Talk about a nail-biter! Halfway through last night’s two-hour season finale of The Bachelor: Paris, the big race was still too close to call. Then, suddenly, dramatically, a clear winner emerged in the battle to be the episode’s most overused word. And the winner was…”excited,” with a whopping 20 uses, edging out ”Paris” (17), ”great” (10), and ”amazing” (9). In fact, the way ”excited” was getting bandied about, I was wondering if the producers might cue up the Pointer Sisters’ ”I’m So Excited” after Bachelor Travis Stork, M.D., decided Sarah Tennessee would ”make the best doctor’s wife” (ABC’s words, not mine!) and presented her with a 2.2-karat diamond ring on a chain.
Travis’ decision, of course, turned fragile Moana into a hot sobbing mess, but was she really expecting a different result after coming completely unhinged during dinner with his family? I’m not sure what was more excruciating: the dead silence Moana offered when Travis’s sister asked what exactly she dug about the good doctor, or the I-see-my-soul-reflected-in-his-eyes psychobabble she hurled at his parents. You could actually see Big Momma Hair’s mind at work, wondering how she might score le restraining order on her son’s behalf. By the time the producers cut to Moana getting gussied up for her final date, I was worried she might start writing Travis’ name on her mirror in lipstick. Backward. With assistance from her little friend Tony.
That said, Moana got her backbone back and redeemed herself duringher last supper with Travis by declaring, ”I want you. I don’t need,but I would like you in my life.” And later, with her ice-maidenresponse to Travis’ parting comment that he’d miss her: ”I wouldcertainly hope. In circumstances like this, no one ever knows.” Oooh,suh-nap! That’s about as close to female empowerment as you’ll ever geton The Bachelor. I mean, it’s not like the producers would evercast a woman who might, I dunno, decide to simply head back homebecause the guy’s really no great prize.
Which, come to think of it, is exactly how I’d describe Travis.C’mon, we’re talking about a man whose idea of a good date in Paris isvisiting — wait for it — an indoor jungle gym. (Dude, ever hear ofthe Louvre?) Not only that, how about the way he tried to mislead Sarah(a woman he’s supposedly in love with) into thinking he’d chosen Moana– all in the name of good television! What he deserved was a smack inthe kisser, not another unappetizing kissing session with thekindergarten teacher.
Ah, well, maybe The Bachelor will get all feminist in anotherdecade or two, when Travis’ niece Whitney takes her turn in thespotlight. The little moppet certainly provided the episode’s comichigh point by drawing both Bachelorettes, then indicating: ”Moana isthe one I like best because I put an arrow by her and a heart.” Hey,kiddo, you’re not alone. But for the sake of Stork family harmony,maybe don’t let that slip the next time you’re hanging with your futureAunt Sarah.
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Michael Slezak: You are the BEST writer!!!
what a bunch of FOOOEY— Moana you deserve SO MUCH BETTER. Travis Dork, M.D. doesnt know what the hell he did. Sarah had ZERO chemistry w/him and he had to reassure himself how happy he was afterwards by saying “I’m so happy I’m so happy I’m so happy” like 8x while hugging her! god!
ABC, please make Moana (despite the tears and emotional displays) the NEXT bachelorette! she is so awesome and REAL. What a bunch of phonies.. why did i watch this show? Hey ew. — you should post the ‘letters to Moana’ page on your site!!!! so sad….
i heart Moana
I know people think Travis and Sarah are boring, but Travis couldn’t handle a girl like Moana. I felt bad for her, but Travis really isn’t her type. You KNOW Travis’ father had more to say about the girls once the cameras stopped rolling. Moana blew it going all crazy and moody.
Travis and Sarah make a nice little couple. 2 regular people.
He’s so happy because now he’s done with the show. And soon he’ll be done with Sarah.
Michael can you be the Amazing Race re-capper tomorrow??? Go A. RACE!!!!!
Either you or Whitney puh-leaze
“Travis and Sarah make a nice little couple. 2 regular people.”
AKA BORRRRINGGGGG
abc get with it, cast Moana next time around– if you could convince her that is
You folks that call Moana “real” and “awesome” can’t be serious! She never utters a phrase that doesn’t sound like bad soap opera dialogue. “..I am forevere changed” was my fave, and last night’s “I see my own soul shining back at me,” as the recapper so astutely observed–these were only as few of her “lines.” I agree Sarah is a little “plain and tall,” but at least she talks like a normal human. I’m not proud of watching this show, but I can’t look away, and I’m so glad Moana got slammed and I wonder how long she worked on her meltdown script!
