On Monday, Jan. 4, the highly anticipated premiere of “The Bachelor” 2021 was released, starring ABC’s new Bachelor: Matt James. Out of the series’ 25 seasons, James is the first black Bachelor, reaching a milestone for the show. During the premiere, James expressed his nervousness and the pressure he felt being the first black Bachelor but since then has loosened up and is ready to find love. 

Unlike previous contenders, James has no experience with the Bachelor Nation. Usually, a bachelor will have been discovered by participating on “Bachelor in Paradise” or “The Bachelorette.” James has been on neither shows but is familiar with them from his friend, Tyler Cameron. Cameron was a runner-up on the fifteenth season of “The Bachelorette,” starring Hannah Brown. The success and experience of his friend was another reason James felt the pressure of this season, however, he comforted the women by stating that they would all be experiencing this for the first time together. 

Fans are already very taken to James and rooting for him to find love. After the first episode, it is apparent that he is open and willing to be vulnerable with the girls, and viewers can expect a real love story this year. Cameron has also been boosting James’ reputation by sharing about their friendship and giving insights to the type of person that James is. Several pictures of the two can be found on Cameron’s Instagram. 

“Now the world gets to see the person you are and the heart you have. You can change the world. Proud of you and so excited for you,” Cameron said on Instagram when James was announced as the next Bachelor in June. 

This year, due to COVID-19, contestants were required to quarantine before meeting other contestants and James. Filming is going to take place in a bubble, much like this year’s “The Bachelorette” season. Due to the fact that “The Bachelorette” was extremely successful and filming caused no cases of coronavirus, “The Bachelor” will be filmed very similarly. Contestants are staying in one area while doing various outdoor activities, refraining from any sort of travelling and requiring any new person on the show to quarantine. 

On the first night, 32 women met James, ranging from ages 21 to 32. Each was determined to make a bold impression, which definitely made for some interesting entertainment. Some brought props while others used corny pick-up lines to get James’s attention. 

A couple of girls caught the audience’s eyes. Victoria Larson introduced herself to James as a “queen,” with a tiara and matching crown for James. Larson continuously pushed other contestants’ buttons during the night, especially Kit Keenan’s. Keenan is the youngest contestant on the show but has expressed that she is not to be messed with. When talking with James and rudely interrupted by Larson, Keenan was anything but understanding and viewers can expect tension and drama between the two in the future. Another contestant that stood out was Abigail Heringer, the first ever deaf person to appear on “The Bachelor.” Heringer showed James that she was there for the right reasons and only intends on finding love this season; therefore, she received the first impression rose, making her safe from the first elimination. 

Viewers were less than satisfied with the rose ceremony, mostly because of Larson’s name being called at the end. Her “queen” superiority complex was not appreciated by other contestants and most of them just found her annoying. The Bachelor Nation suspects that James also found her a nuisance but was told by producers that she had to stay because… drama! 

The Bachelor Nation is in for a wild ride this season and can expect a collection of touching moments, hilarious drama and hopefully some entertaining disputes over James. Whether watching for the love story or watching for the comedic relief, viewers will not be disappointed.