Bachelorette recap or musical talent is not a prereq...OR Ed cannot read a map OR Ice cream crimes!

 

I just finished watching the ‘Weakest link’ and moving from that group of “Mensa we are not” to this show feels right.

We start this episode with Chasen and Noah lounging on a day bed together while the rest of the other guys look on with sullen despair at them…both of these guys look like they are from San Diego (Chasen is) and they both seem ready to ‘Bro-out.’

The guys have to write an original love song and Bennett is able to work Harvard into the convo here “I did not do any musical courses at Harvard” I have a few friends who went to Harvard and it is a skill they all cultivate. You could say “Oh no, that guy just got decapitated” “well during my time at Harvard no one was ever decapitated” thanks Will, that really added to the conversation,” by the way, your girlfriend is at this party with us. “

The guys have to sing for Tayshia and it is as terrible as you would think. 

 

Riley just recites a poem. Bennett, decides to go with a rap “I’m taking you home to mate-ya” it was Speak & Spell rap at its finest.

Ivan pulls Tayshia to the ‘stage’ to recite his song, and it earns him a hug.

Demar has been puffing up his abilities in this competition and in it he calls Tayshia his “Mocha Latte” at least he can play the guitar, but his singing is like those people in the first rounds of auditions of American Idol.

Tayshia picks Ivan, which is also known as the “I wanted it to be you no matter how you did” pick.

Ivan rolls his suitcase to the door for the potential ‘pick up by the valet’ if he gets booted on his night time portion with Tayshia at her suite.

Evening:

On the date Tayshia insists that the ‘floor is Lava’ so for them to order room service they have to get from the living room to the bedroom without touching the ground…then Ivan has to go back for the menu that they left in the living room, this kind of childishness is why she dated JPJ, mystery solved. 

EW.com has the best photo of it - 

They also played twister but somehow it did not feel sexual 

They get a giant sundae as part of their room service and my night changes as I express concern for all the ice cream that is going to be wasted - THAT IS A CRIME! 

 

A Group Date card shows up and after the names are read Noah pipes up that he wishes he was going on the date and Bennett calls him out since Noah already has a rose.

Back to the date, and Ivan puts his brother’s whole business in the street – drug use, and 4 years of prison! We get to see why the show does not normally highlight what is happening in the real world, Ivan asks Tayshia about how the pandemic has affected her and she breaks down crying, the cynic in me thinks part of these tears are because she could not actually answer Ivan’s question.

[Whew in the ‘Blackish’ Trailer Tracee Ellis Ross is rocking a cat suit!]

This show has needed to address its problems with race for ages but this feels clumsy, but I guess progress? It is telling that they use the 2 mixed people to do it, rather than say Tayshia with any of the handful of black guys remaining. Ivan gets the date rose. I am torn though because we finally got “Black Lives Matter” on this cotton candy show!

Becca (Or should I say “newly single Becca”) and Sydney show up to ‘help’ Tayshia on her Group date:

The guys have to do what looks like a scavenger hunt coupled with dares.

The first Dare has Riley drinking a smoothie of Tomato, Apple, Banana, Spinach, Cow intestines and Water Scorpion (Bennett will later chug this also)

Bennett and Demar are teamed up Bennett is rocking the knee brace and they go to OMCH to get their butt cheeks signed…OMCH was lounging with crab legs and champagne…pretty much what you think his whole job is like.

Blake and Kenny have to fake an organism over the hotel speakers “Blake got some demons dog, Blake needs to go to church” I am pretty sure Eazy was the one who said this but my head was down and I am too lazy to rewind…plus they are phasing him out anyway.

When it is Kenny’s turn with the smoothie his is Blackberry, Blueberry, Raspberry, Chicken Feet, Larvae and Crickets, as someone who has had all those ingredients that recipe seems much better than the tomato smoothie. Blake’s smoothie is Pineapple, Peach, Blue Spirulina, Buffalo testicles and Beetles.

Bennett’s fake orgasm has him saying “Don’t worry about that” as part of his ‘passion.’ 

This was not actually 'the o-face' - 

The last dare requires eating a whole Habanero and then fake proposing to Tayshia. I have mentioned it before in this blog, but my cousin can just eat a whole pepper via nibbles, he does not have to force it down he can eat in big bites or nibble it cockily, kid is a monster.

