The Bachelor ended Monday, so who won? We’ll explain what went down on the historic season and who got the final rose in this week’s installment of “What’s good on TV.”
Also, check out our recaps and thoughts on Netflix originals, “Last Chance U: Basketball,” “Who Killed Malcolm X?” and “The One.”
Fill out the survey at the end of the article to recommend what movies and/or shows we should review next week. Share your thoughts on any of the shows we’ve talked about this week.
The Bachelor
Recap: The Bachelor’s first season featuring a Black bachelor is officially over and unfortunately it ended on a note filled with racism and no engagements.
In the end, Matt James chose between a 27-year-old, mixed-race teacher and a 24-year-old, White graphic designer. For a reason that I, nor any of my friends, couldn’t understand, he chose the latter: Rachel Kirkconnell. Not that she’s a bad person, we were just fans of his other option, Michelle.
Matt was convinced last minute by his mother that proposing to someone he’s known for just two months may not be the best idea. Instead, he asked Rachel to basically be his girlfriend, and she accepted.
As the show aired this season, rumors spread that Rachel had been involved in a few racist incidents throughout her past — attending and dressing up for an antebellum-themed party in 2018, bullying girls who dated Black guys, dressing as Pocahontas for Halloween and so on. It also came out that her parents were money-donating Trump supporters.
Matt proceeded to break up with Rachel saying that she “might not understand what it means to be Black in America,” and therefore was giving her space to figure that out. He wouldn’t even hug Rachel on the reunion episode and has since started dating other people.
Thoughts: There are a million opinions on how this all went down. I wish Matt had just chosen Michelle from the jump so none of this drama would be at the forefront. I’m happy that he was smart enough to walk away from Rachel when he learned the rumors were true.
This is yet another Bachelor season that didn’t end in an engagement, which is sort of annoying. It’s like the contestants don’t realize that’s the entire point of the show and only start to worry about the idea of marrying a stranger right before it’s supposed to happen. (BL)
What’s next: Michelle Young and fellow season contestant, Katie Thurston, will get their own seasons of “The Bachelorette.” Both cycles are set to air later this year.
Last Chance U: Basketball
Recap: This sports docuseries follows head coach John Mosley and the East Los Angeles College Huskies men’s basketball team. The eight episodes detail the ups and downs of playing collegiate basketball for a community college.
Many of the players were highly touted high school prospects, but grades and other personal situations led to Mosley’s team. The previous four seasons of “Last Chance U” focused on junior college football teams but switched it up for season five to explore junior college basketball.
Thoughts: I’m a fan of the series but was skeptical about the basketball focus. I came to know and like a lot of the players from previous seasons because of how open and driven they were. This season wasn’t any different. I enjoyed watching their stories, including Joe Hampton.
In episode two, you learn about Hampton’s medical struggles — his torn ACL, LCL and meniscus — that led to him being suspended from the Penn State University basketball team. The injuries left Hampton in a dark place, so all he did was smoke and eat himself out of shape. The other highlighted athletes had just as interesting backgrounds. (JL)
Where to watch: Stream “Last Chance U: Basketball” and previous seasons on Netflix.
The One
Recap: This futuristic show focuses on a world where people can be matched with a partner based on their DNA. Simply mail in a hair strand to find out who you should marry. Of course, this comes with many problems — blinding trust in the process, high divorce rates, a monopoly of the market, etc.
Thoughts: This is definitely an interesting show premise. It switches between showing the creators of the DNA-matching system to showing how the system affects real relationships. “The One” has lots of scandals and drama — making it quite entertaining. (BL)
Watch: All eight episodes are available on Netflix.
Who Killed Malcolm X?
Recap: This miniseries details the events that led up to the death of revered civil rights leader, Malcom X.
Abdur-Rahman Muhammad, a historian who’s investigated X’s assassination over the past 30 years, guides viewers through various facts, conspiracies and findings.
X was shot and killed at Manhattan’s Audubon Ballroom on Feb. 21, 1965, by members of the Nation of Islam. Convicted assassin Talmadge Hayer speaks in the documentary and names his co-conspirators. After the film’s release, the Manhattan district attorney announced that his office would begin a preliminary review of the investigation into X’s murder and decide whether the case should be reopened.
Thoughts: I enjoyed the docuseries. I love Malcolm X and what he wanted to create for the Black community. While I don’t agree with some of the extreme measures he went to for the cause, I do agree with what he stood for toward the end of his short life.
I remember learning about his death in high school, but my teacher glossed over it. I didn’t learn who killed X until I got to college, which is sad. When I did learn who did it, and how violent he died, I was left wondering why? This documentary doesn’t answer all my questions, but it did give more insight into X’s death that I think people should know. I hope the Manhattan district attorney does reopen the case, and I hope X gets justice. (JL)
Where to watch: Stream the “Who killed Malcom X?” miniseries on Netflix.
