The Bachelorette's Jenn Tran Deserves an Apology From Show's Producers After That Finale

[Warning: The following contains spoilers for The Bachelorette Season 21's finale. Read at your own risk!]

When Jenn Tran was announced as the newest Bachelorette earlier this year, I wrote about how ABC's editing failed her. In The Bachelor Season 28 finale, what could've been a historic moment celebrating Jenn as the first Asian American lead in the franchise turned out to be an underwhelming announcement that positioned her as the network's third choice after her fellow contestants on Joey Graziadei's season, Maria Georgas and Daisy Kent. But while not championing your lead is one thing, disregarding their well-being is another. And the finale of The Bachelorette Season 21, which premiered Sept. 3, included one of the most egregious displays of the latter in the show's history.

Around two hours into the "Finale and After the Final Rose," host Jesse Palmer was joined by Jenn in front of the live studio audience. Moments earlier, the camera showed the 26-year-old physician assistant wiping away tears backstage. And she continued to cry as Jesse asked questions about what exactly happened after the proposal between her and final pick Devin Strader. Jenn said that Devin — yes, the Devin who love-bombed her incessantly throughout this season — had one foot out the door as soon as filming wrapped, and that he recently called off their engagement over a phone call. When Devin joined her on the couch, she rightfully called him out on making empty promises and on not putting any effort into their relationship. It's important to note that at this point, Jenn was clearly in distress and responding to questions in between sobs. But the most horrifying moment of the finale was yet to come. 

"I know you haven't seen it yet," Jesse said of the proposal. "Should we all watch it together?" 

Jenn laughed uncomfortably. "Do I have a choice?" 

What followed was ABC playing footage of Jenn proposing to Devin in Hawaii, while featuring a small frame showing the Bachelorette sobbing uncontrollably in the live studio. It begs the question, why did the show's producers make her relive this moment in front of a live audience? 

Sure, the segment was likely framed to highlight Jenn as, in Jesse's words, a "strong and powerful woman" who flipped the script by proposing to Devin instead of the other way around. But even if this was in the finale's plan, couldn't someone in the studio have intervened during a commercial break and pulled her backstage? Given her emotional state, it wasn't hard to imagine how Jenn would react to watching her proposal — and especially next to the man she proposed to. The least the producers could do was to take Devin offstage when airing the scene, or even invite one of Jenn's loved ones in the live audience to join her as the engagement played. But no, The Bachelor franchise is committed to delivering its "most dramatic finale" yet. In recent seasons, The Bachelor and The Bachelorette leads have talked about mental health resources available to them while filming. But the producers' choices in this finale really makes one wonder how much of those are provided primarily for lip service.

ALSO READ: The first Asian American Bachelorette's announcement could have been historic. But the finale editing failed Jenn Tran

As disappointed as I was by the way ABC announced Jenn as The Bachelorette, I was also excited by the fact that, at last, the time for an Asian American lead had come. I've followed the franchise since 2010, and though it still has a long, long way to go in terms of diversity, the gradual increase in representation across the last 14 years has made me cautiously optimistic. In November 2017 I attended a Bachelorette-related event in New York City, and was one of at most ten Asians in an audience of hundreds. Back then, the thought of an Asian American woman's journey to find love featured on primetime television was unimaginable. And though Jenn was by no means a perfect Bachelorette — and she shouldn't have to be — parts of her journey, especially related to her family and culture, felt deeply familiar to me. That's why, as an Asian American viewer, the finale was particularly devastating. We waited so long for someone who looks like us to be the heart of this franchise, only to watch their tears be squeezed for ratings. 

The Bachelorette is available to stream on Hulu.