Season 29 of The Bachelor premiered Jan. 27 on ABC and Hulu, launching fan-favorite bachelor Grant Ellis’s journey to find love with plenty of drama, fabulous outfits, and emotional dialogue. Although there are already many seasons of The Bachelor, this newest season is still shockingly entertaining, adding new twists and tropes to the series.

Grant made his first appearance on season 21 of The Bachelorette, but he failed to capture the heart of bachelorette, Jenn Tran. He was ultimately eliminated during week six before hometown visits where he would have met Jenn’s family. Caution, spoilers ahead!

To soften the blow of Jenn’s rejection, ABC revealed Grant would be the next bachelor, leaving Bachelor Nation fans ecstatic. With the new season finally here, Grant has made quite the return to the screen. But is he here for the right reasons? The 25 women vying for Grant’s proposal and affection sure think so. 

Season 29’s cast is already head over heels for Grant within the first fleeting moments of eye contact; it’s hard to believe love can strike people so quickly. But hey, at least they’ve probably stalked his Instagram before. That’s always foolproof confirmation of if people are husband material… right?

Throughout the 28 previous seasons of The Bachelor, the premise has remained the same, though the cast of the women vying for the bachelor’s heart has become increasingly more diverse in more recent seasons. Each episode follows the interactions of the women staying in the bachelor’s mansion. The women do not interact with the bachelor except during scheduled filming times. The usual events filmed include dates, cocktail parties, rose ceremonies, or the occasional dramatic hotel room conversation. 

During each season, the bachelor grants women roses during designated rose ceremonies and dates, signifying their connection and confirming they get to continue their journey on the show. If they do not receive a rose, it means rejection, and for all too many, heartbreak. This season is no different.

Season 29 of The Bachelor kicked off strong with equally loveable and questionable contestants. As each woman made their first appearance at the bachelor mansion, Grant greeted them individually, and some contestants, needless to say, had more memorable entrances than others. Alexe, for example, was hard to forget; she trotted in with an Alpaca named Linda by her side. That must have done the job because Alexe received the “first impression” rose at the end of the first episode. 

Here are our make-or-break first impressions of the contestants: coming in a little late to the party, Dina thinks she’s all that, making sure Grant knows her ring size (size six, by the way). However, with her self-absorbed personality and deep 2020 side part, Dina deserves more thorns than roses.

Staying on the theme of a self-absorbed, obnoxious candidate, Bailey entered the party with eyes only for herself. After informing Grant of her profession, as a social media manager, she wanted to give him a taste of the life of an influencer’s spouse. Bailey posed for an entire photoshoot, assigning Grant as the photographer. This small act offered a major window into her true character, showing off her condescending, wannabe-charismatic personality. 

A little while later, things started to look up as Chloie made her grand debut. Lighting up the entire room with her kind, caring, and wholesome demeanor, Chloie is already a fan favorite. Wearing a red dress paired with ruby slippers reminiscent of her Kansas upbringing, Chloie shared with Grant that there is “no place like home,” showing her grounded and vulnerable nature without feeling the need to be too flashy.

Another fan favorite was Allyshia, who, despite announcing to the group that she does not kiss on the first date, by the end of the episode had not only kissed Grant on the first date but was ironically the first contestant to lock lips with Grant out of 25 women. Despite this discrepancy, Allyshia’s classic Tampa-girl features could’ve gotten her crowned hottest at Arizona State University. Unfortunately, our time with Allyshia was cut short after she did not receive a rose during night two’s rose ceremony. This disappointing turn of events definitely was not welcome in our storyline.

Then there’s Grant, the man of the hour and this year’s eligible bachelor. While he definitely pales in comparison to the bachelors of the past, Grant definitely has some redeeming qualities. 

Grant was good-humored throughout his time on The Bachelorette, successfully staying out of drama, which is a rare accomplishment audiences have to acknowledge. As Grant takes on the role of the bachelor this time around his vulnerability leans into being performative making his compassion for others, and light-hearted nature less genuine. Grant is likable but not a particularly outstanding candidate. True fans of the franchise realized early on in the premiere Grant would not hold a candle to previous Bachelor Joey Graziadei from season 28.

Since this is only the first episode, these first impressions could shift, but for some contestants, it’s going to take something major to change our minds. These love-hate relationships we have developed will ultimately fade into the background as Grant, our leading man, is the only one with the final say. 

The first episode of season 29 of The Bachelor introduced viewers to 25 women and Grant’s future potential wife. Full of dramatic entrances, uncomfortable first kisses, and already tearful goodbyes, season 29’s first episode points towards a season to remember, earning four out of five feathers.