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The Bachelorette
The fifth season of the ABC reality television series The Bachelorette began on May 18, 2009 with a two-hour premiere. The show features Jillian Harris, an interior designer from Peace River, Alberta, Canada, counting 30 men, added from five in previous seasons. This was the first time in The Bachelor and The Bachelorette franchise with 30 suitors. Harris was rejected by Jason Mesnick in the thirteenth season of The Bachelor; she was the second runner-up. Harris is the first non-American selected ever in The Bachelorette, and chose Ed Swiderski in the finale. The couple were engaged but broke their engagement in July 2010.
The newest bachelorette is 29-year-old Jillian Harris, a runner-up for the heart of 2009 bachelor, Jason Mesnick. In this episode, Jillian is introduced to 25 guys and is later surprised when there are five more party-crashers. By the end of the night, the field of men is pared down to 20.
The remaining 20 bachelors settle into their new house. One lucky bachelor goes on a date with Jillian where they are serenaded by Martina McBride. Group dates include a trip to Venice Beach, where guys play basketball with the Harlem Globetrotters and a pool party, followed by a race across L.A. During elimination, the men get to vote on whom they would like to see go. The field of men is pared down to 16.
Jillian rappels down the exterior of L.A.'s Bonaventure Hotel on a one-on-one dated and also attends a wrap party for western movie. After some late-night canoodling, there is a heated confrontation between two bachelors before the rose ceremony. In the end, only 13 men are left.
Jillian and the remaining 13 bachelors travel to her hometown of Vancouver. Jillian has a big group date and also takes two on a "one-stays-one-goes" date. In addition, Jillian and one guy heat up her kitchen, but another gets too steamy for her taste. And when she hears that three men might have girlfriends back home, she cancels the pre-rose ceremony cocktail party. At the ceremony, she cuts the field to 10.
Jillian and her 10 remaining bachelors head to the British Columbia resort town of Whistler as Jillian wonders if some of the guys have girlfriends. But the dating goes on: snowmobiling for eight guys, and one-on-one zip-trekking and ski-plane adventures capped by romantic dinners (and, in one case, a soak in a hot tub). At the rose ceremony, Jillian reduces the field to eight.
Jillian and the eight remaining bachelors take a train trip across western Canada, stopping at Emerald Lake, Lake Louise and Banff. There is another make-or-break date with two guys and later one bachelor sneaks into Jillian's private care. At the rose ceremony, three more men are sent packing.
Jillian visits the hometowns of the five remaining bachelors. She fears that one guy's family might disapprove of her and wonders if the can meet another family's expectation. Still unresolved is the someone-has-a-girlfriend issue. Before she eliminates a bachelor at the rose ceremony, two guys have a big confrontation in her presence.
Jillian and the final four bachelors head to Spain. The overnight dates include flamenco in Madrid and a picnic in Seville and also overnight dates in the fantasy suites. At the rose ceremony, one more guy is sent home.
Jillian arrives on Maui with the three remaining bachelors, all of whom she says she loves. At the rose ceremony, Jillian discusses with one man their night together in the fantasy suite before telling all three which one she loves the least.
The eliminated bachelors return to dish about Jillian and each other, and Jillian dishes about them as she looks back over the competition. Also a preview of the season finale.
In the season finale of The Bachelorette, Jillian chooses her man after some well-timed eruptions and a not-that-surprising surprise return.
This season's After the Final Rose special features Jillian reuniting with the guys she rejected, Reid getting a giggly offer, and Ed explaining his green shorts.
