Jenn Tran was Done Dirty.
Graphics by Kylie Adedeji
If you’ve watched anything from the Bachelor franchise, you’ll know that the phrase “most dramatic, shocking, unprecedented season ever” means nothing besides broken promises and disappointment. With that being said... the last thing I expected from Jenn Tran’s season was for her to be humiliated by her final two men and done absolutely fucking dirty by producers.
Jenn Tran made the historic – arguably feminist – decision to propose to Devin Sanders, after sending Marcus home before their final date. (And that should have been that.) Bachelor nation should have watched the proposal play out, before finding out about the heartbreaking events that followed, just as every other season has done before. But no. It was revealed not only did Devin call off the engagement because he began doubting if he ever loved her, but he did so in a FIFTEEN MINUTE PHONE CALL and then proceeded to follow Maria (another contestant from a different season) the very next morning. It was heartbreaking watching Jenn see Devin break her heart, and obviously that dude sucks, but it’s also exactly the kind of dramatic confrontation you expect from the Bachelor-verse.
What really made this finale so despicable was that they made Jenn watch the proposal footage with Devin sitting right next to her. They also framed it in such a weird way, explaining that showing the footage to Jenn would be a testament to what a “strong and powerful” woman she was. But the whole thing was just a sick twist of the knife, that added nothing to the plot besides humiliating Jenn for views. What makes it even worse, is that the whole ending and Jenn’s feelings could have been saved if producers had just put a little more care into her season to begin with.
From the very beginning of the show, Jenn was set up by the producers for disaster. Rushed production (she started filming the day after she announced as Bachelorette), careless introduction as a lead (two other contestants from the same season – Maria and Daisy – have said they were originally asked to be the Bachelorette), and bad casting (multiple season 21 men have said they applied thinking the Bachelorette was going to be Maria or Daisy). All of this not only ruined her chance of success, but established the idea that Jenn was never a first choice for the show or the men.
Historically, Asian women in media have been severely misrepresented and aggressively stereotyped. ABC had this chance to change the narrative around Asian women, by featuring Jenn as a desirable main character where men were vying to be with her. If done correctly, this would have helped a lot of women find representation and confidence in their culture that is so often stigmatized by the media. Instead, producers picked guys that came off as uninterested, and portrayed Jenn as having to chase after these men even when she is the one supposed to be in control and the humiliated her for virality.
So yes, Jenn deserved better, not just from her asshole of a fiancé Devin, but from the entire Bachelor franchise.