Bennett says he can recognize that the fake proposal is crazy but it still hit him in the feels. 

 

Evening portion:

Bennett’s sob story is that he had to call off his engagement, he never saw his parents “as solid” in their relationship.

Zac and Tayshia in the middle of the group date get hot tub time “looking up at the stars” and it leads to a make-out session; this earns him the group date rose.

Back to the house and Ben is freaking out that he might not get time with Tayshia before the rose ceremony so he is going to sneak over to Tayshia…at the same time Ed tells us that he is planning to do the same.  We get to see Ed and Ben trying to walk over to Tayshia’s and…Ed first knocks on a door at 2:30am in the morning…and OMCH opens the door, I gotta think the producers set Ed up, OMCH invites Ed in for a drink, cut back to Ben getting into Tayshia’s suite. 

I am unsure what was more awkward OMCH and Ed’s wine and sigh bro date or Ben awkwardly saying “I was not going to let another day go by without kissing you.” As Ben kisses Tayshia there is a knock on the door and I initially think the producers finally sent Ed to the right room, but it is just room service that Ben ordered; strawberries, champagne and kisses. Ed never finds Tayshia’s room.

Rose Ceremony:

Ben learning from his last mistake is the first to take Tayshia aside while dressed like a highschooler at his first choral performance.

Riley (the lawyer) breaks out a boyfriend contract that has to be sealed with a kiss.

Noah on his time with Tayshia decides to talk about how the other guys in the house have responded to him, claims that others have said Tayshia giving him a rose was “just for the show.” At this point I braid my beard because this convo is stupid. 

 

Noah’s tattling causes Tayshia to assemble all the guys in the room for a talking to and cancels the rest of the cocktail party.

The guys question Noah and what he told Tayshia, Noah claims he has repeatedly tried to talk to the guys about how they treat him and none of the guys have any recollection of him doing this.

Bennett tells Noah that arguing with him is like arguing with a 14 year old and he owes all the men and Tayshia an apology- “I’m here for love, not breast feeding Noah.” “I am not on the Babysitter, I am on the Bachelorette.” Bennett has taken over the Eazy role as the ‘narrator’ as Eazy gets phased out.

Every time I hear Kenny call Tayshia “T” I wonder if it is because he is unsure that he will pronounce her name correctly. Kenny on Noah “I saw him playing chess in the house, maybe he is smarter than we all thought.”

Ed gets the final rose of the night which leads to the predicted blood bath:  leaving are Joe, Kenny, Jordan C (Who someone on twitter called Off-brand Shemar Moore and I cannot un-see it), Chasen, and his scowl.

Riley’s post rose ceremony toast “Today was a trying time, but cheers to being better men for Tayshia.”

Bloopers – Apparently OMCH has stopped knocking and just walks in on the guys in the house and they do not like that, we learn this from the wine date with Ed.

 

 

 

Bachelorette recap or Is Harvard actually a good school?

 

We start with Tayshia walking in with a dress that I can only call a ‘Boob Dress’ then felt guilty and texted the team of ladies that I text with about this show to tell them my thoughts, like that will give me absolution.

Group Date:

Ashley (the crier) and Jared (Did they actually go through a 2 week quarantine for 10 minutes of TV?) are here to help create a competition looking for a ‘Grown Ass Man’ the loser will be named ‘Man child’

– Bennett boasts to us that he did well in school and “went to Harvard” he immediately starts to fumble simple math, which leads Ed to say that “Harvard needs to drop their tuition prices”  

this is before Bennett fails to spell limousine correctly dropping the ‘u’ in his spelling.

(By the way take note of the spelling behind Bennett)

 There is then a tug of war challenge that Bennett gets to avoid because of an old knee injury.

The next challenge is a breakfast in bed challenge; guys are trying as hard as possible to stand out. Chasen strips down to shirtless and claims to be the main course rather than making breakfast. Bennett makes up for the lack of intellectual prowess by creating a breakfast feast, putting on a robe and getting into bed with Tayshia.

Ed gets the Man child ‘award’ and acts with good humour when they present him with a  faux-baby to take care of. Bennet t turns it all around and wins the “Grown Ass Man Diploma” award, in accepting his award Bennett kisses Tayshia which Chasen says is classless because Bennett is wearing just a robe…completely forgetting he was shirtless earlier I guess. 

