Henley Monday -

The Bachelorette - Episode 3 Recap

Even armed with a twelve pack of Summer Shandy, I’m not sure I’m prepared for this week’s double-header of The Bachelorette. But with tonight, the third episode, Andi and Company are already hitting that rowdy road off to Santa Barbara. That is even faster than usual to begin the traveling.

“I’m so lucky to be here in Santa Barbara. This place is unbelievable from the sand, to the air, to the mountains,” Andi beams. She is thrilled to be both in the lap of luxury and in for some serious romance.

Back at the bro-mansion, Chris Harrison breaks the news to the guys that they are going to Santa Barbara to join her on the dates for the week. First guy making the journey is Nick V! The cutie-patootie from Chicago. “Let’s ride off into the sunset,” the date card reads.

He puts on an adorable olive-drab henley, scoring infinity points in my book. They are going to go bike riding through the town and just have a relaxing date. She is excited that this date on bikes and at the beach is just normal and chill, something they might do in real life.

In LA at the mansion, Andrew and Marcus are having an in depth discussion about Nick’s odds of coming home while both sitting shirtless on a tiny settee on the patio. They tell us that Nick is the biggest skeptic of “the process” in the house, so it could work to his benefit, or it couldn’t. But I’m mostly distracted about the homo-eroticism of two men sitting in towels and heatedly discussing the love life of another man.

After bike riding, Nick and Andi do some hiking in the gorgeous foothill mountains just outside Santa Barbara. They have a really calm, natural energy between them, and Andi is right. By Bachelorette standards, this date is fairly normal/low-key.

Atop a small mesa, Nick tells Andi that he feels the natural amount of skepticism about “the process”, but that he’s been so impressed by her so far she’s blowing him away. Nick is just a regular dude: a great, nice regular dude that if I met in Chicago, I probably would never have pegged as someone who’d be on the Bachelorette. But here he is. Doing great. Being a normal, kind of dorky dude.

They climb farther up the hills to watch a stunning sunset. I do like them together, so we’ll see how far this little “schoolboy crush” goes.

The dinner portion of the date is at the old Santa Barbara courthouse that is in that beautiful, traditional Spanish mission style. She starts right away by asking him why he thinks he’s still single. So he dives into his whole love life including a long high school relationship, a quickly broken engagement, and why all that led him to where he is. Andi loves his honesty and supports his decision to break off an engagement when he knew it wasn’t right.

As they continue talking, Andi realizes that they share a lot of the same views when it comes to love and finding someone to spend your life with. She says it’s “obvious” there’s a connection. She gives him the date rose with the promise that she’ll “make [him] a believer in all this.” They kiss from the top of the bell tower, and it looks like a pretty good kiss, lemme you tell you what.

Now it’s time for the group date I’ve been most looking forward to. These are the men participating: Brian, Marquel, Cody, Tasos, Brett, Ron, Bradley, Josh, Eric, Andrew, Patrick, and Marcus. “Let’s start things off on the right note” says the date card and the men are convinced it’s karaoke.

It’s not karaoke though; it’s so, so, so, so much better. I should start this off by saying I am 100%, un-ironically, obsessed with Boyz II Men. Like there is no group with tighter, more beautiful harmonies in the last thirty years. AND I’M SO EXCITED THEY ARE THERE TO COACH THESE DUDES.

Bradley the Opera Dork is already doing arpeggios on the car ride to warm up. I’ll kill him. Such an embarrassment to Holland, Michigan home of New Holland Brewery and Hope College and two stunning state park beaches!

They are at the Music Academy of the West and enter an auditorium to the three remaining members of Boyz II Men singing “I’ll Make Love to You.” The dudes are appropriately pumped. I have goosebumps because of beautiful harmonieeeeeees!!! I’m so EXCITED FOR THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“I’m pretty sure I touched my first butt to ‘I’ll Make Love to You’ in the 7th grade,” Eric admits. Amazing, dude. Bradley already tries to sing, and I hope he chokes. Josh is really nervous because he’s not trained like Bradley but I think today the underdog shall prevail.

The guys split off into two groups to start rehearsing with their respective Boy II Man. And oh my god! OH MY GOOOOOOD. THEY ARE ALL TONE DEAF. I’M LAUGHING SO HARD I’M CRYING AT JOSH JUST NOT EVEN CLOSE TO MATCHING THE NOTES THE PIANO IS MAKING. Cody is also very not good. Brian is worse than both of them put together. I am SCREECHING and CACKLING with abandon as we cut to Marcus who at least knows how to get away with talk-singing, but it still hurts me so bad.

This is already 100%, without a doubt, my favorite group date in Bachelorette history on sheer entertainment level. Bradley is singing like an opera singer and that hurts me almost as bad as the tone-deaf singing. Tasos is ok. Compared to the rest he’s an American Idol. As they practice the harmonies together it sounds like a pack of wild dogs. They know they suck, so it’s at least laughing with them (but also a good dose of laughing AT them).

Andi is also so, so, so tone deaf it’s incredible, but she is such a good sport with it all. She’s winning me over by being so hilarious and fun with everything. Bradley won’t stop being the WORST, and I can’t wait for the final performance in front of people.

The Boyz are giving some great color commentary about two or three of the guys being able to carry a tune well enough to bring it to water and drown it. I’m laughing on purpose; I’m laughing at their expense. I’m laughing so much. Please, please find a clip of this online and listen in because it will make your life a better place.

The concert starts up with the Boyz II Men singing their new and old hits and slaying the crowd. Marquel is thrilled and says they are #blessed to have the opportunity to sing with them.

The bachelors make their way up to the stage through the soaring voices of the Boyz. They enjoy the concert as nerves rise and rise. During one song, Cody leans over to Andi and says, “hey, whatever happens, this is an awesome experience.” I hate Cody so much, but he is so right in this situation.

Both groups of guys get on stage. One group is in khaki jackets and red ties, and the other group is in matching blue cardigans with bow ties and baseball hats. The music starts up and they do the traditional 90s R&B low-talking to their “girl” at the beginning. Would you be shocked to hear that Bradley starts out? And he’s singing it straight opera-style, and Josh Groban he ain’t. This is not meant to be sung like a trained opera singer, BRADLEY. IT SHOULD COME FROM YOUR HEART AND YOUR LOINS NOT YOUR DUMB DIAPHRAM.

Eric does passably well. Cody is very bad. Brian hurts my ears so much. They are butchering the song but commit to it like someone at karaoke singing Whitney Houston when they know they are in way over their head but having so much fun anyway. Andrew is terrible. Marcus doesn’t remember the words. Bradley is straight up hogging the mic. Everyone is in agreement that they had a blast and it was fun despite ruining the song. I agree too. That was a blast for me.

The cocktail party is poolside at the resort, and Andi is in a killer hot pink, draped, one shoulder dress. She pulls Cody (ugggh) aside first because she feels like she and Cody share a similar sense of humor, and she wants to try a little prank. So she sets up by saying she heard “chatter” that he has a girlfriend.

Cody is shocked and then says, “I’ve been single for about three and half years!” Dawg, you such a playa no one can hold the Cody down for too long, ‘nah mean?! Ha HAAAAA!

