"The Bachelor" Ben and Lauren, life after Jojo.

Moving On – BEN & LAUREN: HAPPILY EVER AFTER Review

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Moving On – BEN & LAUREN: HAPPILY EVER AFTER Review

The latest addition to “The Bachelor” family “Ben & Lauren: Happily Ever After”, which premiers Tuesday, October 11th on Freeform, focuses on the life of couple Ben Higgins and Lauren Bushnell after Ben chose Lauren over Jojo during “The Bachelor” season 20. His season was especially controversial after he used the “L” word (love) with both Jojo and Lauren.

Ben and Lauren, The Bachelor

Pictured: Lauren & Ben on “The Bachelor”.

Ben ultimately chose Lauren due to the fact that he could not see his life without her. Jojo Fletcher went on to be ABC’s the next “Bachelorette” season 12.

After a brief “The Bachelor” recap on how Lauren Bushnell and Ben Higgins fell in love on the show, “Ben & Lauren: Happily Ever After” opens with a behind-the-scenes look at their visit to Jojo’s “After the Final Rose”

This show is also produced by “The Bachelor” franchise executive producer Mike Fleiss. I had high expectations on this new show addition that has a different perspective than what Bachelor fans are used to. Unfortunately, the first episode “Moving On” made it real easy to do just that – move on to something else.

“Ben & Lauren: Happily Ever After” begins it’s premiere episode with a set visit by Lauren and Ben to Jojo’s “After the Final Rose” episode of her “Bachelorette” season. Producers asked Ben and Lauren to appear on the show to give advice to Jojo, which Ben did, then immediately questioned if Lauren was upset what he said.

Ben and Lauren, After the Final Rose

Pictured: Lauren & Ben at “After the Final Rose”

The theme of the first episode titled “Moving On” is focused on the two trying to move past their “Bachelor” circumstances which involved a prominent ex, Jojo. A difficult thing to do when they’re constantly reminded about it.

The show bounces from their set visit to a peek inside their daily lives living in Denver, Colorado where Lauren joined Ben after getting engaged to him. For lack of not much happening in their actual daily lives, the show makes-up, and of course, instigates situations for them to reacts to. For instance, bringing the twins Haley and Emily from Ben’s Bachelor season to visit Lauren and help her to install a new toilet. Why is this necessary? Because Lauren thinks that the small toilet is the original one there from when the house was built. “People are larger now” she tells Ben.

Other scenarios have Lauren out to redecorate the house in her “nesting” attempt, and playing a practical joke on Ben which viewers will probably be left wondering what was the point of that? Clearly there is nothing else better to do in the small world of Denver aside from sitting by a lake while being bit by mosquitoes.

Ben and Lauren, Moving On

“Ben & Lauren” format has a similar feel to MTV’s “The Hills”. Except without juicy drama and intriguing characters. It’s evident that the show attempted to give viewers a look at what it’s like to be Ben and Lauren in the public when it seems that producers set-up a true-to-life situation while the reality show couple shops at a grocery store. They are approached by a fan who stops them to ask personal questions that include ones about Jojo. A subject that Lauren says she is always irritated that people keep bringing-up. A touchy subject indeed to say the least. To make matters worse, it’s like the show knew it was grasping at straws for interesting content because they pull-out a whammy of a feat for Lauren to endure upon the finish of Jojo’s “After the Final Rose” episode where the show ends.

Lauren hesitated to visit “After the Final Rose” in the first place because she said it brings back memories of Jojo and Ben and feelings of fear that Ben could still have feelings for Jojo. Ben told her he wants her to be excited and be happy. Of course, it’s not Lauren’s idea of fun.

For the biggest Bachelor fans, which I’m one, even this is not enough to make me want to return to watch what happens.

“Ben & Lauren: Happily Ever After” airs Tuesdays 8 – 9 pm ET on Freeform

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