Wait, When Did Every Bachelorette Fan Hop On The Bennett Train?

In a normal season of The Bachelorette, 37-year-old Bennett Jordan might emerge as a clear villain: he works as a wealth consultant, made his entrance in a Rolls-Royce, and isn’t shy about mentioning his Harvard degree. According to his ABC bio, his high school girlfriend is “the only girl he's ever had to work for.” Since graduating from Harvard (there are two Harvard references in his bio), “it's always been women pursuing him, but now he's ready for a change.” Upon his introduction, many viewers immediately rolled their eyes — but at some point, Bachelor Nation decided that Bennett is actually the unsung hero of Clare Crawley’s-turned-Tayshia Adams’ season of The Bachelorette.

The truth is, Bennett hasn’t actually gotten a lot of screen time, so it’s hard to determine whether he’s the pretentious player his bio made him out to be or a good-natured underdog who just happens to have the exact same aesthetic as Elle Woods’ ex from Legally Blonde. (Although I’m very hesitant to describe the Managing Director of a financial firm as an underdog, even in an environment as detached from reality as the Bachelorette bubble.) 

I’m chalking up his appeal to the fact that, surprisingly, he’s pretty unassuming: he stays in his lane, doesn’t start too much drama, and seems somewhat self-aware. Even though many people on Twitter and Reddit predicted he’d name-drop Harvard every single episode, he’s mostly seen indulging in a face mask and generally minding his own business. Several viewers noted that he’s offered a much-needed break from the guys’ in-fighting and the Clare and Dale Moss saga. Plus, the finance bro jokes are kind of funny.

On Twitter, fans have come up with their own theories as to why Bennett is so appealing. Some noted that his obsession with skincare and preppy wardrobe choices are reminiscent of New Girl’s Schmidt (Max Greenfield). Others have suggested that he’s getting the John Paul Jones edit: that is, he’s somewhat of a comic relief contestant, here to lighten the mood instead of win or break Tayshia’s heart. Although it’s worth adding that Tayshia did fall for JPJ on Bachelor in Paradise, so maybe Bennett has a solid shot at romance here.

In real life, many Bachelorette fan favorites might be much less appealing. Many of them have iffy politics, for example, and Bennett does look like a pretty standard Manhattan finance guy. But on-screen, he is nothing if not entertaining — people are very excited when there’s a Bennett sighting, and livid when an episode passes without one. But if he doesn’t get much airtime this week, don’t worry. You can always watch him walk through his self-care routine on Instagram.