MATTers of the Heart

Hi pals, sorry that I missed last week’s recap, I didn’t manage to catch up on the hour I missed from the episode but I listened to two Bachelor podcasts so hopefully, my understanding of the season can remain coherent.

The episode starts with the girls talking about Sarah and her departure and it’s kinda funny how Sarah isn’t even there and she’s still managing to get more screen time and attention than some of the girls. I don’t know who all is on the date and from what I gather, the day portion of the date was canceled in favor of having just the evening cocktail party. Chelsea gets the rose but I think that Matt is still more into Bri (but even he knows it’s ill-advised to give her the group date rose so close to her one-on-one).

During the pre-rose ceremony cocktail party, Chris Harrison pulls Matt aside, the girls are left inside the resort and start theorizing that Sarah is coming back, but really Chris tells Matt that since there were so many applications for the season, production decided to bring out five new girls, which this is kind of similar to when the new men were introduced during Clare/Tayshia’s season except that Matt’s girls are absolutely hostile to the new arrivals.

After nearly an hour of the episode, the rose ceremony begins. Three girls already have roses:

• Serena

• Rachael

• Chelsea

The remaining roses go to:

• MJ Pieper

• Bri

• Magi

• Michelle

• Mari

• Ryan

• Kit

• Serena C

• Abigail

• Katie

• Victoria

• Lauren

• Brit

• Jessinia

• Anna

• Catalina

We say our goodbyes to:

• Kylah

• Kaili

• Kim

The week starts with a group date: "Let’s fall in love."

• Mari

• Bri

• Catalina

• Ryan

• Magi

• Anna

• Abigail

• Victoria

After years of Bachelor watching, I was under the impression that the fall on the date card was going to always refer to heights of some sort, but instead, the date card refers to autumn. Bachelor alum Ben Higgins shows up to host a date-a fall-themed obstacle course involving squire costumes. Mari wins but there isn’t really any reward for winning, since everyone gets to go to the after-party. Bri gets the rose, further confirming my theory that she's a front runner in Matt's heart.

After Matt leaves the date, Anna addresses one of the new girls, Brittany. Both girls are from Chicago and Anna was specifically warned about Brittany and eventually, her story evolves to being that Brittany is an escort. There’s a lot to unpack and at the end of the day, these girls are living together and it should have probably been brought up off-camera, especially since at best it’s hearsay and has the potential to impact Brittany's life off the show even if it isn't true.

"Michelle, let’s make up for lost time."

Michelle is one of the new girls and it’s been a second since I’ve been in a science classroom but these two have chemistry. They spend the date going around the premises of the resort, with help of a zipline and a hot air balloon. Matt and Michelle have an interesting balance of first date jitters and an instant comfort with each other that makes me think that Michelle could be one to watch. She gets the rose.

"Are you willing to fight for love?"

• Katie

• Pieper

• Jessina

• Chelsea

• Kit

• Rachael

• Serena P

• Serena C

• Lauren

Wells Adams is back to host a wrestling date, and truly when it comes to this kind of date when you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all. Except for the fun twist for this date is that only the original girls were asked to be on it, and boy do they love to mention it. I’m not even sure that there’s an evening portion to this date or that anyone got the group date rose because the episode ends on another cliffhanger.

I’ll see you next week where hopefully we can break the streak and end an episode with a rose ceremony.

xoxo,

Cyber Claire