fantasy suite episode with the final three, each woman spent a single, uninterrupted day with the bachelor to deepen their connection. Finalist Litia Garr told Ellis she didn’t want to be intimate with him during the episode, with Ellis responding that he still loved her — a statement he later said he regretted. 

With Pasquarosa and Garr as the final two, Garr claimed Ellis wanted to end the show early because she was the one for him. The unprecedented comment proved Ellis would say whatever he felt at any moment, regardless of the harm it could cause others and at the end of the journey, Pasquarosa remained with Ellis’ ring on her finger

A serviceable final choice on paper given Pasquarosa’s charitability, but one sullied by her now husband’s flippant attitude toward romance and respect.

While season 29 of “The Bachelor” was rife with drama, Ellis left his own stain as an astoundingly boring Bachelor. The only purpose for his bland personality seems to be a personal vehicle, taking advantage of his newfound platform to launch his music career. 

All episodes of “The Bachelor” are streaming on Hulu.