 Ashley sneezes without covering her mouth and her answer is "I'm sorry I was tested" did the Covid test remove your ability to be a decent human? 

Evening portion and Bennett is still wearing the robe;

The guys are not happy that Bennett won and that he brought his ‘GAM Diploma’ Chasen says it is not a good look to go to a cocktail party wearing a robe, Chasen is wearing a t-shirt. Bennett tries to take Tayshia away first BUT she says she would like to say hi to everyone first, then Chasen swoops and takes Tayshia away.

Side note, ED absolutely looks better with his glasses than without.

The energy with Tayshia and the guys is so much better than with Claire because Tayshia is at least willing to get to know all of the guys…and the make out sessions increase.

Bennett tries to call out Chasen and throws Ed in as someone questioning Chasen, and Chasen takes the bait and tries to mock Ed for having chicken legs and holding the baby…Chasen also tells us that his nickname is ‘Wolverine’, sigh another bad reflection of my city.

The majority of the white guys use sporting a five-o-clock shadow as a fashion statement – I know I am supposed to call it “designer stubble” but eh.

Ed tells Tayshia that Chasen is “here for instagram followers.”

Time for awarding of the group date rose and Tayshia picks it up and calls Ben’s name to list all his good qualities then awards it to Ivan, THE SWERVE, Ben’s face looked like a kid who thought he was receiving an ice cream cone but was handed a carrot stick.Ben some of this might be due to your V-neck looking more like a U-Neck, swap out that shirt bro.

Cocktail Party:

Remember these? Clare doesn’t. Before the ‘event’ starts Chasen warns the guys to not talk about him; because his words for Tayshia are “she is a smoke show.”

Tayshia is making up for all the lack of kissing from Claire’s episodes.

I am not sure Ed is doing the right move bringing up Chasen again to Tayshia, it might work short term but you do not want to be the tattle tale guy.

Tayshia immediately pulls Chasen aside - I have shorts that show less leg than Chasen’s suits.  Chasen immediately admits that he got in Ed’s face and this shocked me, because I am so used to guys on this show lying or trying to hide the truth. Chasen then pulls Ed to the side to discuss his situation with him and it is an exposed ankles fest.

Zac C and Kenny think it is their place to break up the confrontation but really there is nothing much to it.

In his conversation with Tayshia  Zac puts his foot on the coffee table in a man spread that bugged me, it felt forced and awkward…like their kiss.

Rose ceremony:

And basically it features how little time we got to spend with any of the other guys as the Chasen and Ed drama unfolded. Of course production puts Ed and Chasen side by side as they await roses, Ed gets the second to last rose and then the heavy sigh from Chasen as he waits for one, but really there is ZERO drama here, all the promos showed Ed and Chasen in the competition still to come later in the show - Just like production slipping up and showing us the magnets on the roses that helps to ‘pin’ the roses to the lapels.

Definitely a “let’s ease out Easy” edit; he was only seen in far away shots.

Noah with his terrible mustache looks like a kid wearing his dad’s suit, it is ill fitting but he feels so proud in it.

Our first clean image of Eazy is when he is the first name called for the next group date.

Group Date:

“I am looking for my perfect match” and some of the guys surmise that it might be a wrestling match…which makes them immediately think that Ed and Chasen will be matched up…these guys might be smarter than I give them credit for.

So the La Quinta’s conference room is now converted into a wrestling arena…I am so impressed by what the show has been able to do to conform this conference room for each week to week activity. Tayshia claims that she “sensed tension at the rose ceremony last night” so she decided this would be a good way to let it out – EXCEPT Amy Dumas (SHOUT OUT TO THE NAME BRAND, and a WWE wrestler I loved) and Tatiana Suarez a UFC fighter did not just happen to show up the next day because of what happened the night before, sans mask. 

 The guys have to work on their trash talk 

The guys have to fight in a makeshift competition to win Tayshia, and Chris Harrison and Wells Adams will be the commentators, the Bach franchise is going all the way through their alumni rolodex for this season I see. Tayshia gets to oil up the guys for their match-ups.

During the Jordan vs Brendan match as Jordan goes for the mount Tayshia breathes out “Oh my gosh his balls are in his face” not sure if that was jealousy.

