With that Tierra nonsense finally behind us, The Bachelor is getting serious.
Sean Lowe has reached the hometown dates. In other words, high stakes.
With four women remaining and only three spots remaining to continue on his “journey” next week, one very special someone had to get the chop. But who?
Check out The Bachelor spoilers to learn what happens next week and beyond, then come along for THG’s +/- recap of the hometown date episode …
Plus 25 right off the bat for the fact that we finally get to see some real dates, i.e. Sean hanging out with the girls without six other girls waiting around.
And no Tierra, in general. Plus 5.
The first hometown date goes to AshLee Frazier, who is definitely the oldest, most mature and most serious of the final four. Does that make her a favorite?
Not necessarily. They talk about meeting her family and then they do it. That’s about it. They have a nice time, and everyone gets along very well.
No points, though because while he seems perfectly content with AshLee, the fun-loving and passionate side of Sean seems lacking when he’s with her.
Similar values and backgrounds? No question. Compatible over the long run? Unclear. Guess it all depends on who else he’s still dating here, right?
Enter Catherine Giudici, who’s as fun as you can get. They throw fish at each other at Seattle’s Pike Place Fish Market and laugh their brains out. Plus 70.
Sean and Catherine really click – it’s natural, spirited and maybe even a little romantic – but surprisingly, this was his least successful family meeting.
Catherine’s family GRILLED both of them, seemingly unconvinced any of this could be genuine. Minus 50, because they weren’t even listening.
Being protective is one thing, but were they just going overboard? It appears she went on the show as a whim, and is now in it for love. They don’t buy it.
He also doesn’t get his theoretical proposal blessing from her mom. Burn! Minus 20.
Catherine has life goals and he doesn’t know where he fits in. Burn again! Minus 20.
She’s still in the running, but this hometown date didn’t do her too many favors.
Lindsay Yenter, meanwhile, had a great date. In Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. Sean met her family, including her dad, who’s a 2-star Army General.
Plus 40 for his service to our country. Minus 40 for the producers having Lindsay putting Sean Lowe through a fake army boot camp of sorts.
The meeting with her mom and dad went as well as one can hope for under these or any circumstances, however. What nice people they are.
Her mom adores Sean and loves how he makes her daughter feel, and respects that he doesn’t dole out the “I love you” bomb lightly. Plus 40.
Her dad, despite the Army exterior, even grants Sean permission to maybe, perhaps, ask his daughter to maybe marry him someday. Plus 10.
Minus 30, though, for Sean asking this so often and awkwardly, especially if he can’t or won’t say “I love you.” What reactions does he think he’ll get?
Lindsay is young and not necessarily the “mature beyond her years” sort of young. Just young. Cute, fun, kind and sweet, but still, very young.
Is she ready to settle down? Is Catherine? Maybe AshLee is still in the running after all … it all depends what Sean’s looking for out of all this.
Oh, Desiree Hartsock. How you managed to shake up this episode. Plus 30 for the drama that played out, even if some of it was scripted.
When she brought Sean back to her house, a jilted ex-boyfriend showed up to try to win her back … and totally fooled Sean. He was an actor.
Sort of lame by the producers to pull that, but it was fun to watch Sean squirm a little, and the actor even got in his face, so Plus 20 overall.
Des’ parents seemed to approve of Sean, though her brother Nate dominated the interviews (that’s what we’ll call it) and not in a good way at all.
First, he tells Desiree Sean feels nothing for her, then pulls Sean away to tell him he doesn’t appreciate The Bachelor playing his sister for a fool.
Minus 50 because how would he even know that if it were true? A little guarded skepticism is one thing, but this was just way over the top by Nate.
Desiree knew it cast a pall over the whole night, and was hurt, frightened and confused by what happened. Would it be too much for Sean to get past?
By the time the rose ceremony came around, he convinced that he wanted to keep AshLee and Lindsay. Plus 25. The final rose? Still up for grabs!
Concerns about Desiree’s brother permeated, though. Whatever his issues with Catherine, he sort of knows where he stands there, unlike with Des.
Desiree pleaded for forgiveness for her brother’s behavior … which only made things worse for her when Sean ended up giving that last rose to Catherine.
Plus 25, because that was the right choice, even if Desiree was devastated, and Sean clearly wasn’t sure she was wrong. But, hey, life goes on.
Celibate Fantasy Suite time next week! So much hugging! Plus 25!
EPISODE TOTAL: +105! SEASON TOTAL: +137!
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