LAST EDITED ON 10-04-02 AT 03:58 PM (EST)

LAST EDITED ON 10-04-02 AT 11:40 AM (EST)

First off, I have to say, that I missed the first five minutes of the program last night because I live in hurricane country (Hattiesburg, Mississippi), and we had weather updates at the beginning of every hour last night. (Also, this will be a long summary, because of introductions of the 25 women. Please be kind, this is my first attempt at a summary.)

With that said, we now join our regularly scheduled program, already in progress …

Chris Harrison, our host, is grilling Aaron about the previous season. And Aaron admits that he wanted to see Alex propose to Amanda last year, or as he so romatically put it – “pull the trigger.”

Next we finally get to meet the women … Let the Parade of States begin (oops, sorry, I forgot this is not the Miss America pageant), let the parade of limos begin …

Our first woman is Gwen, she is 31, a platinum blonde with straight hair, from Philadelphia and a Pharmaceutical Consultant. She says that she has given up and is sick of bars. She “wants to be the center of the Bachelor’s attention” (Yeah, honey, that will be easy, there are 24 other women that are saying the same thing.)

Erin, 24 from Houston, and an Interior Designer. Another blonde, with long, straight hair – noticing a pattern yet?
(Was anyone else looking at her and thinking Kim from the first season was back for more media whoring?)

Frances, 30, our first brunette, she’s from San Francisco. She is a Strategic Planning Analyst (someone translate that job title into real terms). She says she’s not sure why she hasn’t found the right one yet, but she’s willing to take this risk. (And show her complete desperation on national TV)

Helene, 27, from Gloucester City, NJ. She works as a school psychologist (will she get enough material from this experience to help her with counseling or what, or will she need counseling herself after this is over?) She said that she had a fiancée and they broke up. (Can we say rebound?)

Brooke, 22, from Tuscaloosa, AL. Brooke is a college student. She is definitely our southern belle, and totally looks the part, another blonde, and has the accent to boot. She says that she wants to find a man who will give her butterflies when he kisses her. (Keep chasing butterflies, sugar.)

Angela, 27, from Kansas City, MO. She is a registered nurse. Says she is shy. (Let’s see, an almost hometown girl – do you think she might make the cut? And where was she last year when Rhonda needed her nursing skills?)

Lori, 26, from Dallas, she works as a dance instructor. Finally, a little more diversity with the women, she’s African-American. In her interview clip, she said, that “give me six weeks for someone to like me and they’ll like me. It’s the smile.” (Foreshadowing here? With that comment, I say she won’t make the 15. And what was with the teeth?)

Kyla, 22, from Salt Lake City, UT, she is an airline supervisor, and a singer (interesting combination). Another blondish girl, she is a Mormon, and a virgin, and will be until she is married. (With that strong belief in religion and abstinence, how did she ever make it on this show? Perhaps, ABC was trying to keep this a little more PG rated. Don’t think it will work though.)

Christi – 23, from Boise, ID. She is a former Miss Idaho, and currently a marketing specialist. She is also blonde, with a big smile, and big teeth. She thinks that having competed in a Miss America pageant will help her deal with this competition and make a connection. (Yeah, a pageant for scholarship money, and competing for a man are sooo similar!)

Hayley, 28 from Oswego, OR, she is a clothing store manager. She thinks that her timing has just been off with other men.

Dana, 24 from Beverly Hills, CA. She is in Radio Sales. She thinks this will be a good way to meet her husband, and can’t wait to tell her family, and children when they have them. (First, she is from Beverly Hills, and not an actress or bartender, and she is on a reality show? Now, that’s a surprise, how did that happen? Second, won’t their children be proud when they find out how Mommy and Daddy met on the Bachelor)

Heather, 24, from Walnut Creek, CA. Yet another blonde. Has a degree in Marriage and Family Counseling. She mentions that she has been dating a lot lately, and has met some great people, but not someone who makes her toes tingle. (If she has been dating a lot, why subject yourself to this, and compete against 24 other women? Just research to help with her future practice, I guess. Miss Tingly Toes should be kind of fun to watch.)

Anindita, 27, a lawyer from New York City. Her parents had an arranged marriage, and sees being on the Bachelor as similar circumstances (HUH????)

Suzanne, 33 from Redondo Beach, CA. She is a brunette and a flight attendant. She’s not you’re typical American woman; she wants life full of adventure. (Comments about her will be saved for later.)

