'Bachelorette' host Chris Harrison: 'We can't get traction this season'

David Oliver
Updated

"The Bachelorette" returns to its regular Monday perch tonight on ABC (8 EST/PST) − and judging by what host Chris Harrison tells us, this wild ride of a season for Hannah Brown isn't slowing down anytime soon.

"It's been a rough run," Harrison tells USA TODAY in an interview ahead of Monday's episode. "We thought leaving the mansion would kind of reset things." It didn't, between the drama with Cam in Rhode Island to the Battle of the Lukes in Scotland.

"I feel like we can't get traction this season, and obviously it's surrounding one guy," Harrison says. "It really has to do with the dark cloud that Luke P. is casting over this entire show with (Hannah)."

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As of last week, Hannah was telling Luke P. she couldn't give him a rose after their disaster of a one-on-one date.

"Luke just causes such a commotion that the guys just can't get past it and it's driving 'em crazy ,and therefore it's driving Hannah crazy," he adds. "It's coming to a head. This is something we just got to deal with or we're not gonna get past it."

Would he go so far as to say that Luke P. is one of the worst villains in the show's history? Not exactly.

"I always feel so bad and feel terrible labeling somebody a villain, because I'm not gonna say he's a bad guy," Harrison says. "But he's definitely casting such a big shadow that he is dominating the landscape." And while past villains or big figures have storylines that quickly run their course, this season has been different because of the couple's strong connection.

"Hannah can't quite quit him," Harrison says.

But will she finally be able to tonight? We'll just have to watch.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Bachelorette' host Chris Harrison: 'We can't get traction this season'