Third time’s the charm! Or not. For Nick Viall, it is his fourth shot at love on ABC’s “The Bachelor.” Viall first appeared on Andi Dorfman’s season 10 of “The Bachelorette” and later on Kaitlyn Bristowe’s season 11, but he was heart-broken when both left him as a runner-up. Viall then took his chance on “The Bachelor in Paradise” but returned home just as disappointed as before. Thus, he was chosen as the new eligible bachelor of 2017.

The season 21 premier of “The Bachelor,” a highly anticipated show which has trended on Twitter multiple times, opened with fans expressing their feelings toward Viall. Since his last three appearances on the show, viewers found Viall to be a controversial bachelor. Many claimed that he appeared to be arrogant, manipulative, or rude, while others were happy that he could get another shot at love.

From the beginning of episode one, Viall washed away the rumors of egotism by cracking jokes and making fun of his past three mistakes. His enthusiastic attitude and dedication to the show created a different, far more refreshing persona than expected.

Then, the excitement grew with the arrival of the women competing for Viall’s heart. 30 women individually exited a limo in stunning floor-length dresses, and each gave a brief introduction about themselves. Although the short time they receive may seem unfair for a proper greeting, many of them made the most of it.

Some greeted Viall with polite chatter and a hug, such as some of my favorite contestants like  Vanessa, a special education teacher from Montreal, Quebec and Rachel, an attorney from Dallas, Texas. However, other women chose creative, rather odd, routes. Alexis, an aspiring dolphin trainer from Secaucus, New Jersey, first introduced herself to Viall in a head-to-toe dolphin suit (which Viall later pointed out was actually a shark). Another woman named Josephine asked him to eat an uncooked hotdog, Lacey rode in on a camel, and Susannah gave Viall a beard massage.

Just after the introductions, it became clear that some women were only on the show for recognition. Corrine from Miami, Florida, earned the title of my least favorite contestant when mentioning her father’s million-dollar company to every person in the room and then stirring up drama by snagging the first kiss of the season – one which was uncomfortable to watch due to Viall’s confused reaction.

As the night of flirting (and often, crying over Viall) came to a close, Viall gave the first rose of the season, the first impression rose, to Rachel, the attorney from Texas who carried herself with an innate sense of humor. When a contestant receives the first impression rose, it means she is safe for the current week. It is given to a woman whom Viall feels most connected to so far. It was obvious that Rachel would be his choice after their initial conversation, but nonetheless, I was happy with his choice. She stood out as an intelligent, easy-going woman who was not affected by the pressure of the situation.

There was a sense of disappointment when the credits rolled through at the end. The two-hour season premier was full of romance and unintended comedy, and it clearly represented what will be a passion-filled season of “The Bachelor.” After the most recent second episode, which was full of jealousy between contestants, one thing is certain – whether the show is watched seriously or, instead, for a good laugh, this season of “The Bachelor” will not fail to entertain.

Alyssa Kraus is a Copy Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.