Chris Harrison is looking back on what's unfolded on The Bachelorette this season, reflecting on Kaitlyn Bristowe's role as the show's star as well as the guys who fought hard for her affection.

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The Bachelorette star Kaitlyn Bristowe has two guys left in the running, Nick Viall and Shawn Booth, and she'll have to make a decision on the Season 11 finale that airs July 27 at 8PM ET/PT on ABC.

Kaitlyn has overcome a lot of adversity while whittling down her group of men to two final suitors. During a Tuesday conference call with reporters, Harrison talked to Reality TV World about some major topics that have played out on the show.

Below is what Harrison had to say. Check back with Reality TV World soon for more from his interview.

Reality TV World: Kaitlyn was criticized at The Men Tell All for not handling her role as the Bachelorette well. Her interactions with the men are controversial and people think she spoiled the show's ending by posting a Snapchat pic of herself in bed with one of her Final 2 suitors. How do you think she handled the position? Would you love to cast someone like Kaitlyn again or did she take the show in a Juan Pablo Galavis-direction you'd like to avoid in the future?

Chris Harrison: I don't -- you know, it's interesting.  There's really kind of no right or wrong or yes or no answer to this.  But I think what we found in this new age of social media and just where we are in this world, in this day and time, these people -- the Bachelor/Bachelorette will take us wherever they want, wherever their lifestyle and decisions and all that takes us. 

We are more apt to follow where that goes.  And we are more apt to follow that in a more, I think, open and realistic way.  And you mentioned Juan Pablo and you started seeing that with Juan Pablo.  You know, the decisions he made led him down that path and the decisions he made dictated where the show went, and Kaitlyn is the same way.  I don't think it's good or bad as much as it is -- I mean, I hate this saying but -- it is what it is.

And so, we're going to kind of cover and let you see what they do.  And so, yes, this season was good as far as ratings have been.  But, you know, we never get a season like this or Juan Pablo's or whatever and think we need to recreate that because you can't do it.  You can't do what we did with [Sean Lowe], you can't do what we did with Kaitlyn or [Ali Fedotowsky] or anybody else.

You really have to just kind of bring a person in that you think is the right person for the job, and then, go with it.  And then, however that season turns out, that's how it's going to be.  It's kind of a weird maybe obtuse answer to your question, but that's kind of the best way I can describe it, is we really kind of let them dictate where the show goes.

Reality TV World: Shawn and Nick were clearly frontrunners from the minute they got on the show. Shawn snagged Kaitlyn's first impression rose and Kaitlyn became smitten with Nick upon immediately meeting him. Did you feel this was just a race between the two of them the whole time -- that none of the other guys ever even stood a chance? And maybe that contributed to guys being upset with her on The Men Tell All? They were bitter, perhaps?

Chris Harrison: I don't think it's fair to say they didn't stand a chance because she really did a good job of compartmentalizing her relationships.  And, you know, [Ben Higgins], she definitely had a crush and was falling in love with him -- actually both Bens for that matter and [Jared Haibon] and even [Chris "Cupcake" Strandburg]. 

So, no, I really think she was open to finding love with, you know, people outside of Nick and Shawn.  But those two definitely made an impression on her. 

And the problem is, you know, in the show, when someone makes that big of an impression, whoever else is out there has to step up and at least make a strong, if not, a bigger impression.  And again, Ben I think was right up there too.  He was right in the running until the end.

Reality TV World: Heading into the finale, were you doubting whether Kaitlyn's relationship with either Nick or Shawn -- depending on whom she picked -- would last since she's had such a tumultuous season and arguably put a large emphasis on physical attraction?

Chris Harrison: I always wonder every season how couples will transition, you know, whether it's Sean and [Catherine Giudici] who are now married or, you know, [Andi Dorfman] and [Josh Murray] who lasted, you know, as long as they did, but then, broke up. 

You know, that's always the million dollar question and the toughest part of any relationship, is when you make that commitment to do that, you know, how does your relationship do?

Does it flourish?  Does it, you know, stumble on all the obstacles that are in front of you?  So, yes.  I mean, you know, Kaitlyn, you know, (if she wins) she walks away with somebody from the show.  She's going to face the exact same challenges of trying to transition back into the quote-unquote, "real world."

Reality TV World: How did you feel about Nick going into the finale? You said in your blogs early on you were really skeptical of him, but he really did nothing wrong to justify those concerns. And then towards the end, I believe you said Nick sort of won you over in that you were pretty convinced he's just a guy who falls for a girl hard and fast.

Chris Harrison: Yes.  I mean, I've just been thinking about the reaction to Nick and why everybody dislikes him so much -- and not everybody -- that's not fair, but why -- a lot of the guys and some of the people in social media have been, you know, harsh on him.  And I started thinking about it. 

You know, what's he really ever done?  He came on the show and fell in love with Andi and, yes, he kind of took that parting shot in that awkward memorable final rose moment, but, save that, he comes into this season because he likes Kaitlyn and he came on and fell in love with her and he's head over heels in love with Kaitlyn.

So it's hard to be too angry at him considering all he's done is come on our show for love and has fallen in-love twice.  But, you know, what is it that just rubs people the wrong way?  Because there has to be something that the guys, you know, don't like.  And is it just jealousy?  Is it something else?

So, you know, again, to your point, it's hard to fault the guy for coming on our show and doing what it's made to do, and that's fall in love.  I do think he is just that guy that has open heart.  He wants this very badly, he wants to find love and he has.  And so, I don't know.  I'm -- I go both ways.  It's a tough situation where someone is so disliked in many ways, but all he's done is fallen in love with a girl.

Check back with Reality TV World soon for more from Chris Harrison's interview.


About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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