Zach Shallcross is ready to meet the families of his four remaining women–Kaity, Charity, Ariel, and Gabi. The Bachelor Season 27 is coming to a close as Zach narrows down the field to find his person at the end of it all. Will The Bachelor find love in someone’s hometown?
Tough decisions continue to trouble Zach as he must meet someone’s family and send them home. Reality sets in as the women start to picture a life with Zach outside the show. Let’s find out what happened on The Bachelor Season 27, episode 8!
The Bachelor Season 27, Episode 8 recap
1. Pittsford, Vermont
Gabi received the first hometown date of The Bachelor Season 27 and invited Zach to the vast wilderness of Pittsford, Vermont. She doubled down on the maple syrup theme and started the date by drilling into a maple tree to get some sap for syrup. Next, she put Zach through a trial test of maple syrup to see if he could tell the real deal from the fake stuff. As many guessed, The Bachelor failed.
Gabi got a private cabin for her and Zach to continue spending some outdoor time in. She seemed to come alive on this date in the more comfortable backyard setting. Here Gabi gave Zach a preview of what her family will look for in Zach and what to expect. She reiterated that she wouldn’t have brought Zach out to meet his family had she not felt strongly about their relationship.
Zach was introduced to Gabi’s family, consisting of her mom and dad and three siblings, two brothers and a sister. The two recounted their journey thus far, including their exotic global stops and Gabi’s special one-on-one date in London. Gabi’s older brother pulled Zach away first to ask him the tough questions. He started by asking if Gabi could be the one and if Zach meant what he said. Zach affirmed his feelings for Gabi.
Meanwhile, Gabi talked to her sister and said that things had been going well, but they needed extended time together to see if it was the real deal. She said she could be falling in love with Zach but isn’t quite there yet. However, she wants the process to end with a ring. Zach met with her mom, asked what Gabi was looking for, and reassured her he would keep her feelings in his thoughts and decisions on The Bachelor Season 27.
Gabi’s dad had some great advice for her, saying they could fall in love in a few months or even a few seconds because that’s how he felt about her mom. He said it was her decision, and they would support her either way and only want the best for her. Gabi had a tough time with Zach leaving and noted that she wouldn’t go through this for just anyone. Distance makes the heart grow fonder, but that isn’t easy to hear when you won’t see your boyfriend, who will see three other women, for a week.
2. New York City, New York
Ariel was next as Zach traveled to the Big Apple to meet her in her hometown. This relationship was a self-described late bloomer on The Bachelor Season 27. The two took a tour of her hometown, visiting the West Village, Chess Park, and a traditional new york style pizza joint. Next, they stopped in a new york deli for a right of passage into her culture. She ordered the pastrami sandwich while Zach had to eat the tongue sandwich. They hit up one of Ariel’s favorite coffee shops, or more like a speakeasy.
Here she gave Zach a preview of her immigrant family and how her parents immigrated from the Soviet Union to the United States. She and her brother are first-generation Americans and carry a chip on their shoulder. Ariel noted that his toughest battle would be with her brother since he is so protective of his sister.
They met Ariel’s mother and father, along with her brother and sister-in-law, at a Brooklyn winery. The couple talked about their adventures and visiting a nudist spa in Estonia. Ariel’s brother and wife were the first to pull Zach away and started about being a skeptic and how Ariel was choosing him and not the other way around. He asked why Ariel was the one, and Zach studied her for an answer. He was more nervous about this date than the first.
Her brother asked another hard-hitting question about their different backgrounds, how their families would have to accept each other, and their attached history. He then asked when her birthday was or what her middle name was, to which Zach couldn’t answer. He wondered how they could fall in love if he didn’t know these things. Zach took the bigger picture route and said he wanted to get to know them and focus on the little things later—tough questions here on The Bachelor Season 27.
Ariel’s dad was even tougher on Zach, saying he should be nervous. He asked why Ariel was the one out of the other four women. He said he felt something about her and could see a future outside of the show with her. Ariel was talking to her brother later and had to reaffirm what Zach said and her feelings about him quickly. Zach revealed to Ariel’s dad that he could tell him how he was feeling now but couldn’t tell him how he’d feel a week or two from now.
Ariel met with her dad to conclude the date, and while he brought the tension and made her focus, he did say that the choice was hers and they would support her either way. She later revealed to Zach that she was falling for him. However, she did not say she was falling in love with him, just falling for him. The two departed more peacefully than Gabi hoping to be reunited in harmony at the next rose ceremony.