Just before his matchup with Chasen, Ed pulls OMCH aside to say that he has chronically injured shoulders (I actually have that issue too so it could be legit). OMCH asks the crowd if anyone wants to take Ed’s place due to his forfeit “and fight for Tayshia’s heart” Noah who was only supposed to be a spectator jumps the fence in jeans and dress shirt to enter the tourney, Noah gets his chest oiled up, and oils his ‘stache…he gives Chasen a hell of a fight and for his ‘boldness’ gets rewarded and allowed to stay on the group date which of course ticks off the guys who actually trained for this…I know they are mad at Noah BUT , really they should be mad at Ed, if he had from the start said he was not going to fight then there would not have been room for Noah to jump in.

Further proving the wrestling was not a spur of the moment thing; a legit championship belt is presented to Chasen, as someone who follows wrestling I know those things are not the easiest thing to get last second.

Evening portion:

Noah is the first to take Tayshia away from the group. Ben tells us he has a plan to wait till the end of the night so that he can close the night with a drink and Tayshia, seems like a risky plan bro.

Tayshia raises the issue of Noah’s mustache to him and he immediately with zero fight offers to shave it off.  In his ITM Noah tells us that the mustache is a huge part of his life. Noah went off to get his gear and then comes back to interrupt Jordan C’s time with her. Tayshia shaves Noah’s mustache off and then kisses him.

Tayshia goes back to the group to award the group date rose and Ben asks if they can go and talk before she addresses the group, Tayshia heavy sighs and says “Ben…the night is over” and tells him he should have come and found her, how did that plan workout bro? Noah gets the group date rose and Tayshia asks the guys “doesn’t he look good guys?” None of the guys respond in the affirmative and there are some sullen headshakes.

 

 

Bachelorette recap or "That man is fried bologna sandwich with the mayonnnise all day"

 

I have decided some of what is happening with Clare and the Bachelorette is like what has happened with the fandom for the Harry Potter world, many fans just want JK Rowling to just remain in the world of the Potter books, and stop voicing opinions on Sexuality or producing 'Fantastic Beasts' they do not hate her, they are just disappointed in her…like with Clare.

I literally cannot see Clare on my screen without hearing "YOU ABOUT TO LOSE YO' JOB" 

And now I just did it to you…you are welcome "Is this [Dale] worth you losing your job, cause you about to."

My Closed Captions start with the words "uneasy music" I have been wondering if the show is going to start easing Eazy off of our screens.

Back to the La Quinta as the guys crowd around the couch of destiny as they wait for Tayshia's appearance and many of the guys are ecstatic. 

Tayshia claims that "if you had told me a week ago I would be standing here" she would not believe it, uhmm Tay-tay, you had to quarantine for 2 weeks, so if you didn't know by a week ago we need to figure out your cognitive dissonance.

Ivan is the first to pull Tayshia aside. Ivan claims that he is open to what is happening and says he was trending downward with Clare - all that might be true, or it could be completely made up, but it is the smart thing to say. 

 

One of the guys says "With your smile and your BIG-ASS eyes, which is the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen" these compliments are different.

Blake snitches on the production timeline "I think I went through the wringer the last 8-9 days."

Jason trying to be honest tells Tayshia that he still has feelings for Clare and until 3pm he thought he might go home.

OMCH takes Tay-tay away before she meets some of the original 16 and tells her a new limo is pulling up.

My thoughts on the show diminishing Eazy's presence seems to be correct since we did not see him talk to Tayshia during the initial greeting and he has gone from a usual narrator as the show goes on to a background presence.

First out the Limo is Spencer, Spencer walks in and one of the first things he says to the waiting guys is "So which one of you guys scared off Clare?" The guys are not happy to hear that. Many of the Original guys 'OG' are not happy that Tay is meeting new guys before she gets to meet all of the OGs. If I had known that only 4 more new guys were coming in I would have paid better attention. One of the new black guys (Montel) wears a pastel jacket that I own.

Spencer is from San Diego and that might be why he seems familiar (not that I know him but his vibe of douche is something I recognize), he pulls Tay away first and the OGs think it is disrespectful.

OMCH brings out the first impression rose and the guys get a little more serious.

Zac gives Tay a coin so that they can both make wishes at the fountain and smoothly tells her that they have to promise eventually to share what their wishes are, this leaves her with a memory.

