The Bachelor Season 29 is in full swing and of course, so is the drama. Each season, it’s typical for the women to label someone as the villain. This is usually due to them spending too much time with the lead or disrespecting the group in some way. While the women are sometimes right in assigning a “villain”, they are also very often wrong. That’s the case with Zoe McGrady this season, who is being unfairly targeted. While this season is trying to paint Zoe as a Bachelor villain, she is far from one.
Zoe McGrady didn’t do anything wrong during the basketball group date
The animosity toward Zoe began during the basketball group date. As part of the date, each woman was given an opportunity to do a slam dunk. When it was Zoe’s turn, however, she decided to forego her shot to pull Grant Ellis for a chat. This angered the other women, who felt that Zoe was disrespecting their time. Zoe took Grant to chat for a few minutes, then the pair returned to participate in the rest of the date.
During group dates, the contestants get very little time with the lead so it’s crucial to make the most of every opportunity. What Zoe did was a creative way to get a few extra minutes with Grant and he seemed to appreciate it. As Zoe pointed out, the date card told the women to “shoot your shot”, which is exactly what she did. In previous seasons, leads have felt lonely on group dates when they don’t feel any of the contestants are making special efforts. Zoe made an effort to stand out and make Grant feel special as well.
While the other women may have felt frustrated, nothing was stopping them from pulling Grant for a few minutes either. Grant didn’t say no to Zoe and he wouldn’t have said no to anyone else. Sometimes group dates are more like cocktail parties, where the group mingles briefly but then break off for private chats. This is normal and part of the process. Zoe shouldn’t be labeled as a villain for simply taking action to further her connection with Grant.
Several of the other women are beginning to bully Zoe
It’s clear that Zoe currently has one of the strongest connections with Grant. This seems to have intimidated several of the other women, who are now beginning to bully her. Unfortunately, bullying is a common theme on The Bachelor and happens almost every season. Typically, women feel threatened by others who have strong connections and try to put them down to make them doubt their relationships. This seems to be happening with Zoe and she’s already noticed.
During the after party of the finance group date, Sarafiena Watkins commented that Zoe’s dress was too short. Zoe had gone to the bar to get a drink but still heard the other women whispering about her. This was wrong of Sarafiena, as it’s never ok to put another woman down for something she wears. Zoe did the right thing and went to tell Grant what was going on. When Grant addressed the group, everyone realized that Zoe had told him which led to them accusing her of starting drama as soon as he left.
Zoe has had a difficult few first weeks this season. It’s wrong to portray Zoe as the villain of the season when she’s actually a victim. The women bullying Zoe should be labeled as the villains instead. Bullying is never ok and the same goes even on reality television shows.
Zoe truly cares about building a relationship with Grant
A common criticism every season on The Bachelor is women not being there for the right reasons. While this is true for some women, it isn’t for Zoe. Since night one, she has been making an effort to stand out for Grant. Despite running into a few obstacles, Zoe hasn’t let the negativity in the house deter her from connecting with Grant. During the prom-themed cocktail party, Zoe made an impression by asking Grant for a slow dance. The two really seem to be connecting well so far. Hopefully, this can continue without any more drama interfering.
The Bachelor is currently available to stream on Hulu.
TELL US – WHAT DO YOU THINK OF ZOE SO FAR THIS SEASON?