But anyways Andi goes on and says, “Well there are guys who’ve been saying you have a girlfriend…and that’s she’s A STRIPPER!!!” AND THEN THEY LAUGH AND LAUGH AND LAUGH. WHAT A HILARIOUS PRANK. Wow. I almost crack a smile it’s so funny, but then I don’t because nothing will ever make me laugh like those men trying to sing a 90s R&B classic.

Man, do they ever laugh. Cody is such a jabronie, and I can’t handle him. But a fun thing is that you can see that his natural hair and eyebrow color is growing in without the opportunity to bleach it every third day. I hope he continues to metamorphose into a normal human man.

Eric is starting to worry about their connection and wondering if it’s perhaps faded a little bit since the initial heat of the first date. Andi tries to reassure him that it’s just a different setting and that she still feels the same for him. Eric accepts this.

Nick brings the date card at the mansion over to the three remaining men sweating it out in the hot tub together. The date is going to JJ! My favorite pantsapreneur around!!!

Marcus is feeling pretty nervous about being around all these other guys when he’s developing real feelings for her. He’s hoping he’ll get his first kiss with her tonight. I 1000% do not understand her obsession with him. They kiss. Marcus feels really great about it. I do not.

Josh continues to be adorable with is dimples and tiny scarf on his big body. They make out hardcore because she likes him a lot. He is kind of yucky and VERY, VERY sensual. I’m sorry I just said sensual, you guys, but there is no other word for the way Josh is behaving. He’s close talking and whispering and interspersing tiny kisses with long, deep kisses. Josh got mad game, yo.

And for “opening up” to her (WITH HIS MOUTH HOLE) the date rose goes to Josh. He’s stoked. Bradley is crestfallen in a dumb red satin tie. SATIN. I mean honestly.

And now it’s time for JJ’s date. He’s so tall and cute. Andi is stoked, as am I. He is wearing quite the pair of pants that I can only assume are his design. The date today though is the most cracked thing you could imagine.

They are going to “grow old together” which is funny in theory, but in actuality they are just being put into full body old age makeup complete with hair, clothes, and I imagine a ton of spirit gum. It really feels like the producers were scraping the bottom of the barrel with this one.

JJ looks like the Crypt Keeper, legitamtely, and he says it. “I look like a creepy old uncle or grandfather! Whatever…I look like a really creepy old man.” They both have a good hearty laugh about how dumb he looks and kind of cute she is. They go for a walk on the boardwalk to try and fool some people with their act. I don’t like it. They basically just stage whisper to people as their old people voice, and it is just terrifying.

But they both seem to have a lot of fun with roaming around Santa Barbara on motor scooters.

They yuck it up throwing a football around a park and doing some cartwheels. They just keep laughing fooling all these people. I don’t think they’re really fooling anyone, but they both have so much fun. They share an awkward first kiss swinging around on a tire swing.

Um and then in the CUTEST moment of the whole day, JJ pulls a Werther’s Orignal out of his pocket for Andi. Then they ride a carousel together and continue to be generally adorable.

Meanwhile, Ron gets a distressing phone call. He’s pacing around the driveway of the mansion and speaking in Hebrew/English to someone. He packs all his bags as the guys wildly speculate as to what happened. He comes in to say good-bye, and share that his close friend has passed away. He’s so cute. Literally my roommate and I were just cooing over him during the group date, and I feel so bad for him. Poor Ron! Godspeed. We wish you well.

 Back at the date for dinner, the two meet up back to their normal, young selves. JJ is still dressed kind of like an old man, but in the most charming and adorable way. He will probably have a rough patch of adult acne for the next week because of that makeup though.

JJ really opens up about being picked on and having to switch schools because he was having such a hard time. And he talks about how it’s hard for him as a weird, quirky guy to find a girl that will really love him. JJ! You SWEET, PEACH OF A MAN. Andi assures him that they all worry about finding someone and encourages him to continue just being himself.

He’s so cute, you guys. I can’t stand it.

More Mansion Drama is going on with the men though. Not boy-fights, but Dylan Bad Hair-Good Face has some life stuff he’s worried about telling Andi. So in the interest of telling someone before he explodes from nerves, he tells Farmer Chris, who is turning out to be the Renee of this season. He’s such a sweetheart as he listens to Dylan BH-GF pour his heart out about having both a sister and a brother pass away from drug abuse. This poor, poor man. He cries a little and Chris puts a reassuring hand on his back. These two. Like a couple of puppies.

Andi is really taken with JJ though in all his goofy, sweet ways. He tells her about his most recent past relationship and blah, blah, blah. Can you all tell that this is always my least favorite part? No one cares! Get to the good stuff! JJ’s talking a lot though, so I hope Andi’s not turned off by that.

She gives him the date rose though and they share a lovely kiss that isn’t hindered by layers of old-age makeup and spirit gum.

At the start of the rose ceremony, Andi sheds a tear or two over Ron having to leave. Her heart is aching for him and his loss, and she is so grateful for the men sacrificing their time to be there. Andi’s dress tonight is on point. Finally. It’s this deep raspberry, strapless number. I love it.

While Andi is talking to Eric and having a good time, a delivery guy walks in and hands her a bouquet of flowers she has to sign for. “I wish I was responsible for this,” Eric whispers as Andi reads the heartfelt card from none other than…Nick! That is a slick, slick move Nick (the Producers). How very cunning of you (the producers) to concoct such an elaborate scheme.

Andi feels really bad for being so happy about the flowers while Eric is sitting there. He is totally thrown off his game. Poor Eric.

Nick totally wins all of the points from Andi for sending those flowers. She loves that it seems like real life that he just sent the girl he likes flowers. Nick admits that he wants to make this process seem as close to real life as possible and do exactly what he’d do under normal circumstances. Andi loves this, of course.

But once again, and I have a feeling not for the last time in the next two episodes, drama erupts. JJ pulls Josh aside to discuss what they witnessed the week prior when they went out to dinner, and Andrew not only got the hostesses number, but also bragged about it to the other guys at dinner.

Josh and JJ are the truth police and pull Andrew aside to talk to him about it. I at least like that they talk to Andrew about it first, instead of running straight to Andi. The phrase “here for the right reasons” gets thrown around a lot. And Andrew just says “I’m not going to engage in this. I’m sorry.” And walks away which is exactly how a guilty asshole behaves. They chase him through the house demanding he “man up” and are finally turned away by him slamming a door.

Andrew decides to come out of his temper tantrum ready for battle. He feels that Josh and JJ attacked him, and you know, he’s the type of person who will give anyone the benefit of the doubt, “even dorks, even assholes, even the f***ing nerds.” SHOTS FIRED, ANDREW. SHOTS. FIRED.

He comes downstairs to confront the guys in the kitchen over a cheese platter and some cocktail meatballs (I’m hungry). He tries to defend himself saying that he was handed a phone number and that was that. But all the other guys are saying that no, he “got” a girl’s number then proceeded to brag about it to everyone else in the van on the way home and to the other guys in his room back at the house. He’s being an absolute ass hat about the whole thing. I don’t like this guy to begin with, so every move he makes just digs him deeper and deeper into being a smarmy yucko.

