New Hosts Aren’t Enough: 3 Things We Need to See in Tonight’s ‘Bachelor’ Finale

Again, the controversy (and action) surrounding Chris Harrison’s racism scandal has played out almost exclusively off-screen. While that choice thus far is comprehensible for a number of reasons, one being to give Matt James the spotlight he deserves as the first Black Bachelor, the time has come for an on-screen reckoning as well. This season of The Bachelor simply cannot justifiably end without overtly addressing and unpacking the reasons behind Chris Harrison’s departure. It would be cowardly, and perhaps even irresponsible to not utilize some airtime to reflect on the longtime host’s actions and rhetoric. Harrison’s position as host of a show that purports to elevate Black voices like the current Bachelor himself is inextricable from the harm Harrison’s comments inflicted. At the very least, Bachelor Nation deserves a transparent explanation for the change in host.

We don’t know for sure who wins this season of The Bachelor. However, we have a pretty good guess. Rachael Kirkconnell, the contestant whose behavior is at the root of the Chris Harrison racism scandal, is still a frontrunner to become Matt James’s fiancée. It seems strange that Chris Harrison has faced significant personal and professional consequences for defending Kirkconnell’s past, but the contestant herself seems to have emerged from the scandal relatively unscathed, at least in terms of her portrayal on the show.

Considering she is the one who attended an “Old South” fraternity party dressed as a slave owner in the first place, the show should refrain from celebrating her. No matter who wins tonight, but especially if Rachael Kirkconnell wins, The Bachelor would be remiss in allowing her to profit off a favorable appearance on the show or avoid any form of on-screen accountability for her actions.

As many notable Bachelor alums have pointed out, the franchise’s race problem does not begin or end with Chris Harrison. It also will not be solved, or even remedied, by casting Black leads or increasing the number of Black contestants on the show and its spinoffs. The Bachelor, like the rest of the country, has systemic and cultural issues that need to be addressed before measures like that can have a real impact. The franchise must work towards anti-racism, rather than tokenization or performative diversity, to earn its enshrinement in pop culture.

Anti-racism refers to conscious action against racial injustice, such as policy changes, pervasive transparency, and accountability. Integrating hosts who are Black and female-identifying is a great place to start, but tonight’s finale is (hopefully) just the beginning of the franchise’s journey to find its own kind of love. That journey requires reflection that is on-screen, visible, and open to constructive criticism. Here’s to hoping that The Bachelor can remain a curious encapsulation of American culture, while also acknowledging the harmful aspects that can and should be left behind.

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