I don’t think Moana could handle the pressure of being the Bachelorette.
You people who like Moana must be joking. She had about 20 different personalities and in her closing meltdown she even admitted that the nice girl won. What would that make her?!?!? Travis and Sarah are two NORMAL people who may seem a bit boring, but they are real people who aren’t trying to be something they are not. I personally thought it was refreshing to see two people who have normal professional jobs and who just want to enjoy life and each other. Way to go Travis!!
I think Sarah is very pretty, classy, and composed- not good TV for the masses who prefer Paris Hilton. Moana is pretty at times, in a way, but not “hot” or anything. Did you see the two without makeup? Moana- yikes! Sarah- cute. I did genuinely feel sorry for her in the limo- I feared she was about to go postal on the cameraman. But man, what a weirdo- and what a “player”- trying to act cool, “hard to get”, mysterious, and not into the guy (Then why come on the Bachelor??)My favorite (worst) line was on the boat “That is kinda cheesy, but I’m diggin’ it”, second only to “My own soul shining back at me”.
Moana was the greatest! I won’t ever watch the bachelor again because this finale was such a BORE! and I think actually Travis and Sarah deserve each other… she’s such a born-to-be-wife boring deal… so yeah hey! go back to Tennessee and make babies and get stuck! Moana will laugh about this eventualy, she deserves someone more challenging that BORING travis… Sarah is so roboting-plain-boring… so that’s that… now let’s focus in the real world key west and the amazing race and forget about these dull desperate women… and het Sarah! good luck waiting for Travis to get home while he’s doing the E.R. thing… he won’t be able to make it to the dinner you so nicely prepared for him for about 3 hours…
Travis really screwed himself by narrowing his only choices down to a goody-two-shoes girl-next-door and an emotionally unstable pseudo-sophisticate. I wanted to break the TV every time I heard “intense feelings.” Yet, I watched every inane minute. Great. Amazing.
Hey Tisa- did not read your post until I posted- I agree 100%- I meant to say that too! I loved the part about the “Nice girl always wins”– no, not usually, but thank God this time she did. Very refreshing to see a doctor and teacher- not a “swimsuit model”, psuedo- actor, or NFL Cheerleader, etc.
hey “gosarah”
Doctor and a Teacher?….. can you say BORING!!!!!! and DIVORCE waiting to happen!!!???
“..I am forever changed”
Didn’t Sarah say almost the exact same thing?
But more to the point, didn’t Moana’s Mom say that about Moana too? Don’t have any idea what Moana was like before the show, but her Mom seemed to think she was letting herself be more vulnerable than she’s used to doing. Kids of divorce can have difficulty with relationships as adults and it’s possible that all the crap people are saying about Moana is rooted in that.
“She had about 20 different personalities and in her closing meltdown she even admitted that the nice girl won. What would that make her?!?!?”
Closing meltdown? She was obviously crushed. That was an honest raw moment. Guess you’ve either had a lot of safe relationships or none at all.
And what it makes Moana is an individual. I guess I don’t dislike Sarah the way some of you dislike Moana. I just appreciated what Moana showed and I didn’t see much from Sarah. I’m sure she’s very nice. But as far as which of the two cared more about the Dork, it was clear Moana did.
Of course Sarah did have her own crying breakdown before the final “ceremony”. Why does nobody mention that?
And Tisa, did you notice the niece liked Moana better than the “perfect” Kindygarten teacher? What’s up with that?
Moana is a NUT CASE – I saw it from day one. Get her a SHRINK NOW, not the next bachelorette.
Michael Slezak, the kid picked Moana, because she was the last one she spent time with – so the memory of her is fresh in the kid’s mind not because Moana is a better choice. Face it your girl is wacko!!
Oh and by the way Michael, you couldn’t be more off in your assumptions that Moana represented a “strong” woman. If that’s how you think a strong woman would react, then you need a lesson in understanding women. Sarah may have been a bit plain but she was very poised and classy and I believe she represented us women in a very dignified way. Moana had more emotional breakdowns then anyone I have ever seen in the show’s history and her mood swings were unbearable for me (and Travis’ family) to watch. As for their date to the play gyms, they had children they had to entertain and he probably was tired of all the schmoozy dates in Paris that he had to go on. And finally, as for the show being anti-feminist, a lady gets to do the choosing on the show called “The Bachelorette”!! Get it…
Oh for heaven’s sake. So they are “boring”. Maybe they want to live a life of comfort that isn’t riddled with multiple personalities and drama. Moana was way out there last night. To be at a loss for words to the simple question “what do you like about Travis”. Not everything has to be a deep, intense thought. Sometimes, love and affection is simple and easy and lasting…..Don’t assume that simple is boring. It is often very comforting.
