QUICK THOUGHTS ON EPISODE

QUICK THOUGHTS ON EPISODE

Opening Montage
  • I mean this in the most respectable way, but I think I could beat Jesse Palmer at tennis.His shots seem to be lobbing over the net.
  • The ladies entering the mansion are all excited, as they should be I suppose. Still want to know how they pick roommates and such. Perhaps that would explain why Sydney and Madina are best friends.
  • We are getting two group dates and one solo date.
    • Turns out that these group dates are VERY different from one another. Apples to oranges really.
  • Is this previewing of a scene that is eventually going to take place happening in every episode now?
    • We had Joey being alone on the final stage in the first episode, and now Lauren tossing a cake.
FIRST GROUP DATE
  • We have a โ€œHere Comes The Brideโ€ theme with nine (I think) women dressing up in wedding gowns and going to hang out with Joey in front of some randoms.
    • This all seems to be a test of chemistry. 
  • On the way to the venue, Maria gives a fake toast and thanks her fatherโ€ฆwhich really upsets Lauren.
    • So Laurenโ€™s (and Allisonโ€™s) dad has died recently, which is very sad. She gets overwhelmed and starts crying in the car.
      • This is going to be a theme throughout the episode.
  • We get to the venue and the prize of the day is going to be a โ€œfirst danceโ€ with Joey.
  • The big early fun competition is a game of musical chairs to see who will get to sit next to Joey at this long table.
    • This is why long tables are not my preferred table sitting at weddings. Circular tables allow for more communication.
    • The music stops, and Evalin VAULTS HERSELF over the table and tries to get the seat next to joey. It was truly an outstanding athletic achievement and Joey was remarkably impressed.
      • I appreciate the show breaking the moment down with slow-motion replays and multiple camera angles.
      • Now Evalin doesnโ€™t get to sit next to Joey because Lauren was in the chair. If Lauren wasnโ€™t having a bad day, then perhaps I would say she should have given up her seat for the effort.
  • Rachel ends up winning the first half of this group date with a great toast. Rachel gets to dance with Joey, to a serenade FROM MICHAEL FUCKING BOLTON. THE FUCKING REAL MICHAEL BOLTON. This SHOCKED ME!
  • Come to the cocktail part of the group date, the sparks start flying when Maria changes out of a typical dress and puts herself in a revealing black dress that Joey canโ€™t help but be impressed by.
  • The other important conversation that happens during this cocktail party is between Jess and Joey. Jess opens up about her past relationship and somewhat breaks down and Joey has to console her.
    • Joey is very good at consoling people.
      • I have a theory that itโ€™s the way Joey leans in to listen. He does forehead first, not chin first, which seems to be more welcoming.
      • Joey also also has to console Lauren who talks about her dad the weird day that she has had.
  • Jess ends up getting the group dae. It should have gone to Evalin or Rachel. Probably Evalin. Still canโ€™t get that jump out of my head.
ONE-ON-ONE DATE
  • Daisy gets the one-on-one date, and with it, she basically sews up the entire show. It doesnโ€™t take a crazy perceptive set of eyes to see that Joey is really into Daisy and that they have great chemistry. 
  • Daisy is most concerned with her cochlear implant, and while she doesnโ€™t get to tell Joey about it in the first portion of their date at the country festival, she eventually gets to it in the dinner portion.
  • We begin with a helicopter ride which is just classic Bachelor fodder. Daisy is worried about it with her auditory problems, but thankfully it all works out.
  • At the country festival, the pair just hang out, talk, dance to the singer Bahamas and vibe wonderfully with one another. The conversations are flowing, Daisy and Joey both look great, and things are just all positive.
  • Come the dinner portion, where the two just look like a great match, Daisy goes into her life story wit Joey and begins with the medical mishaps she has been battling since she was 11 years old.
    • Lyme Disease can really be a bitch, huh?
    • What I truly envy about Daisy is the way she can make anything into a positive. Her past experiences are all tiring, yet she still is looking at it all in a positive light. She is taking what life is giving her and embracing it.
      • Joey also loves all this. He is remarkably impressed. Taking her passion that she has and working her own non-profit to share her optimism is some heavy stuff.
  • To the surprise of no one, Daisy gets the one-on-one date rose. 
  • Can we talk about the line where Joey said he never saw the cochlear implant because he was too busy looking into her eyes?
    • ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME JOEY??
SECOND GROUP DATE
  • The second group date is a boot camp. These ladies are doing the opposite of dressing up nicely. These ladies are getting down and dirty.
  • Demi and Jubilee join Joey explaining what this event is going to be like. After some initial push-ups and jumping jacks, the 10 ladies attending this date are split into two teams where they must play a version of โ€œcapture the heartโ€.
