If you're still keeping up with Season 15 of The Bachelorette, you've demonstrated great perseverance, maybe even as great as St. Catherine.

Hannah Brown's season has gotten messy, in the best and worst ways. After People Magazinebroke the story that Jed Wyatt, a contestant, had a girlfriend before the show and then also cheated on that girlfriend with another woman, Bachelor Nation went crazy. Every moment he's on the show is somehow more despicable than watching Luke P be a pathological liar. Still, Luke P. has stuck around for reasons that many are still failing to comprehend.

Hannah's One-On-One With Jed

After everything we know now, it's very difficult to watch Hannah go on a date with Jed. Their time together was boring until Hannah told Jed she was falling in love with him. Bachelor Nation cringed and defended Hannah against the true villain of the season, Jed.



Hannah's One-On-One with Tyler

Hannah's date with Tyler wasn't very exciting. They spent their awkward time together roaming the city on horses and eating odd food.


It wasn't until the evening portion that Tyler C. opened up about his family's past. His father lost everything he had after the 2008 market crash, and then his parents got divorced. Hannah went on to share details of her family life. She disclosed that her parents are in a happy marriage, but they're horrible at communicating. The moment was surprisingly honest for the show—to viewers' delight and her parents' embarrassment.


A Moment of Silence for Connor: He was never making it to hometowns.

Connor S. had barely received any screen time since his one-on-one. He faded into the background for viewers and, apparently, for Hannah. When the contestant knew he wasn't going on a one-on-one the week before hometowns, he went to visit Hannah for their own alone time. Hannah wasn't really ecstatic about the surprise and truthfully told him she just doesn't see it happening for them.

Hannah's One-On-One With Mike

After telling Jed she was in love with him and then an "explosive" date with Tyler, Hannah realized that she couldn't keep Mike around. She especially couldn't meet his family knowing how big of a step that was for Mike.

The contestant took the break-up with grace as he consoled Hannah.

Everyone:



After Mike went home, Luke P. was happy because there's one less contestant battling for Hannah's heart. Tyler C. called him out in the most glorious fashion.



The Group Date

To sum up the painful and barely entertaining group date, there was annoying drama between Garrett and Luke. Thankfully, our sweet Pilot Pete stayed in his own lane.





So there we have it: Luke P, Pilot Pete, Jed, and Tyler C. are all bringing Miss Hannah Brown home to meet their families.


Fin (@ Jed)

TV

“The Bachelorette” Episode 3 Recap: Separating The Men from The Boys

With the Bachelorette juggling multiple personalities, Hannah stood defiant in her words and actions, taking ownership of what she deserves. For once, the majority of the men are living up to the challenge.

Jason Biggs and Jenny Mollen - Bachelor Nation

via youtube.com

On recent seasons of The Bachelorette, the women have carried the show.

But the latest in the franchise propelled the story further and demonstrated that millennial men have the maturity, understanding, and compassion to provide support and equality in a relationship. For once, the audience watching feels like they know the majority of the contestants. What seemed petty last episode proved stellar and articulate in this one. Season 15 of The Bachelorette is shaping up to be one of the most compelling to date, thanks to Hannah and her men.

The recent group date choices continue to stir conversation. Between the pregnancy oriented date and one centered on the most obvious product placement in television history, there's a lot to unpack.

First Group Date: Everything a Viewer Could Want and More

Jason Biggs and his wife, Bachelor fanatic and famous actress, Jenny Mollen, made a guest appearance on the first group date. Hysterically, a few men could only refer to Biggs as "The American Pie guy." The contestants were quizzed on female anatomy and challenged to walk around with a pregnancy vest. During the quiz portion, Cam notably claimed the gestation period was two weeks instead of nine months. While others laughed, many grown men probably do not know what gestation even is, unfortunately.

Wobbling around, the men felt the weight of pregnancy. After the pregnancy suits, clothespins were clamped onto the contestants' nipples to simulate breastfeeding. The torturous date then became even worse.

The men were introduced to a birth simulator, which imitates birthing pain through electrode pads attached to the abdomen. The exercise offered a glimpse into the strength and endurance of mothers everywhere, as well as giving the audience a look at the empathic ability of each contestant. And yes, the majority of the men were clearly in quite a lot of pain.

