Prior Lake's Becca Kufrin is back as 'The Bachelorette'

Prior Lake American

Though it seemed like an eternity, it was only March 6 when we last saw Prior Lake’s Becca Kufrin on the “After the Final Rose” special where she was named “The Bachelorette.”

And at last, like a mirage of a cool, blue lake in the middle of a scorching desert, Kufrin returned Monday during a two-hour season premiere.

For those new to “Bachelor Nation,” “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” feature about 30 conventionally-attractive people competing for the affection of another conventionally-attractive person. Contestants are whittled down, week by week, through rose ceremonies — anyone who doesn’t receive a rose is sent home.

This continues for approximately two months until there are just two contestants left. If it’s “The Bachelor,” then the lead proposes to one of the remaining women. If it’s “The Bachelorette,” the lead chooses one of the men to propose to her.

Kufrin, who is a 2008 Prior Lake High School graduate, appeared on the most recent season of “The Bachelor,” featuring race car driver and realtor Arie Luyendyk Jr. At the end of the season, Luyendyk got down on one knee and proposed to Kufrin — before eventually breaking up with her on camera to pursue and reconcile with runner-up Lauren Burnham.

Though he might not be officially banned, he might not want to plan any visits to Minnesota anytime soon. Everyone from state representatives to police departments took to social media to show support for Kufrin, Minnesota’s hometown gal.

But that wasn’t the end of Kufrin’s journey. In March, she was named “The Bachelorette,” meaning she got to be on the other end of the rose.

“I went back to Minnesota and I didn’t really know what to do,” Kufrin said during the premiere. “Just a few months ago, I was engaged. I thought I had found my forever.”

The beginning of the premiere showed a few scenes of the break-up from last season, before a few pensive shots of Kufrin walking through a snowy forest and bending down to sniff flowers at the Como Zoo and Conservatory.

“I’m just like, your normal, average girl,” Kufrin said. “All I did was like, get my heart broken on TV.”

In the next shot, her sister and her mother encourage her to take on the titular role of “The Bachelorette.” Kufrin’s mother, Jill Kufrin, worked for 20 years as a teacher at Grainwood Elementary in Prior Lake and still lives in town.

“You’ve got so much going for you honey, so go,” Jill Kufrin tells her. “Go, go, go.”

Kufrin then meets up with past bachelorettes Kaitlyn, JoJo and Rachel, all of whom are still engaged to their final picks.

Statistically, bachelorettes have more success in picking partners than bachelors. Three former bachelorettes are engaged and three are married, whereas one former bachelor is engaged and two are married (and two out of those three ended up with their runner-up rather than who they proposed to during the finale).

“Women are more intuitive, they know what they want and they trust themselves,” JoJo said. “So I think Becca is going to do that.”

JoJo also casually mentions that herself, Rachel and Kaitlyn all gave their first impression roses to the guys they eventually ended up choosing. No foreshadowing here, move along.

Introductory clips are then played for a few of the 28 men, some of which might end up going far in the season and some who after they’re eliminated in the first or second rose ceremony, we’ll never hear from again.

Viewers were introduced to professional football player Clay who doesn’t fit into that “stereotype,” fly fisher and Chris Farley impersonator Garrett from Reno, male model Jordan whose brand is the “pensive gentleman,” Nigerian immigrant Jordan who is ready to get married, grocery store owner Joe from Chicago whose parents got engaged after two months, French immigrant Jean Blanc who has over 100 bottles of cologne and former professional football player Colton who now runs a nonprofit for children with cystic fibrosis.

Then it’s time for limo gimmicks, or what the men do to stand out to Kufrin and make a good first impression. Noteworthy mentions include Garrett driving up in a minivan to show he wants a family, Blake riding in on an ox, Chris who brought an entire church choir to sing a song about God and roses and David who was dressed in a chicken suit.

The noteworthy were far outweighed by the cringeworthy — Kamil asked Kufrin to walk to him then said a relationship should be 60-40 percent effort with Kufrin making more effort and Trent rolled up in a hearse and said he “literally died” when Kufrin was announced as “The Bachelorette.”

There were also a surprising number of references to Luyendyk and the situation that happened last season, including a life-sized cutout of Luyendyk. Contestant Leo summarized it perfectly: “Remind the girl of her ex — that’s a bad idea.”

Once they all met Kufrin, the contestants mingled about the mansion, waiting for their chance to talk to her.

But with that many men, plenty of drama was already brewing.

Male model Jordan was not pleased that many of the other men didn’t spend six hours meticulously picking out each aspect of their outfit and practically blew a gasket when David walked in wearing a chicken suit.

“A lot about fashion is knowing how to dress for the occasion and what to wear,” Jordan said.

Contestant Chris received texts from a woman he’s friends with who had dated contestant Chase, who was introduced for the first time on the “After the Final Rose” special in March. She texted Chris that Chase was not there for the “right reasons” and that he was trying to promote his marketing firm. Chris then confronted Chase about these texts and Chase said the two dated for two weeks and that she didn’t know anything.

“That’s women,” Chase said, which is something that a contestant that’s not there for the right reasons would say.

Chris and Chase then both talk to Kufrin about it. After the conversation, Kufrin said she realizes that some guys might be there for the wrong reasons.

Enter Jake.

Jake, who is from Minneapolis, had actually met Kufrin a few times before.

“Jake is from Minnesota and we run in the same group of friends,” Kufrin said. “We’ve hung out a couple of times, but he’s never shown interest in me before now.”

Kufrin and Jake move to another room to confront the issue and ask Jake what he’s doing there. Jake said he remembers meeting her at “the Christmas party” but not before then.

“We met a couple times before that,” Kufrin said.

“I, honest to God, don’t remember that,” Jake replied, which is a great thing to say to someone that you’re trying to convince you could marry.

Kufrin goes on to say she’s not comfortable knowing they’ve met a few times and neither side had made a move.

“Do you know that I have one conscious recollection of meeting you?” Jake asked her. That’s another strike for Jake.

Kufrin then sends him home, before the rose ceremony has even happened.

The first impression rose (a self-explanatory concept of a rose that is given to a contestant that makes the best first impression on the first night) is given to Garrett, who drove up in a minivan and gave Kufrin a demonstration of fly fishing during their one-on-one time. During the rose ceremony, six men are sent home including 60-40 Kamil, grocery store owner Joe and ex-text drama Chase.

Then it’s the season preview — shots of exotic locales are shown as well as shots of Kufrin kissing various contestants in exotic locales. Then it’s time for the drama people actually watch the show for. Various spats between the dudes are shown and then Jordan blesses us with: “That’s a b-- — move. Cheers to you for being a b----.” Kufrin wipes away tears and is later shown talking to a few of the contestants and saying she’s “so pissed.” An ambulance is called at some point.

The preview offers up many questions and not a lot of answers. There’s only way to find out what happens and that’s to watch the entire season (or read the recaps).