The Bachelorette returns without acknowledging Chris Harrison's absence

The Daily Beast

Katie Thurston's premiere Monday night "felt off from the very beginning, when a disembodied male voice that did not belong to Chris Harrison told us to 'get ready for a Bachelorette like we’ve never had before," says Laura Bradley. "The episode did not mention Harrison’s absence or what caused it, even as an aside—and that wasn’t the only omission, either. While Thurston and her contestants occasionally referred to her time on Matt (James') season during Monday’s premiere, the show included absolutely no mention of either in her formal introduction. Maybe that’s because Katie left Matt’s season so early—or perhaps it’s because The Bachelorette would prefer we all just forget the season entirely. And yet, even after that clumsy beginning, Katie’s premiere was the most compelling Bachelorette season opener in years. Temporary co-hosts slash former Bachelorettes Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe kept the energy high and the mood light, and their natural ease in Harrison’s old role proves once and for all that he’s far from irreplaceable. And perhaps this writer has been in quarantine too long, but this seems to be the hunkiest group of guys we’ve seen in a while. Several of them even seem to possess a fair amount of... could it be... emotional intelligence? It just might!"

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• Katie Thurston: It was "great" to star on The Bachelorette with Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe: Thurston was asked what it was like filming without longtime host Chris Harrison. "It’s hard for me to really answer that because as a cast member on Matt (James)’ season, I didn’t see him too much," she says. "I’ve never been a lead, (so) I don’t know what his role (would be) had he been here. I only know what I went through with Tayshia and Kaitlyn, which was great — it was women supporting women — so I don’t know how big of a difference it would have been, say, for someone like Matt."
• Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe are more like "special guests" than guest-hosts: While they were announced as guest-hosts for this season, Adams and Bristowe were listed as "special guests" in the closing credits. In the premiere, they acted more like a support team for Thurston.