When we ended last week, Sarah had decided to go home to take care of her father. This all happened around the time the third date card was supposed to be read.
I hate it when an episode doesn't end with the rose ceremony, but the week before, we ended mid-rose ceremony when Sarah had her fainting spell. Therefore, we're all off whack.
The episode starts with the next day when it's time for Matt to contemplate the night before prior to going on the next group date. He had shared a lot with Sarah, and now he's scared of who else might not want to be a part of his journey.
Meanwhile, the women talk about Sarah leaving. Victoria says the trash took itself out. Katie calls Victoria on the toxic talk--why keep talking about it?
The group date doesn't start until the evening. Basically, it starts with a cocktail party. MJ takes Matt off first. She asks how he's doing to focus on him.
Other women do the same thing and affirm that they are here for him.
We run through conversations pretty quick until we get to Chelsea. Chelsea shows a photo with her mom. In the photo she had hair, so they talk about the stress of black women and their hair. She said shaving her head was so freeing to her. Matt says she looks good both ways.
Back where the women are... Victoria wants to talk to Katie. She calls Katie out for not letting her finish her sentence that she can express herself anyway she wants. She can about people anyway she wants. It's a really stupid conversation because obviously Victoria is being rude and wants an apology for anyone calling her on it.
Oh, wow, we're already at the end of the group date. It literally just started. He gives Chelsea the rose.
The next evening is the rose ceremony. Kaili comments that there is 18 women left with Sarah gone, but I thought they were down to 17 now. I don't know who can't count me or her.
(It was me... had to go back and fix my post from last week. I missed one of the Serenas in the rose ceremony. Realized it when roses were going out this week.)
Victoria says since she didn't get time last week, she's going first. She heard Anna wanted to go first, but Victoria calls herself Elsa, and she gets time before Anna.
Neither one of those women get the time first. Pieper does. I think it's Pieper. Since we spend so much time on the annoying women, I'm still trying to figure out a few of the others. They talk about strong women and how she is a strong woman.
Kit is up next. She talks about how she thinks there's chemistry. He says he enjoys spending time with her.
Matt appreciates how Katie came in differently the first night.
He reassures Bri that what he feels is real.
Victoria talks about it being hard and scary since she's not sure what he feels about her. They are interrupted by Chris Harrison. She's so frustrated that she got interrupted and can't complete her one thought.
Chris and Matt walk back in, through the lobby, and back out the front door. Some of the women go off to spy at what's going on. There's some speculation about Sarah being back.
They walk out to the very front where the limos drove up the first night. There were a record number of women who wanted to meet Matt. There are more women coming on the scene.
Brittany, 23, Model, Chicago, IL -- She kisses him right off the bat to make up for lost time. She made quite the impression. The women inside observe she's walking up like she owns this.
The women inside, of course, are not pleased. When Brittany comes in, she says a few more women are coming. She and Victoria exchange words right away.
Brittany then tells them she made out with Matt on her way in.
Michelle, 27, Teacher, Edna, MN -- Matt asks where she is from. He says he hasn't heard her accent come out yet, but Michelle tells him that he will.
Ryan, 26, Dancer/Choreographer, Brooklyn, NY -- That's all there is to her arrival. No other details.
Kim, 28, ICU Nurse, Los Angeles, CA -- She seems to not be a match with the typical woman on the show. More "every woman" than most. As someone socially awkward myself, she seems socially awkward.
Anna steps away from the window part way through saying she needs to be in a better mental state when she gets her turn to talk to Matt.
Catalina, 29, Former Miss Puerto Rico, Caguas, Puerto Rico -- She arrives with her banner and crown. A really pageant queen.
When Catalina comes in with her crown, Victoria wants to meet her and calls her over to where she is. Victoria says that since she's the queen, she think she should have Catalina's crown. In fact, she snatches off her head, and puts it on her own. When she takes it off, she puts it on the table instead of giving it back to Catalina.
The women are not happy they have to spend time that night with five other women. Matt knows there is going to be hostility and drama... and that he is going to be in trouble.
