Truth & Tayshia

As a long-time fan of The Bachelorette (and previous recaper), I’ve taken it upon myself to recap Tayshia Adam's season. So here it is: my Rose Recap of Season 16 Episode 9.

The episode resumes a two-on-one which after a week-long break, I'm still invested in. Bennet is condescending, which I’m not into. Noah is immature, which I’m also not into. If I had to choose between Bennet and Noah, I’d send them both home-I don’t think Tayshia has a strong enough connection with either one of them to justify keeping them around.

Tayshia decides to send Bennet home, and like every guy from this point forward, I’m sure we’ll see him in Paradise, if Paradise ever happens again. Noah shoots back 18 tick tacks only for Tayshia to tell him not to celebrate and decides not to give him a rose immediately but lets him attend the cocktail party.

The cocktail party is pretty unimportant to the overall plot of the episode. Zac and Ben already have roses. The remaining roses go to:

• Brendan

• Riley

• Blake

• Ivan

• Noah

Spencer, Demar, and Ed are sent a-packing.

Ben, falling in love is full of surprises.

Jojo sets up a little scoter date scavenger hunt; it’s fun but goes by quickly because most of the screentime of this date is on the night portion. Ben talks about having two failed suicide attempts and getting better by going through therapy. The way I feel about Ben this week is similar to how I felt about Zac last week; you are not as bad as your worst moment, you deserve second chances, your trauma doesn't need to define you. Ben gets the rose from Tayshia and I'm pretty sure he'd gets the rose from most of America.

The Truth is that I’m Falling in Love

• Zac

• Ivan

• Riley

• Noah

• Brendan

Jojo shows up to this date and straps the boys into a lie detector test. This is an ok enough idea except polygraphs are so unreliable that their data is not admissible in court, which Riley does mention. But it still feels like Tayshia takes the test results too seriously given the margin or error. But that doesn't stop Tayshia from telling Zac that she’s falling in love with him. Riley reveals some family history about his dad and changing his name. Ivan says he’s only been in love one other time. Brendan talks about his fears leading up to hometowns. And Noah is on this date too, I guess. Tayshia decides that no one is getting the rose because she can’t choose between these guys, and I want yall to treat her better than you treated Clare when she made this same decision.

Bennet shows up as the date is wrapping up, which is just poetic given that when Tayshia took the polygraph, it indicated that she lied when she said that she didn’t regret sending anyone home. Tayshia invited Bennet into her suite, he apologizes, says that he’s in love with her, and asks to come back. Tayshia asks for more time to make a decision but he shows up in next week’s preview so my guess is that he's staying.

In case you missed it, there are two episodes next week, so come back Monday night for some more mediocre takes.

xoxo, Cyber Claire