‘The Bachelorette’ Fans Have Spoken: Devin Isn’t The Real Season 21 Villain

Another season of The Bachelorette, another fresh roster of reality TV villains.

Fans of the Bachelor franchise knew that The Bachelorette Season 21 really had to bring the drama to top The Bachelor Season 28’s long-running feud between eventual fan-favorite contestant Maria Georgas and her on-screen rival Sydney Gordon. And boy have Jenn Tran’s boys delivered! We’re only three episodes into her search for love, but the feuds are ferocious, the “villain” debates are going strong, and each week is keeping us in suspense.

On Night 1, early beef between Jeremy Simon and eliminated contestant Brian Osborne suggested that they could be a future source of conflict this season, but by Episode 2, everyone had forgotten about the driveway disagreement and turned their attention towards Devin Strader. For those who need a refresher, Devin made a bold move by stealing Jenn away for ice cream during his first group date, which rubbed the other guys the wrong way. They expressed their frustration by taking shots at him during the stand-up portion of the date, and since then, chaotic conflicts between Devin, Aaron, Sam M., Thomas N., and Sam N. have regularly ensued.

Warning: Reality Steve spoilers for The Bachelorette ahead.

With Reality Steve claiming that Devin ends the season engaged to Jenn, members of Bachelor Nation started to wonder if The Bachelorette would crown a villain as the winner this year. But three episodes into the season, fans are reevaluating Jenn’s group of Jenn-tlemen.

As dates continue, cocktail parties commence, and feelings for Jenn grow stronger, Season 21 contestants appear to be opening up and showing their true colors. After an eventful Episode 3, Decider took on the task of reviewing The Bachelorette‘s five early “villain” contenders to determine who’s here for The Wrong Reasons.

Before we look back at the first three episodes of The Bachelorette Season 21, it’s worth noting that we only see specific parts of this journey and edits can definitely be deceiving. That said, while it’s still early, it’s clear that some of these fellas are already in dire need of Bachelor in Paradise redemption arcs. Before an epic two-on-one date predictably puts an end to the drama, here are Decider’s thoughts on Season 21’s possible villains.

• Aaron Erb (Clutching His Pearls)

  Oh, Noah Erb’s twin brother. We had such high hopes for you! Night 1 was nice while it lasted, but sadly, Aaron chose chaos in the end, burning a whole lot of bridges — including one with Jenn — on his way out. The 29-year-old aerospace engineer from Tulsa, Oklahoma showed up to the mansion in a motorcycle with a sidecar, revealing in his intro video that he was married at 21 and had since gotten divorced. He seemed genuinely hopeful to find a lasting love like his brother and fiancé Abigail Heringer, but never forget those two met on Paradise, and that seems to be where Aaron’s headed — if the franchise and fellow contestants will welcome him back, that is.

  Aaron’s downfall started when Devin stole Jenn during the first group date. Aaron was fuming and felt disrespected, so he pulled Devin aside, accused him of being “a boy,” and told him he thought he was wasting Jenn’s time. Later that night, Devin interrupted Aaron’s time with Jenn, so Aaron did the same to Devin. Devin came back again and stole Jenn — with ice cream! And after Aaron failed to calm down, he pulled Devin outside and dared hand him a self-help book about self-growth and emotional intelligence, just like someone did to his brother Noah on his Bachelorette season. In Episode 3, Aaron got a call form his air force sergeant informing him that he had a day to choose between The Bachelorette and his fighter pilot training. After failing to significantly progress his relationship with Jenn, he self-eliminated — but first, he threw fellow contestants under the bus by telling Jenn that some guys weren’t ready for an engagement and some were there for the wrong reasons. He refused to name names (Coward Behavior), and after he left, chaos commenced!

  Episode 3 Villain Status: No doubt about it! In just two episodes, Aaron branded himself as a condescending pot stirrer who had the perfect opportunity to exit the show gracefully on a positive note, and instead, he cruelly chose to leave Jenn with vague, gnawing doubts about her remaining men. His time on Season 21 was giving villain, but his brother held the label before him and found redemption in Paradise. Can Aaron do the same? Only time will tell.

