Holly Thomas is a writer and editor based in London. She tweets @HolstaT. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. View more opinion articles on CNN.

(CNN) There are few more unifying spectacles than that of someone who seems terrible making a conspicuous fool of himself on television. This week, audiences -- and seconds later, Twitter -- lit up as Luke P., the villain of this season of reality dating show "The Bachelorette," was finally sent packing by his self-avowed true love, Hannah Brown.

Holly Thomas

Luke P.'s final speech, followed by his refusal to leave when Brown asked him to, prompted an outcry of disgust from many viewers who had already identified his behavior as problematic. Brown's eventual dismissal of Luke P. became the most satisfying moment of the ostensibly "romantic" program. But as is so often the case with confrontational, contradictory reality television, that collective triumph may have come at a bleak price.

The basic premise of "The Bachelorette" is that a group of bachelors compete over many weeks for the affections of one woman -- the bachelorette. In the final episode, one of the two bachelors left standing is expected to propose.

Luke P., one of this season's male contestants -- and a self-avowed staunch Christian -- was dismayed to learn on Monday night's episode that Brown was not a virgin. For context, he's not either. But like many hypocritical men who confuse obedience and fidelity, after hearing that she'd slept with other contestants, Luke P. protested: "I can understand a slip-up, but with all of them?"

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Ignoring Brown's assertions that she was free to do as she chose, he added: "I don't even care about you saying that you have clarity on this. I still feel like... you don't."