Andrew won’t stoop to the level of the “three lowlifes” who confronted him. What an ass.

But with all that being said, we go straight into the rose ceremony with nothing being said to Andi. Which leads me to believe that the major drama tomorrow night will be as a result of this shit hitting the fan.

Roses go to: Marcus, Brian, Marquel, Tasos, Cody, Patrick, Chris, Eric, Dylan, and the final rose goes to Andrew.

Which leaves Brett the hairstylist with a mullet-mohawk and Bradley the Dweebus opera singer going home. It also leaves tensions high and hackles raised amongst the remaining guys with Andrew squeaking by. Until tomorrow, folks! We’ll see you there.

Oh hellooo and happy last day of your work week to you! These last hours of the day are the hardest to get through. The hours where freedom is so close on the horizon you could almost reach out and touch it, but you need some extra motivation to fully grasp onto to it.

You need an 80s Pop Rock musical intervention! I have compiled a playlist of over 60 songs that are the best the 80s has to offer in terms of peppy, energetic, go-get-em songs. Please enjoy now or any time in the future you may need a boost.

PS - Can we talk for three seconds about the outrageous contouring makeup on Hall & Oates here? I should be so lucky to have cheekbones like that.

The Bachelor - Episode 6 Recap

WITH NO ADIEU WHATSOEVER WE JUMP RIGHT INTO WHERE WE LEFTOFF LAST WEEK WITH KELSEY ON THE GROUND IN HYSTERICS AND AN AUSTRALIAN EMT WITH WORLD’S LONGEST BRAID COMING TO HER AID.

Kelsey is breathing heavily and sobbing so loudly she might attract the coyotes. The other women are looking around with vague concern, but most are wondering how much of this is theatrics and how much is reality. They agree that she is a master manipulator.

As the EMT is asking how much pain she’s in on a scale of one to ten, and Kelsey responds that she’s not in any pain. She is sitting upright with an oxygen mask and looking around with her milk-saucer sized eyes. Someone asks if there’s anyone she can get for her (because none of the women are coming to calm her down or care for her) and Kelsey responds, so coolly, “Chris.” And looks around with a glint in those murderous milk-saucer eyes.

The women agree that she’s using this to manipulate Chris to make sure she gets a rose. Kelsey herself calls that out saying to one of the EMTs, “I’m definitely getting a rose tonight!”

Uhhh, I mean yeah probably, but this is a LOT of rigmarole to lure a man into starting a magnificent journey of love with you.  Chris comes in and gives some empty words of encouragement to her. Kelsey tries to blame it on the fact that Chris sharing their conversation from earlier surprised her.

While Kelsey settles back in amongst the women, she appears right as rain and downright proud of herself for snagging some extra time with Chris. Every other woman is not only highly suspicious but super annoyed with this whole “wounded widow” act Kelsey is putting on. Ashley jokes to camera to make sure they have paper work on the whole “widow” thing because she could just be making that up. Trust me Ashley; I have thought the same thing. That girl is rehearsed like a high school production of “Our Town”.

We still have to get to a rose ceremony. What’s fun is that you can tell how much all the women are shivering out in the cold on the patio of this New Mexico resort. Jade gets called first, then Kaitlyn, now Megan, then Becca, next is Ashley, and the final rose goes to Kelsey. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. BUT YES BECAUSE I HAVE TO SEE HOW THIS PLAYS OUT BUT NOOOOOOOOO.

This means the silent but alluring Samantha is going home as well as our twenty-one-year-old single mom Mackenzie. Oh Mackenzie, go home to Kale and begin to rebuild. You deserve so much better than Chris Soules. And Samantha, I mean, she wasn’t allowed to speak but have you SEEN HER? SHE’S DROP DEAD GORGEOUS. REBUILD, SAM, REBUILD! YOU WILL FIND A REAL CATCH BECAUSE HOW CAN YOU NOT? YOUR EYES LOOK LIKE THE TIDE POOLS OF FIJI AT SUNRISE!

Ugh. We say goodbye to those gals, and hop onto plains to Deadwood, South Dakota for the week. It is beautiful and grand and as much like the old frontier as you can get in America. “This is where Wild Bill Hickok was killed. This is where Calamity Jane…did her business,” Chris tells us of historic Deadwood. Cool. Calamity Jane definitely did some business. That’s for sure, Chris.

The girls scream “Hello, Deadwood!” off the balcony of their Modest-Ass Suite. We had to yell “Hello, [Location]!!!” at some point, so why not in Deadwood, South Dakota I ask you?

Amidst all the nerves of the dreaded two-on-one that looms this week, Becca gets her first one-on-one date. Becca is beautiful and sweet, and thanks to editing, has been a dark horse up until this point. Kelsey is of course very displeased that she was not granted the highest honor of a one-on-one even though she EARNED IT.

Chris is excited for their date today, and he notes that Becca is the only remaining woman that he has not yet kissed. Becca is so beautiful and cute for this date in a little baggy sweater with black jeans action. Love it. Like her. They are going horseback riding! She’s super excited, and I would be too. There is just something that makes beautiful scenery viewed from horseback all the more majestic. Why is that?

But meanwhile, back at the ranch, Carly leads the discussion on what we don’t like about Kelsey. Now Carly, I love you girl, but this is a dangerous path on which you tread. It never pays to be the one to call someone else out on their shit. But with the encouragement of Kaitlyn and Whitney, when Kelsey sits down in the living room of the Modest-Ass Suite, Carly starts in.

Whitney opens up about her feelings about how uncomfortable it made her feel when Kelsey would randomly start laughing at the last rose ceremony which Kelsey flat out denies. Whitney diplomatically continues explaining how her actions on that night at the rose ceremony made her and the other women uncomfortable. Kelsey starts to cry as she explains just how emotionally vulnerable she was and how her thoughts were with Chris.

We move along from the rose ceremony drama to Carly flat out saying that what they see in Kelsey is very different from what Chris sees, especially regarding the way Kelsey can be so snide and mean with the other girls. I almost believe Kelsey when she tells them that she doesn’t know what they mean and is so sorry for having accidentally hurt their feelings.

Straight cut to her explaining to the cameras that she was “blessed with eloquence” and is “educated” and uses “big words” which intimidates the women. Yes, Kelsey, that’s it.  You’re just too smart. You’re too smart for all these other ninnies. This is the way to get ahead. Cut down all the other women down around you. She ends the talk by saying, “I’m really glad we had this conversation. I will really try to be more mindful.” And she ends her talking-head by saying that she didn’t go through all her “sh*t” to be defeated by petty women, oh no. “I came here to win,” she says.

Believe it or not, there’s still a date going on out there somewhere in South Dakota! Chris and Becca approach a little bonfire and couch set-up, about which Becca asks, “Is this for us?” If I had a donut for every time a woman on this show asked “is this for us?” about a blatantly obvious set-up for just two people on a date, I would easily have three bakers’ dozens of donuts. That’s 39 donuts.