• Sam Nejad (The Love Virgin)

  This 25-year-old entrepreneur from Carlsbad, California stepped out of the limo he boldly told Jenn, “I’m a virgin…a love virgin! I’ve never been in love.” As the premiere continued, Sam N. shared that both of parents were born in Iran, he had no girlfriends growing up, and he only dates with the intention of getting engaged. Jenn (and Bachelor Nation) were pretty accepting of that! But in Episode 3, things took a turn for Sam N. when fellow contestants started to question his intentions. The Love Virgin had a notably awkward Episode 2 date when he wasn’t able to eat a majority of the Australian snacks the group was sampling in Queen Victoria Market, and in Episode 3, he felt out of place again after Jenn announced the Love Down Under competition. After the rest of the guys showed off spicy strip routines, the Love Virgin took the stage and refused to take part in the challenge. Instead, he grabbed the mic and announced that he’s “already falling in love with” Jenn, which surprised *checks notes* everyone, because he’s admittedly never been in love and had spent mere minutes getting to know The Bachelorette lead.

  As Sam N. spiraled over his premature love confession later that night, Sam M. and Thomas N. snickered and complained about him behind his back. Devin took issue with their immature behavior and stood up for Sam N. when he apologized. In the end, the Love Virgin got a rose and will live to see Episode 4, but teasers suggest we haven’t seen the last of his drama. So is he a villain?

  Episode 3 Villain Status: Do I think it’s the best idea to go on a dating show to find love when you’ve never been in a relationship before? Absolutely not. But based on Sam N.’s first three episodes, he came across as less of a calculating villain and more of an innocent, inexperienced man naively hoping to find his soulmate in one shot. (He can’t even calmly hold Jenn’s hand!) That said, I’m not ready to write off villain potential yet, because why does this man have 186,000 Instagram followers and appear extremely confident online? And why was he on a YouTube show in August 2023 titled, “Girls Blind Rank Guys Kissing,” which has more than eight million views? Are you here for the right reasons, sir? Is the Love Virgin label all an act? Are you just trying to boost your following? We’ve got a few red flags, folks.

• Thomas Nguyen (RIP Friendship Bracelet)

  Per Thomas’ official Bachelorette bio, the 31-year-old retirement adviser from Tucker, Georgia “has a heart of gold,” and we started to see glimmers of it on Night 1. Nguyen shared love for his big Vietnamese family and made his first impression by giving Jenn a friendship bracelet with his last name on it. Later that night, the two bonded over their Vietnamese culture and immigrant parents, and it seemed as though Thomas was an early frontrunner. Then Episode 2 kicked off with an unexpected teaser of Thomas and Devin having an intense argument outside, and I let out an audible groan because I knew I was about to lose one of my Night 1 faves.

  As a reminder, Devin spent most of Episode 2 feuding with Aaron, but before the night ended he and Thomas had a disappointing face-off. After a group date turned one-on-one left several men with little Jenn time, the guys made a plea to get time with her during the cocktail party. Later that night, Devin made another bold move by stealing Jenn before she got to talk to any of her group date guys, and Thomas N. snapped. He barged in to interrupt Devin, stealing him for a screaming match in the other room and leaving Jenn to listen in. Devin gave Thomas his time, but when Jenn learned what the beef was all about, she didn’t necessarily side with the group date guys, which led to the even bigger battle outside. Thomas kept his cool for the majority of Episode 3, but after Sam N.’s Love Down Under speech, he and his partner in crime, Sam M., started snickering behind the Love Virgin’s back, which led to more beef with Devin.

  Episode 3 Villain Status: We were rooting for Thomas N. after Night 1, but he certainly didn’t show Bachelor Nation his best self in Episode 2 and 3. Is he among the worst villains the franchise has ever seen? No way. But three episodes in it seems like he’s spending quite a bit of time instigating, taking his eyes off of Jenn, and being egged on by Sam M. Speaking of…

• Sam McKinney (Needs To Look Up The Definition Of Bully In A Dictionary)

