Golden Bachelor Season 2 Finale Recap
The finale of Season 2 marked a bittersweet ending to Mel Owens’ romantic journey. However, Mel and the two finalists, Peg and Cindy, weren’t alone; they were joined by several other familiar faces at the After the Final Rose event.
Host Jesse Palmer introduced a lively group of past contestants, including Teresa Nist, who was the winner of Season 1. Joan Vassos, the golden bachelorette, and her fiancé, Chock Chapple, were also there to cheer on Mel. In an unexpected twist that seemed almost more surprising than the finale itself, Jesse welcomed Jerry Turner, the original golden bachelor, along with his new fiancée, Lana Sutton.
Your Bachelor Nation bingo card likely didn’t account for that surprise!
“Jerry, our first golden bachelor, I’m here tonight with my new fiancée Lana,” Jesse announced. They both seemed quite excited. Jerry and Lana, who is a retired teacher in her mid-50s, got engaged just last month.
Later in the evening, Mel and the final rose recipient joined Jesse on stage. The host tossed roses to the other Goldens in attendance, turning to Jerry to seek his advice. Jerry, trying to be humble, remarked, “I think he did a great job by himself. He doesn’t need advice from me, but it’s nice to have another player in that position.”
It’s worth noting the somewhat awkward context. Jerry attended the finale with his fiancée in tow—right in front of his ex, especially considering the critical comments he made about her in his newly published memoir, The Golden Age: What We Learned From Love, Loss, and Reality TV. Not to mention Teresa’s playful, yet unsettling quip about him harming her. It was, well, shocking and perhaps a bit tone-deaf.
Viewers at home reacted with disbelief at the sight of Jerry and Lana sharing the spotlight with Teresa, an appearance that felt somewhat like damage control.
Reality Steve, a known Bachelor Nation spoiler, criticized the decision to seek relationship advice from Jerry post-breakup with Teresa, calling it a ridiculous move for the series. Featuring Jerry and Lana so prominently was perceived as yet another misstep from the franchise.
Curious about what else unfolded during the finale? You can check out the complete recap for more details.
