I had to end up working Monday night, so I didn't get to watch and blog like I usually too. I was disgruntled that I was on a deadline because A) Monday night is the one night I try to get done with work, dinner and on the couch at 7:00 and B) because if I didn't do it Monday, I'd have a heck of a time motivating myself to do this blog post otherwise.
Let's just say I know myself well.
On Tuesday night, I had a softball game, and here it is Wednesday, I worked until 7:30, cooked dinner, ate and am dreading starting this at 9:00.
I'm also kind of just over all things The Bachelor right now. I haven't read it all, so I can't really make an educated comment, but my news tab on Facebook is full of angry Bachelor cast members. I really think the whole franchise may implode soon.
Also, who can keep track on if Clare and Dale are on again or off again.
I'd rather be watching Married at First Sight at the moment, but I need to find someone, anyone watching it too because I just want to sit around and comment about what a terrible job the experts did in matching these people and wondering why on earth these people wanted to get married in the first place. There is one woman who enjoys her alone time and partying with her single friends way too much. One guy just strikes me as an all around jerk, and he found out on his honeymoon that his ex-girlfriend was six weeks pregnant with his baby. There's no question in my mind whatsoever why one guy who is 38 never married. I feel so bad for the woman they matched him with because he has the personality of a turnip, and she's genuinely confused as to why they matched her with him. I am too!
Now, it's just as scripted as The Bachelor, I am sure. If anyone is watching MAFS, drop a note and maybe we can talk about that stupidity. I also watch the Australian version to listen to their accents, but those people are nuts. I also find it somewhat interesting that I don't think there is one man or woman in Australia without at least three tattoos. Not that tattoos are rare in the US...
So enough wasting of my own time... On with the show.
It's "hometown" week which just means the women are semi-in-charge of the dates on the resort and Matt gets to meet the women's families.
Chris Harrison enters the scene to talk to the women. He speaks of the big shift of before/after hometowns. He also reveals what family members are there for each of them:
- mom, dad, sister for Serena
- mom, dad, sister for Rachael
- mom, dad for Michelle
- mom, sister, best friend for Bri
Michelle is up first. They aren't going to Minnesota, but she plans on bringing Minnesota to Matt. When they meet up, Matt compliments Michelle on her shirt... Oddly, they are wearing the same color. Good job wardrobe department on finding lilac shirts for both of them.
So, in Minnesota, Michelle and her family take a lot of evening bike rides. They ride bikes on a trail, then she takes him into a conference room where a bunch of her students are live on Zoom. I'd say they are third or fourth graders. The kids have questions for Matt. Everything from, "Are you Ms. Young's boyfriend?" to "Have you kissed yet?" "How may girlfriends do you have?" "Are you going to have babies?"
From there, they have the obligatory hometown date picnic and have the typical boring picnic conversations.
They eventually make their way to meeting Michelle's parents. They fill them in a little on the process so far, and how Michelle was a late comer, but Matt had to have a one-on-one date with her the day after meeting her. (Random observation... her parents, at least her dad, is older than most parents.)
Ephriam, her dad, takes Michelle off first. He sees her happy, but asks what he sees in him. Michelle thinks that Matt is more than just talk, that he has a plan for the future. They talk a little about the hard place she was in a couple of years ago. He asks if she would say yes if Matt proposed. Michelle said she would.
He talks to Matt next, asking what characteristics make Michelle come out. Matt answers similarly to Michelle -- her plans and goals. Dad asks if Matt is in love with Michelle. Matt, of course, says he can't make those kinds of professions, but is falling for her.
Michelle tells her mom she really likes Matt and that he could be the one. When Michelle gets emotional, Mom asks if it's going too fast for her, but Michelle says it isn't. Mom also asks Michelle if she sees some of her dad in Matt since he treats her (mom) so well.
They all head out to shoot a few hoops. Michelle wants to tell him how she feels before Matt leaves.
{Side note: There was just a casting call for seniors. Is that people over 40?}
Next up is Rachael. Communication, honesty, and trust are big for her, so she challenges Matt, asking if he trusts her. She blindfolds him, puts him into a car and speeds off. When she takes the blindfold off, they are in front of a plane. They are going skydiving.
Freefall at 120 mph from 12,000 ft to 5,000 ft before opening a parachute.
No thank you.
When Rachael and her dive partner land, they take a really hard landing. It hurt her back, and they had to brush quite a bit of grass out of hair. I think they washed and styled her hair, then put her back n her jump suit for the picnic conversation.
