On a season that has us celebrating the first Black Bachelor and the 25 BIPOC women, we see this show still does not know (or is it care?) how to present the struggles of people of color. Matt and Chelsea had a heart to heart about her decision to alter her hairstyle and the internal conflict that brings to women in our culture. Matt’s aired response seemed almost flippant in how casually he addressed it BUT turns out they had a much deeper and longer talk about it but the show chose NOT to air it. In light of the news of Chris Harrison (“OMCH “) stepping aside at the end of the season (for how long we do not know) I submit that the problem for this show is not just its onscreen product though that is a woefully deficient color palette but its biggest problem is that the decision makers do not have people of color with seats at the table.
I do not want to think about the fact that OMCH can probably count the number of POC he counts as friends and still probably cannot name them “you know my guy at the club, the guy who looks like Will Smith’s friend, I think he made Blackish” or the fact that OMCH’s black ‘friends’ probably do not list him as THEIR friends. I do want to think about this show progressing to the point that when I am picking contestants for fantasy leagues I am not factoring “I just need enough points from this brown person to be the token to get close but not to the end.”
This show should not be shying away from showing us moments of culture, playing the “we do not think our audience is ready for this card” means that you will NEVER MAKE YOUR AUDIENCE READY FOR THIS! The Bach franchise is one of the highest rated on TV, a dip in ratings as you make your audience learn about others is not the worst thing and will probably improve your customer base long term and offset the RACISTS (we should not shy away from using that term in describing people who would stop watching a show because of the lead’s skin colour) when more people can now watch a show that reflects their lives.
OMCH’s talking down to Rachel Lindsay on her own show was so bad that it got featured on CNN tonight.
I thought I was done ranting but then I heard about American Idol and Kellyanne Conway/Claudia : WHAT IS WITH ABC’S REALITY SHOW DIVISION’S EAGERNESS TO REHABILITATE THE AWFUL AND TO TREAD LIGHTLY WITH WHITE FRAGILITY? You put Sean Spicer on Dancing With The Stars and now you give Kellyanne the “joyful mom” edit on Idol to what? To make us forget the injustices they tried to gloss over to the public?
ABC…do better!
Okay actually on to the show. ..
‘Coming up’ leads to the thing that got me into this show TEARS, tears and MORE TEARS! But yes, I am a bit of a hypocrite here, seeing a tonne of women of colour crying does not delight me like tears on this show normally do.
The show picks up from last week where Heather strides in
and interrupts Pieper’s date with Matt and Matt does not stand up for Pieper –“I am just like the invisible bitch who never existed.”
Matt welcomes Heather, Heather again mentions that Hannah Brown is the reason she is here – I told my crew last week I am fine if we excise all connections to Hannah Brown from this franchise. “When I see Heather, Hannah would be someone that would be qualified to pick the woman that she could see me with.” But why…Hannah the unmarried controversy stirring former contestant…What in her history shows her qualifications?
Heather goes out to meet the women and Jessenia brings some heat! The show does their cruel move of crowding all the women on a couch as they face and question Heather – “You are just Bachelor hopping!” Admit it Pieper has more sting than you guys expected.
Heather claims that she would have rather to have just gone on a date with Matt but this is the way Hannah set her up. Sure.
Pieper demands an apology.
Kit throws out a “bitch what are you doing?” If you forgot the pack mentality when this group tore in to Sarah we bring it right back.
The show is allowing Rachael to be a bit of a narrator – they had a week to edit this, but they chose this, do not forget that.
OMCH has a heart to heart with Matt standing up, thought they could only do those with chairs facing each other. Matt continues to say Hannah’s stamp of approval means so much to him.
He sits down again with Heather and tells her that with where they are in the process he does not know how it could work (hometowns are in a week). So Matt is going to let Heather go, and Heather says she is “bummed…could not have been here earlier” talk to your producer. As Matt walks Heather out “Taking her ass home” is whispered by a couched woman.
Matt tells Heather “Maybe in an alternate reality…we are having this conversation in San Diego” as he hugs her goodbye and she enters her minivan to drive herself away. Heather’s first clue that she was being clowned should have been the minivan and that she had to drive herself everywhere.