John Paul Jones screamed like he was being stabbed, while the audience got a long, hard view of his nostrils. Tyler C. had an arm behind his back as if posing for a camera, smoldering through the pain. But really, only Jed connected with Hannah as they breathed together, working as a team.

The odd experience relayed into the evening.

At the cocktail party, Mike vulnerably explained how the date reminded him of a trying event from his past: his ex-girlfriend, who he planned to marry, had a miscarriage in her second trimester. He admitted he did not provide the emotional support necessary, which caused the relationship to crumble.

At the worst point possible, Cam inserted himself, interrupting Mike because he had something very important to tell Hannah. He continued to hover, to the point that Mike told him to leave and he'd come to get Cam once he's done.

Once Cam bothered his way into time with Hannah, he confessed his revelatory information: he quit his job to be on the show.

The evening spun out of control as Jonathan then interrupted Cam, forcing Cam to get up and escort him out. The painstaking pettiness of what Jonathan called, "what goes around comes around," separated the boys from the men.

The highlight of the evening, surprisingly, was Tyler C. who offered a hefty, but delightful monologue.

Please read and swoon:

"Today made me want to call my mama and tell her I love her. Women really do run this world and they deserve so much respect. That's one thing I will say about you is that I see this powerful woman and I firmly believe whatever your calling is, is you'll move mountains. You're a badass woman. That's one of the biggest turn-ons about you. I want to be the one that's fueling the fire. I mean that with every ounce of me. And I hope to be the guy cheerleading next to you and being your arm candy and supporting you."

Mike might have gotten the rose, but Tyler C. moved mountains with his comments.

One-On-One: Meh

The men were on the medical table on the previous date, but this portion saw Hannah in the hospital. What could have been dehydration, exhaustion, etc. led Hannah to cancel her date with Connor.

Luckily for Connor, he ended up having the best opportunity of all, visiting her room to take care of the Bachelorette. The isolated, cozy one-on-one time carried the potential for a true, intimate opportunity to really get to know one another, away from the typical lavish dates.

While they talked and Connor opened up about his family life, it became quite apparent Hannah was not really into him.

He didn't get a rose then, but after leaving cute sticky-notes around her temporary abode, she invited him to an already set-up, private concert with a pretty famous musician, Lucas Graham. There she gave him the rose, but probably only because ABC had paid for Graham to perform.

Second Group Date: The Secret Life of Synergy

Season 15 is keeping up its trend of pretty shitty second group dates. The date, which involved a photo-shoot with animals, was explained by Hannah, "So today we're going to draw inspiration from the new movie Secret Life of Pets 2." The photographer then regurgitated and reiterated, "The Secret Life of Pets 2 is a fun movie, it's really interesting to think about what pets really do when you're not at home!"

Demi, for some reason, snooped behind the scenes to try and catch any contestants who would take the bait of a flirty make-up artist. None engaged, but Luke P. still found a way to fuck up. He acted possessively throughout the photoshoot, especially when he witnessed Hannah kiss Pilot Pete in front of everyone. The bold move led Luke P. to interject, taking another photo-op with Hannah, this time balancing her on his back. After, he attempted to walk Hannah to her dressing room, an offer she assertively rejected.

His stalker-like actions continued into the night as Hannah brought Luke P. aside after he, "... stole the show again, but in a negative way." She expressed how irritated she was with him. She actually used the word irritated. The Bachelor and Bachelorettes in previous seasons focused on reassuring the contestants and easing their stress.

Going off script, Hannah dove into how Luke P. flaunting their relationship disrespected her and how she is exploring other relationships which, shocker, also have potential. Instead of comforting and taking ownership of someone else's issues, like many women do, Hannah gave him a call to action to "fix this."

In retaliation, Luke P. tried to reassert his dominance by telling the other guys he thought about leaving that day. He added that he does not see the relationship like Hannah does and blatantly rejected her perspective. Rather than own up to his frustrating actions, he continuously interrupted other contestants.

Luke P's biggest misstep was when he asked Pilot Pete to step aside from Hannah since he "hadn't talked to her yet." Meanwhile, Peter really hadn't spoken to her yet either and Hannah told Luke P. just that.