One of the guys has 10 siblings, we are still making those type of families? I say this as someone who has 24 uncles and aunts, it just is crazy to me in modern society.

Spencer gets the first impression rose – showing you why it is so hard to date here in SD. Spencer also gets the first kiss; I wonder if some of this beyond his attractiveness is the closeness of their hometowns, Tayshia is in Orange County just an hour to 2 hour drive from SD, Tayshia might be thinking long term and realizing that their ability to meet up will be easier than for instance the lawyer from New York who said during their one on one time that he is always busy.

Going into the commercial we get to see the Fast Times at La Quinta promo again. 

 

But coming back from the commercial instead of going back to Tayshia we get a sit down with Clare, Dale and OMCH. Dale claims it was love at first sight.

This does NOT feel like a couple that will last, but I could just be a cynic. Clare said the night before the interview she was pacing with anxiety and Dale showed up for her…I would probably be anxious of my decisions too if I got engaged in less than 2 weeks. I dated someone for 2 years and still could not pull the trigger, 2 weeks would give me mini heart attacks nightly.

OMCH asks whether Dale and Clare communicated by any means before the show, and they both swear up and down that they did not.

Clare clearly wants babies (timeline wise that makes sense) but Dale could not have sounded more "uhmm not yet" while pretending to be okay with it. 

 

I see the show passed on Clare's tiny journal to Tay.

Oh look Eazy gets to do an ITM maybe the show is okay with him…

The show finally gets to fully use their clip of Tayshia emerging glistening from the pool. There is a brief pool party before OMCH pulls a Bach trope and makes a competition happen – Splash Ball, but the guys have to switch to Speedos to play despite the fact that they are wearing headbands to differentiate the teams…so why the speedos?

But wait a minute, as Riley jumps out of the pool after 'accidentally' injuring Spencer he is wearing swim shorts…he is the only person wearing shorts. Riley's team loses to Spencer's but I bet he is relishing that shot to Spencer's lip that he got off.

Back to the main house Jason and XXX are discussing the fact that Jason is still struggling over his feelings for Clare, he fears getting the first one on one but Brendan gets it.

Back to the group date and Eazy gets the first bit of one on one time with Tay, I am really hoping the allegations against him are not true, not because I have any particular fondness for Eazy but because I would hope the show is not featuring someone who has credible allegations against them.

You can clearly see the difference in how these guys are interacting with Tayshia and how they interacted with Clare and it is much more positive. 

Riley is probably super accurate in his summing up of Spencer: 

Spencer is talking about the group date rose and someone I think Riley calls him out (I say think because I do not trust production and we do not see Riley saying it when the sound is heard -  "Spence I think I owe you for my cracked ribs" Spencer "I think we are even dude, if you need any more let me know" those are clearly fighting words but was the conversation actually related, because Spencer does NOT look like a guy that can fight, and that is a very brave thing to say in a room filled with guys ready to serve you. Kenny tells Spencer "Don’t take this the wrong way, you kind of come of like an [expletive]"

Riley straight up calls Spencer out "you are lunch meat" and Spencer does the 'I do not want to fight' but I do not want you to know 'I CANNOT fight' look away move while mumbling "okay."

Eazy gets the group date rose and makes me wonder if this is why he was featured again in the show, after the downplaying in the earlier act.

Back to the 'house' and Jason is self-eliminating because he still wants Clare, unlike Clare having Chris relay the news when something is awkward Jason goes to Tayshia and tells her himself.

For the one on one Brendan's date with Tayshia starts with Tayshia coming in on a horse and leading a second horse. Maybe it is the Zoologist in me, but I felt so bad for those horses, Palm Springs is scorching hot and they had these poor horses walking with the weight of the riders on pavement. OMCH meets up with the couple to give them 'Famous Harrison Margaritas' so they can ride and drink;

 OMCH then zips around on his scooter to surprise the couple with ice creams, then coconuts. Brendan is not happy to see OMCH each time he pops up because he is hoping to sneak a kiss. Tayshia in her ITM tells us she knows Brendan is staring at her lips, he finally makes the move as they relax in the pool…as someone who grew up with a pool…they really work…I started from humble beginnings, I promise.

