Spoiler Alert: The following summary contains spoilers for the Season 2 finale of “The Golden Bachelor.”
Mel Owens’ journey on The Golden Bachelor was filled with drama even before the season began. (Choosing not to let the contestants forget him, he said on his podcast before entering the Bachelor Mansion that he would eliminate women over the age of 60.) That remained true until the end, when the 66-year-old former NFL linebacker was forced to choose between 60-year-old Cindy Cullors, 62-year-old Peg Munson, or neither.
That third possibility started to look more and more likely after last week’s “Fantasy Suites” episode, which ended on a cliffhanger.
Throughout the episode, both women expressed frustration that Mel had not made his feelings towards them clear. During her date with Peg, she tries to ask how things are going between them, but Peg simply answers two of her questions with “good” before changing the subject to the dune buggy they were driving together. “He’s demeaning, you know? And I don’t know if it’s because of everything outside. I’m a little concerned. Is there something he’s not emotionally available for, or is he just being guarded?” Later that night, over dinner, they connected a little deeper and decided to take advantage of the Fantasy Suite for an overnight date away from the cameras. The next morning, the two stated that they felt a kinship with each other, with Peg calling Mel “emotionally smart”.
His relationship with Cindy didn’t go so smoothly, but it was unclear whether that was about his relationship with Mel or questions focused on marriage. The two go on an awkward date, and Mel is filled with fear while swimming with a stingray. At dinner, after Cindy tries to ask him what he thinks about both her and Peg, Cindy says, “It’s just going to take time. I’m going to make an educated choice. I’m not going to jump on faith, so to speak.” Cindy responded that the whole show was about leaps of faith, but Mel disagreed, saying, “I’m smart enough to know that my life isn’t like that.” As the tense conversation continued, Mel repeatedly avoided the topic of whether she really intended to remarry. Cindy aptly pointed out that The Golden Bachelor was meant to end with a proposal, but Mel insisted that it was about “finding a partner,” not seeming to understand that Cindy suggested that since she was divorced, she might be open to getting engaged sooner than she was in her first marriage. Cindy thanked him for the “very insightful” confession, but was clearly unhappy that he couldn’t make his feelings clear about her and the marriage as a whole. “If you have a will, there’s a way,” he tried to reassure her, so she asked if he had one. It is not shown whether Mel and Cindy went to the fantasy suite, and the episode ends before he can answer.
Wednesday night’s finale revealed that Cindy realized they disagreed about their relationship with Mel and decided to break up.
“He has not been interested in making any commitments in recent years,” Cindy said in a confessional. “I’m in my golden years, I’m 60 years old, and I’m not interested in being put on hold. He’s not my person.”
After leaving with Cindy, a stunned Mel returns to the dinner table alone. “I’m shocked. My date with Cindy was perfect,” he said. “I joined tonight thinking I had a future. But she left…I don’t know what to do.”
But soon after, Mel recovered and introduced Peg to her two sons, Andre and Lucas, and her college friend Diane. During her one-on-one time with her sons, Peg asked them what kind of partner they thought would be ideal for a father.
“He’s a nice guy, not overly dramatic, just a gentle guy who really enjoys life,” Lucas said.
As we began to get to know each other, Lucas added, “I think you’re the perfect woman for my dad, because you nurture him with your energy and make him feel uplifted.” He and Andre also told their dad that they liked Peg and believed she was a perfect fit for him.
“Peg and her boys got along great and it was great to see them giving a big thumbs up,” Mel said.
With her family’s approval, Mel ultimately chose Peg. And although he didn’t get down on one knee and propose, he gave her a ring, explaining that it “represents our commitment to love and gives us time to figure out what our future will be together.” He also gave her the last golden rose.
“I found the perfect woman here,” Mel said, to which Peg added, “I found the perfect man.”
