The Bachelor

Single dad Jason Mesnick, spurned by DeAnna Pappas in the 2008 edition of "The Bachelorette," does the choosing this time as he searches for a mate from among 25 young women in the dating contest's 13th edition. In the opener, Jason greets them at the L.A. mansion where he and DeAnna first met and hosts the introductory cocktail party. In a new wrinkle, the bachelorettes get to vote for a competitor they'd like to see leave, but Jason has the final say. At evening's end, only 15 remain.

Jason and the 15 survivors of the opening cocktail party enjoy a pool party at the mansion before he escorts one to the Walt Disney Concert Hall for a private performance by Robin Thicke (and the season's first kiss). Jason escorts another bachelorette to Malibu Beach, a third on a ride in a blimp, and eight others to a Hollywood boutique and another pool party (this one above Sunset Strip) before one contestant eliminates herself and two others are sent packing at the rose ceremony.

Twelve candidates remain, 10 of whom get dates with Jason. For eight, it's a group visit to the Keep-a-Breast Foundation, and two others get one-on-one dates. (One, a single mom, takes her child along on a trip to Legoland; for the other, it's a helicopter ride over the Hoover Dam and a private Kate Voegele concert). One of the dates ends badly for a bachelorette, while another runs out at the very dishy rose ceremony. Eventually, the field is reduced to nine.

The nine remaining bachelorettes vie in a singing contest for a one-on-one date with Jason, who also accompanies six of the contestants to the set of "General Hospital," where they meet cast members Bradford Anderson and Kirsten Storms (and one earns a rose). And he takes two others, clad in evening gowns and riding in a Bentley, for a romantic night of dining and dancing. One gets a rose; the other doesn't, and three others turn into pumpkins at the rose ceremony.

. The pressure is really on, as Jason struggles to decide which four women he'll escort home to meet their families. But first, a surprise visit to the Bachelor's hometown of Seattle awaits the five remaining bachelorettes - a chance to check out their potential future home. Jason takes one woman on a romantic one-on-one date on a houseboat and escorts three of the bachelorettes on a ferry ride around Seattle and then to a revealing live radio interview. On the final crucial individual date, the handsome single dad chooses one of the ladies to take a fanciful flight on a seaplane over Seattle before sharing some intimate alone time together. However, Jason has more surprises in store for the women and breaks the rules at the rose ceremony to come to his difficult decision.

Jason accompanies the final four to their hometowns to meet the folks, but at one stop must settle for the bachelorette's best friends instead. At other stops, Jason learns a secret; meets a quirky and conservative family very unlike his own; and runs into skepticism from a dad. Back at the L.A. mansion, the roseless contestant heads home in tears.

Romantic adventures await Jason and the final three women Jillian, Molly and Melissa as they travel to the other side of the world for overnight dates in New Zealand. From beautiful mountain excursions to exotic botanical adventures, the dates are filled with excitement and passion, as Jason continues to explore what his future would be like with each of these potential mates. At the end of each evening, the Bachelor will present the Bachelorette with an invitation to spend the night in a "fantasy suite," with the hope that she will accept. But will she? It's a wild, romantic ride with each of the women -- until Jason has to make a heart-wrenching decision to eliminate one of them.

n this gripping special conclusion, Jason prepares to make one of the most difficult decisions of this life. With his search for love now narrowed down to Melissa and Molly, Jason brings his son, Ty, to New Zealand to meet the remaining two women. The bachelorettes are also introduced to his family. Finally, the women lay their hearts on the line, each trying to guarantee that she will be the one to get Jason's final rose. But the Bachelor is stunned when DeAnna, the woman who broke his heart, shows up in New Zealand to see him. In one of the most romantic and dramatic moments in "Bachelor" history, Jason makes a decision that will change his life forever.