Amen Ally!! I think that’s what the show should be about. Not some actress, globe-trotting wannabes. Sarah and Travis represented normal values which I applaud!!
I can’t remember a finale (of any reality show, really) that I cared less about. I watched most of the season but didn’t manage to get attached to anybody (including the bachelor himself). I guess I was glad he picked Sarah, though, because I was imagining an awkward moment on a Nashville street corner if Travis chose Moana and they managed to randomly bump into Sarah one day.
Hey Tisa and Ally you guys sound BORRIIINNGG!!! why don’t ya sing on the next Bachelor and get a TRavis…
Does anyone know why they didn’t do one of the “Live Reunion” specials after the finale? My guess is either Moana refused to go on the show (or Travis has a restraining order against her and her wacked-out parents) OR Travis and Sarah were broken up before they boarded the plane home from Paris. Or both! Kind of weird, though, not having that final recap of the show with funny Chris Harrison.
honestly I dont know about you but that kid who chose Moana over Sarah-plain-and-tall (classic!)- was maybe honestly choosing Moana? She wasn’t a 3 year old, she was a little older. And why bash Moana for not being able to come up with some super sassy super-SARAH-ish comeback to why she liked Travis… she didnt understand herself why or how she wound up feeling like she did on this lame a$$ tv show. She was in it for a free trip to Paris- good for her! What is the big deal.. so her emotions got the best of her. Please. I’d take emotions over sassy-down-home-southern bland cheerleader any day.
Read TONS of posts here in the past saying how boring Travis is. Yet I still held out hope it was the editing But by picking blah Sarah , that says he is BORING!! I didn’t see one thing Sarah did or said that was interesting (except giggle like a young schoolgirl about wanting big kisses). Their chemistry seemed so forced, not natural, yet he picked her?! He wanted someone “who likes adventures” (his words), yet Sarah won’t move from Nashville and is about as exciting as vanilla ice cream!
And for those who thought Moana was emotional…this girl had a small timeframe to show her feelings..so what that she cried?! So what if she was corny at times?! At least she has depth! Which is more than Sarah plain-and-not-tall has!
I liked Moana, but she was probably too much woman for Travis the dud. In a relationship with Sarah, Travis can be a dud and still outshine Sarah because she’s so blah.
Moana for next Bachelorette!
Listen, I have been married to a wonderful man for 8 years. Compared to the high drama I have had in past relationships, I’d choose the comfort and love of the relationship I have now any day. Drama gets old!!!! FAST!!! If Moana has that much trouble explaining what she likes in Travis, imagine how much more difficult things will be when real life kicks in, not fancy TV in Paris.
Come on people face the facts, Travis don’t go for the female species, now if Moana had a hot brother, then maybe she would have had a chance with him. He only goes for the girls that just want to be friends, if sex is going to be involved, he will cut you.
The niece preferred Moana, because kids always prefer people their own age, and that’s how Moana acts, like an 8 year old girl. I thought this Bachelor season was a bore, (just like all the others), but seeing Travis’ moms hair sure made it worth watching. LOL!
boring boring boring redundant lame
i have nothing against Sarah but pit her against Moana and Moana clearly is the winner. What’s with the makeup-less face jab? Moana is a stunner, plain and simple– (not plain). Sarah was cheesy, she was macaroni and cheese, southern comfort food for southern-based (for now) Travis. I think they broke up already.
emotions do not crazy people make
Yeah MOANA for the next bachelorette would be AMAZING! she’s the best…. and forget already about BORING E.R.(but Tennessee not Chicago) Lame Dr. Travis…. and forget about Teacher Boring Sarah… they might be either making boring little babies or they might have gotten bored out theire minds about each other and had a boring break up!
blah!
“Moana is the winner”???? Apparently not. Not with Travis anyway. And wasn’t that the purpose of the show. For TRAVIS to find who is his best match. There is so much of the show that we didn’t see. So it’s safe to assume that it was most likely edited for the audience to only see so much. We can’t possibly have a complete understanding and grasp of what transpired. So, he chose Sarah. It may be for a million more reasons that we can even imagine. Likewise for why he let Moana go home.