QUICK THOUGHTS ON THE EPISODE
Kelsey A. Hometown Date
- We are starting out our hometown Journey in New Orleans.
- Based on this, and where the episode goes, we are going for South to North.
- Louisiana, California, Minnesota, Canada
- Kelsey is taking Joey across town for the action portion of their hometown date.
- Kelsey looks great in the Goldmember-esq outfit.
- I really want to go to New Oreans.
- There is a tandem bike situation which is genuinely impressive.
- They do go off-roading on the tandem bike and Joey points that out.
- They approach this park area where Kelsey sees many butterflies.
- The butterflies are a connection to her mother, as she mentioned back on her one-on-one date with Joey in Spain.
- This is a very touching moment…and the mother is going to come up a lot on this date.
- Kelsey is going to be crying a lot during this one-on-one date, but the crying is never really sad. It is often a happy cry. By that I perhaps mean that she is smiling.
- She is remarkably emotional about her mother.
- Kelsey is going to be crying a lot during this one-on-one date, but the crying is never really sad. It is often a happy cry. By that I perhaps mean that she is smiling.
- This is a very touching moment…and the mother is going to come up a lot on this date.
- The butterflies are a connection to her mother, as she mentioned back on her one-on-one date with Joey in Spain.
- There is also the eating of beignets which seems customary for any New Orleans date.
- While they are eating beignets, there is a woman in a wedding dress getting photos taken.
- Is this staged? I think it was. But it leads to an interesting conversation.
- We are now meeting with Kesley A.’s family.
- Their little house tucked into the street. Is this actually their home? If so, it’s very sweet.
- We are meeting Kelsey’s brother Mattew, sister, Taylor, and her dad, Mark.
- The family is remarkable from the sense that they love each other so goddamn much. It is honestly uplifting.
- Mark is a gem. What a good dad.
- The conversation with Kesley and him was tear-inducing.
- There is just a lot of crying in this episode.
- The conversation with Kesley and him was tear-inducing.
- Kelsey admits that she is in love with Joey…only to the camera. She does not tell Joey. but with that being said, it is very obvious that Kelsey and Joey have a very strong connection.
Rachel Hometown Date
- So we all agree that going into hometowns, Rachael has the least chance of being Joey’s choice at the end? Right, we are all in agreement?
- We begin this hometown date in California on a park bench where Rachel is dispensing information.
- She talks about a few of the Filipino customs that her family has, including an honorary greeting of Rachel’s mother.
- Rachel seems remarkably nervous.
- Perhaps there is a good reason?
- During the home portion of the hometown date, which is really the only thing that we get, we are introduced to many different people, including not limited to her mom Noela, her dad Hakim, her sister Amanda and her nephew Liam.
- Joey is wearing the longest lei of all-time.
- It must be somewhat nice for Joey to experience some of the Hawaiian culture he lived in for a time.
- The most interesting part of this hometown date was how different the parents of Rachel are to everyone else.
- They are both skeptical of the process, which is remarkably fair. Can’t fault them for that.
- The interesting detail is that both parents told Rachel to protect her heart.
- This is the opposite of the other parents during the episode.
- There are many mentions by Rachel and her family of the heartbreak that Rachel had in the past.
- What is this hardship? What or who hurt her so deeply.
- She was once nearly engaged, but that obviously did not workout. So what happened?
- I am confused at the extreme protectiveness over Rachel. I guess not at the idea of being protective, but the lack of trust in the daughter to open up and break through her past heartbreak.
- This is just not how I would talk to my eventual kid, but perhaps I just don’t understand because I am not a parent.
- I am confused at the extreme protectiveness over Rachel. I guess not at the idea of being protective, but the lack of trust in the daughter to open up and break through her past heartbreak.
- Rachel’s mom is not all that convinced with the process. While she seems to enjoy Joey as a person, she says “The Verdict Is Still Out.” YIKES.