The women make it no secret to the new women that they are not welcome here, and they aren't happy.
Matt comes back in. He asks how they are doing, and the general answer is, "Not great."
Matt welcomes the new arrivals and says he looks forward to getting to know them better. Victoria takes Matt out to finish his conversation.
Katie tries to say the energy is because some of the women there are already deeply invested in Matt.
Anna tells Pieper that she recognizes Brittany, and they are both from Chicago. Chicago is not like being from Corsicana where I live. How on earth do they know each other already?
Victoria says in real life she normally runs for the hills, but she thinks the two of them would be a good match. Brittany comes out to interrupt. She's a little crazy from being stuck in her room in quarantine for a week.
Khaylah has steam coming out her ears.
All of the women have a chance to talk to Matt, including Kim in one of the most ridiculous dresses. It's floral and kind of has a bikini top with a skirt, but it may be all connected in the back. It doesn't look like a style she would normally wear, and the pattern is just odd. She talks about her drooling dog.
If Matt talks to anyone else other than the new women after this point, we don't see it.
It's time for the rose ceremony.
Matt tells Chris he isn't sure what to think right now.
As a reminder three women already have roses from dates: Serena P., Rachael, and Chelsea.
- MJ (for a hairstylist, I just don't get why she wears it crimped and so poofy)
- Pieper
- Bri
- Magi
- Michelle
- Mari
- Ryan
- Kit
- Serena C. (who did a fair bit of crying in her interview for not getting to talk to Matt)
- Abigail
- Katie
- Victoria (WHY OH WHY?)
- Lauren
- Brittany
- Jessenia
- Anna
- Catalina
Going home: Khaylah, Kaili, and Kim (the only one of the new five to go home).
Total side note, but you can tell Victoria and MJ (and possibly some others) have gotten used to not wearing make up during COVID (me too). Some of them just need some color. The circles under their eyes look like mine.
The next day, Chris Harrison arrives with the date card. He asks what they thought about the night before. Catalina says she didn't expect it to be so intense.
Chris leaves the date card. Serena C. picks it up to read.
"Mari, Bri, Abigail, Brittany, Ryan, Catalina, Magi, Anna, Victoria... Let's fall in love... Matt."
Anna is annoyed three new women are on her date. She's anti-Brittany big time.
Before the date though, Ben Higgins comes to offer Matt some advice. He's trying to figure out what to do since he left a rose ceremony with more women than when he started the night. Ben planned the date and is sticking around for it.
They are having the "Fall in Love Fest" which is an obstacle course. The first step is to paddle a giant pumpkin shaped canoe. Maybe it is a real hollowed out pumpkin. Victoria makes it to the dock first, but Magi is stuck in the original position.
The next phase is dressing up as a squirrel and searching for acorns in a pile of leaves. Anna hides Brittany's as each has their name on it.
Meanwhile, Magi is still stuck in the middle of the pond.
Mari ends up winning the course after running across a balance beam. Victoria was still digging for her acorn, but she's somewhat contented that at least a new girl didn't win. Mari was supposed to get a special prize, but I missed what that was.
That night at the after party, Anna grabs him first. This girl is all teeth so some of her expressions come off exaggerated. Brittany comes to interrupt, and Anna sends her off. Matt asks what she has been wanting to share. Anna doesn't really get much out before Brittany is on the scene again.
Anna and Victoria commiserate outside while Brittany and Matt talk about them making out upon arrival. Anna says she has been warned that since Brittany knows all the rich men in Chicago that she may be an escort.
My thoughts are, "It takes one to know one." How do they know each other?
Meanwhile, Michelle is the only new girl with the rest of the women waiting for the next date card.
"Michelle -- Let's make up for last time... Matt."
There's definitely some hating going on in the room. MJ, for example.
Bri whines about this being her second group date since their one-on-one. I don't like her.
It's time for the rose to be handed out. Matt compliments both Brittany and Anna. Then, he gives the rose to Bri.
