A Bachelor Theory Predicts Grant’s First Impression Rose Twist

Bachelor Nation loves a punny tagline — and as Grant Ellis prepares for his Bachelor season to air on Jan. 27, the show promises that he’ll be “Granting wishes one rose at a time.”

But according to a new announcement from the show, one of those coveted roses might be a little different this time around. In a press release teasing Grant’s Bachelor premiere, ABC teased that “Love awaits 25 extraordinary women preparing to open their hearts to Grant” on Night 1. OK, pretty standard stuff! But it’s the next sentence that takes an intriguing turn.

“With a bold, new twist on the traditional first impression rose,” the release continues, “making a strong connection has never been more crucial.”

There’s A Surprise In Store

It’s unclear what that twist might be, but if connecting with Grant is “more crucial” than usual, perhaps the first impression rose will come with added perks?

As its name suggests, the rose is given to a stand-out contestant on Night 1. So, one lucky woman will get to be pretty chill during the first rose ceremony while the rest juggle nerves and hope they won’t get sent home.

Beyond that, the first impression rose doesn’t come with much material benefit — not even a better chance of winning the show. As analyst Suzana Somers of @bachelordata has pointed out, recipients tend to have a decent run on their respective seasons but rarely win.

But given the recent announcement, Grant’s season may improve those odds by making the first impression rose a more substantial prize. It could theoretically grant the recipient immunity, such as a guaranteed one-on-one date or a promise that they won’t be sent home before a certain number of weeks.

The Bachelor has recently experimented with unique game twists, such as in Joey Graziadei’s season, when Lea Cayanan was granted the ability to steal a date from another woman. The pressure of such a privilege made her feel like a “target” to her fellow contestants, so she opted to get rid of it.

Grant’s Hopes For The Bachelor

Speaking of roses, what is Grant looking for as he hands them out? Before filming began, he described his ideal partner in an interview with Extra.

“Somebody who’s compassionate, somebody who’s not too self-absorbed, somebody who has a good foundation, and somebody with good judgment and good character,” he said. “Because obviously, you know, I want a beautiful woman — but what matters to me is what’s underneath, as cliche as that sounds. I really do think that’s what attracts me, as well as the physical appearance.”