Becca and Chris giggle a lot together and interview each other about their five year plans! WHAT FUN. WHAT A FUN DATE QUESTION. They talk about kids and other typical Bachelor crap like past relationships. Being able to open up to Chris is significant for Becca! She really wants Chris to kiss her now that they’ve grown closer. Chris gives her the rose through a fit of giggles and kisses her like she’s his grandma in church. But Becca comes back in for the kill and really hardcore macks him on the second try. Way to go girl.

Group date time! The women WANT to be on this card because if they aren’t, it’s the dreaded two-on-one. Whitney, Jade, Britt, Kaitlyn, Carly, and Megan are on the group date. They breathe a sigh of relief as Kelsey and Ashley realize they are left on the two-on-one. Ashley is excited to be challenged with defeating Kelsey, while Kelsey feels like it’s just a one-on-one because he’ll send Ashley home right away.

For the group date, would you stretch your mind to believe that Chris is excited? The date card said, “Let’s make sweet music together,” so the women really hope they’re singing or dancing. Chris explains that he loves country music, and it’s a HUGE part of his life (yeah dude, Paul Simon’s a big part of mine but you don’t see me FORCING MY SIGNIFICANT OTHERS TO LISTEN TO “ST. JUDY’S COMET” AND WEEP WITH ME ALL THE TIME). They are going to be making some country music, and they’ll be helped along the way by Big and Rich. They are embarrassing to look at. Whitney is thrilled out of her mind. This is the duo that brought “Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy” to the dj’s of high school dances all around the country. So now you know how to find them and possibly destroy them. They must atone.

Carly is super excited to be part of this date as she is a singer herself. I hope that actually works in her favor because the girl or guy who is like, “THIS IS MY THIIIIING” on a date usually fades into the background while the underdog shines. The women peel off to start writing a song and wait for their consultation with Big and Rich. It’s so embarrassing to watch them pander to Big and Rich, and Big and Rich pretending to be cool with this whole situation and for the women to pretend to be excited about this. One of them, Big or Rich, whichever one looks like Tim Burton styled Tom Waits makes Jade run down the streets to free up her creative juices. The music is triumphant. I just….ugh.

Right as Jade is starting to feel confident about her song-writing skills, Chris walks in to have some very intimate time with Britt in the middle of the room with all the other women. He kisses her a bunch, and they were completely intertwined the whole time they were talking. The heat between the two of them is intense, while the general feeling in the room is chilly.

But let this Vaudevillian variety show of horrors begin! The women anxiously await their turn, but not to be outdone in embarrassment, Chris gets up and goes first with HIS song. He is accompanied by a grizzled old timey prospector on banjo. GRIZZLED OLD BANJO PLAYER IS THE STAR OF THIS SHOW. HE’S NOT WEARING A RING! GRIZZLED OLD BANJO PLAYER FOR THE NEXT BACHELOR!

Chris’s song rhymes and is about looking for a wife to bring home to Iowa. Seems about right. Next is Britt who is dressed just like Kelly Kapowski. Her song was really simple, and Chris says he almost cried during it. Like…what? Chris has boner goggles on for Britt and Britt alone. We see bits and pieces of everyone else’s songs. They’re mostly not great. Kaitlyn swears. But everyone gives it gusto. A for effort as they say. Carly’s song was intense and special because she sang it right to Chris as he sat next to her on the stage. Chris was really impressed with her lyrical content. Still love Carly.

Jade is wracked with nerves and is so sweet and timid up on stage. Her singing is not great, but she makes it through! She’s relieved to have merely survived.

They start the cocktail party with a toast to songwriting. The most notable thing about the party is that there is no rose present. Carly really, really wants the rose not just because she wrote a pretty song, but because in that song she opened up to Chris about how much she really feels for him. Everyone has their nice little chats with Chris, and then it’s time for Britt.

Chris explains the “weird chemistry” they have and how he doesn’t quite understand it yet. He then takes her hand and literally runs out of the bar with her saying, “I’ve got a surprise for you.” Is it your dong on a silver platter, Chris? It might as well be.

Everyone else on the date notices their exit right away. Emotions run high. Whitney cries a bit as she tells us that, “It honestly feels like we’re on the Britt and Chris show.”

The pair runs across the bustling town of Deadwood to the Big and Rich concert where they dance and have a splendid time. When the duo calls Britt and Chris up on stage, Britt parades around in awe and wonderment. Tim-Burton-Tom-Waits makes Chris go get a little special something for Britt. And it’s the rose. So, was this for Britt all along? Or was this just that Chris would take whoever he wants to the show and then they would get the rose? Either way, I think this is shady. Not telling the other women what the rules are and changing them in a big way. Chris and Britt dance around on stage in wild abandonment.

Over an hour later, as the women are still sitting around speculating as to what could have happened with Chris and Britt, the happy couple walk back into the room. It falls into complete, stony silence. Britt has the rose and the stares at it burn.

Things are complex, and dealing with all those feelings would be tough, so Chris says, “PEACE OUT!” I’m not kidding. He says, “Obviously, you can see that Britt has the rose.” And then makes the flimsiest of excuses as to how he thought it would be easier that way because of the high stakes of the date? What? No. He doesn't even mention the concert. And he just leaves. He just leaves Britt to fend for herself in this group of women. Bye, Chris! You are not a good person! You are not a nice man!

“I’m sorry. I feel so awkward right now,” Britt squirms.

Carly is wiping away tears as Kaitlyn explains, “We can’t help but feel humiliated.” And Jade objects to getting any sympathy from Britt. One by one they all stand up to leave and cry. They are all distressed to be in a situation where the connection between Chris and Britt is so strong that they feel they don’t even stand a chance. Kaitlyn feels like all the ground she made with Chris today can’t make up for what he and Britt have. Whitney falls prey to "compare and despair", saying that it’s hard to feel confident in what you have when you see someone as gorgeous as Britt having what she has with Chris.

Y’ALL READY FOR THIS? It’s the Ultimate Show-Down Two-on-One. The most dramatic Two-on-One in Bachelor History. I believe it. Ashley literally says that she is Glenda the Good Witch and Kelsey is the Wicked Witch of the West. Ashley is here to take Kelsey down. Kelsey is here to be really rude about who Ashley is as a woman. Kelsey is dressed like a Kohl’s mannequin from 2006.

When the girls first got their date card, it mentioned the Bad Lands and Kelsey freaked out. She explained to Ashley that they were currently in the Black Hill Mountains, but the Bad Lands are something different. Kelsey understands these important things and what they mean. Others are just simple plebes with nothing to do but despair at her greatness of intellect and worldliness.

Chris, ever the ding-dong, explains that today will be tough for him. The trio hops right into a helicopter because the producers are finally GIVING US WHAT WE CAME FOR.  They see Mount Rushmore, and Kelsey condescendingly explains who the faces are. Yeah, we know. Ashley firmly believes that Kelsey’s strategy today is to drive her insane.

“Literally? With this? I just. Can’t. Even,” Ashley says. Amazing, incredible moments like these are what this show is all about.

The helicopter drops them off in the middle of nowhere in the Bad Lands. It is truly a canopied bed in the middle of this geographically significant part of the country. It looks like Dorne.

