Neflix finally added The Bachelor -- but only one season and not the first one. No, Netflix now has Jason Mesnick's The Bachelor Season 13 listed as "Season 1," since it's first season on the streamer. Bachelor Jason's trainwreck came out in 2009 and set a new standard for "The Most Dramatic Season Ever." It was also the first Bachelor season ever to be "spoiled" in advance by spoiler guru Reality Steve. Cut to 10 years later, and fans are now dissecting the spoilers for Bachelor Peter Weber's upcoming Season 24.
The spoilers for Bachelor Jason's season were so insane, few were convinced it would really end that way. Sweet single dad Jason dumps his fiancée for his runner-up?! Um, never! And yet, that's exactly what happened. Ever since that 2009 season, the past 10 years have been filled with The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and now Bachelor in Paradise seasons being spoiled.
Spoilers have become a part of Bachelor Nation culture. They are embraced by a large chunk of the fandom, although some fans do prefer to watch without knowing -- or thinking they know -- what will happen along the way.
Considering Bachelor Jason Mesnick's season followed Brad Womack choosing himself in The Bachelor Season 12 finale, there was already a high bar for insanity. But Jason managed to top it. He even invented a new Bachelor term -- pulling a Mesnick -- with his now iconic cry at the balcony.
Then we had the most awkward "After the Final Rose" ceremony ever, where angry Melissa Rycroft confronted Jason for dumping her for his runner-up, Molly Malaney. "You're such a bastard." Then we saw Jason awkwardly ask Molly out. It was the ultimate trainwreck. Maybe topped by Bachelor Jake Pavelka and fiancée Vienna's break-up later on, but the gold standard at the time.
Not sure if you watched back in 2009, but Bachelor Jason was brutalized after his season. Even worse than Brad Womack. Wrong Reasons Jed Wyatt has nothing on the names Jason Mesnick was called.
But things turned out more than OK for everyone involved. Melissa Rycroft could've been the next Bachelorette but instead she went on Dancing With the Stars -- then competed a second time and won the DWTS All-Stars season. She also married a pre-Bachelor boyfriend and they have three kids.
Meanwhile, Bachelor Jason married Molly and they now have a daughter of their own. They were actually the first Bachelor couple to get married -- The Bachelorette has a better track record -- but until Bachelor Sean Lowe showed up, no previous Bachelor had married anyone from the show. (At least Sean married the woman he actually picked in the end.)
Interestingly enough, the same trick of dumping the "winner" for the runner-up worked in 2018 for Bachelor Arie Luyendyk Jr. He dumped poor Becca Kufrin (then followed her around the house while she cried) and married runner-up Lauren Burnham. Now Arie and Lauren are married with a daughter together.
So, yeah, Bachelor Nation is now marveling that Netflix quietly added just one season of The Bachelor and it's this one. But it's fascinating to watch it back. To see Molly for the first time in her hotel room before meeting Jason, knowing they will go through this crazy journey and get married and have a family after all. I love spoilers for that reason. The excitement of knowing things even before the people we watch on screen and seeing their journey with that knowledge.
The Bachelor Season 24 is coming in less than a month with Bachelor Peter Weber either finding love or not. Spoilers have given us a final two and the warning that Pilot Pete's season does not have a "normal" ending. Does that mean we have another Jason/Arie situation on our hands? Is that why Netflix picked this one to air first or what? Why did they put in Season 13 from 10 years ago as "Season 1"?
The Bachelor 2020 premieres Monday, January 6 at 8 p.m. on ABC. Watch Bachelor Jason's season now on Netflix and cross your fingers for more dramatic seasons to be added later. Personally, I'm rooting to see The Bachelorette seasons to show up. Bachelorette Trista Rehn's Season 1 should already be on there as the first actual success story. But I'm most fond of Bachelorette Jillian, Ali, and Ashley's seasons. When you're ready, Netflix!
Keep up with everything premiering in early 2020 with our handy TV schedule. And keep up with all of Netflix's 2020 premiere and return dates with this schedule.