    • The five winners of the team get extra time with Joey. The classic stressing out about time interviews ensue before we get to this competition.
    • What the hell are the rules to this game? Are these ladies just tossing paint on each other? There are no eliminations? Why do you not just run, grab the heart and run back? That is what Edwina did the first timeโ€ฆso why not just do it every time?
      • This event is pretty much just a sprint competition.
      • The way this game was played reminded me of 10 Things I Hate About You.
    • Evalin and Edwina are making a great case that this is the most athletic batch of Bachelor contestants ever.
    • An added twist to this group date is that of the five winning playersโ€ฆonly one gets private time with Joey.
      • This seems like an add on rule that is not fair at all. I think this means REALLY bad things for the other four women part of the winning team. Not saying Joey made this rule, but it seems like it was a funneling of interest.
      • Edwina wins more time with Joey. She talks about growing up in an African household and how she had lots of pressure on her to mature quickly.
        • One thing I noticed about Edwina is that her eyes were basically closed while she was telling her personal story. Was very different than Daisy on the one-on-one who was looking right at Joey.
  • Edwina gets the second group date rows.
  • This second group date was a HUGE letdown compared to the first group date. It felt more unfair, less amusing things happened, and none of drama between the women, or Joey, was stimulating. 
COCKTAIL PARTY DRAMA
  • Before we get to the cocktail session before the rose ceremony, we need to address some drama that happened at the house.
    • Madina gets vulnerable and says that she feels very self conscience that she is 31 years old and is the oldest person at the house.
      • Maria, who is 29, dismisses Madinaโ€™s comment as a little silly. Maria makes it known to the camera that there are a lot of people who are older than Joey. For the record, Joey is 28 years old.
        • Maria told Lauren in private that she thought Madina was being a bit silly about being 31 years old, but Sydney heard the conversation. Sydney tells Marina, because they are good friends. Marina is โ€œher girl.โ€
      • Resetting a bit. Taylor tells Maria that Sydney told Madina that Maria was making comments. Taylor being the middle woman lets Maria know that Madina is a bit upset.
        • Maria approaches Madina as she is setting up a special area for she and Joey. Maria wants to have a conversation and is very forceful about it. Frankly, too forceful. Not a look for Maria. Madina just wants to focus on her time with Joey but she is being distracted by Maria calling herself old too.
          • Madina does make it seem like there is more to her story, which we donโ€™t know yet.
            • We never get to hear it this episode because we donโ€™t see any of Madina and Joeyโ€™s conversation. Slightly annoyed by that tease.
      • One final reset about this age argument.
        • Sydney confesses that she heard Maria talking about age and sparked the whole entire conversation. Is that a bit silly by Sydney? I think so. HOWEVER, Maria is acting way out of pocket with how angry she is being. She needs to calm the fuck down because she is about to be painted the bad gal.
          • I donโ€™t think that Maria is a bad person, but I do think she lives without a filter and that is both great for the show and bad when you are forced to be with people that donโ€™t totally vibe with one another.
  • The other major event to happen at the cocktail party involves a surprise self elimination.
    • Lauren has decided that she does not want to be on the show any more. She is not handling the entire process well.
      • โ€œIโ€™m freaking outโ€ฆSo Iโ€™m gonna go home.โ€ 
    • Joey seems legit shocked that Lauren is going home on her own so quickly. He thought he was just coming to check in after hearing her struggles at the end of their group date.
      • With that being said, Joey states that he can sense that he canโ€™t do anything to change her mind. I do think he can feel bad but also feel slightly relieved at the same time.
    • The funniest bit is that Lauren was handed a cake while talking with Joey. I have to think that this was a prop for her and Joey to have a shared memory, and the producers who delivered it didnโ€™t know exactly what was happening.
      • The worst part is not that itโ€™s embarrassing for Lauren. The worst part is that itโ€™s NOT RED VELVET!
        • SHE THREW IT ON THE GROUND.
          • I donโ€™t like this move. This means that a PA needs to clean up the bits to make sure the mansion is clean. Not fair to the little guys for a small stunt.
ROSE CEREMONY
  • Dare I say, not a lot of drama with this one?
  • The producers put Sydney and Maria right next to one another. I see what you did there.
  • Madina gets a rose but we donโ€™t see any of her convo with Joey. Not a good sign.
  • THe official people who got roses during the ceremony: Rachel, Lexi, Kelsey A. Kelsey T., Jenn, Evalin, Autumn, Madina, Lea, Katelyn, Chrissa, Maria, Starr, Allison, and Sydney.