Ashley and Chris split off first. They start by doing some gross, sloppy kissing. Chris asks how Ashley’s doing, and she takes the opportunity to completely trash Kelsey. She says she is the outlier in the group, and they are suspicious of her strategic moves with Chris. Don’t throw anyone under the bus because it only makes you look like the villain. It never works out well.

Chris thanks her for telling him and emphasizes that he wants to make sure his future wife gets along with other people and can “gel” in social situations. And with that, they return to the canopy bed to trade Ashley out for Kelsey.

Using the baiting question of how Kelsey is doing in the house, Chris tries to pry information out of her. Kelsey right away says that as emotions run higher, it’s harder and harder to maintain friendships with the other women he’s dating. Fair enough, but not to the point where everyone hates just one person and that one person is you, Kelsey.

She makes a speech of which I’m sure she’s very proud about how Chris needs to make sure that if he gets down on one knee, the woman he’s asking is ready to be a wife. But Kelsey is ready to be a wife because she’s been one. She says that. That is such a bizarre sentiment. Being “a wife” is different to different people and different relationships. That’s not like being a virgin and being a not. “Once a wife, always a wife” isn’t a thing.

Then Chris does what might be the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen someone on this show, or in life, do. He tells Kelsey that ASHLEY JUST TOLD HIM that the other women think she is fake. That the other women generally don’t like Kelsey very much. Kelsey is blind-sided and says she’s hurt. She ends their chat saying, “I would hate to lose all the potential there is between us because of girl talk.”

And then Kelsey starts walking back to the canopy bed of doom with poison in her eyes.

“She’s a Kardashian who didn’t get to go on her princess date who has WAY too much makeup on to be genuine,” Kelsey spits to camera. I mean, those are all true facts about Ashley, but Kelsey, your whole personality is such a production that of course they think you’re fake. “I’m twenty-eight years old. I’ve been married. I’ve lost the love of my life. I am a woman. And Ashley thinks she’s playing a game. And I’m not gonna forget that,” warns Kelsey.

Smash cut to Kelsey staring at Ashley with a look that can only be described as festering hatred. Kelsey looks at Ashley as though she is scalping the hair off her head and holding it high for all the Bad Lands to see. It’s straight up terrifying.

“I know what you did,” Kelsey finally says.

“What did I do?” Ashley snaps back.

“If you don’t remember your conversation with Chris then clearly it meant nothing to you,” retorts Kelsey.

Then Ashley starts firing off insults one after the other. And they’re good points, but she keeps saying “fricking” and “frigging” as filler, and it’s dulling their edge.

“Ok so I’m not from Pleasantville, but I’m from fricking two-thousand-fourteen,” she says, “You think you’re smarter than me because you use big words I can’t understand…You and I both have our masters degrees, and mines actually from someplace frigging good.”

But then Kelsey waits and says, “When I said last night that I was endeared to you and I respected you, I still mean that.”

“Ok,” Ashley says and then sulks away.

Yes, Kelsey, respect. That’s certainly what we’d call telling the camera that it’s time for Ashley to go home and play dress up just like she has for her whole life. Ah yes, the dress up she played in between getting an advanced degree? Woman can be more than one thing, Kelsey. They can be smart, and they can like makeup. They can wear pretty things and pursue higher learning. They can be specialized in a specific field but not have a huge vocabulary. There is no prescription for what it means to be a woman.

Ashley storms away to find Chris and starts sobbing to him about why on earth he told Kelsey what she said. Fair enough, because WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU TELL ONE WOMAN THE BAD THINGS A SPECIFIC OTHER WOMAN SAID ABOUT HER? HAS HE NEVER MET ANOTHER HUMAN PERSON BEFORE TO KNOW THAT WOULD BE A BAD IDEA? WHAT KIND OF BRAINLESS TIT THINKS THAT’S AN OK IDEA?

Chris does his best to comfort the sobbing Ashley, but his skills are incredibly limited. He’s not good at doing anything but farm, so it comes as no surprise that his comforting skills are minimal. To wit, he takes this opportunity to send Ashley home!

He says that ultimately their lifestyles are too different and that he and she are in different places in their lives. That’s true. Would Ashley really be happy living in the middle of nowhere Iowa? I don’t think so.

But Ashley decides to go down swinging. “Do you really think Britt wants that lifestyle? Do you really think Britt would fit into your life better than me?” she manages through sobs. Britt would not fit into Chris’s lifestyle. She’s a “waitress” in LA which means she’s trying to be an actress/model and last I looked, there weren’t too many modeling opportunities in Arlington, IA.

Ashley flies off the handle with dramatics and rejection-induced hysteria.  She storms away, and Kelsey smiles a smile that could kill a small animal. The women see Ashley’s suitcase leave and are crestfallen.

Chris approaches Kelsey on the Canopy Bed of Doom to tell her that Ashley left. Kelsey throws herself on him to comfort him and say, “It’s a loss.” But then the tide turns. Chris stutters and stumbles througha speech and manages to form the thought that he is going to have Kelsey go home too. THIS IS THE BEST.

Chris just doesn’t see it there between them. Kelsey is crying but says that it’s ok it isn’t her. Then Chris once again throws up the deuces and peaces out. Not literally, but he does get into a helicopter and flies away as the cameras cut to an INCREDIBLE shot of the two women on crying on different mounds of land in the Bad Lands looking up as the helicopter leaves. QUALITY STUFF.

Not only do we get that incredible shot, but we get to see the women explode in celebratory joy as they see Kelsey's suitcase ALSO picked up by a PA. They jump up and down and hug. Carly breaks open the pink champagne and everyone drinks in their delight. It's fun to watch them celebrate with abandon.

To conclude: Chris is not a nice guy and is stupid about how humans work! Next week we have a double feature on Sunday AND Monday nights. And would you believe that Monday night is already Hometowns? I surely cannot. I’ll see you there!

Henley Monday -

Hey guys. How are you? I'm doing pretty good. I ate an Italian beef/sausage combo dipped with sweet peppers today because it's my boyfriend Chicago's birthday. Happy 176th, babe! I'm also listening to Groove is in the Heart be Deee-Lite which if you haven't listened to in the last 10 years is highly enjoyable.

Overall life is going pretty grand for me and for our friend Jack Huston up there. He's wearing his simple henley with sleek wool trousers and a fetching overcoat. It's a beautiful blend of elegant and casual just like Jack's own background of English legacy and Hollywood royalty. Keep surprising us, Jack, old boy! Pip pip!

PS - It's also Casmir Pulaski day, so as a Polish Chicagoan I'm riding high.

throwback to the bachelor... but am I the only one who noticed that they literally never ate the dinners. on dates there would be delicious food laid out before them and a gosh darn heaping of grapes and they never effing touched it. also, hometowns. thanks mom for making this meal for national tv and no one will eat it what?? I don't get it

This is one of my great pet peeves with the show. When do they eat?! During Emily's season especially it got to me so much that I remember screaming at the TV watching her and Jef go around the London Eye with two spectacular trifles/parfaits sitting in front of them that remained completely untouched even as they exited.

My theory for hometown food is that producers force everyone to cater the food and then just pretend to make it at home.

WHY WON'T THEY EAT THOUGH? FOOD IS SO GOOD.

