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How Eric from Baltimore Stole the Bachelor Finale

We already have a Bachelorette frontrunner!

liam-mathews
Liam Mathews

The Bachelor's Season 21 finale was kind of a slog. Nick Viall faced down his past heartbreaks for the first hour and a half, and then he chose Vanessa Grimaldi, with whom the future looks uncertain. Nick and Vanessa made an uncomfortable appearance on the live "After the Final Rose" special. And then Chris Harrison brought out new BacheloretteRachel Lindsay, whom he surprised with an awkward and unnecessary introduction to some of her suitors.

It was a bad idea, but it was redeemed by the presence of one man -- Eric from Baltimore, The Bachelorette's very early frontrunner.

Starting the introductions before The Bachelorette begins was unprecedented, and hopefully it doesn't happen again, because it was bad. It stole Rachel's thunder. The limo introductions in the premiere are always one of the best parts of any season, and this made me less excited for it to happen. It undermined the element of hope and surprise everyone loves about the season premiere.

​Eric from Baltimore and Rachel Lindsay, The Bachelor

Eric from Baltimore and Rachel Lindsay, The Bachelor

ABC/Hulu

We met DeMario, a handsome guy who asked Rachel to elope with him in Vegas right then and there; Blake, who was so nervous he forgot his own name; and Dean, a white ding-dong who said "I just want you to know, I'm ready to go black, and I'm never going to go back."

Then, finally, we met Eric from Baltimore, who brought a much-needed burst of levity to the proceedings.

Eric came up to Rachel smooth as hell and introduced himself.

"I'm from Baltimore, you're from Texas, but we're here right now," he said. "I'm happy to be here, this is a miracle season, what's meant to be will be, and I'm looking forward to spending time with you and getting to know you."

"How do you feel?" he asked, flashing a million-watt smile.

"I love what you just said," Rachel responded. Eric, thrilled that he got a positive reaction, started dancing. Rachel, who loves to dance, immediately joined in.

It was five seconds of joy in an otherwise grim episode.

Twitter was smitten.

Eric from Baltimore bodes well for Rachel's season of The Bachelorette. We don't know anything about him yet, but we're excited to find out more. He gets our first impression rose.

The Bachelorette returns in May.