Matt goes and tells the women he had nothing to do with
Heather’s arrival and that no one is going on the journey with them that is not
on the couch. He wants to continue the conversation with Pieper and the women gush about Matt as he and Pieper leave.
OMCH tells the group time to go "straight to the rose ceremony."
ROSE CEREMONY:
"Already had to send Heather home, I am not messing around anymore" so prior to this it was a joke?
Matt tells the women life with them looks promising.
The first rose goes to Bri, then Rachael (I am sure I am reading into it but some of the women do not look kindly on her as she walks up), Serena P, Kit, Jessenia (one for me), and now I am in trouble because I have 2 ladies remaining and there is OMCH telling us "final rose" Abigail survives for my team. SERENA C I WILL MOURN YOU.
He kept the wrong Serena! Going home are Chelsea and Serena C (please cry, please cry). On her way out Rachael says "proud of you" heifer sit down!
MORNING AFTER:
Jessenia and Abigail are talking on the couch that's right team, let's strategize.
"I don't have to tell you what is around the corner this week, hometowns" when it comes to something that does not have to be said but will be said you have OMCH.
Jessenia tells us there are 8 women left but only 4 hometowns and she and Abigail are the only 2 who have not had one on ones...but instead Serena P gets it and gloats "I assume we all thought it would be Jessenia or Abby today" while reaching out to touch Jessenia's hand TAKE YOUR HAND AWAY!
DAY DATE:
Serena P (wait a minute my girl is gone, we can drop the P) runs up and jumps into Matt's arms for the straddle hug while he tells us "I've worked my way into the friend zone" oh producers sometimes you work your way back into my cold heart. I really only care about one Serena since this is Aussie open week
The Date will be Tantric Yoga as we get to see how fit both of these people are.
Serena says "She is basically putting us into sex based yoga positions" and this makes Serena uncomfortable, she thinks the yoga is more for Matt than her.
In the aftermath Serena tells Matt that it would be a "first and last" for her tantric yoga session she tells Matt that she is not very affectionate, and since we know that Matt already thinks they are friend zoned this feels ominous. "Cheers to never doing tantric yoga again" that is the cheers Serena offers up after Matt told her he enjoyed the session.
Back to the hotel and the remaining girls are nervously waiting on the date card "Pieper, Michelle, Rachael. Bri, Kit, Abigail" which means Jessenia gets the one on one.
Back to the date and it is the evening portion and the show isn't even pretending about the dinner portion. Serena's hands are sweaty because she is nervous but makes sure Matt knows again that Tantric yoga is NOT for her.
Matt is talking to Serena about going forward to seeing her family and I am getting nervous because if Matt picks Serena that damages my chances of both my ladies (if any) going forward. I am unsure of what on this date would have taken Serena out of the friend zone. If she was friend zoned before an activity that you enjoyed and now you are both discussing how little she liked it...oh well, seeking logic in this show is idiotic for me. Serena's job title is 'Publicist' I guess she is able to read a room because she for sure was not selling me on her connection to Matt but she locked down that rose.
Daytime aka the Peloton ad and some suspect shorts on Matt.
GROUP DATE:
Matt and the women are on the couch of destiny and he tells them they should let it all out tonight.
Abigail continues to worry...
Bri goes first and in her time alone with Matt says "bare with me here there are things I have been wanting to talk to you and tell you about...I had to resign from my position to be here...I thought it was worth it."
Uhmm you know I try to live spoiler free but I had heard Bri's job was actually big time, please girl tell me you were planning to quit anyway and you did not really just do it for this show. Matt thanks Bri for quitting her dream job with light phrases and kisses.
Abigail continues to worry..."I am the only girl to not get a one on one date"
Pieper to Matt "It has been really hard for me because I am falling in love with you."