The Bachelor - Sean Tells All Recap

Everyone gather round, grab a cup of tea or coffee and snuggle up for a riveting gab session with your two best friends Sean Lowe and Chris Harrison. Those two are thick as thieves! Kind of. Sean didn't really talk to Chris that much which could be why he's made some really questionable decisions. Tonight, perhaps, we'll get some answers.

The interview is timed between hometown dates and the infamous "fantasy suite" dates (jk it’s happening right now). How will Sean handle that little pickle with his squeaky clean Christian image? And why don't the makeup people ever darken his eyebrows?! Just a little shading to make him look like a person! It’s all I’m asking for here people.

First topic up for discussion is how he sent Desiree home last night. To understand this decision, we travel back to the hometown date where Chris asserts that “the brother really questioned everything that’s sacred to you.” That seems a little hyperbolic, but sure, let’s go with it.

Sean fills us in that apparently Nate, Dez’s brother, has had a bit of a trouble past and is trying to “straighten himself out” which explains the necklace tattoo and general horrible attitude and lack of tact/manners. While Nate was ranting that Sean was a playboy, Sean wanted to hit the guy for insulting the core of his character. That would have been horrible but also kinda great because they were sitting by that pool and it would’ve been a very cool choreographed fight scene. But violence is not the way to solve things, kids.

What we didn’t see though, was the FIRST conversation Sean and Nate had where everything went fine! Nate called him a “really nice dude” and gave his approval! So what did he get drunk or something and go nuts on Sean for fun? Like, what the eff happened during dinner? “Ultimately I just chalk it up to him being a jackass,” Sean concludes. Fair point, man. Fair point, if inelegant.

We watch the emotional good-bye between Sean and Desiree one more time just to make our hearts break. I really feel like she’s in perfect position to be the next Bachelorette, so there’s that hope in her future.

Next up we recap the relationship with Sarah, our beautiful and artsy friend born with one arm. It reminds me how great she is and how much I want to go see movies and hang out with her. Sean doesn’t really reveal anything we didn’t already know about how at the end, he just didn’t feel the spark with her. He shares how much he wishes the best for Sarah and that she will find the love of her life. Those are some hollow words, bro, no matter how well intentioned.

Selma the Iraqi who wasn’t allowed to kiss on TV but was super affectionate and cuddly is up next. We see all the ways they tried to get around kissing like butterfly kisses and Eskimo kisses and I hate it. Remember how she did finally kiss him and then he sent her home? Ugh. Painful.

Moving forward into the pain territory, we have to watch Lesley and Sean complete the world record for longest onscreen kiss one more time. We recap THEIR whole relationship next, and I’m getting cranky. I was promised a gossip session about Tierra, and I want that delivered. Oh, and just in case Lesley isn’t kicking herself enough for not telling Sean she loved him, he says that if she had done that, he probably would’ve gone home to meet her family. So there’s that.

TIERRA TIME! WOOOOT! After bringing us up to speed as if we haven’t been watching this whole season, Sean ultimately says he feels “like a fool” and that he was “duped.” Thank you for admitting that. “In hindsight, I wish I would’ve kept Jackie on the two-on-one!” YES. Oh keep going, give us more dish. And also, I’m just really glad that he let her go and that he can openly admit that she was not a great person. We don’t normally get this resolve.

The fight in Montana lasted for hours and moved rooms several times. Sean was also feeling like a cranky baby because being the Bachelor is not easy and it is hard to be paid to travel the world and fall in love with several beautiful women wa wa wa wa.

Now that the gossip circle is broken up there’s nothing really worthwhile to talk about. We see some more deleted scenes of fun antics and none of them are really that fun. Then Chris asks about what’s really going to go no inside the fantasy suites.

Sean says that he just sees it as an opportunity to really talk to the women with no cameras, no audience, just the two of them. Chris once again brings up that maybe in the past the fantasy suites have involved, oh I don’t know, some specific kind of act that for some reason people think only happens at night? “I say it’s really none of your business,” Sean beams to Chris.

“A gentleman to the end,” Chris concludes. I guess we could say that. Sure. I’ll give it to Sean for being a gentleman.

That wraps up our night! We'll see each other next Wednesday for the splendor and drama of Thailand and the overnight dates. Until then, please don't let anyone take your sparkle away, pumpkins.

"The Mindy Project" - A Season 1 Primer

The second season of The Mindy Project premiers tonight, and it’s one of the shows I’m most excited to see back on my TV screen. Maybe you are not like me and did not watch every episode of this show last year when it first aired, and then watched them all a second time (others a third…oops) right when the season ended in May. And maybe you are not like me and would NOT need to obsessively watch every episode of the first season before starting in on season two this evening. I am self-aware enough to know that I am insane and obsessive about my TV and accommodating enough to help you get ready for this very exciting premier.

It’s a primer! A pre-premier primer. It’s a list of the six best episodes of the season that give you a taste of what the show’s all about and catch you up on the plot just enough to get what’s going on in the premier tonight.

1.       “In the Club” – This is the third episode of the season, and the first one where I really saw the potential of the show. You should never judge any show, but particularly comedies, by their pilot episode and TMP’s kind of struggled for me. In the Club is a much better intro to the characters and the dynamic of the group at Schulman & Associates.

2.       “Thanksgiving” – Anna Camp, playing Mindy’s best friend Gwen, is featured heavily and very well here. This episode also guest stars the delightful Ed Helms! The Mindy Project has the greatest revolving door of guest stars maybe ever in a network sitcom. The highlight vignette for me is the storyline at Betsy’s home with Dr. Reed. Great, emotional story telling with the humor strung through in all the right places.

3.       “Josh and Mindy’s Christmas Party” – Ike Barinholtz’ as Morgan Tookers is far and away the funniest guy on the show. He gets me with real, out-loud laughs every time. I’m also a sucker for Christmas episodes, and TPM’s is a great one with plenty of love and also drama. Most importantly there’s a lot of that building sexual tension between Danny Castellano (Chris Messina) and Mindy.

4.       “My Cool Christian Boyfriend” – It was important to include this episode for certain plot aspects. We meet Mindy’s hunk du jour in Anders Holm as Casey, a “cool Christian” minister. The office takes a field trip to a women’s prison, and you can just imagine the hell that breaks loose. Now that we’ve all seen Orange is the New Black, we see prison differently, but it still holds up.

5.       “Santa Fe” – Do you want to see Clay Matthews giving a run down on Downton Abbey? Do you want to see Dr. Reed (Ed Weeks) and Morgan (Ike Barinholtz) becoming bros for life in a sweat lodge? Do you want to lose your mind in excitement over the least possible amount of physical contact between two characters? You do! The answer is: YOU DO.

6.       “Take Me With You” – The Season One finale sets up all the plot you’ll need to understand what exactly is happening when the show premiers tonight. You get the exciting image of Anders Holm reading David Sedaris in a tent. You get building sexual tension between Danny and Mindy. You get a scene where someone runs to express emotions realized! It’s a lot and a great crescendo to end the season.