Amber, 26, from Chapel Hill, NC. She is a counselor. Says that people look at her and see dumb blonds, but she is really very smart. (As soon as she says she really is smart, she giggles, like even she doesn’t believe it. Enough said.)

Merrilee, 28, a blonde, from Forked River, NJ. She is an elementary school teacher. She said that everyone in her life is married, but she is not rushing into anything. She wants to find someone who loves her as much as she loves him (Isn’t that sweet? But not rushing into anything – she’s on a show trying to win a man, and get engaged in 6 weeks, I don’t know, but that falls under my definition of rushing.)

Christy (#2) – 24, from Phoenix, she’s an x-ray technician. She is a brunette. In her clip, she says that she wants to be married by age 26, and have two babies by the time she’s 30. (All I’m going to say is she is screaming HIGH MAINTENANCE! Run Aaron, run.)

Heather (#2) – 30, from Dallas. Brunette and she is a flight attendant. She follows in Christi’s (Miss ID) footsteps and compares this to competing in the Miss Texas pageant. (If you saw any commercials with the girl saying she just wants the “Big ole rock on my finger” this is her. Later in the episode, she says she will be Aaron’s personal flight attendant. So much for keeping this more PG.)

Suzi – 28, from Richmond, VA. She is another blonde, and is a communications specialist. The first thing out of her mother’s mouth when she said she was going on The Bachelor was “Don’t you have to have big bosoms to be on that show?” (One of the best lines from the entire night. Do you think she could have been referring to our beloved Amanda from season one?)

Liangy. She is 30, from Miami. She works as a paralegal and a graphic designer. She says she is has what it takes, and is ready for a commitment as a wife, lover, and partner. (She just comes across as very b*tc*y and overly confident. Darling, just take yourself off that little pedestal you have yourself on.)

Camille, 29, from Los Angeles. She is blondish, and an actress (believe it or not our only actress in the group.) In her clip, she says she keeps meeting the same type of guys, and that after a few dates they ask her about being with another woman, and if she’s interested in threesomes. (Honey, just a guess, but having a guy see you on this show may not necessarily help that problem or is that something you want to continue?)

Erin (#2), 25, from Philadelphia. She works in Q & A at TV Guide. She said that she does not believe in love at first sight, she thinks that is lust. (They seemed to be attracted to each other immediately, I think she may be around for a while.)

Cari, 29, she also has long, straight blonde hair. And is a school teacher from Granite City, IL. Says that everyone from high school is married and there is no one to even hang out with in her town. (No good comment on her, doesn't seem to stand out that much, probably gone this episode.)

Fatima, 22. She’s a college student from Long Beach, CA. She seems to be very bubbly and outgoing. She said that a lot of people look at her and think she is a wild party girl. But she’s really a good girl, and she goes to church every weekend. (Just what is she doing to give them the impression of being wild and a partier – do you think going on national TV and parading around for a man might have something to do with that, hmmmmm)

And our last bachelorette is Shannon, 26, from Hicksville, NY. She is another blonde and works as a graphic artist. Says that every little girl dreams of her wedding and walking down the aisle, and the best outcome of this if for her dream to come true. (Awww, isn’t that cute?)

Finally Aaron gets to talk to the girls inside the house. As he enters the room, several women are standing near the stairs, and immediately corner him. They say that they only know two things about him, and they are that he is from Missouri, and he has pretty eyes. Christi (Miss ID), asked if he played football, and he said yes. Miss ID then asked what position, to which Aaron replied – tight end. Miss ID then shrieked, “no, that’s my favorite position!.” (You can insert own joke here)

Next we have a group of clips with the women, gushing over Aaron with comments such as big, gorgeous, bold, warm smile, classic gentleman, and let’s not forget “a total hottie.”

In a private moment with Aaron, he said he didn’t know what he was getting into. He was unsure who he would pick at that time because he was “so impressed” with everyone. (Will impressed be the new catch word instead of amazing?)

As he floats around the party he gets into some interesting conversations with several women, including Anindita. She is telling a story of seeing a bunch of cows in a meadow surrounding a bull, and trying to be closer to him. She then compares being on The Bachelor to this scenario, with Aaron being the Bull. After a second, with a glazed look in his eyes, he politely laughs. (That’s it girl, try to win a man over by comparing yourself, and every other girl in the room to cows. Men just love to think about potential mates as a cow.)

