As always, this year’s season of the Bachelor promised salacious gossip, true romance, and majestically foreign locations. However, the reality of the Bachelor’s 21st season has left the majority of Bachelor Nation unfulfilled and disinterested. The first problem with this season is undoubtedly the selection of Nick Viall as the bachelor. Nick has already appeared as the runner-up on TWO seasons of the Bachelorette and one season of Bachelor in Paradise; Bachelor Nation knows his bad side, his significantly smaller good side, and his oddly emotional outbursts. At this point, watching Nick search for love is like repeatedly checking the fridge at 10:30: disappointing and unfruitful.

Throughout this season Nick has instigated numerous mass-goodbyes, often sending home far more women than expected. Not only was this surprising and annoying (EVERY SINGLE TIME), but it also meant that fans were deprived of the opportunity to get to know contestants, root for them, and, most importantly, observe each woman’s connection with Nick. Fans did not get to see a solid emotional connection between Nick and any one of the women until weeks past when feelings were anticipated.

Similarly disappointing are this season’s dates and locations. In past seasons, the dates have included exploring the natural wonders in breathtaking destinations and learning about local cultures of the contestants. Unfortunately, this season featured shoveling manure on a farm in Wisconsin along with superficial dates such as a yacht party in St. Thomas.

The ultimate disappointment in this anticlimactic season was the reveal of the next Bachelorette: Rachel Lindsey. Rachel is smart, beautiful, and real, but the reveal of her role as the show’s next sweetheart while she still stood as one of Nick’s final three ruined any suspense the season had left. While I, like the rest of Bachelor nation, wished this season to be as engrossing as all of the others, the combination of Nick as the Bachelor and predictable plot lines has resulted in a mediocre and unsatisfying season of the franchise’s premier show.