Obviously I recommend watching the whole season once you’ve got yourself up to speed tonight. All of The Mindy Project is available to you on multiple streaming formats: Hulu, HuluPlus, FoxNOW app (and other less legal services I’m sure).  Please join in my obsessive love for the Mindy Project at 9:30 EST/ 8:30 CT Tuesdays on Fox.

Distraction 2012 -

The political climate outside today, right now, like this very second, is...heated, shall we say. Today is the most important day of the year, and it happens to only come around once every four years (like leap year or the olympics, only filled with painful anxiety). It's election day.

And while it is CRAZY IMPORTANT THAT YOU GO OUT AND VOTE, it's also important to keep yourself sane. If you're anything like me, starting right now, you're compulsively refreshing CNN and the New York Times every 10-15 seconds to keep up to the moment.

But this, my friends, is maddening. So I'll be periodically posting videos and pictures and fun things from the internet to keep your mind distracted from the pit of diarrhea-inducing anxiety in your stomach about the results of today's presidential election.

Here is a video of Hank Green (of Vlog Brothers fame. DFTBA, yo) bringing you fascinating information from this past week in Science. SciShow in general is a great rabbit hole of distraction, so feel free to keep clicking around that channel.

PS - I literally shed a few tears when he showed me pictures of the underside of the vampire squid. I cried. I'm definitely distracted knowing that thing is out there...WAITING.

Henley Monday -

Happy day everyone! I'll make this short and sweet. This is Robert Downey Jr mugging the shit out of the camera in a henley and a blazer and a freaking scarf because Robert Downey Jr is elegant and classy AF. GET ON HIS LEVEL!

The Bachelor - Episode 3 Recap

When we last left our hero, Sean had narrowed down the gaggle of women vying for his true and everlasting love down to 16 from 19. The previews for this week show Tierra taking a dramatic fall down the stairs, so we have that to look forward to. They want us to believe it might be due to foul play, perhaps even on the part of Kacie B., and I can’t wait to see it.

Knowing exactly what we’ve all come here for, ABC dutifully starts the show with a montage of Sean doing various exercises and sweating it out on the treadmill. Sean sweats a lot, so I think he really works out that hard, that often. Good for him. I hope he puts forth that much effort into things like reading and keeping abreast of current events.

Kicking off is the first one-on-one date with Leslie M. Leslie H. the poker dealer is really disappointed that it’s the other Leslie who gets to spend quality time with Sean. As Leslie is getting ready and telling us how excited she is, I can’t help but notice once more how much she reminds me of just “that girl” from college. She is pretty, she is perky, she is actually really smart and studious, but also a bit of a wild card. Like, don’t we all know a Leslie?

“It could take our relationship to the next level, which would be a great thing,” she beams to camera. Yes, Leslie, taking your relationship from having done one photo-shoot together to an actual relationship would be a thing.

In the limo, Sean and Leslie discuss what the date card could possibly mean. It said “How long will this love last?” and that’s a little presumptuous to use the word “love” date card.

Then they pull up to the most horrifying museum on one of the most awful streets of America, the Guinness World of Records Museum on Hollywood Boulevard!!! It would be nearly impossible for me not to make a sour face upon arriving at what I presume is a very smelly (You know how some poorly kept museums smell weird?) and stupid museum.

Leslie proves she’s in politics by diplomatically saying, “Ok. This could be fun. But, like, if I could’ve picked any place, I really didn’t think we’d be coming to the Guinness World Records.”

They wander about and comment on the plastic mannequins of various world records. I can only imagine how bad that museum smells. It looks very small and very creepy, but the two manage to smile and laugh.

“It’s been fun because she is fun to interact with” is a real sentence that came out of Sean’s mouth to describe this terrible date. I am going on public record that I will volunteer my time to tutor him in use of the English language and maybe read a few books. Nothing sexy, just book-learning. Get in touch, Sean.

Well, now, hang on a sec! What’s this! Sean wants to show Leslie the reason he brought her to this toilet bowl! Set up in the middle of the museum is a poster board that production put together at Kinko’s and mounted on a tripod. He tells us the story, “Something that you need to know, is that my dad? He likes to do things a little outside the norm.” Oh boy. “He set the record for driving through the 48 contiguous states in the shortest amount of time.” So, pretty much the most boring world record you can think of. Longest amount of time sitting on a couch would be more exciting than that. But Leslie is astonished and thrilled!

And now the real fun begins because Sean takes her out to the front of the museum to a cheering crowd and Chris Harrison who tells them that they will be attempting to set the world record for longest on-screen kiss! WOOOOO! It’s three minutes, sixteen seconds and she looks very, very scared.

To make this as uncomfortable for everyone as possible, the two mount a small platform and then we painstakingly watch all three minutes and twenty seconds of their kiss. At first it’s a fine kiss, then it just drags on and on and I hope they can breathe. They are both commenting how ridiculous it is, and then finally, finally they break the record and detach lips.

What a fun, fun date and what a great story to tell the grandkids, “Oh yeah on our first date Grandpa took me to a crappy museum then forced me to kiss him for a record setting amount of time as he sucked the oxygen from my lungs, then we fell in love”.

Now for the rest of their date under the sign on the roof of the Roosevelt Hotel. Leslie talks about how much she loved growing up, and how much she loves hanging out with her family, and how much she admires the love that her parents have. It might be sincere, but it also just sounds like the list of things Sean wants to hear because that’s what he is all about.

Kacie, Robyn, Kristy, Leslie H., Desiree, Catherine, Taryn, Amanda, Lindsay, Daniela, Jackie, and Tierra are all going on the group date that says “Who’s going to win my heart?” And some of the girls are excited for an active date.

Back on the roof top, Leslie and Sean awkwardly kiss some more while holding champagne flutes! There is nowhere to put them down but they can’t just spill all over each other so they manage to kiss with champagne flutes precariously perched all about. And Sean gives her the rose. I like Leslie just fine, so I’m not sorry to see her stick around for a bit, which I think she just might.

Beach party group date!!! The girls pull up in their beachy best for a day of fun in the sun! Kristy the Ford Model is wearing more makeup than a drag queen and has a bandana around her head like 80s fitness Barbie. All the girls appear to be wearing coordinated swimwear provided by some unnamed sponsor.

Sean does push-ups with one of the girls on his back in front of all the other women.

Surprise! CHRARRISON IS HERE! A no-stakes beach party was too good to be true, so to make everything horrible Bachelor style, they’ll be split into teams and play a game of volleyball. The losing team goes home, and the winning team gets the rest of the date with Sean. They do this at about this time every season just to bring out the best and worst in the contestants.

Handily enough, the randomly selected teams are wearing matching swimsuits. Blue team: Kacie, Lindsay, Jackie, Robyn, Desiree, and Amanda. Red team: Taryn, Leslie, Kristy, Daniela, Tierra, and Catherine. Catherine hasn’t gotten much screen time, but in every frame she is smiling or jumping for joy or laughing and not in a dumb way. I think she is 100% reveling in the fun that is being a contestant on this crazy show, and I like that.

This game is “not exactly pretty” as Sean says and I can’t help but agree. Out of twelve women, not one of them played high school volleyball, and so it drags on and on and on with lots of shrieking and falling. Finally, the blue team prevails and wins their hard-earned time with Sean.

