"Bachelor" host Chris Harrison calls every season the "most dramatic ever," but this time he meant it. The season will also go down in history as the most brutal and unnecessary ever.
On Monday night's three-hour finale of ABC's the "Bachelor," the show hit a new low when Arie Luyendyk Jr. proposed to Minnesota's own Becca Kufrin, then changed his mind and dumped her for runner-up Lauren Burnham in an unedited, excruciating scene for all the world to watch.
On Tuesday night's "After the Final Rose" special, Arie proposed to Burnham on live TV, and Kufrin was named the Bachelorette for next season.
Luyendyk — while admitting he felt "a lot of guilt and shame" over what happened with Kufrin — got down on one knee to put an engagement ring on Lauren's finger. "I really believe you are my soul mate," he said.
In TV interviews following the finale, Luyendyk said he chose to film the breakup with Kufrin so that viewers would know the breakup was "all on him" and Kufrin could have a chance to be the next Bachelorette.
During the first proposal, Luyendyk sent a broken-hearted Burnham packing, then five minutes later told Kufrin, "I choose you today, but I choose you every day from here on out."
The cameras then showed footage of the happy couple in the weeks after the proposal spending time together in secret locations. Kufrin arrived in Los Angeles for what she expected to be a romantic weekend with her new fiancé, and instead got blindsided with a breakup.
Luyendyk told her he couldn't stop thinking about Burnham, so he wanted to see where things could go with her. The next hour of the show captured Kufrin crying and pleading with Luyendyk to leave. ABC showed the entire breakup, unedited. For that, viewers are disgusted.
Kufrin, who told the Star Tribune she is "not allowed contractually to discuss it at this point," has become America's sweetheart. The 27-year-old from Prior Lake had been a fan-favorite from the beginning for her down-to-earth, outgoing personality, and her strong Minnesota morals.
She was the first Minnesotan to receive a proposal on the show. It's just too bad the series has quickly become one of the most-hated in America.
Minnesota State Representative Drew Christensen Tweeted his disdain for the betrayal: "If this gets a thousand retweets I'll author a bill banning Arie from Minnesota."
From news anchors to a Twins pitcher, other Minnesotans weighed in with their thoughts on the show.
