Entertainment

6 Times Nick Was Actually A Great Guy On 'Bach'

by Chelsea Mize

In many ways, Nick Viall was set up to be the villain on this season of The Bachelorette. He came on late, making him an automatic target for the rest of the contestants. He was also a clear favorite of Kaitlyn's from the start. And then there was the pre-Fantasy Suite sex fiasco that put his intentions under the microscope again. Whether you're a Nick fan or not, you can't deny that Nick Viall had his nice moments on The Bachelorette.

While Kaitlyn might be light-hearted and carefree, I don't think she's a foolish girl and the fact that she's kept Nick around this long should be the first testament to his character. That large fact, coupled with a few key Nick moments from this season of The Bachelorette, make me think that perhaps Nick Viall isn't really all that bad after all.

For all those skeptics (read: Team Shawn members) out there, let's take a walk back down Bachelorette memory lane and look at some of Nick's nicest moments from this season. Perhaps these adorable Nick Viall moments will change your mind about this season's outcast and give you a fresh perspective on the final two men going into the Bachelorette finale.

He Showed His Vulnerable Side

One of the best ways to see a person's most authentic side is to put them around their family. It's clear that Nick has had his guard up all season on The Bachelorette and who can blame him? The other contestants — and much of America — has been gunning for him from the start. Around his family, though, Nick was finally able to let his guard down and expose his vulnerable side. My heart melted for him a bit when he teared up while talking to his mom about how much he cares about Kaitlyn. I'm sorry, I just don't know any guy willing to fake cry on TV. Those tears (and the accompanying feelings) were all too real.

He Kept His Cool With Shawn

The heated argument(s) between Nick and Shawn made me laugh because they went a little something like this:

Shawn: "I can't believe you talked sh*t about me to Kailtyn! F**k you!"

Nick: "I understand that you're upset but I —"

Shawn: "F**K YOU! If my name comes out of your mouth again, I swear to God..."

Nick: "Is that a threat?"

Shawn: "You're a piece of s**t and I don't trust your intentions."

Nick: "You don't even know me at all, how can you —"

Shawn: "F**K YOU!"

Nick could barely get a word in edgewise to defend himself and, despite being verbally attacked with no chance for rebuttal, he never really lost his cool. Nick definitely took the high road in that moment.

His Sex-Positive Tweets

Despite coming under fire last season for his rude comments about Andi after their Fantasy Suite date and subsequent breakup, Nick was actually very sex-positive after the sex-gate episode of The Bachelorette aired. Nick took to Twitter to defend Kaitlyn's (and, indeed, every man and woman's) right to sexual pleasure, emphasizing the importance of sexual compatibility in a successful relationship. Though this doesn't erase his comments in the past, it at least shows that Nick has taken a large step in the right direction.

He Came Into The Season Knowing That He'd Be Hated

Nick is not new to The Bachelorette. He knew that a mid-season entrance into the house would spell his doom as far as the other men were concerned. He literally walked into a house full of men who irrationally hated him from the start, knowing that his life was going to be miserable. I don't think he would have done that if he didn't genuinely have a connection with Kaitlyn.

He Made A Fool of Himself For Kaitlyn

Remember that time Nick stood on the balcony of a building in a sombrero and sang Mariachi for Kaitlyn? He looked like an idiot. Oh yeah, and that time he Irish step danced on the street with Kailtyn (and not well, I might add). For being someone that people claim is 'in it for the wrong reasons,' Nick sure does go to great lengths to impress his girl and embarrass himself along the way.

He Risked Getting His Heart Broken On National Television... Again

After getting your brutally broken on national television, I can only imagine that one would be hesitant to go down that road ever again. Seriously, if you think about it, The Bachelorette set up is pretty harrowing. If you make it to the final two, you know that you're going to try to propose to the woman you love and she's either going to accept your offer or dump you for another guy and get engaged to him that very same day. Talk about high stakes. It was clear from seeing Nick's family's less-than-thrilled reaction to his second go on The Bachelorette that the last go-round really did a number on him. That Nick would willingly go back and risk very public heartbreak for a second time is a testament to what a good guy he is (and how much he cares about Kaitlyn).

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Images: Screengrab/ABC; Giphy (5)