Abigail continues to worry..."I got the first impression rose"
Michelle to Matt "I am 100% committed to you"
Abigail continues to worry..."I would love to introduce Matt to my family"
Finally Abigail gets to sit down with Matt, and I am worried that Matt is not connecting with her and she asks the nerve inducing words "I can see the possibility with you I just want to know can you see that possibility with me?...I guess I want to know now instead of..." Matt says "it was a no-brainer that I give you the first impression rose...I was so comfortable in our relationship that I explored other relationships...and being honest with you my heart is pulling me in another direction...you deserve someone that is going to put you first." And CRASH there goes another of my ladies!
Abigail was correct to worry...
Back to back seasons of the first impression rose receiver not getting much love from the lead.
Abigail "I make men realize what they want next, but they never want that with me." Keep your head up girl, Matt is not the one you should waste regret on.
Matt tells the remaining women on the couch of destiny that he is not going to lead anyone on then
"Rachael can I speak with you?"
"Do you think your mom if she is here next week, she is going to grill me?" Ask her if they would crucify you? I wouldn't drink any tea that they offer though son.
Rachael says her parents would respect her wishes. Matt "Where I am with you is that when I am not with you I am thinking about you" loud make-out. Again knowing the background with Rachael every love-sesh feels that much more gauche.
Kit during her turn says "I have just been stressing, this is a very intense process for me." She tells Matt "there are things I have set for my life trajectory that I am not going to compromise on." She admits that she is "a long term investment" she does not want to get married immediately or to have kids "until 25 or 26" I applaud her honesty, but I cannot shake that she is 21, to her 25/26 probably seems "old."
Not surprisingly Rachael gets the date rose. "I have something planned for the rest of the evening and Rachael and I are gonna head out of here, I will see the rest of y'all at the rose ceremony." By now the other girls have got to be seeing the writing on the wall.
Aloe Blacc WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? An artist I recognize??
Rachael gets serenaded by a black man while she dances with her fantasy, she must be thinking "this would be awesome back on the plantation."
Kit goes and knocks on Matt's room door and says "I have to speak to you before the rest of your night." Kit looks extra young as she tries to have a serious talk with Matt she tells Matt that hometowns are serious and she is not the one who wants Matt to "get down on one knee tomorrow" so she has to leave "I am unwavering in this...it is the right thing for both of us" so she is going to self-exit. Greedily I wanted this from Abigail, I wanted Abigail to go out in a blaze of glory.
JESSENIA 1x1:
She is nervous at first since she knows the numbers, but then talks herself into it.
The date card said "Our love will take a turn" and she is dropped off in an empty parking lot and immediately I know what is coming another date where adrenaline is the main course and talking is the side dish. The date is about learning how to drift, as Matt pretends that he and the professional drifter are friends. Matt is not the best at drifting, which is on brand for him, so the car suffers some damage.
Back at the house the women are saying they have not seen a connection between Matt and Jessenia...back to the date and Jessenia is carrying the conversation and Matt is just smiling and nodding his head. Jessenia tells him that she is falling in love with him and he says "thank you for sharing that" and I am about to lose all my women in a one hour spate!
Matt reaches for the rose and Jessenia is beaming and I cannot stomach this cruelty
..."but with engagement being the end result of this journey" and Jessenia is having the light fade from her eyes. We get a woman for the ceremonial suitcase removal and I am trying to think if I have ever seen that before.
ROSE CEREMONY:
3 women are missing roses and only 2 roses are available.
First rose to Bri (she gave up her job for this, she better coast some more) and here comes OMCH so we know, final rose goes to Michelle, I keep wondering "If Michelle had come in night one would she be the clear front runner by now?" Then I remember she is black and I still have a hard time believing that a black woman would win. Matt has steadily fallen in the public's esteem, he has not in mine, he is what I thought he was was, so I am good with it.
Pieper says "I put my weakness and and my happiness on the table for nothing, for a waste of time." Pieper dissolves into tears in the car.
3 out of the 4 remaining women are black...why do I not feel confident in Matt picking a black woman?
BLOOPERS:
Turns out Michelle is legit funny and this show has hidden it from us - she jokingly knocks out some pushups "to look good for the camera" before her toast and does them while holding her rose in her mouth. Bri then accidentally spits some champagne on Michelle's back while laughing.
No comments:
Post a Comment