- Rachel tells Joey at the end that she is falling in love with him.
- Is this the first time we have really seen her cry in front of Joey? We have seen it far less than many.
Daisy Hometown Date
- Ah, yes. Daisy is Taylor Swift. Growing up on a Christmas tree farm.
- This is where the day portion of this hometown date begins.
- We are on the farm that Daisy grew up on.
- The date begins with a horse and carriage ride with the two sharing a side seat as they look at the landscape.
- It is a little strange that there is a random man just driving them around. I want to hear this man’s thoughts.
- Remember the two-on-one during Charity’s season with the boatman? He was great. We loved that.
- It is a little strange that there is a random man just driving them around. I want to hear this man’s thoughts.
- There is a little Christmas town at the farm so naturally the couple must walk through the environment.
- Joey is really good with kids. We saw it on Rachel’s date, and we see it here with the banter of the kid asking about naughty-and-nice.
- This is where the day portion of this hometown date begins.
- When was this date filmed? My guess is November. A taste of the Christmas spirit in the air and the leaves have already turned over.
- Daisy and her internal battle are at the center of this hometown.
- She has not been super open with her feelings, which is shocking to her family when we meet them.
- This is perhaps not fair to Daisy, but there is not a ton of spark on this date.
- The most beautiful moment of the whole day was when Daisy’s friends come to meet her and they meet Joey.
- Daisy tells her story and starts tearing up. The way Joey looks at her is pretty fucking cute.
- The most beautiful moment of the whole day was when Daisy’s friends come to meet her and they meet Joey.
- At the home portion of the hometown date we meet her mom Julie, her dad Brandon, her sister, Josephine, her brother Harrison, and her grandparents.
- Her grandparents are adorable.
- Grandma Gloria is her name! Her nickname has to be GG. MUST be GG.
- The grandfather has a great line. After Joey says “he’s in trouble” with Daisy, but the grandfather corrects him by saying “he is blessed.”
- Turns out that Daisy’s family loves Joey more than Daisy loves him? This was not what I was expecting.
- Daisy has a conversation with her mom where Julie basically tells her daughter to buckle up and open up.
- This is followed up by a conversation with her dad.
- Side note. Her dad looks like a classic stereotype white accountant man.
- But Daisy’s dad does a really cool job of leveling with his daughter. He brings a roundabout conversation to a very tangible and lesson-learning end.
- This is followed up by a conversation with her dad.
- Her grandparents are adorable.
- Come the end of the date, Daisy tells Joey that she is falling in love with him.
- Joey replies ”I feel the same way.”
- WOWZA! Kinda a big deal! This is the first one that Joey has done with this right?
- Joey replies ”I feel the same way.”
- There was nothing wrong with this hometown date, but it was somewhat boring. It didn’t have the excellent moments like Kelsey’s or the eyebrow raising stuff from Rachel’s.
Maria Hometown Date
- You want things to talk about? Well, we have Maria’s date.
- They are playing up the Italian Godfather-esq music in regards to Maria’s father.
- We got a taste of him at the start of the episode as the appetizer.
- We are in the Niagara Falls area which does seem to be a very popular spot in Bachelor Nation.
- Where have I seen this date before? Riding on the boat underneath the falls?
- This entire bit of the date seems a bit forced.There is not a lot of good conversation happening.
- We do see Joey do a cartwheel on a moving boat which is fairly remarkable. That is a true test of athleticism.
- Is this one movement the greatest test of athleticism? Interesting question.
- There is a serious conversation that happens. Maria needs to talk about what happened last week.
- Maria notes that she was scared and she let her own emotions get the better of her.
- Maria talks to Joey and he asks if she has ever brought anyone home before.
- The answer is NO!
- Again, this shocks me. Perhaps I was just too much of a promiscuous boy early in life.
- Joey does not take this information very well. This is honestly a major red flag looking back.
- Joey says he can feel honored about being the first one, but he also shares how him being the first is perhaps proof that Maria isn’t ready for what needs to come in the future.