  It’s always crushing when a good first impression turns bad, and though this handsome 27-year-old contractor from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina started off strong, three episodes in he’s officially giving Bachelor Nation the ick. On Night 1, Jenn gave Sam M. the first rose, the first kiss, and told him she felt like there was something real between them. In the episodes since, their physical attraction and sexual chemistry remained palpable, but when Jenn’s not around, the M in Sam M. may as well stand for Messy. After Devin and Thomas’ Episode 2 beef, Sam got involved and accused Devin of being “two-faced” and “here for the wrong reasons.” Rather than squashing that beef or leaving the drama in Episode 2, Sam continued fueling the Devin hate, calling him “an instigator” and “an ankle-biting dog” in time alone with Thomas N. Sam M. keeps saying he’s “going to keep the focus on Jenn” and “going to keep the main thing the main thing,” but he actively chooses not to by starting drama with Devin and Sam N. in Episode 3.

  After seeing what strong chemistry Sam M. and Jenn had during the Love Down Under contest, Jenn’s co-judges warned her to be wary of guys like him because they’re not always the smart choice. Talk about foreshadowing! Rather than letting Sam N. clean up his L-word mess on his own, Sam M. and Thomas snickered about it and gave him an unnecessarily hard time when he tried to make amends. Before Episode 3 ended, Sam M. even went up against Devin again, showcasing incredible immaturity and obnoxious levels of confidence. He also called Devin a bully, prompting producers to shade him with a “Needs To Look Up The Definition Of Bully In A Dictionary” chyron. And viewers didn’t love how physical he was getting with Jenn during their one-on-one time.

  Episode 3 Villain Status: Sam M. had a strong start, but by the end of Episode 3, the Bachelor Nation consensus seems to be that he’s the biggest Season 21 villain so far. “So done with Sam M and his entire ‘fight me’ but overtly sexual and aggressive vibe. Please let Jenn see how big of an asshole he is soon. This man is BEGGING to be in paradise,” one X user wrote. “I cannot remember the last time a contestant on this show made my skin crawl the way Sam M. makes my skin crawl,” another added. We’ll have to see what Episode 4 has in store for Sam M., but for now, it’s time to let Devin tick.

• Devin Strader (Just Let Him Tick)

  Devin Strader started as OG villain material, but since Episode 2, he’s been making a remarkable comeback in the eyes of Bachelor Nation. Did I at one point fear he was bad news? I’ll admit it! Was he pushing it by engaging with Aaron and repeatedly interrupting his time with Jenn? Absolutely. But there’s no denying he’s making the effort to get as much time with her as possible, and when you’re competing against 20+ men in hopes of leaving with a fiancé that does seem like an understandable move!

  The 28-year-old freight company owner from Houston, Texas not only has Pete Davidson vibes, but he’s got a big personality, too. He says things like “I’m ready for love in the land down under. None of these other guys koala-fy as husband material” and “I’m not gonna apologize to my wedding guests about how I met my wife.” He makes bold moves like stealing Jenn away from ice cream (on multiple occasions). But he also took the comedy club roast like a champ, and has made several efforts to squash beefs that appear to be unsuccessful because other parties refuse to let him TICK. In Episode 2, Devin could have let the group date guys go first or handled his reaction to Thomas N. better, but in Episode 3, he stood out in all the best ways. He was incredibly open about body image insecurities and Love Down Under anxiety, but he made the best of the challenge and approached it with humor and a refreshing, healthy brand of confidence. Crucially, when he heard Sam M. and Thomas unnecessarily mocking Sam N., he walked away to get a vodka soda with cranberry (iconic) then later stepped in to defend his fellow contestant and call out the real bullying. He also made some serious progress with Jenn, letting his walls down and allowing himself to be vulnerable.

  Episode 3 Villain Status: As Bachelor Nation’s go-to spoiler Reality Steve said, “Devin may be loud, he may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but he’s 100% in the right here. Sam M & Thomas are being assholes the way they’re treating Sam N.” Say what you will about Devin’s personality, but when it comes to Jenn, he’s always tried to keep his attention on her and continues to be a good sport amidst the chaos. Things can always change, but three episodes in, Devin doesn’t seem to be Season 21’s villain anymore. In fact, he’s got Big Maria Energy right now.

New episodes of The Bachelorette Season 21 premiere Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC with next-day streaming on Hulu. And be sure to read Decider’s pre-premiere interview with Jenn Tran for more exciting tidbits.