Matt leaves, then Anna says she wants to talk to Brittany. Instead of going off, she calls out in front of everyone that she's been warned to watch out for Brittany because she may be an escort. Brittany says that's false and she's always had a boyfriend since she was 16. Brittany says it's hard when everyone is against you, so Victoria says to get out of the house.
Ryan doesn't like that Anna is starting stuff since she's the new girl in the house.
The women are talking about Anna supposedly knowing Brittany because the nightlife circle in Chicago is small. This whole thing still has me scratching my head.
So... Michelle's date. Matt tells her that when she arrived, she really caught his eye. They are going on an extreme scavenger hunt.
First clue, they ride a zip line down what looks like was supposed to be a ski lift.
Second clue, they have to pop giant balloons to find the next clue. The balloons have different questions to answer. One is about having any hidden talents. Another asks how many children they want. When they finally find the clue, it's about taking their love to new heights. They are going for a ride in a hot air balloon. They have fun together in the little things.
The women all get out their binoculars on the balcony and watch the date as the hot air balloon floats by. It has to be awkward for the balloon pilot in that small basket as Matt and Michelle make out.
The rest of the women await the date card with old and new women exchanging some words. Victoria throws in her snide remarks as the next date card arrives.
"Katie, Pieper, Serena P, Rachael, Kit, Chelsea, Jessenia, Lauren, Serena C., MJ - Are you willing to fight for love?"
Everyone bemoans the fight part with good reason.
Onto the fake dinner portion of the date. Michelle talks about being a teacher in middle of the pandemic. They talk about some serious topics that don't deal with family or past relationships. There's no doubt she gets the date rose.
The evening portion of their date has taken place in a car museum, so after the rose, they climb into a back seat.
Onto the next day... Brittany, Katie, and Serena P. talk. Brittany talks about how Anna accused her of being an escort. She says she can usually handle her emotions well, but now wants to cry. Katie is over the petty mean girl stuff.
Matt is prepping for his date by working out shirtless. The women are a bit scared of what will happen. Katie runs up for the first hug.
Mia St. John, a five-time boxing champion, joins them so she can train them to fight. They are going to fight in front of a live audience (code during the COVID seasons for in font of all the current cast).
After the training, they head into the ring for their fights. Wells comes in from Paradise to comment with Chris since Fred Willard died last year.
Victoria says if she were on this date, she would be punching Katie in the face because she's been pissing her off the whole time. Sooooo mature, Victoria.
Katie vs. Jessenia... Katie is fierce. Everyone watches with hands over their faces and mouths. Matt flinches. Katie wins.
Serena C. vs. Kit... Serena wins.
Rachael vs. Pieper...
Serena P. vs. Lauren... Lauren throws a punch and Matt calls the fight off.
I don't know if MJ vs. Chelsea goes a round or if they were spared.
On to the after party. Matt thinks they deserve it.
Matt wants everyone to be relaxed and have a good time after the intensity of the day.
Rachael gets some time first. She talks about how they spend more time with the women than with him, so it was tough for the new women coming in. She feels better after alking to him. Uh, you mean kissing him.
The women chat up about the anxiety going into this date.
Matt thinks he could do a better job of telling Pieper how he feels about her. She was going to tell him the same thing about how she needed to express herself. She likes him.
Anna and Victoria have a bonding moment back in their room.
The women on the group date are talking about the group date. Serena goes on about how Michelle said she was going to be figuring out if she liked Matt on her one-on-one which rubbed her wrong because there were girls there that already knew they liked Matt. MJ goes wagging her finger around.
Katie says everyone needs to get along since they are living together. MJ says it's all the varsity squad there tonight.
Katie decides to use her time with Matt tonight to fill him in on all the mean girl stuff going on. He was evidently talking to the production team when she head's out as a bunch of people wander off. Katie says the house needs to be better and the bullying needs to end. She tells him there are rumors about the new girls going around that could ruin their lives. Katie suggests he address it tomorrow when all the women are together.
And that's where we end. Seeing the previews, there's going to be a lot of fake crying and accusations going on.
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