- Joey putting this worry out there and vocalizing it proves that he needed a ton of reassurance from her over the course of the day.
- Joey says he can feel honored about being the first one, but he also shares how him being the first is perhaps proof that Maria isn’t ready for what needs to come in the future.
- The answer is NO!
- At the home portion of the date, we meet her dad Nick, her brothers Steven and Soto, her mother Lori and her friend named Brittany.
- No one else matters except for Nick.
- He is a very skeptical man, but by the end of this date, Joey whips a magical spell of charm and GETS A BLESSING FOR MARRIAGE FROM THE MAN!
- I mean what are we doing here?? Crazy.
- It was a great reaction from Maria when her dad told her that.
- Her jaw literally drops. It’s so genuine.
- He is a very skeptical man, but by the end of this date, Joey whips a magical spell of charm and GETS A BLESSING FOR MARRIAGE FROM THE MAN!
- It is SOOOO creepy how Maria’s family was watching her childhood photo montage from the windows…just a mere like five feet away from the couple outside.
- This was a bonkers visual. When the camera panned over, it was crazy.
- No one else matters except for Nick.
- When it comes down to brass tax and the end of the hometown date, we unfortunately can post the Reggie Miller choking GIF.
- Maria completely freezes when it comes to sharing her feelings with Joey. She says that she appreciates him coming on the trip, and that’s all.
- I swear you can see Joey’s face droop lower than a basset hound’s mean mug.
- This lack of emotional sharing…how will it affect the rose ceremony?
- Maria completely freezes when it comes to sharing her feelings with Joey. She says that she appreciates him coming on the trip, and that’s all.
ROSE CEREMONY
- The rose ceremony is in an airplane hanger. They always go a bit bigger when it comes to the final four.
- Remember the massive staircase when Clayton was Bachelor? That was absurd.
- Heading into this rose ceremony, there is one indisputable fact: Daisy and Kelsey are safe. 100% safe. No way they don’t make it.
- Spoiler alert, they make it.
- This is between Maria and Rachel.
- MARIA WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!???
- To ask for time right before Joey was about to give out the roses is tough.
- To ask it during hometowns week is even tougher.
- And this entire speech…to Joey…it unfortunately stinks as a little desperate.
- Maria is trying to do the right thing. But it’s tough. Joey grants the time, but he doesn’t take any of it in. His mind is made up.
- And this entire speech…to Joey…it unfortunately stinks as a little desperate.
- To ask it during hometowns week is even tougher.
- To ask for time right before Joey was about to give out the roses is tough.
- Maria is going home and Rachel is staying.
- If Maria stayed, she would have a 10% chance of winning. Not the highest, but a chance.
- Rachel has a 0% chance. zero.
(MY) POWER RANKINGS
No. 3
Rachel
(Last Week 4)
No. 2
Daisy
(Last Week 2)
No. 1
Kelsey A.
(Last Week 1)
The Bachelor airs on Monday nights on ABC, beginning at 8 PM EST.
Stanko Excel Lists | Movies, Books, Podcasts. TV Shows
Stanko Letterdbox Account
Recently Watched
Ranking The Mission: Impossible Films: #7 – Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (2023)
There is a lot happening in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning. One could argue that there is too much going on.
Ranking The Mission: Impossible Films: #8 – Mission: Impossible II (2000)
Much maligned as the worst of the Mission: Impossible franchise, Mission: Impossible II doesn’t do itself any favors upon rewatch.
Four Shorty Reactions: “MaXXXine” (2024), “Monkey Man” (2024), “Raising Arizona” (1987), “Scoop” (2024)
MaXXXine (2024) “In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.” Director: Ti WestWriter: Ti WestCast: Mia Goth, Elizabeth Debicki, Halsey, Lily Collins, Kevin Bacon, Bob Cannavale, Michelle…
Stanko's Stance 