‘The Bachelor’ Season Premiere Recap: Ben Higgins Meets The Women

The Bachelor kicked off its 20th season Monday night, with new star Ben Higgins meeting the 28 women who will be vying for his heart over the next several weeks.

‘The Bachelor’ Recap

Introducing Ben, who was the second runner-up in Kaitlyn Bristowe‘s season of The Bachelorette, The Bachelor showed his hometown roots in Warsaw, Indiana. Ben gave a tour of the small midwestern town, passing my his middle school, the movie theater where he had his first kiss – and was subsequently dumped – and the basketball hoop nailed to a barn where he worked on his shot.

“I’m the new Bachelor!” he says. “And there’s nothing about that that doesn’t sound strange. I’m just a normal guy from small town Indiana living this life.”

Ben, 27, had to overcome his natural shyness to meet the many women fighting for his affections and his roses. Who are the women Ben will have narrow down after his first night at the Bachelor Mansion?

Lauren B., 25, is a flight attendant who hails from Oregon, but believes she’s really from SoCal and who says that the beach is her “happy place.” Upon meeting Ben, she hands him a pair of flight wings.

Caila, 23, lives in Boston, where she works as a software sales rep. She admits that she broke up with her boyfriend after seeing Ben on Kaitlyn’s season of The Bachelorette and that it could be fate. She leaps into Ben’s arms to make her first impression.

Jubiliee, 24, who joined the army when she was 18 and served in Afghanistan, calls Florida home. “I’m on a mission to win Ben’s heart, and there will probably be some casualties,” she says in her package video, despite admitting her nerves meeting the new Bachelor.

Mandi, 28, works as a dentist and declares that should Ben’s teeth not meet her strict standards, it will be a deal breaker. Not long after entering the Bachelor Mansion, she gives Ben a dental exam, which he passes – for better or worse.

Emily and Haley, 22, are this year’s much-anticipated twins. The petite blonds make their entrance by speaking in sync and insisting that they chat with Ben inside both together and apart. Ben seems to be in a bit of shock about the self-declared “double-trouble” sisters.

Amanda, 25, is a single mom of two young daughters living in Laguna Beach, where she works as a esthetician. Relatively reserved in her introduction, Amanda says that she hopes to get to know Ben better inside.

Tiara, 27, brings the quirkiness with the title of “chicken enthusiast.” Throughout her package, Tiara poses with her chickens, including her favorite Sheila. She also showcases their framed portraits that sit alongside one of Ben. Unfortunately, she opted out of bringing Sheila for her limo exit.

Samantha, 26, recently graduated from law school in Florida. She reveals that her father passed away from ALS when she was 13, and that the experience has given her a greater appreciation of life. Her opening line? “I have a really important question for you: Boxers or legal briefs?”

Jennifer, 25, owns a small business in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She introduces herself with a celebrity reference that might be a little outdated considering the recent divorce filing. “Ben and Jen is kind of too cute to forget,” she tells Ben.

Jami, 23, works as a bartender in Canada, and happens to know Ben’s former love Kaitlyn. “She told me you have a really, really, really big……….. heart,” Jami teases Ben upon first meeting the small town guy.

Lace, 25, is a real estate agent in Denver, Colorado, where Ben also happens to call home these days. Really wanting to jump start the relationship, Lace tells Ben to close his eyes and subsequently kisses him on the lips. “I wanted the first kiss,” she explains.

Lauren R., 26, a math teacher in Houston, admits to Ben right off the bat that she’s been stalking him via social media for a couple of months.

Shushanna, 27, is a mathematician. She tells Ben in Russian that the two of them are “created for each other.” Without delivering a word in English, she heads into the Bachelor Mansion, leaving Ben every bit as confused as you’d imagine.

JoJo, 24, is a real estate developer in Dallas. She decides to make her first impression in a unicorn mask. She concedes that the entrance was “probably super frightening” for Ben.

Lauren H., 25, a kindergarten teacher, kept things a bit more innocuously playful during her introduction. She tossed a bouquet of flowers at Ben, who caught them and then suavely placed them in his lapel.

Laura, 24, of Kentucky, is an account executive. She opted to leave the gimmicks at home, but let’s Ben know her nickname during their greeting – Red Velvet.

Maegan, 30, is a self-described Texas cowgirl. She proves she’s not kidding by walking up the driveway with her miniature horse Huey. While leading the mini horse inside the mansion, she quips, “I hope he doesn’t pee on the carpet!”

Breanne, 30, is a Seattle-based nutritional therapist. She wastes no time in showing her disdain for gluten, “breaking bread” for her first impression. “Gluten is satan,” she tells Ben before insisting he help her slam some loaves into oblivion.

Izzy, 24, had a more light-hearted approach, showing up in pajamas and telling Ben, “I had to find out if you were the onesie for me.”

Rachel, 23, admittedly unemployed, rolled up on a hoverboard and opens with this line: “I’m on Cloud 9 — want to join me?”

Jessica, 23, an accountant, kept things short and sweet with Ben. She merely hugged the Bachelor and took off for the mansion.

LB, 23, whose home state is Oklahoma is a fashion buyer. Incidentally, LB is the fourth Lauren of the evening.

Jackie, 23, lives in San Francisco and works as a gerontolgist. She skips a few steps by offering Ben a save the date card for their engagement. It even includes the hashtag #ToHiggingsAndToHold.

Olivia, 23, was a news anchor from Austin – until she quit to fight for Ben Higgins on season 20 of The Bachelor. Ben merely fumbles the first impression by questioning whether or not her dimple is real.

In a shocking Bachelor twist, Chris Harrison also introduces Ben to Becca and Amber, who both competed on Chris Soules‘ season.

Ahead of the the Rose Ceremony, Olivia gets the first impression rose. Who else gets a rose and a chance to move into the Bachelor Mansion? Lauren B., LB, Caila, Amber, Jami, Jennifer, Jubilee, Amanda, JoJo, Leah, Rachel, Samantha, Jackie, Haley, Emily, Shushanna, Lauren H., Becca, Mandi, and lastly, Lace.

Going home after the first night are Breanne, Izzy, Laura, Lauren R., Maegan and Tiara.

The Bachelor airs Mondays on ABC at 8/7c.