They head off to meet the family. Mom takes Rachael off first. Rachael says she's falling in love so easily, and wouldn't have had them meet Matt unless she saw big potential. Mom asks if she's ever seen Matt have bad moments. Rachael said she had not, in fact, he was really awesome when she had her really rough landing.
Dad talks to Matt, and he's a big time skeptic. He doesn't think anyone can find love in just a few weeks. Matt tells him that he is falling in love with her and that they've had a really good connection. Dad states the obvious that he still has other women there too that he's probably saying the same thing to.
When Dad talks to Rachael, he says he thinks Matt is telling all of them the same thing. Rachael doesn't think so. She thinks she's different.
Matt tells Rachael that he had a really good talk with her Dad. Hmmm. He does tell her that he didn't ask for her Dad's blessing while they were there because he's not having that conversation with four families. This is disappointing to Rachael, even though Matt says he will do so when/if the time comes.
Then, there was Bri. She was the first one to get a one-on-one. They've bonded on a number of things, including being raised by single mothers. They're comfortable, and Matt wants to push beyond that.
She rolls up in a Jeep, and she wants to take him back to their first date as some payback. There's going to be some off-roading. The bumpy rise is symbolic to what a relationship can be. I guess relationships can be muddy too. They stop and pull out the picnic blanket and chat about meeting her family. All part of the formula.
Bri didn't expect to be here and him meeting her family. She apologizes that he won't be able to meet a conventional family. He's nervous to meet her mom.
Bri's mom must have been really, really young when Bri was born because Bri literally has a baby sister now. There's 20-something years difference there.
Bri's Mom talks to Matt one-on-one before she talks to Bri. Mom asks about love, he says he's falling for her. Mom points out what a realist Bri is. Matt knows. Matt can see Bri in his life.
Mom talks to Bri next. Mom asks Bri if she's in love. Bri can't imageine telling him she's in love then being rejected. Bri's mom tells her if that happens, they will get through it together.
Bri's friend Bri is also there, however, there are no meaningful conversations with her.
There's the formulaic outside "before you go" conversation. Bri says she feels like she is falling in love with him. He, of course, gives the scripted, "Thank you for saying that."
Finally, we have Serena P. She's going to try to bring Canada to him. The interior of the building is covered with Canadian flags. There's a stuffed moose, a map where he has to find where she's from.
They move on to Canadian trivia and facts, then trying traditional foods such as poutine and beaver tails. Finally, they had out to an ice rink and play hockey.
When they finally get around to meeting the family, Mom takes Matt off first. Mom asks what it is that Matt likes about Serena. She challenges him. Mom thinks Matt is a good guy, but isn't so sure Serena will be ready to get mail this quick.
Serena and her sister talk. Serena wants to know her first impression of Matt. Serena says he checks all the boxes, but sister thinks something is missing... Serena isn't smitten. Talia thinks Serena is holding back and is in her head.
Dad asks Serena if she is happy. She's a little more hesitant now after talking to her sister. By the time Serena talks to her mom, she is confused and has some doubts. Mom wonders if her past relationship and how bad she got hurt is playing in now. Serena is playing her last relationship (where she was sure) in her head, and now, she's a mess.
Outside on the bench, Matt asks Serena how conversations went. Serena talks about being in her head. This conversation goes the worst of the four, but Matt tells her not to worry.
After meeting everyone, Matt sits down to talk with Chris. Matt said the conversations went every possible way. Chris asks if there are any red lights. Matt says Serena had some questions, but he's given her as much confirmation about his feelings as he can. Something was off. Chris encourages Matt to have a conversation sooner rather than later--before he hands out another rose.
Matt can see himself with Serena, but can Serena see herself with him?
Matt tells her that he has always had a connection with her. Serena says she's always had her struggles. She shares her discussion with her mom. At first, Serena thought it was fear, but now she realizes there's more too it. Serena doesn't think Matt is her person. This profession stuns Matt into silence.
When he finally speaks again, Matt says that he knew there was something off with her after talking to her parents, and it sucks. Matt asks her to walk him downstairs. Now he's getting in the car to leave. Matt is disappointment--he didn't see them ending that way.
The other three women arrive to the rose ceremony. The three of them start asking each other if they think Serena is coming and if any of them have seen her that day.
Matt arrives and let's Chris know the conversation with Serena did need to happen and probably should have weeks ago. Matt just hopes the same doesn't happen with any of the other women.
Matt lets the remaining women know that Serena couldn't see herself with him and asks that each of them think about that as they accept the rose. He then hands them out... Michelle, Rachael, and Bri.
Bri reads something into the order in which roses were handed out. Michelle's ready for fantasy suites and then getting her hubby.
Next week is the Women Tell All. Oh, so much drama.
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