Jenn Tran has kicked off her season of The Bachelorette in the best possible way.
She’s been on cloud nine since meeting all 25 suitors in the expectedly cringy limo entrances.
Then, she sashayed her way through the new Bachelorette mansion as she got to know many of them.
Like seasons before, there were several awkward moments — like when Brian snatched Jeremy’s Corvette keys, and Grant’s near-kiss was interrupted right at the last second.
But ultimately, Jenn pulled off a very successful premiere night, and those who tuned in cannot wait to see where we’re headed.
One of the most talked-about moments of the night was when Jenn pulled Sam McKinney aside to give him the first impression rose.
And her first (and only) kiss of the night drew plenty of praise and even more criticism — proving that no matter what decisions the lead makes, there will always be hate.
Sam McKinney got the first impression rose from Jenn Tran
Before the Bachelorette makeout session heard around the world, Jenn offered up the first impression rose to Sam M.
And while he clearly made a great first impression on Jenn, he didn’t impress Bachelor Nation nearly as much.
The 27-year-old homeschooled contractor from South Carolina is a self-proclaimed softie in search of his wife. He came into The Bachelorette declaring that his “ultimate goal” is to get married and have a family.
He sounds like a real catch, but he caught quite a bit of flak on X throughout the episode.
“Sam M. is trying to give Tyler C. but he’s really only giving Jed I don’t know how else to describe it,” one X user wrote.
Another suggested Sam M is what AI would offer up if a user asked it to make a Bachelorette contestant.
Others seemed genuinely confused that Jenn picked Sam M to get the first impression rose.
Sam McKinney on Instagram
Since he’s getting so much attention from fans and Jenn herself on The Bachelorette right now, we expect Sam M’s Instagram presence to grow.
Right now, he has just over 15,700 followers and frequently posts on his IG Stories.
Based on what we saw, Sam is apparently pretty athletic and loves a good game of flag football.
He’s also family-oriented and loves spending time with his loved ones.
Sam M is a big Dallas Cowboys fan with a questionable fashion sense and an obvious sense of humor.
And he can surf. So maybe he can take Jenn back out on the water to finish what she started with Joey Graziadei on The Bachelor.
Something tells us he’s going to be the antagonist this season, and he may cause some drama. That part is just a hunch.
The Bachelorette airs on Mondays at 8/7c on ABC.