The Bachelorette viewers were disappointed when Rodney Mathews was sent home last night. Some were extra spiteful when Rodney wasn’t announced as the next Bachelor lead.
Rodney made it to the final four and got to introduce Michelle to his family during hometown dates. However, he was sent home at the end of the episode.
Viewers enjoyed watching Rodney and Michelle having fun throughout the season. Rodney and Michelle had a fun recurring joke about taste testing while wearing a blindfold after Rodney mislabeled a red apple as a Granny Smith.
Michelle noted that she always had fun with Rodney and could see him as being her best friend for the rest of her life. Unfortunately, Michelle felt there wasn’t enough there romantically for him to be her future husband.
The Bachelorette viewers rallied for Rodney to be The Bachelor
Even though his connection with Michelle wasn’t strong enough, fans hoped that the franchise would give Rodney a second chance at love by making him The Bachelor.
“No but forreal a whole season of Rodney as the Bachelor would’ve been SO uplifting, entertaining, and enjoyable to watch,” one user tweeted, adding, “he’s a true gem.”
Others felt that he was given a favorable edit which made fans root for him to be the next Bachelor. However, that didn’t happen.
One user asked, “Giving Rodney the Bachelor edit but not making him the Bachelor ?”
Another viewer chimed in, “Rodney literally has the perfect set up to be the Bachelor and casting still picked blockhead Clayton AHHHHHH.”
The Bachelorette viewers think Rodney should be The Bachelor over Clayton
That’s right. Clayton Echard is the new Bachelor lead. While Clayton Echard was given a heartfelt edit in the previous episode, many viewers felt it was minimal compared to what they got to see from Rodney.
One viewer exclaimed, “PETITION FOR RODNEY TO BE THE BACHELOR INSTEAD OF CLAYTON!”
Others even felt that the producers are using Rodney’s edit to campaign for Clayton.
When Rodney found out he wouldn’t be advancing on the show, he had a talk with Michelle about how he felt like the underdog.
It angered viewers when the franchise used the line “everyone loves an underdog” for Clayton’s Bachelor announcement.
“Not the bachelor producers using Rodney’s line to promote Clayton,” one user tweeted.
Another viewer surmised some of Bachelor Nation’s frustrations about Clayton being chosen and named the underdog over Rodney.
They wrote, “So after Rodney repeatedly referred to himself as an ‘underdog’ AND Michelle very lovingly addressed that at his elimination, Bachelor marketing snatched that title for Clayton?! A tall, white, handsome Viking that’s good with kids???”
However, there is some good news for viewers who want to see Rodney as the Bachelor.
There will be two seasons of The Bachelor in 2022. The second season will come immediately after Clayton’s season.
Therefore, there won’t be another season of The Bachelorette in between and it’s certainly possible that the producers gave Rodney a Bachelor edit because maybe that is the plan for him.
The Bachelorette airs on Tuesdays at 8/7c on ABC. The Bachelor returns to ABC on Monday, January 3, 2022, at 8/7c.