The episode started with the conclusion of last week and Madison telling Peter her thoughts on where she stood heading into overnight dates. Did she express herself clearly? Not really. She said she didn’t want to give him an ultimatum, Peter said in an interview taped after the WTA he didn’t think it was an ultimatum, yet Chris Harrison essentially thinks it was. And I think a lot of you do. I guess we’re getting down to semantics here on what exactly an ultimatum was. I felt she expressed her morals and her beliefs to him in a way that made him aware of how she felt. Yes, she said it’d be tough for her to continue forward, but it wasn’t blatant of “If you have sex, I’m walking out.” I think that’s where the disconnect is with a lot of people when it comes to this issue because most people are looking at it as black and white, when I don’t think it’s that simple at all.
Madison has every right to express how she felt once she realized she would now be in the final 3 and heading to overnight dates. Peter also has a right to pursue his other two relationships that are still there in Hannah Ann and Victoria. I don’t think either of them were right, nor do I think either of them were wrong. Sure, some people if they were in Peter’s shoes, wouldn’t have done what he did. Which is fine. But it doesn’t mean he was 100% in the wrong. Why is he not allowed to explore his other relationships? And why isn’t Madison allowed to be open and honest to Peter about her belief system as they head into a very critical week of dates? The way I looked at the whole thing was that I just don’t think the two of them would be compatible in the long term. They have two different ideas on the values of sex in a relationship. I brought this up on a couple recent podcasts, but I don’t get the impression that Peter would be able to be with someone that he couldn’t have sex with until their wedding night. That’s the impression I get. Maybe he’ll end up proving me wrong. Maybe he wants to shed that label. I don’t know. I’m just saying he doesn’t strike me as someone who wants a partner who feels that way about sex. And on the flip side, I think Madison needs someone who is on the same, or at least similar path, that she is on religiously. I don’t believe Peter is that guy.
This notion that “Madison should’ve known what she signed up for,” and “did she not watch last season” is a really horrible argument. She’s allowed to go on this show for the adventure and see where it takes her. Maybe she never thought she’d last as far as she did. So once she got to that point, that’s why she shared with Peter her expectations. I think it’s a completely different argument of saying she should’ve never come on the show in the first place versus what she told Peter before overnight dates. It’s definitely a slippery slope. She can still go on the show if she wants, but, she just has to be aware that sex COULD become an issue once you reach that point. Maybe Madison never thought that far ahead, or, maybe she didn’t think it’d pertain to her. I’m not sure. Madison knew Peter was the “Bachelor.” She even told him on the first night she was hoping it’d be him. So clearly his sexual past with Hannah Brown wasn’t an issue with her. It’s what he did going forward that she was more concerned with. I think this issue can be debated until the end of time. What I do know is that someone who is waiting for marriage to have sex is going to face a major hurdle if they last long enough in this show. They have to know this going in, we’ve seen it talked about ad nauseum this season and past seasons, and they can’t be shocked or so put off by it when it gets to that point. Madison has every right to live her life the way she chooses. She also has to understand that a show like this isn’t the most conducive to feeding into her life choices. It just isn’t. We know this. And it seemed like either she didn’t, or wasn’t thinking that far ahead. But, that doesn’t mean she’s not allowed to or shouldn’t go on the show. Personally if it were me and that was my life choice, I wouldn’t put myself in that position in the first place. But if she wants to experience the show, who am I to tell her no?
One thing I definitely applaud Madison for from last night that is kinda going unnoticed is that did you realize at no point last night did she ever call out Hannah Ann or Victoria? She never made it about them or anything they did. Ever time she spoke on the subject it had to do with her, her morals, and how she’s chosen to live her life. She never judged the other women for anything they did. I don’t think she ever even said either of their names last night. But do you know which two women both wore necklaces with crosses on them last night and had no problem judging Madison? Take a wild guess. I appreciate Madison making her decision and her stance all about her and not judging the others for it. Plenty are attacking her for what she did last night, and even some comparing her to Luke P., but I think that’s apples and oranges. They ultimate end game was the same in that both their messages were “I’m waiting til marriage to have sex.” But the way each one delivered it couldn’t have been any different. No one’s saying you can’t have that belief. I just think you’re gonna run into some pretty big roadblocks if those are your beliefs and you choose to come on this show.
For those that were asking, no, that’s never happened in the show’s history before where the final 3 contestants, whether it was the “Bachelor” or “Bachelorette,” ever lived together during overnight date week. It’s never happened in 38 previous seasons, so it’s clear why they did it this time. They wanted to put Madison in an uncomfortable position and force her to talk about this issue. Chris Harrison even admitted it on Ashley I.’s podcast last night which I was told to listen to because Chris had some choice words for spoilers. I’ll address that part tomorrow. But still, I don’t buy Chris’ argument on putting all 3 of them together. Lets just say you didn’t. Doesn’t Madison still have to address the elephant in the room with Peter, regardless of if she’s leaving with Hannah Ann and Victoria or not? Like I said last paragraph, Madison’s issue isn’t with the other women, it’s with Peter. So no, they didn’t HAVE to put her with the other women. They still could’ve gotten the exact same effect (with less side eyes and awkward conversation) if they were to split them up like they always have. Last night was about Madison and Peter’s issue, so yes, keeping the women together could have been avoided and they have still gotten the drama they had with Peter and Madison over dinner.
