The Bachelor’s Colton Underwood isn’t rushing an engagement with girlfriend Cassie Randolph, which may sound completely reasonable. But since he was The Bachelor, he needs to explain why in the world he hasn’t gotten down on one knee yet.
The 23rd season of the show ended in a way that - and this isn’t coming from the lips of Chris Harrison - had never been seen before. Randolph broke up with Underwood at the final three. Then, Underwood confessed his love to Randolph and told her she was the only one he wanted at the end. To prove his undying affection for her, he broke up with the remaining two women, Tayshia Adams and Hannah Godwin, and then asked Randolph to consider taking him back. She did, and the two are still together to this day. On its surface, there should be no reason to expect a 27-year-old man to propose to a 24-year-old woman he met less than a year ago. But this is the The Bachelor.
In an interview with Us Weekly, Underwood said, “We want to build such a strong foundation for ourselves to use to sort of launch us for the rest of our lives and that’s what we’re doing.” Randolph added that they don’t have a timeline, but she said, “We’ve definitely talked about it, but we’re just enjoying right now and not worrying about it.”
Since Underwood’s season ended, The Bachelorette had its own unconventional end to the season, and Bachelor in Paradise has produced so many storylines in only its first two weeks that it’s tough to keep track of it all. That’s fine for Randolph, who is enjoying the return to relative normalcy. She said, “I just feel like I’m in a normal relationship. Obviously not normal. It’s better than normal!” And while betrothal may not be in the immediate future, Randolph has already put thought into what that image - the ring in particular - will look like, saying, “Simple gold band and then a solitaire oval. … I want a big rock.”
It’s unfortunate how much emphasis The Bachelor places on the engagement - not only for the strain it causes on relationships during filming, but also how it’s the first question they are asked from the press. Even when and if Underwood and Randolph get engaged, the media will badger them about a wedding date. It’s what they signed up for, in part, but it shouldn’t be this way.
Three out of the last four seasons of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette have ended either with an engagement or no proposal at all. The show can still allow two people to get engaged at season’s end, but perhaps they can push future narratives toward a more reasonable conclusion. The final rose has always been an afterthought. It’s time it starts meaning more. Save Neil Lane for a later date.
Next: Mike Johnson in Serious Consideration to Become The Next Bachelor
Source: Us Weekly
