Why Clayton's Season Was BAD - Grading The Bachelor Season 26

The Bachelor Season 26 has finished and it was a wild journey for Clayton Echard... one that ended in disastrous fashion . So why was it bad? Well the grades are in... join Bachelor Fantake for Grading Clayton's Season of The Bachelor and explaining what went wrong in Season 26.

#TheBachelor #BachelorNation

[BachelorFantake]

Shout out to the viewer who suggested the Dwight screw the pooch clip. Let me know your thoughts on the season down below!

[janicewoods]

This season definitely confirms why Mike Johnson has never been bachelor. Production manipulated Clayton as he had never seen the show and didn’t even have a chance to watch Michelle’s season. Mike is very outspoken and Production knows they can’t control him.

[paulojrneto]

I'm beginning to wonder if the franchise is now only commited to turn The Bachelor seasons into drama dumpster fires and only trying to convey the romance fantasy (sometimes just barely) for The Bachelorette seasons.

[mariegomez]

I had a communications professor who used to say “the invention of the train made way for the train wreck” meaning that we create something only to discover it can still have disastrous outcomes.

[tulip]

I was cracking up at fantake just being like “I don’t think he’s a bad guy just an idiot, ” in several different ways lmao. honestly, no offense Clayton, but yeah

[ellicel]

I think “families” should be an additional area as we’ve had some really memorable characters over the years. The hometown visits were a highlight this year because all the families, especially the dads and the grandad, were so loving and supportive. Their participation included everything from comedy to truly heartfelt moments. These families were the best, most uplifting part of the whole season.

[lunadarling]

This was the first season I've watched ALL THE WAY through. I've seen episodes here and there, watched a bit of BIP, but this was my first full investment. It seemed like the women kinda woke up to being on a reality show and how bizarre this particular show is while Clayton was FULLY committed to the fantasy life of the show. Very disappointed Shanays ableism wasn't addressed, even on the reunion, but my partner and I have now made a bit of yelling at each other "From the bottom of my heart, FUCK YOU SHANAY!" Gabby is a gem and her "No" face to Clayton when he asks to walk her out gives me life.

[jordanalbrecht]

I refuse to believe that Clayton was/is actually a bad person. Bad bachelor? Definitely. But you cannot convince me that the producers aren't just looking for dumpster fire bachelors to get fan buy-in for the preceding bachelorette season. Susie talking about how Clayton had never watched a minute of the franchise told me EVERYTHING I needed to know about why he was picked.

[robinmickael]

I agree with your rating and I didnt even watch the actual show...they need to start doing psych evals before picking leads and cast I s2g. So many traumatized people who arent ready for this. Michelle at least seemed to have her shit together unlike the last few

[cerisebiscuit]

Praying for a good season with Gabby and Rachel 🙂

[meredithparkins]

Production's manipulation HELPED Clayton screw up this season so badly. In the past when we have had a horrible season, we generally get a good following season. Hopefully, we will see this happen again.
Clayton in and of himself was probably not an "F"....
I think Gabby had the right end of the stick. Clayton simply did not have the experience to handle the situations he was in.
Production, in my opinion, took an inexperienced Clayton and manipulated him into an "F."

[leonebrander]

Usually I also want more romance and less clear manipulation from producers BUT since Clayton was such a boring Bachelor I actually really enjoyed the drama this season, for the most part, lol.

[highwayheaven]

It seems like this season production was upset about Michelle’s (undeserved) low ratings and they were just desperate to get the franchise back on track. From the shocking first episode to the even more shocking ending it seemed like they were doing way too much to get us to tune in. I don’t condone all of Clayton’s decisions but I wish that the producers would have taken advantage of Clayton’s budding romance with Susie instead of making us think that Rachel was the F1 (or Gabby for that matter). We didn’t really get any indication that Susie might be the winner until her F3 date where she got the most impressive date of the three imo.

I wouldn’t wish for Rodney if we could go back in time tho. Tbh the producers would have found a way to create a whole bunch of drama anyway. Also don’t be too hard on Clayton or Shanae or Susie or anyone else this season. We really shouldn’t be tearing others down online.

[mojos]

I love this video, but the idea that this show was ever about romance? The early seasons are deeply misogynistic, literally making the girls parade around in bikinis. Reportedly production, including Chris Harrison, was sleeping with the cast. It's always been a TV show with the central lie that this is a way to find love, but actually we are coming to watch a fantasy, or in later years watch a fantasy carefully destroyed. This season, with their methodical destruction of Susie and Clayton's relationship, was just the evolution of the latter tactic.

[princessbablaschmabladingd]

the thing about all the shanae stuff is that if i were one of the other women, it would have made me lose all interest in clayton. not because he was interested in her, but because he clearly valued my opinion/experience so little by keeping her around after EVERYONE expressed how awful she was in the house.

[bkopgamer]

The producers are definitely responsible for why Clayton’s season was so much worse than Peter’s.

[mireyahernandez]

I do agree with how Clayton was naive in becoming the bachelor. If he knew more about what occured in the space, his decision making would have been better. He was mostly flat, showed some emotions at times. In the romance department, we knew how Gabby and Rachel ended up there but for those like Susie and Serene, I felt caught off guard, cause I didn't see anything from them. But then again, as I said it once and I said it again, production is the worst and always loves to screw over people so badly and poorly. When the first moment you hear about Shanene and her mocking the ADHD, and saying this behind everyone's back should be the moment she's gone. That behavior is unacceptable at all.

[jackburrows]

I just watched your recap videos instead of actually watching the show and can recommend 10/10

[Kaivijs]

Producers chose him because he was easily manipulated and they screwed him over from the beginning.

[ZaynabYT]

Something feels so icky about going through all that and come out saying "I have no regrets because I had the best intentions at the time." 🤡