On a better note, Pilot Pete stuck the landing with Hannah. Chuckling, Peter whisked her away, and the two made out to the point her legs were around his waist. With his boyish charm, he called it his "smoothest take-off yet".

Of course, Peter got the rose, proving Hannah's good taste.

The Cookout: ABC Says Goodbye to Their Own

Chris Harrison used one of his three moments this episode to inform the men there would be a tailgate instead of a cocktail party. Cam took this as an opportunity to tell the men he needed to speak to Hannah first because he had something very personal and serious to tell her. This spun into a debate about the codes of The Bachelor/Bachelorette world.

Mike called BS, that there are "no rules of engagement." Tyler C retorted in a separate conversation that if there were no rules it'd be like a first-grade soccer game: no one would advance.

The Lord of The Flies scenario didn't stop Cam from sharing his every trial from the past couple of years. From his three surgeries, his grandmother's death, and having to re-home a puppy because of his health issues, he had a lot to spew.

Cam's urgency in telling Hannah this horrifying, mishmash of a sob story unveiled the disgusting point of necessity on the show: production wants contestants to reveal their most personal, traumatic trials. The show toxically equates deep insight and embracing a person's most difficult times to the hard work of furthering a relationship.

Recognizing this, Mike disclosed to Hannah that Cam spilled all his very personal information in hopes that she'd keep him around longer by giving him a "pity rose. "

Hannah did not feed into the Bachelor trope of a rewarding revealing trauma with a rose. Although, unfortunately, defying one trope gave rise to another. With one lesser villain (Cam) getting boot gave rise to another (Luke P).

The Bachelor franchise continuously uses interruptions from contestants as an introductory, villainous trait. Hannah's annoyance with Cam gave way to annoyance towards Luke P. Luke P's stalkerish, possessive, and aggressive persona forced production to move off script and consider how to manage such a character. The dilemma will certainly unfold in the coming episodes, and when it does, it will be a turning point for Hannah and a true test of her strength.

With 15 men left, the show must go on without Always Be Cam. Thankfully, that won't be a problem as long as the men keep up the quality content.

NEXT WEEK ON THE BACHELORETTE...



TV

"The Bachelorette" Episode 2 Recap: A Crossover Event for Millennials

The gag-worthy event struck a cord and a nerve for viewers, reminding us how the show is attempting to rebrand as inclusive and modern.

Bachelor Nation

via Youtube.com

The takeaway from Episode 1 was "be honest." For Episode 2, it's "be bold." Take a shot whenever Hannah says, "Be Bold."

The Group Date: Exciting Takeaways

In the best kept "secret" since Kylie Jenner's pregnancy, Alyssa Edwards and Alaska, the Drag Race sensations, were featured on this past episode. Let's not forget Miss J. Alexander, the runway fanatic and America's Next Top Model phenomenon! All three were guest judges on a panel for the first group date of the season: a pageant. The men on the date endured a thong contest and a talent portion to win the title of Mr. Right!

The challenge was to be yourself and, again, be bold. It was their chance to fight hyper-masculinity and show vulnerability in what Hannah called "showing up!"

As an audience, we got to ogle alongside the fabulous guests and Hannah. The men strutted their stuff, some with singles tucked in their thongs—thank goodness for John Paul (fuck yes) Jones.

Ass-slapping aside, the free-for-all moment felt like a gross callback to the gender-flipping narrative of last season. If Colton had been a woman, would all the jokes have been acceptable? And if Hannah were in the position of these men, strutting down the runway in a bikini, would it seem more like a Magic Mike showdown or a Playboy Bunny drool-fest?

Although the segment was fantastic fun, the guests this week felt reminiscent of Billy Eichner's appearance, following a pattern of gay guests serving as forms of entertainment, sideshows, and commentators.

While watching, it's hard not to remember how heteronormative the show continues to be with 20+ seasons. For a show to consider itself a reflection and evolution of American dating since the early 2000s reaffirmed the question: When will other sexualities receive representation beyond fluff?

