Lauren B. (nailed it) gets the first one-on-one of the week. They go on a private plane ride, and Lauren, the freaking flight attendant, is scared. I wish I could help these girls and teach them they don’t have to play ditzy and meek to be desirable. They fly over the mansion to piss off the other girls, while making out, and arrive at a hot tub in the middle of the desert. Just your typical first date in Bachelor-land.
Ben opens up to Lauren about his dad’s recent health scare and he, of course, gives her a rose. I like Lauren B. the most so far and definitely think she’ll be there until the end.
Meanwhile in the mansion…
Caila breaks down in ugly tears over how it’s **just now** hit her that this is a unique dating situation and Ben could fall for another girls. Oh good, you just now realized you signed up for a dating competiton.
A weepy Jubilee confesses to JoJo she doesn’t think Ben would go for a girl like her. Black? Veteran? Tattoos? Hmmmm. It’s a genuine moment, that we don’t often see from the lack of diversity on the show.
A group date card comes for most of the rest of the ladies in the house, including Olivia who’s peeved she’s not on the one-on-one. They head to play soccer with some ladies from the USA team. The losers will have to go back to the mansion, so there’s SO MUCH ON THE LINE. The stripes team wins, leaving a few from the stars wounded. Goalie Emily has a hurt finger, which is convenient, because we can now tell her apart from twin Haley and someone named Rachel can hardly walk.
Olivia, a winning stripe, grabs Ben first and all of the girls are irritated. I don’t quite understand this, because this is a competition and she’s just playing to win. The other ladies take this time away from O to pick her apart. Everything from her toes to her boobs to her horrible breath. I’m changing my tune towards Olivia this episode. She’s in it to win Ben and I don’t really blame her.
Ben makes out with everyone there, including Amber who receives the group date rose.
After an aired hour of her freaking out, Jubilee is asked on a one-on-one. Ben arrives and J is acting “awko-taco” (thanks, Jami, stealing that forever!) and notes it is her nerves. A helicopter arrives and she offers to give her date up because she’s afraid of heights. AGAIN someone whose profession doesn’t match up with her fears. Surely she overcame heights in Army boot camp. She tells Ben he’s too uptight and doesn’t laugh… which I guess he likes because they make out.
Jubilee opens up about her past. She was adopted from Haiti and her entire family died. Ben is super supportive and gives her a rose. I almost don’t know what to think. I’m not sold them being the perfect match, but it was a very tender and raw moment and not something we generally see on this show.
Cocktail Party and Rose Ceremony
Ben tells the ladies he’s just received news that two close family friends were killed in a car accident. Olivia promptly grabs Ben and tells him, she hates her… cankles. Ben’s not amused. The ladies in the house have all moved on from picking on O to picking on Jubliee, who has grabbed him to give him a quick massage. I thought the gesture was sweet, but the other women lose it. Won’t they learn starting drama at rose ceremonies never works in their favor? Because, of course, Ben ends up consoling J.
Then, in a completely unexpected move (no really, I had no clue) Lace says she’s got to go! This experience has made her realize she has a lot of internal work to do and she’s taking herself out of the competition. DAMN LACE.
He makes Olivia wait until the last rose, but of course she gets one.
Shushana and Jami get sent home.
In just one episode we see a lot of realness from several women and Ben. This seems to be the least superficial season and I think it is really refreshing (am I actually saying these things about The Bachelor?????) and perhaps some of these people are here for reasons other than a shot at fame.
Predictions
• JoJo, who had no date this week, will get a one-on-one.
• Either Becca or Olivia get the other one-on-one.
• Previews show Olivia loses her mind, so maybe she gets sent home?
