The newest season of The Bachelorette is about to drop, and we couldn’t be more psyched about Rachel Lindsey’s search for Mr. Right. It’s easy to get caught up in the magical, champagne-doused world ABC has crafted—there are few better things in life than watching impeccably dressed, impossibly attractive men vie for the heart of an equally attractive woman. But the wildly popular TV show becomes all the more enjoyable when you’re able to appreciate its supreme goofiness, shameless objectification and nonsensical setups. Here are 18 weird things to keep an eye out for on The Bachelorette.
1. Strange first impressions
Remember when Luke rode in on a unicorn? And how it actually (kind of) worked?
2. Annoyingly symmetrical muscly dudes…
Is it me or do they all start to blur together after a while?
3. With totally legit professions…
Part-time Canadian, full-time pancake enthusiast.
4. And whose shirts come off so easily
Maybe it’s because they apply so much oil to their bodies?
This picture is from the Australian version of the show, but still.
5. Everyone is buff from a strict exercise regimen, which they are all too eager to show off
Seriously?! This is not real life.
6. The dates can be awkward AF
Tantric yoga? Anger-gasms?
7. Like really, super awkward
Nothing more normal than two adult men sumo wrestling each other on national television for the affections of a woman.
8. Forcing-your-suitors-to-dance-for-money awkward
I guess it shows how flexible they are?
9. JoJo literally watching a guy make out with a horse
I don’t even know what to say.
10. Synchronized. Dancing.
Every group of guys is just a boy band waiting to happen.
11. When the Bachelorette simply cannot decide on a dude
Clearly she’s having trouble distinguishing them because the audience sure is.
12. The show encourages people to, ahem, “spend the night” in the infamous “fantasy suite”
Wrong on so many levels.
13. Six to eight weeks is a reasonable amount of time to meet someone, fall in love and decide to spend the rest of your lives together
14. The contestants are extremely mature
No comment.
15. In their defense, they are cooped up in a house with no access to the outside world
A very luxurious prison of sorts.
16. If everyone seems irrational, it’s not like producers are pulling strings behind the scenes
*cough unreal cough*
17. Or plying everyone with tons of alcohol
Champagne problems, y’all.
18. TFW one of your baes proposes to you, but you picked someone else so you have to reject him
Whoops.
This behemoth of a franchise is beloved in spite of, or perhaps because of, the 18 reasons listed above. Even though numerous tropes are inevitable, there are always a few delightful surprises too. Don’t miss the premiere of Season 13 on Monday, May 22 at 9 p.m. EST on ABC.
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