Ben Higgins - Lauren Bushnell - Bachelor 20 - Discussion

Elan is great friends with many past couples and contestants. I don't think his infinity for Ben/Lauren is so extra special in comparison.

And he doesn't really post pics of the lead as filming is happening. It's more when the season is airing that he pulls out all the pics he took.

I remember a few behind the scene JPG and Nikki pics from Elan. They were the last final couple I really liked, so don't know about the rest. I do remember some cute ones from Chris and Des too.

I am glad Elan likes them and supports them. I don't think anyone is on breakup watch like some of us were with Chris and Whitney. Just some of us don't see perfect and others of us don't care.

They seem happy, so for most of us who aren't in the giddy shipper boat, we just kind of wait and see and discuss as things are brought up. Watch the feet, time will tell, and all the other phrases. They have a good start, graced over his hiccup well. So far so good for them. I personally will be happy for them when her move happens. Settling into real life without secrecy or constant travel will be a great step toward forever.

I don't think Elan plays favorites of couples. We are in 2016, where SM is at a super high peak, especially instagram. Ben JUST had his season, so he is the most relevant. I'm like sure after Jojo's season we'd see just as much of her/her F1 too. JMO.

Thank you Elan for all the sneak peaks behind the BenLo-ve story! I agree that Ben will be a mainstay in Bachelor history.

IMO these after show bts snippets just show how much BenLo story was stripped down to make it all seem equal. First kiss, asking Lauren's hand in marriage, the FUN on their LCD. This is all big stuff that would've made it too obvious.

I love all the after show stuff we see. It might be meh and boring to others, but IMO it's normal, and normal appeals to me. I can't wait to see their Portland visit, and then the following move to Denver (which has already started).

I don't really see a big issue if Elan has favorites or not.  I know that he is production, but that doesn't mean that he cannot feel a bond with certain people more than others on a personal level.  I like a lot of different people -- that doesn't mean that I feel as connected to or relate to them all in the same way.  Elan is allowed to have his own personal feelings.

Who knows -- maybe on some subconscious level he felt like BenLo got shafted on their highly edited love story (ie. lots left on the cutting floor) in order to "fit the storyline" of the show, bring in more ratings and create more sympathy and fans for JoJo, so she would be able to continue to boost more ratings as the new Bachelorette.  Maybe now that Ben's season is over, Elan feels freer to share what production saw between Ben and Lauren and wants to share that with fans.  It is also possible that even though I don't believe for a minute that finding love for contestants is the real objective of this show -- Elan is proud that it worked in this case.  This is all JMO.

Plus, I'm just going to say it:

Elan, all of the producers, all of the handlers, etc. see everything. They see the lead with every contestant, every interaction, both intimate and mundane. They question these people in ITM's. Basically they see the whole story as it unravels in front of them, not just the edited made for TV version. Not only that, but they are still intimately involved with the final couple for a few months post-filming as they arrange safe house visits and provide handlers for them, so they also know intimately how things are going for the 2 months post-Bachelorette, and the 4 months post-Bachelor while the lead and F1 are in seclusion.

So, yeah. They all know who is faking it, and who has a genuine shot of making it. I remember some behind the scenes talk from producers during Ashley's season. There was chatter that they all knew Ashley and JP were for real. I speculate they feel the same way about Ben and Lauren. It's the vibe I get from how production, including Chris Harrison talk about them as compared to other past couples. JMO.

Not that I care, but every couple has significant parts of their relationship left on the editors floor. This is a tv show about the competition to fall in love, not about just two people. Starting with Trista and Ryan and I even remember Andrew and Jen talking about all the cute stuff they don't show. It is the nature of the show. Ben and Lauren got no more screwed than any other final couple. The job of editing is to make us guess. Ben and Lauren are not unique little flowers treated any different than most of the 30 couples before them. It is part of the show and the game. Elan himself has had drastic life changes in the last couple of years. Could be that as he settles into life clean and sober and enjoys love for himself that he wants to share the love he sees more. I have no idea. I am sure TPTB are all thrilled by a couple that might beat SeanCat in getting married 13 months or so post engagement. It helps the brand.

Ben and Lauren seem sweet, but they are just another couple from this show treated no better or worse than any other for the most part. Perhaps Ben is more liked because he either was one of the most confused and engaged by the bubble or one of the most disingenuous who willingly played along with TPTB games. Makes him their darling and less likable to me. JMO.

Or Ben is just a really genuine man, very personable and they liked working with him. And perhaps they found Lauren very likable and genuine and a good match for Ben as well. It doesn't have to be because he was easily manipulated or disingenuous.

I don't think Ben and Lauren are a special snowflake couple. I never said that. They are just two people from this show who (to me) seem well matched and have a better than average shot of making it to the alter. No, I don't think finding lasting couples is TPTB's ultimate goal or priority when they are making this show, but bet your butt they LOVE when that happy accident happens. It's good for their brand and the show in general. And on a personal level, how could you not be happy that you helped create and whitnessed a genuine marriage in the making?  I just think production seems to like them and seems hopeful for them. That's all I meant.

They didn't show their first kiss?

It's not a contest. Elan does appear to like Ben & Lauren and some others from this season. Why don't we leave it at that?

nd4reality wrote:They didn't show their first kiss?

Lauren implied during the FRC proposal that their first kiss actually happened on the steps of the mansion, most likely and probably during the epi 2 RC where Ben gave her that picture. That was also the supposed RC and moment where "Ben's world stopped" and "he just wanted to kiss her, and he didn't even know why," when she came around the corner while he was talking to Lace. I wish in one of the countless interviews they did someone had asked about the first kiss. That was a missed opportunity.