To say the girls on the red team are devastated would not nearly accurately describe the depth of their disappointment. Taryn can’t believe how much was at stake and they lost it all. Over the joyous squawking of the blue team, Sean says good-bye to the other girls.

Kristy starts sobbing and is beating herself up about letting her team down. She needs to take a deep breath. Leslie H. starts crying in the van-ride home too.

The victors are swept off to the most magical and romantic of locations: Sean’s pad. “Follow me. Welcome to my place,” he deadpans as he leads the girls to their dream date. They can’t help but gloat about how lucky they are to spend time with Sean.

Walking into the living of the mansion clad only in the bikinis they left in, the losers arrive to lick their wounds. As some more women begin to cry at their loss, Catherine just holds her face and observes them as if to say, “Omg, guys. Get over it. It’s not that big of a deal.” Preach, Cathy!

Tucked into a dark corner of the property, Lindsay professes her very deep, very quick feelings for Sean and they make out. She seems young, but she’s making up ground from her initial freak-show status.

Desiree pulls him away to another dark corner next, and she is just cute as a button. They have some actually good and natural banter that doesn’t consist of her professing her deep love for him way too soon.

The final one-on-one date card comes and Tierra picks it up. She reads off AshLee’s name…then Selma’s! What!? No! Not a two-on-one! And especially not with those two chicks that I like so much! Except wait. Just kidding. Tierra made a hi-larious little joke there. She is so funny. I’m laughing so much. The girls are about as amused by it as I am. Sarah feels me. She is over that Tierra girl.

So it’s just AshLee on the date. As a side note though, Selma looks like she isn’t wearing a stitch of makeup in this scene and is still radiantly lovely. I’m jealous but even more totally Team Selma.

Anyways, on the group date Amanda is very contrary and still really negative which makes sweet lil’ Desiree all fired up. Amanda proclaimed earlier that she is very competitive and we see that side come roaring out as she goes gunning for the rose. Desiree is not thrilled by her blunt confidence and calls Amanda “creepy”.

Meanwhile, Kacie has been keenly observing this whole ordeal, and decides that it would be to her advantage to tell Sean about their issues because she thinks he won’t put up with drama. So she pulls him aside and tells him all of this. And he basically says who cares? Kacie tries to backtrack and make it about her being confused and distracted, but he’s just over it right then and there.

Sean gives the date rose to Lindsay of all people and she is just happy as can be! A strange choice but whatever, I don’t think she’s going to be here all that long.

Now that that heinous group date is out of the way, it’s time for dear sweet AshLee to get her one-on-one time. She wants to be able to tell Sean about her past and being adopted and just have some good conversation. I like this girl already, and plus her hair is beautiful and her dress is pretty.

Then we hear a series of thuds and several shrieks and squeals. Tierra down, everybody! We have a Tierra down! A burly producer runs right to her aid, as all the other girls quickly gather to observe the scene. They let Sean just waltz into the house and call out “Good-morning!”

He tries asking Tierra questions and she is just not responding and being weird, and he thinks she has a concussion. “As a guy who’s had several concussions,” AH THERE’S THE RUB “I know we might need to get her to a hospital.”

So the ambulance is called and paramedics arrive. But Tierra no likey. As they start to put a brace on and get her strapped to a gurney she becomes quite petulant. “I’m FINE,” she wines, “I don’t wanna do this!” She sounds like a sixteen-year-old being told to clean the bathroom.

She just wants to be left alone! Waaa! She doesn’t want to do this! Waaaa! Sarah makes eye contact with an EMT and they share an eye roll. Sarah is also wearing a “support local artists” tank top, so extra plus bonus points for Sarah.

All of the girls are totally over it when they take off the neck brace and Tierra just springs back into standing position and mopes away. Least amused of all is AshLee, “I’m a smart woman. I can see through [her].” Tierra is twenty-four and seems about as mature as a recently turned twenty-one-year-old. AshLee, despite her infantile name, is thirty-two years old and has been through real sh*t. She has no patience for this. It’s date time! Get your man and go!

Sean and AshLee finally get on their way, and stop his jeep at the front gates to Six Flags! This is a date I can get behind. The park is open only for them, and a few special guests Sean has invited along to show how dear volunteering is to him. Joining them will be two chronically ill girls who met online through a charity called “Starlight Children’s Foundation” but have never met in person. So today, they get to finally meet and spend all day at the amusement park. So sweet. I love this.

Brianna is a tiny little thing with very long hair. You can see the excitement radiating off her, and then the next limo pulls up with Emily. They run to each other and gently hug with great emotion as Sean explains that they both suffer from mitochondrial disease. They both look so wee and fragile, so I hope they don’t break on the coasters.

Sean and AshLee are both very genuine and very sweet with these two girls who are totally awesome. I can’t help but wonder if they’re Nerdfighters. Anybody out there know? They ride the rides and play the games and have tons of fun. It’s a joy fest. AshLee is so touched that Sean was so thoughtful, and he is touched at how natural AshLee is making these girls comfortable.

Then there is a private concert from the Eli Young Band! For once they are not a d-list country band; they are pretty high up there. “I’ve never been to a concert!” one girl says. And they all dance as the girls sing along.

During their one-on-one time, Sean and AshLee have a natural conversation about her childhood and her adoption. She has such a calm demeanor and is so positive about everything that’s happened to her. You can see Sean’s heart growing, especially as she tells the story of really starting her life with her adoptive family. Sean tears up and sheds a few tears. I love seeing a grown man like that get teary eyed, and you can see them having a real connection and not just a Bachelor connection. This is a grounded, smart, great woman. You hold onto her, Sean! You don’t let that get away! And he makes the first step by giving her the rose!

Super creepily the band sneaks up behind them and starts playing again. So naturally they dance and share some really good kisses where Sean once again uses too much tongue. I feel like I see his tongue a lot on this show.

Then the Rose Ceremony of thievery begins. It all starts when Dez steals Sean from Tierra and the fire of Hades (or The Hades, right Daniela?) ignites behind her eyes. Tierra then immediately steals him back and then all of the other girls feel that this is what they must do for time with Sean steal him they must steal Sean but how can each person steal Sean to get the most time when everyone gets no time because of all the stealing?! HUH?? LADIES?? SLOW DOWN AND LET’S THINK.

Somewhere in there Sean pulls Sarah to the front of the house and a limo pulls up. She practically has a seizure thinking he’s sending her home, but really her French bulldog Leo hops out. This is a sweet but decidedly odd gesture for him to ship in her dog for 15 minutes of play time. Like, did it fly in? Who flew it in? How long was the dog there? What’s going on with the logistics of this dog visit!?

Anyways Chris Harrison makes me want to gouge my eyes out and cut off my little recapping fingers because we’re down to just thirteen from sixteen when Sean sends home Taryn and Kristy the Ford Model at the ceremony. He also sends Kacie home essentially for being a crazy person, which he called her to her face, but respects her too much to make her go through all the rose ceremony bullsh.

To conclude, I hope we start traveling soon to make things interesting and start sending girls home left and right. Let’s get this show on the road, people! See you next week when Tierra gets even crazier!!!