This season of "The Bachelor" has already provided plenty of entertainment and heartbreak despite just four episodes being in the books. It could've been much different, though. Imagine if the person who had originally agreed to the starring role of the show was actually appearing on television screens every Monday night. Instead of seeing Nick trying to find love (again), we would be watching Chase McNary go on his own romantic quest.
Controversy for "The Bachelor"
As it turns out, Chase McNary was all but officially "The Bachelor" according to comments he made to US Weekly.
He talked to producers, signed a contract, and was ready to get rolling for Season 21 when he suddenly learned the position wasn't going to him. It wasn't even going to perceived option Luke Pell. Instead, it was going to Nick Viall.
It's a bit seedy that producers of "The Bachelor" would tell Chase that he was their man and not have the decency to tell him they were having second thoughts, instead just moving on to Nick for the season. That's reality television, though. Instead of finding love in a public and sometimes shameful way, Chase will instead have to find love just like everybody else - the old-fashioned way.
Chase's reality show history
In the constructed universe that is "The Bachelor," the protagonists of a season of the show typically hail from a previous iteration of the franchise.
While Nick has been part of several different seasons of various spin-offs, Chase's fame came from the previous iteration of "The Bachelorette." The 27-year old from Castle Rock, Colorado finished third in the competition for JoJo Fletcher's heart.
During his season, Chase received two roses during dates. He also wore a fake mustache, went to a yoga class, and participated in a tango.
The medical sales representative and devout Christian poured his heart out to JoJo towards the end of the competition, only for his love to go unrequited. Despite not getting a second chance to find love on "The Bachelor," Chase will surely land on his feet.
