Shortly after its inception, the Bachelor franchise became synonymous with the word drama. If you are an avid watcher of The Bachelor Season 25, you think you’ve seen the most drama of recent seasons and perhaps you are right.
However, are we starting to confuse the terms drama and controversy? I like to think of drama as Hannah Ann Sluss stealing Kelsey Weier’s fancy bottle of Iowa champagne. Or perhaps Arie Luydendyk choosing Becca Kufrin to receive his final rose only to change his mind shortly after and ride off into the sunset with Lauren Burnham.
The news that has unfolded in recent weeks is not drama. It is pure controversy and honestly, it is starting to stifle the light-hearted, guilty-pleasure that many Americans use as their escape. It is, of course, something that needs to be addressed and we will certainly be learning more in the coming weeks and months and the unknown future of the franchise will soon unfold.
Both the drama and the controversy are far from over this season. With the Women Tell All next week, the drama has not disappeared, and we are here for it! If you listen very carefully you can hear it from several days away – the screeching of women talking over one another as they take their chances to explain to the audience what unfolded behind the scenes.
But this week, we had to get hometowns out of the way. They seem to have delivered a reasonable facsimile of the “meet the parents” week without actually leaving the Nemacolin campus.
The Bachelor Season 25, Episode 8: Hometown dates
Each of the remaining four ladies had one-on-one time with Matt James and the opportunity to introduce him to their family units. There was plenty to cringe over at each of the four dates.
Michelle honestly provided what can only be regarded as a picture-perfect hometown date. I can’t help but think that their first activity on the bicycles was to create a bad pun – think ‘Minnesota Bikings’. Seriously though, her parents were a complete delight and the visit was oozing with support, encouragement, and reassurance. Her parents vibed well with Matt and there were no overprotective brothers in the mix to muddy the waters.
The other portion of their date included meeting Michelle’s students on a virtual conference call. This was super sweet and innocent. The only thing that would have made it better would have potentially been to have an elementary school student say “I don’t think he’s right for you”. That, unfortunately, did not happen.
The Bachelor Season 25, Episode 8: Crash landing
Rachael was up next to show off her family and spend more alone time with Matt. She picked Matt up in an exotic rental, a Plymouth Prowler (a far cry from the minivan that they provided to Heather Martin). Matt was blindfolded as they framed the date as an opportunity to build trust in their relationship. As most of you are probably aware by now, the date was a skydiving adventure and Rachael had an unfortunate landing resulting in bruising and an obscene amount of grass in her hair.
There are many tweets and memes reliving her painful experience and many are in slow motion if you’d like to take a peek at that vantage point. Her parents and sister were very happy to see her and to meet Matt. There was a bit of an “overprotective father” vibe from Mr. Kirkconnell. Matt enjoyed meeting them and at the conclusion of the evening, Rachael was looking for reassurance that perhaps Matt would ask for a blessing over a potential marriage.
Matt was upfront with Rachael and informed her that he felt like asking for that blessing may be seen as “just checking a box” and that he still needs to process all that is happening on these final dates and when he is ready to make that type of a decision, he will later converse with the family of his intended. Rachael definitely cringed at this situation as she did not receive the reassurance she thought she deserved. We will have to see what is to transpire during the next episode.
Bri could not show Matt all that San Francisco had to offer so instead they began with a picnic and some revenge for the off-roading burns she endured during their first one-on-one date with an encore. Bri explained to Matt that her family is anything but conventional and that Matt would be meeting her mom, her best friend, and a special appearance by her infant sister. Bri’s mom did not hold back when the best friend asked what else they have been doing and mom chimed in with a savage retort of “Well we know what Matt’s been doing, he’s been dating”. Ouch, Ma.
The Bachelor Season 25, Episode 8: Bye, Serena
Serena P. was last and this was a convenient way for Matt to experience Canada without a passport or a Covid test. The Canadian version of All-American Apple Pie was the classic Poutine and it made an early appearance in the date alongside awkward Canadian trivia. Serena’s parents and sister Talia were all in attendance to meet Matt.
When Serena had a moment alone with her father she expressed her trepidation about a looming engagement. Later, her sister Talia simply put it as him being a great guy but clearly able to see that Serena was not smitten with him. The look in Serena’s eyes never grew hopeful again.
When Matt came to Serena’s room to discuss her fears she explained that she just thought it was her being scared but that if she really looks deep she knows that it is more than that and that Matt is not her person. In a devastating turn of events, she walks him out and puts him in a limo, and Serena self eliminates.
The least dramatic rose ceremony concluded the episode. There were three roses to distribute and three standing women. Naturally, we will see all three women again in a few weeks for the Fantasy Suite episode; the conclusion of the season.
Up next–Women Tell All!
What moments did you cringe at during this week’s episode of The Bachelor Season 25? Share in the comments below!