(MY) POWER RANKINGS

No. 18
Sydney

(Last Week #18)

The first time we have heard from you this season is when you raise drama on behalf of someone else. Me no like that. You force me to have bad grammar. I don’t like that.

No. 17
Starr

(Last Week #21)

She got a rose? I was shocked. No date, but she continues on. She will get more screen time in episode three asking if she had enough time.

No. 16
Jess

(Last Week #23)

She had a crying sob story, but I still find her incredibly annoying. Sorry not sorry.

No. 15
Kelsey T.

(Last Week #14)

Not a lot from Kelsey T. this episode. But with that being said, nothing bad to say either.

No. 14
Madina

(Last Week #20)

The age argument should have been contemplated before the show started. Though I can empathize with the fact that Maria made it bigger that Madina ever thought it would be.

No. 13
Autumn

(Last Week #11)

Her eyes are devastating. She is beautiful. but I don’t know anything about here.

No. 12
Katelyn

(Last Week #15)

I love Katelyn, but I don’t think she is long for the game. I hope I am wrong. She is a confident nerd and I love it.

No. 11
Lexi

(Last Week #12)

She had the cute painting for a museum, but otherwise haven’t seen much form her. With that being said, she is very pretty so she will make it a few more weeks.

No. 10
Lea

(Last Week #6)

After a ton of screen time in episode one, Lea reverted to the sidelines for episode two. Have to spread the wealth when the season is this young.

No. 9
Allison

(Last Week #10)

Allison lasted longer than her sister, but that proved to not be a very difficult task. She has done well to sort of blend in with the crowd. Allison has not mentioned her father once.

No. 8
Rachel

(Last Week #19)

A lovely speech and a first dance. She has deep cut potential to make it really far.

No. 7
Edwina

(Last Week #13)

She got some extra face time with joey this week, but I don’t think it’s going to mean anything in the long run.

No. 6
Jenn

(Last Week #7)

Listen. Jenn is gorgeous. But what else is going on with her?

No. 5
Evalin

(Last Week #17)

That jump was ELITE! All-Time! What freeze frames moments! Outstanding stuff. Raised a lot in my estimation and she deserved the seat next to Joey.

No. 4
Kelsey A.

(Last Week #4)

The quirky beauty took a step back in episode two, but I still think she has massive contention to be part of the final four.

No. 3
Chrissa

(Last Week #5)

I love Chrissa. I think she is awesome. She is awesome. She is athletic. We haven’t seen her talk bad about anyone else. Chrissa is high in my personal rankings. She reminds me of a girl I had a crush on back in college.

No. 2
Maria

(Last Week #2)

STOP DIGGING YOURSELF A GRAVE MARIA! YOU LOOKING SMOKING HOT AFTER THE DRESS CHANGE AND HAVE THE QUIRKINEST PERSONALITY OF THE CAST. DON’T FUCK THIS UP!

No. 1
Daisy

(Last Week #3)

It is impossible to dislike her. Impossible. She told her personal story with an elegance and a quiet confidence oozed from her aura as well.

She has not complained about anything. She acknowledges her hardship in life, but she has been making the most of it. She is making her story a strength.

I love Daisy.

This week we say goodbye to Lauren, Erika, Taylor and Marlena.

The Bachelor airs on Monday nights on ABC, beginning at 8 PM EST.


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