The Bachelor found one of its most complex, entertaining and delightfully dramatic contestants in season 28 star Maria Georgas. But sadly, she and Joey Graziadei said goodbye after Hometown Dates, marking the end of their delightfully chaotic Bachelor was, at least until the Women Tell All special, we hope!
Since the 29-year-old executive assistant from Kleinburg, Ont., first emerged from the limo on Night 1 waving her fuzzy Canadian flag, she’s never had a dull moment on the show. ABC’s official bio of her described her as “a bold, outgoing woman who isn’t afraid to speak her mind,” and that sentiment was borne true every second she appeared on screen.
On Night 1, Maria memorably announced that she wasn’t kissing Joey because he’d been hooking up with too many girls that night, only to show up making out with him just minutes later. Amazing. She shared her love for horror movies, trashed Joey’s love for Remember the titansShe then took to TikTok to post an apology video after the episode upon learning that her beloved Denzel Washington was in the film. Pure perfection.
During the first group date, Joey slyly pointed out, “I have to keep an eye on Maria! [She] Just keeps me on my toes, man! And on the second group date, The golden bachelorBrave senior Kathy Swarts echoed the shout, saying, “That Maria, she had some energy!” Later in the episode, Joey marveled, “Maria knows how to work a crowd 1000%,” and all of her assessments of him were spot on.
From a top-notch talent show routine to a sexy and spontaneous outfit change, Maria always had surprises up her sleeve. But somehow, after seven weeks of seeing her in our living rooms and on social media, she still maintains an air of mystery. Her biography says that she is a black belt in Taekwondo karate. Her father owns a sprinkler company! She was in the 2005 film. The peacemaker, acting alongside Vin Diesel for God’s sake! Just when you think you’ve got everything figured out about Maria, she throws another curveball, like the emotional revelation that she and her mother were in a terrible car accident when she was one year old and she was pronounced dead at the scene before miraculously recovering. . (Yeah, that really happened.)
Despite Maria’s big heart and infectious sense of humor, the fan-favorite contestant found herself at the center of The Bachelor The biggest fight of season 28, Agegate, aka “the dumbest fight in Bachelor history.” The conflict ended in a dramatic two-on-one date that sent fellow contestant Sydney Gordon packing her bags, but after weeks of handling arguments with grace and relentlessly defending her character, Maria unfairly found herself with more drama in the house, which made her briefly consider heading home. Deciding to stay took guts and was also worth it. Beautiful woman one-on-one date in Canada where he gave Joey a fashion show, challenged his helicopter fears, made a perfectly timed “that’s what she said” joke, and exploited his French, even tricking Joey into saying “You love”. “
In addition to their electric chemistry, week after week Maria brought out a personality and spontaneity in Joey that we have yet to see emerge in the presence of any other contestant. However, during her week in Jasper, Canada, she also ignited her greatest fear: being abandoned by someone she saw a future with, which ultimately influenced her to leave Hometown Week without a rose. Fresh off a date with LumberJill outside of her comfort zone and a week of watching Joey’s strong connection with other women, Maria’s doubts and jealousy certainly got the best of her. For a moment she wanted to run away, but she talked to Joey and got the last rose of the week. Unfortunately, a delicious meal and a pleasantly surprising conversation with Maria’s unexpectedly sweet boss, Nick Georgas, weren’t enough to calm Joey’s doubts when Maria ended the date without saying that she was falling for him.
Although it was a difficult road, Maria consistently kept viewers on the edge of their seats, staying true to herself and following her heart every step of her life. Bachelor journey. She never let anyone dim his shine, embarking on an intimate journey of self-discovery and navigating the dangerous reality TV landscape on The Maria Way from start to finish.
Earlier in the season, Joey hit the nail on the head when he called his Final Four contestant an enigma, explaining, “I don’t know if you’ll ever be able to fully understand Maria.” Of course, we may never know exactly what to expect from the Bachelor star, but that’s half the fun, right? The second and third runners-up are usually considered for the following season of High schoolbut whether you love her or hate her, there’s no doubt that Maria would be one of the most interesting and fun protagonists this franchise has ever had.
The Bachelor Season 28 airs new episodes Mondays at 8:00 pm ET on ABC, and airs the next day on Hulu.