Next we have several minutes of the women talking amongst themselves. And during this segment, I came up with an award to give for the evening – The CLAW (Cattiest Line Award Winner) which I proudly give to Suzanne. As several girls were talking, they found out that Christi had been Miss ID. And Suzanne pretended to be in awe, and giggled, and congratulated Miss ID. Then without taking a breath, said, “but then again, there aren’t that many women in Idaho.”

Then, as we have heard several times, Aaron is a piano player. We are then treated to his music. Which caused many of the women to swoon and gush even more with comments such as warm, sensitive, etc.

Now, we finally get to the moment of truth. Chris pulls Aaron away in to the Deliberation Room. And told Aaron that it is decision time. With several teasers about who he will choose, we go to commercial, as Aaron agonized over the 25 pictures set up in the room.

Oooooo, the drama is building … who will he choose?

Chris reminded the ladies that Aaron is about to offer 15 roses, but that the ladies may not accept the rose, if she didn’t feel like Aaron was someone who interested her.

Finally, he handed out the first rose to … Angela (who looked very surprised to be chosen). Then we see Helene, Erin from PA, Brooke, Anindita, Heather from CA, Dana, Hayley, Miss ID, and Shannon all gladly accept their roses. He then called on Frances, who gasped and said okay. Aaron asked if she would accept the rose, and she said nothing for a minute, and made all the others wonder if she was about to say no. She then asked if he likes to dance. He said yes, and all was well. But she did offer to let him take back the offer of the rose, he did not, and she accepted, as the viewing audience all breathed a huge sigh of relief. He then offered roses to Suzanne (Miss CLAW), and Gwen. At this point, he said he needed to take a minute, and went outside. He had changed his mind, and decided to switch Merrilee out for Kyla, and the final rose went to Heather from Texas.

As the ceremony progressed, Liangy looked very impatient, and very irritated, and the look on her face was simply, “why on earth am I not holding a rose? How dare that jerk not choose gorgeous, perfect, wonderful me.” And Fatima, kept wiping her eyes, and she knew she was not getting a rose (It's one guy, that you have met a couple of hours ago, what's to cry about?)

My favorite interview after the ceremony was with Camille. She said she thought he was trying to find a woman that would marry him and move to where he is, and that’s just not how she is. (Gee, and I was under the impression that when you married somebody, you lived together, I must be wrong there). And that she didn’t feel rejected, but more like she was the one who really rejected him. (Yeah sure, whatever, babe. Whatever gets you through. Keep rationalizing, maybe you will believe it one day, but the rest of us aren't buying it.)

And that is the end of the first chapter in story of The Bachelor.

With previews for the upcoming episodes there promises to be many more CLAW moments, lots of tears, and lots of making out (it doesn’t look like Aaron took Amanda’s advice, from the preview episode, and sticks his tongue down everyone’s throat that he can.) Will he find true love? We’ll just have to wait to see. Stay tuned ...

• RE: Bachelor 1st episode summary,Ashmo, 03:07 PM, 10-04-02
• RE: Bachelor 1st episode summary,Chrissy gal, 06:03 PM, 10-04-02
• RE: Bachelor 1st episode summary,diamond, 01:23 PM, 10-05-02
• RE: Awesome Summary!! ,buckeyegirl, 01:59 PM, 10-05-02
• RE: Bachelor 1st episode summary,Drive My Car, 05:42 PM, 10-05-02

Awesome summary, well, I liked it anyway.
I saw the show and your summary summed it up quite nicely.

Ashmo

I totally agree with your CLAW award.

Cindy -

Great first summary!

Bravo, Bravo, Bravo! Very impressive first summary.
I loved the Claw award!! Very fitting, and I loved your comments on the bachelorettes! I didn't get to see the first episodes (darn night classes!) and I feel like I didn't miss a thing with your summary!

"Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead

Welcome greeneyes!!! This was a great summary! I honestly don't know how you kept them all straight. ( LOL Lots of Christy's Heather's Erin's and Blond Texans Is it me? or is there al law that every Reality Show has to have a Texan?)

I have to admit I don't follow this show, but I do find it a guilty pleasure towards the end ( when there are less women to sort out)

Thanks for this. Excellant first Summary!! I hope you stay with us and have fun here ( psssst, check out the other forums, lots of fun on Off Topic)

EBug