Night Time:

Tay is wearing a stunning risqué black ensemble. Brendan tells us that he is nervous to tell Tay that he is a divorcee which I guess means he does not know Tay's history because she too is divorced and she too has worried about telling people about that. Tayshia has no problem with Brendan's history and the date ends with literal fireworks as Tay and Brendan make out. Tay tells us that she feels like she could marry Brendan.

Outtakes – One of the new guys Noah has a mustache that Bennett and Ed make fun of while we get to see Noah grooming the struggle 'stache.

Bachelorette Recap or is it Bachelorettes?

 

Much of this week felt like we are all the Count from Sesame Street as we all stare at screens and watch numbers tick up and down as we also reinforce our geography lessons of the 50 states. 

So now tonight's show is brought to you by the letter E, E is for Escapism. 

 

The fact that OMCH via social media warned people to record the extra hour of shows behind the Bachelorette leads my conspiracy (when it comes to commerce) mind to start thinking that A. ABC never thought we would still be dealing with election results when they shifted the show to Thursday B. They realized what a gold mine they might have here in forcing people to record the hour following the show which might get some new eyes on 'The Good Doctor' and, C. even if people do not actually watch 'The Good Doctor' ABC will still get to claim the 'time shift' viewing ratings.

The show opens with the post mortem of the guys who were on the group date that Clare ended by not giving anyone a rose (except herself in an ITM). Cut to Clare writing in her journal and then doing an ITM where she wonders about the fine line between respecting the process and doing what is best for you.

OMCH shows up to Clare's suite, after pulling up a chair to her couch (remember this moment) he says "We need to talk" 

told you that Obvious Man title, is his forever. OMCH tells Clare "the path they are currently on cannot continue." Clare admits that she is "head over heels for Dale."

Clare admits to cyber sleuthing the guys while the Pandemic halted filming. Clare swears on her Dad's grave that she and Dale had zero contact before the show.

OMCH asks what to me is a creepy question "You have spent your whole life looking for a man like your dad; is Dale that man?" Clare says "Yes…I have waited so long for this."

The show is clearly broken now, so OMCH asks Clare what she wants to do, and Clare wants to spend as much time as possible with Dale and no one else. OMCH – "Congratulations, you have just blown up the Bachelorette." 

As the guys are prepping and sharing how they feel about the upcoming cocktail party, OMCH comes in to tell them there will not be a cocktail party …build up…then…"there will not be a rose ceremony tonight…I will see you guys tomorrow." Then OMCH pulls Dale aside to tell him that Clare wants to spend time with him tonight, cut back inside to Blake giving a pep talk to the other guys saying that "Clare hasn't picked her guy yet" and "there are plenty of good guys in here" I hope he doesn't make other predictions in his Wildlife Manager job "There is no reason for us to worry about that bear in the distance, that bear is not hungry." 

Blake's ability to predict: 

For her dinner date with Dale, Clare comes out in a sparkling cleavage promoting backless red dress, this is the dress you wear when you are about to LOCK IT DOWN.

I will say this, Clare is not afraid of the 'coming on too strong' vibe. Clare tells a story that I am sure is supposed to be sweet but it creeps me out, her dad met her mom and then 3 weeks later hitchhiked to go propose to her after ONE meeting? I may be a bit off on the story because it broke my brain.

We get to see the difference between when you already like someone and when someone is just not on your radar; Dale's answer as to why he liked Clare is barely better than the moron who she sent home earlier for basically saying "because you are hot."

Back to the guys and we find out that after OMCH pulled Dale from the group neither of them went back in to talk to the guys. Poor Blake is still in denial, he cannot believe that Clare would already have chosen Dale and "ixnaying 16 guys already…it's, it's TOO EARLY!"

Dale tells Clare that he is falling in love with her and Clare is smitten, she gives a shout out "to anyone that ever told me to settle." This week's performers that 'most people have never heard of'' are actually people I have heard of it is Chris and Bri who won 'The Bachelor presents listen to your heart' and they remain just as super talented as they were on the show – is it bad that I care more about Chris and Bri working out than Dale and Clare? Chris and Bri's song ends with "I found true love" as we see Clare and Dale making out on the bed.

In the morning we see Clare's dress and Dale's shirt crumpled on the floor leading us to see Clare cuddling with a shirtless Dale in the bed and in her ITM Clare is wearing a robe and lingerie.

