This week ABC’s summertime reality show Bachelor in Paradise aired its season 3 finale. After Monday night’s episode, only 4 couples were left in paradise. Unfortunately, while some walked away from the show happily in love, others walked away completely heartbroken.
Of course, the hit show has been renewed for Season 4.
Following up on where the show left off last, Evan and Carly are seen lovingly hanging out with each other after their overnight date in the ‘Fantasy Suite.’ In confessional Carly bluntly admits, “I would accept a proposal [from Evan].”
Meanwhile, Lace and Grant are also shown winding down from their overnight date. While ‘Grace’ (their couple name) have been seemingly strong from pretty much the first week, Grant admits in confessional that he is “confused” about whether he and Lace are ready to get engaged. Grant expresses his hesitation to Lace and needless to say; things did not go well. In tears, she exclaims to him, “why did we get tattoos if you’re just going to wake up the next morning and question if we should be engaged or not?” Lace went on to say, “If we don’t get engaged, we probably won’t make it” – essentially giving Grant an ultimatum.
Over at Jen and Nick’s ‘Fantasy Suite,’ the couple is busy sipping away on their cups of coffee. In confessional Jen gushes, “I feel good about where we’re at – I’ve never felt closer to [Nick.]” Nick tells the one-on-one camera, “I could get used to looking at [Jen] for the rest of my life.” Unfortunately, ABC’s announcement (revealing that Nick is the next Bachelor) implicitly gave away the ending to Nick and Jen’s short-lived romance.
Amanda and her paradise love Josh are heard talking about how “much fun” they had during their last date in paradise. In confessional, Josh claims that he wants to keep Amanda’s two young daughters in mind when deciding whether he should propose to Amanda or not. He explains, “As much as I’m in love with Amanda, I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
After the four men (Evan, Grant, Nick and Josh) are seen soliciting the Bachelor franchise’s resident jeweler Neil Lane, proposal time finally arrives.
The first couple shown is Carly and Evan. While they may be the quirkiest duo of the season, they have definitely gotten very comfortable with each other (thanks to some pretty weird and intimate dates that the Bachelor in Paradise production crew put them through). After Carly arrives at the proposal stand, Evan almost immediately begins gushing about how “special and unique” their relationship is. Evan tells her, “My love for you has only grown stronger. I feel like my heart beats to your soul.” Needless to say, Evan drops down on one knee and asks for Carly’s hand in marriage, which she gleefully says ‘yes’ to.
With Carly and Evan engaged, the next couple to take center stage is Lace and Grant. Lace goes into the situation notably anxious, as she can’t help but think about the hesitation, Grant expressed after their overnight date. Fortunately, Grant was seemingly able to overcome his concerns, as he lovingly proclaims to Lace, “I love you when you’re happy; I love you when you’re stubborn; I love you when you’re sad; I even love you when you’re screaming at me. But mostly, I love you when you’re Lace.” Subsequently, Lace tearfully says ‘yes’ to Grant’s proposal.
Given this was his 3rd time on a Bachelor show Nick Viall was clearly hoping to find the love of his life in paradise. Unfortunately, this did not end up happening. While he and Jen hung out for the last few weeks of the show, there was no clear spark between them. Nonetheless, before Nick could get his feelings out, Jen dives right in and pours her heart out to him. She tells Nick, “Coming into this, my eyes went right to you…the chemistry was instant and intense…I knew that day that I’d found something special.” After letting Jen finish, Nick regrettably responds, “Something’s telling me to say goodbye.” While full on sobbing Nick continues, “I’m sorry…I feel like you deserve better than me.”
Not easy saying goodbye to someone as incredible as @jennifersaviano. So lucky to have had her in my life. She deserves the world.
— Nick Viall (@viallnicholas28) September 7, 2016
With 2 couples engaged (Carly and Evan; Lace and Grant) and 1 couple in tears (Jen and Nick), Amanda and Josh are the last couple shown deciding what their relationship will look like post-paradise. While Amanda started the show eyeing Nick, she quickly shifted gears the second that Josh entered paradise. Despite having nearly all of her cast mates warning her about Josh’s aggressive behavior, Amanda continued to stick by his side.
In confessional Amanda gushes, “I know who [Josh is] and that’s all that really matters.” At their private confrontation, Josh tells Amanda that she is the “most loving and beautiful woman” he has ever met and that he genuinely believes what they have is “true love.” Josh then tells Amanda that he is ready to love both her and her daughters (which he has never met) for the rest of his life. Inevitably, Josh gets down on one knee, and Amanda cheerfully replies with a big ‘Yes!’
And with season 3 of Bachelor in Paradise coming to a close, we now have 3 engaged couples (Evan and Carly; Grant and Lace; Josh and Amanda), a heartbroken woman (Jen) and a new bachelor (Nick)!
Bachelor in Paradise, in its third season, has now produced five engagements with two weddings: Marcus Grodd and Lacy Faddoul wed on the season two premiere (they have since split and revealed the nuptials weren’t legal); and last season’s Tanner Tolbert and Jade Roper wed on the February ABC special, The Bachelor: A Celebration of Love.
The long-running franchise has often been mocked for its success rate — of 20 seasons of The Bachelor and 12 of The Bachelorette, eight couples remain together. Trista Rehn (season one), Jason Mesnick (season 13), Ashley Hebert (season seven) and Sean Lowe (season 17) all wed on TV, with Rehn also broadcasting her 10-year vow renewal ceremony with husband Ryan Sutter.
In three seasons, Bachelor in Paradise is on its way to producing as many TV wedding specials as the 32 combined seasons of Bachelor and Bachelorette.
Ben Higgins, who led the 20th season of The Bachelor, will also launch the franchise’s first couple spinoff series when his show with fiancee Lauren Bushnell, Ben and Lauren: Happily Ever After?, premieres Oct. 11 on ABC sister network Freeform.