Many missteps aside, the talent portion fulfilled the fun quota. Watching John Paul Jones on a unicycle and Mike Johnson walk in heels just to "walk in her shoes" ( swoon) reminded the viewers that this season is about finding a guy that goes all in.

Meanwhile, the narrative arc between Jed and Luke P. was only festering. The heart-throb singer-songwriter from Nashville, Jed, sung his way to what viewers would see as the top until Luke P. "performed." A collective groan was heard nationwide as Luke P. not only did not perform a talent, but annoyingly professed he was in fact already falling in love with Hannah after spending a total of two hours with her!

In the evening, Hannah continued her infatuated mess with Luke P. because, "He's saying everything my heart wants to hear!" The red flag may not be waving in her face yet, but the other men were surely aware of his games. Mike Johnson, the stud, put it best, "You a dog. I don't want her emotions to be rattled." But after a soothing and genuine conversation between Jed and Hannah, Jed won the night and this round.

One-On-One: Snooze

Tyler G., who Hannah described as "Tim Tebow but hotter," got the first one-on-one. They flew in a helicopter and slung some mud (you know, typical date stuff). Tyler G. may seem well-meaning, but nothing was memorable about this date beyond Hannah's strung-out syllables trying to fill the silence. Out of compassion and understanding, Hannah gave him the rose. Next!

Second Group Date: Fine

The season is going to be an active one. The second group date was a roller derby competition between the green team and the orange team. Lots of men fell, but the nose ring guy fell hard and got up to win the whole thing.

Like every season, the injured man gets extra attention. So, Dustin (nose ring guy) had his moment and a smooch with our Bachelorette. It was quite steamy.

Cut-to-Cam (you know, the man whose catchphrase is "ABC: Always Be Cam," but it might as well be what viewers have memed " Anyone But Cam"). The googly-eyed software engineer showed up uninvited, bringing cheap flowers to a shocked and visibly confused Hannah.

The men did not take kindly to this. Not just one, but three men interrupted Cam's talking head to set him straight.

Some of the best lines:

  • Tyler C. to Cam, "I'm gonna go back to my girl."
  • Cam to Garrett, "I respect you coming at me."
  • Kevin to Cam, "I hope it pans out."

The men, Kevin especially, seemed the utmost frustrated by the distraction of Cam's presence. With Hannah giving the rose to Dustin, the evening ended with a mediocre goodnight.

The Rose Ceremony: Justice for Nugs

The evening began with an anti-climatic speech by a tear-shedding Bachelorette. No one knew what was happening. "I'm just so blessed," she said. Okay?

After an odd start, Kevin finally had his one-on-one time—just to be interrupted by Cam. Ugh, Cam. He invited Hannah AND Kevin to a magical little heart shaped blanket where he goes on to expose his surprise (nuggets) and then the bigger surprise (honey mustard)!

Kevin, obviously frustrated, walked away with the leftover nuggets. The men were pressed enough for Kevin to let off steam just as Cam re-enters the scene. How did Kevin handle his frustration? HE THREW THE NUGGETS AT CAM! Not to say Cam didn't deserve it, but why waste perfectly good food on a fool!

Meanwhile, the real contenders were battling it out. Luke P. took Hannah away to show her he's good with his hands ( eek). She loved it so much that she took off his shirt. Insert Jed. Not only were the viewers basically watching soft core porn, but so was poor, sweet Jed.

Hannah, noticeably embarrassed, had no idea what to do. One startled twitter user even confused Hannah's f-bombs for an emergency flood warning.

Hannah then slinked out of the mansion to manage the dilemma. Jed, like the class act he is, may have been in an uncomfortable situation, but took the moment to relate to Hannah. Jed knew jealousy gains nothing.

At the rose ceremony, nothing exciting happened, unless you find excitement in pain-staking close-ups on the faces of men we're supposed to care about as they sweat out the inevitable moment when Cam receives the last rose. Obviously, The Bachelorette needed to keep their lesser villain to rattle the other men.

Afterwards, the real villain snuck upstairs to interrupt Hannah's confessional. Luke P. whisked Hannah into his arms to manipulatively assure her that she can trust him. Their undeniable sexual connection left Hannah's chest booming, but what about her heart?

NEXT EPISODE ON THE BACHELORETTE...