Normally the show does not like us to be able to follow the passage of time but in this situation they let us know via the guys that they have not seen Dale for 18 hours.

OMCH shows up and asks Clare "Sooooo how was last night?" And Clare says "that when the cameras turned off and we got our alone time…he was even better than I expected."

This show is really trying to push Clare out and push this relationship to the brink, OMCH tells Clare that the proposal has to be that night…but WHY? Do not forget that OMCH is a producer on this show, he may act like a friend to these contestants and he might truly become friendly with them, but that man still wants to protect his commas.

Clare now has to go and tell the guys that she is leaving them. I am an 'emotional coward' so I felt a bit of second hand embarrassment and empathy for Clare having to tell a bunch of people who are there to try to get with her, that she is "peacing out." Clare tells them that she found what she came for and "it is with Dale." The guys look stupefied. Blake starts to stroke his beard which is something I do when I am analyzing news that I cannot initially comprehend or when I want to slow myself down from blowing my top as if the physical act of pulling on my face will keep my head together.

Clare is asked if she was talking to Dale before the show (expected question). Tattoo guy tells Clare that she should apologize to the group, he is insistent on it, Clare says "I am not going to apologize for love." I think it shows how much the guys are over Clare that no one tells Tatts that he should not demand an apology from Clare "not for falling in love, but for wasting our time."
The guys take it pretty well that Clare is done with them while she is in the room…again they are over her…but once she leaves they let out their real feelings.

OMCH face times Neil Lane so that he can get an ugly ring "TODAY!" Cut to Dale in an ITM saying "there is no stress no pressure, just exploring where this goes" but I think this is a production trick, Dale is in his light blue undershirt, then OMCH shows up at his door and he is in a white polo. OMCH tells Dale that Clare has broken up with the other guys and is expecting a proposal, cut to the house and the guys thinking it would be crazy for Dale to propose but Joe says "if it wasn't 2020" he would say it could not happen, but put nothing past this year.

Back to Clare's suite and Clare is freaking out, she is now worrying that Dale might not propose. Every time OMCH pushes the chair over to the couch I wonder why they do not just leave the chair there, do they really need the drama of the "let me move this and lean in"?

Clare is in a stunning white dress (another backless creation) for her hoped for proposal, as she stands waiting for Dale, OMCH walks up and says he needs to talk to her which of course panics Clare but OMCH just wants to say "I am so proud of you." Dale walks up in a more formal outfit than he has ever worn on the show, and pants that actually meet his shoes with a break.

Some blah, blah, blah and then Dale drops to his knees and breaks out a gaudy ring (Neil Lane at his 'best'), that Clare does not hide her thirst for "put that ring on my finger, I have waited a lot of years for this." Dale gets the final rose…of Clare's season?

Next morning the guys are packing up and saying how bummed they are and Jay (or is it Zack C, I honestly cannot tell)

says "feels like there is more love to give and more love to be received" the camera loves him for his exposition. Jay/Zack seems more concerned about the feelings of the other guys than his own.

OMCH tells the guys that there journey is not over if they do not want it to be, he tells them to examine their feelings for Clare to see if they want to stay; one of the Chasen/Jason combos asks OMCH how long they have to make a decision, OMCH tells them they have to be ready for that night to be dressed and ready to go forward or go home. Many of the guys 'pretend' that the decision will be tough. 

They should have just shown them the promo trailer 

 

Evening:

Many of the guys wonder if all 16 of them will remain on the show, Blake and Jason are 2 that the others do not think will show up, but Blake shows up first and the guys continue to wonder if Jason will show…he does (of course he does). Clare was right, these guys are way too much into bro bonding, if I were on this show I might pretend I wanted to see everyone show up but really there is NO WAY I would want the competition, I would love all of them to leave, I am too emotionally lazy for the games.

OMCH comes in and plays up Tayshia's credentials but does not name her to the guys. 

Tayshia steps out of the limo in a sparkling dress (I learned some tips during the pandemic that sequin dresses help to hide problems that might occur over a long night). 

 

We now know it is official, because the closing credit's still has switched from Clare to Tayshia holding a rose.

The show ends with a glimpse of Clare and Dale's life together, the honeymoon glow is still there.

Guess the 'Good Doctor' is not as important as the Bachelorette it is preempted for ABC News!