Rachel Lindsay is back, Bachelor Nation, and this time she is on her own journey to find love. After being dumped on Nick Viall’s season of The Bachelor, Rachel decided it was her turn to hand out roses. The season is momentous because it is the first time a person of color has been the lead on the hit reality show. But that's where the differences end. Night one is always crazy, and Rachel’s first night was no exception. Here are the top moments from Monday's episode of The Bachelorette.
Corinne is back
Before Rachel met the 31 men that want her heart, she took some advice from some of her friends from last season — yes, one of them was The Bachelor’s very own villain, Corinne Olympios. “Totally let your feelings be in control,” Corinne advised Rachel.
Corinne was pretty successful in her own way on The Bachelor, so maybe she knew what she was talking about. But it was the advice she got last season from runner-up Raven Gates that she carried with her: “Rachel, you just have to let yourself fall.” And according to Rachel, she does fall.
Rachel is warned about DeMario
DeMario was one of the four men who met Rachel on After the Final Rose, and Whitney gave Rachel some warnings about the smooth talker who offered tickets to Las Vegas. Whitney told her another woman from last season knows DeMario and that he might not have the purest intentions. Rachel made the right decision and chose not to judge DeMario before she getting to know him. She even said she liked his confidence when she first met him. Honestly, the guy seems pretty cool.
The season’s nut case is revealed
Has anyone heard of “whaboom?” No? Neither had I, but it’s all Lucas will say. He shakes his head, screams, then shouts “whaboom.” The guy is nuts — but Rachel seemed to like the goofy. One of the men, Josiah, had the greatest response to the season’s first nut case: “Did you guys drug test?” It doesn’t appear the network did, Josiah.
Blake E. picks a fight on night one
Blake E. did not like how Lucas was acting in the house, so he called him out on it. Blake E. thought Lucas is only on the show to get famous. Well, even if Lucas is here for the right reasons, he did get famous. No one will ever forget the whaboom dude. Blake, on the other hand, might shape up to be the season’s villain.
Adam and Adam Jr.
One of the men vying for Rachel’s attention brought someone — or rather something — with him on his journey to find love. When Adam stepped out of the limo, on his hand was a puppet named Adam Jr. Yes, it is as creepy as it sounds, but it doesn’t stop there.
Bachelorette producers gave a terrified Rachel some one-on-one time with Adam Jr. Rachel tells the human Adam that she has a “thing” about dolls. Adam ensures her Adam Jr. won’t be around for the duration of the show. Maybe that was his plan all along — scare her then comfort her. Well played, Adam.
Blast from the past
A man named Fred came out of the limo with an old yearbook. He showed Rachel a picture of him in third grade then flipped a few pages to reveal an eighth grade version of Rachel. Yes, the two went to the same school, and Rachel was even Fred’s camp counselor.
“I knew exactly who he was when he came out of the limo,” Rachel said. “He was a very bad kid.”
Rachel struggled with the trip down memory lane, but ultimately she gave him a rose. She might like having a familiar face around later in the season.
It’s raining men
A whopping 31 men arrived at Bachelor Mansion for night one, and everyone in the house noticed the spike in the testosterone levels. Some of the men had their ego checked when they realized they weren’t the only hot ones, while others tried their best to stay confident despite the large playing field. Rachel was overwhelmed by how many men were watching her discussions throughout the night, but was appreciative of how many guys were there.
“It’s just one incredibly handsome man after another. … It’s raining men,” she said.
Bryan gets the first kiss
Anyone watching the show could tell Bryan was smooth from the moment he stepped out of limo, strutted up to Rachel and spoke Spanish. Bryan put on the moves later in the night, too, when he told Rachel he was here for all of the right reasons, but that he isn’t afraid to get into a little trouble. That prompts him to lean in for a very passionate kiss.
“I did not want to kiss anyone tonight, but boy did I love it,” Rachel said. Oh, well. I sure wouldn’t turn down a kiss from Bryan.
The first impression rose goes to...
In true Chris Harrison fashion, he sauntered into a room with a lot of the men and placed the coveted first impression rose on a coffee table. The first impression rose shows the men what type of man Rachel might be interested in. Josiah, feeling confident in himself, picked up the rose and placed it in his pocket, but it didn’t stay there for long.
Shortly after Josiah put it back on the table, Rachel took it in her hand and walked in the opposite direction of Josiah. She headed for a room with about six guys and called out one name — Bryan. The kiss obviously worked.
The men are mad about the last rose handed out
Nothing unexpected happened at the rose ceremony, but the men didn't think one man deserved the last rose on the table. Rachel gave Lucas the last rose, and he shouted “whaboom” as he accepted it. One of the men who went home was upset Lucas stayed and that he didn’t have the opportunity to wear the amazing outfits he brought. Get over it, dude. Take your suits somewhere else.
The Bachelorette airs every Monday at 8 p.m. on ABC.
