Why the 'Bachelorette' finale is facing backlash: 'Cruel' and 'distasteful'

Jenn Tran's "Bachelorette" journey came to a "really tough" close during the Sept. 3 finale, according to host Jesse Palmer.

The last seasons of "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" ended in long-term relationships, with Joey Graziadei and Charity Lawson still with their picks.

Jenn ended that streak. While she got engaged to Devin Strader at the end of the process, she revealed they were no longer together. In fact, Devin broke the engagement off by phone.

After their engagement in Hawaii, things were "different," Jenn said.

"All the love he wanted to give to me wasn't there anymore," she told Jesse.

The revelation came after numerous hints that something was awry, with host Jesse saying something "happens tonight that has never happened before on the show." Frontrunner Jeremy Simon was "there for support" for Jenn, as were the two remaining men, Devin and Marcus Shoberg.

The finale, as fans said online, was “ominous” — and it was filled with reactions. In fact, one fan said it “actually might be the most dramatic finale ever.”

"I'll give it to Jesse," another fan wrote. "I didn't see this coming."

The first twist came when Jenn and Marcus broke up before the proposals. Marcus struggled to match Jenn's feelings throughout the show, which her brother and mother picked up on during their first meeting.

Jenn said she loved him, but Marcus was only able to say the words back on their last date. The next day, Jenn initiated a breakup.

"I swear to God that Maybelline Fit Me foundation has shown up for Jenn in a more consistent and stable way than Marcus has the entire season," one X user wrote.

Jenn then decided she was going to propose to Devin in an effort to change her dating patterns. This was her way of taking charge of her love life.

After that scene, which garnered a reaction from the in-person audience, Jesse dropped a bombshell: They wouldn't be showing the scene until after Jenn could explain what came next.

Jenn, speaking through tears, revealed that Devin ended their engagement via a phone call.

The reactions were swift and spirited.

The show ended with Devin “taking the spot as the top villain of the season," and Jonathan, another frontrunner, emerging as the one who got away.

Some suggested Devin "explain himself" to Jenn's mom and brother who were skeptical of their relationship.

While people were upset with how the relationship ended, they were even more concerned for Jenn's emotional state during the finale.

"PROTECT JENN AT ALL COSTS. THIS AIN’T RIGHT," someone posted on X along with a photo of Jenn crying.

"I actually feel bad for Jenn. She deserves a redo. None of this was fair from the start," another said.

But what might have elicited the biggest reaction was at the end of the finale, when Jenn had to watch her proposal, while sitting next to Devin.

Viewers found the setup "cruel," "distasteful" and "diabolical."

"Jenn deserved so much better in literally every aspect and the fact that they made her WATCH THE PROPOSAL, like i’m genuinely so disgusted," another wrote.

"These producers are actually evil," another wrote.

"#TheBachelorette producers wrong for this. I can’t believe they’re doing this," one echoed.

"Forcing her to watch her proposal, while sobbing next to the guy that broke her heart, is the worst kind of cruel," another said.

Jenn, on her end, said she was “proud” of the woman on the screen who “chose a man at the time who was giving her everything she ever wanted.”

“I do not regret proposing to that man on there. But that man doesn’t exist anymore. The truth of the matter is, I’m still that same woman,” she said.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com