Around week eight on The Bachelor, also known as hometown week, theories about who could be the next Bachelorette start brewing in Bachelor Nation. While these discussions are expected in the franchise, what is unexpected about the options this year is that there does not seem to be a clear frontrunner for the coveted Bachelorette title. (In fact, the closest person we had to a front-runner, Caelynn Miller-Keyes recently said she doesn't even want to be the Bachelorette, citing the difficulty of the Bachelor process for her in an interview with Us Weekly.)
Another thing that is apparent: The Bachelor and The Bachelorette (while still entertaining!) have become quite formulaic in recent years. So, the producers should not just be looking for a great love story, they should have their eyes on the only contestant from Colton’s season that could breathe new life into the series and also deliver the fun, loveable lead that Bachelor Nation expects: Make Tayshia Adams your 2019 Bachelorette, ABC. Here are a just few reasons she'd be great.
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She is A Divorcée & A Woman Of Color
Over the course of 15 seasons, The Bachelorette has only had one leading lady who is a woman of color: Rachel Lindsay (Season 13). Not only did her casting lead to more diverse suitors on her season, but it also allowed a new perspective from the lead. During her season, Rachel opened up about the pressure she felt being the first Black Bachelorette.
Representation matters, and it was meaningful to show a Black woman (especially when she's a second Black lead) on an extremely popular reality television show looking for love. Plus, The Bachelor and The Bachelorette have been in a rut lately, because we see the same stories ever season. Rachel’s casting allowed for a new backstory on the show.
A woman with a different background (Tayshia is Black and Mexican) would allow the audience to learn about new experiences, and lead to new conversations for the series. Plus, Tayshia is a recent divorcée. Season 13 Bachelor, Jason Mesnick, was the first and only divorced lead. Tayshia being cast as The Bachelorette would connect with people who watch this show and are recently divorced, while also helping audiences see a positive depiction of post-divorce experiences for women.
She Is The Most Mature Option
Out of all the women potentially in the running to be the next Bachelorette (Caelynn Miller-Keyes, Cassie Randolph, Hannah Godwin, and Hannah Brown), Tayshia is the oldest at 28. While age is just a number, the last two Bachelorettes who attempted the process in their late 20s and early 30s were quite successful at finding a future with their final contestant (Becca and Rachel, who were 28 and 32 at the time, respectively).
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Of course, just because the other women are around in their earlier 20s does not mean they are not ready to be in a long-term relationship. But, Tayshia also displayed serious maturity on Colton’s season that we've not been seen from the other women.
In the most recent episode, both Cassie and Tayshia’s fathers expressed concerns that their daughters were rushing their relationships with Colton. Cassie became somewhat defensive and upset during her conversation with her father. On the other hand, when Tayshia’s father, the wonderfully refreshing Desmond, delivered the instantly quotable line, “You don’t microwave relationships,” Tayshia remained calm. She told her father, “You have to trust me. You raised me to be cautious and make good decisions and just be smart about it all. Right, dad?” That is the type of self-assurance this show and its lead needs. It's clear that Tayshia’s life experiences have made her better prepared to handle the high-pressure, self-doubting environment The Bachelorette creates.
Her Personality Is Infectious — Which Is Exactly What The Bachelorette Lead Needs
Let’s face it. Colton’s season has done a terrible job of showing the personalities of his contestants. With all the beauty pageant drama and new arguments each episode, this season lacked enough funny or heartfelt moments from all the women who could potentially be the Bachelorette. But, Tayshia is definitely the contestant who has seen her personality consistently shine throughout the season.
In week four, Tayshia had her first one-one-one date in Thailand where we saw her bungee jump with Colton. Her cuts were full of funny commentary, including mocking Colton’s scream, and another date included some extremely relevant pop culture references. We've seen her show a more vulnerable side when she let Colton know that she wanted him to express curiosity in their relationship. We also saw her prove she is a daredevil when she took Colton skydiving during her hometown visit.
The most relatable and Bachelorette-like trait she has shown so far is her ability to be real, which includes clumsiness and messy moments. In a hilarious deleted scene, we saw her wiping chocolate off her jeans (been there!). Last week, her driving skills caused a blind-folded Colton to smack his head on a car door. Her personality could simultaneously bring a more thrill-seeking aspect to the show but also keep the honesty the audience expects from The Bachelorette.
Given that The Bachelorette is typically chosen from the final four of current The Bachelor season, Tayshia has a pretty good chance to be the new leading lady. Of course, she could still end up with Colton, but if not, she definitely seems like she is ready to continue her journey to find love. Hopefully, if she is cast, Desmond will also return to enlighten us with some more nuggets of wisdom.