-On to Croatia, and I’m gonna talk about all 3 dates on this page as a whole because they were just, ummmm, weird? Usually when they go to a country for an episode, they try and do whatever they can for the 3 dates involved to show as much of what the country has to offer as possible. Not so much for Croatia. Did the Croats piss them off? Did the check bounce? Were they understaffed or something? I don’t think I’ve ever seen an episode in another country with the subsequent 3 dates, where as little of the country was shown to the viewers as what we got last night. Did anyone else notice this?
-First date started off without even a date card. Clayton just showed up to where all the women were sitting and said the first date starts now with Teddi. Great. Teddi the first impression rose recipient, who’s basically been a ghost for 5 episodes, finally gets her first 1-on-1. Now, once their date started it began to rain, so maybe original plans changed, but their date literally consisted of them walking in the streets under an umbrella and…that’s it. No joke. They went to commercial break and the next we see of them is at night for their dinner portion. At dinner Teddi tells Clayton she’s a virgin, Clayton acts unbothered by this, but I think we kinda saw Teddi’s youth on this date. I just sensed that there was zero physical chemistry between the two and he just looked at her as a buddy. And make no mistake, if Teddi was someone Clayton was seriously considering picking in the end, there is no chance she would’ve gotten a bullshit “walk under and umbrella” date. No chance.
-The group date took 7 of the women to see a Croatian knight. Or some cosplay version of one. They had to perform feats that a knight would apparently perform. You know, if you’re an actual knight living in Croatia. They had to do a physical strength competition, eat a feast of disgusting food, then win over the knight’s heart by telling him what they’re feeling and what they’re fighting for. You know, because all knights do this. Why not just take them to Medieval Times for a group date and just be done with it. Oh, they don’t have that in Croatia? You mean the local strip mall didn’t have cosplay knights riding around on horses and fake jousting with each other while the fans cheered them on and ate turkey legs with their hands? Could’ve sworn they’d have that on every street corner in Hvar, with Katarina our local Croatian knight leading the charge every show.
-Rachel got the group date rose for the second straight week, which has only happened now 3 times in show history I believe: Nikki on Juan Pablo’s season, Brandon last season with Michelle, and now Rachel. One of them won. One of them didn’t. So that back-to-back roses tells us nothing, although I’m sure some will read into it. The noteworthy happening from that night was what I’d reported a couple weeks ago, and that was that Susie left a note under his door to meet him at the Clock Tower, which totally had my Back to the Future pants on fire last night. The clock tower? Were Susie and Clayton gonna travel back to the beginning of the season so he could rid us of Shanae on night 1? Alas, that didn’t not happen, there was no flux capacitor involved, no DeLorean, no Enchantment Under the Sea Dance and I’m pissed.
-The final date went to Sarah, who’s now getting her second 1-on-1 date before Mara got her first, and Mara made that known to Clayton. For those that are new to this show, or for those that haven’t been able to pick up on this in 46 seasons, the bottom line is the reason Sarah got two 1-on-1 dates before Mara got one is because Clayton was never picking Mara. We’ve seen this time and time again on this show in the past. This is nothing new. Plenty of people have gotten their second 1-on-1 in that 6th or 7th episode before someone even got their first one, and that person without one is basically gone that episode. So while they really tried to stir shit up with Mara & Sarah, there really wasn’t much there. I guess what they are really digging for is for “cocky” Sarah to show herself, which we got a little of at the end of last night, but seemingly seeps into next weeks episode. Not that Sarah is a villain, but we know she doesn’t get a hometown and is eliminated next week, so I guess they had to plant the seed as to why she was.
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jlal
February 15, 2022 at 1:43 PM
The amounts of “likes” used by the women and Clayton make it almost immpossible to watch.
jillmarie
February 15, 2022 at 7:09 PM
I was excited for this season but am bored, the bachelor is boring to me, and sick of the villian drama. Love the spoilers though, they keep it more interesting.
jlal
February 16, 2022 at 4:01 AM
So, I wonder if the women like Mara know they are fillers. We have all heard that the lead picks who they want to keep and the producers fill in the rest. So, if you’re that far in and others are getting second one-on-ones and you’re not it is a loud message that you’re not one of the leads pick. You can’t get mad at the other woman, she didn’t give herself two one-on-ones the lead did. I’m surprise that more don’t leave once the figure that out, if they figure that out.
justmeat59
February 16, 2022 at 5:17 AM
@jlal – I really think that for the most part the “fillers” are looking for their few minutes of fame – and the possibility of making it to BIP. Surely they know that their “connection” isn’t as great as others. The maturity level of most of these women is very low and they are easily manipulated by production.
ctrealitygirl
February 16, 2022 at 6:44 AM
I agree with all your comments and wanted to add that it baffles me that contestants like Mara have no idea how they’re sabotaging themselves when they complain to the Bachelor about not getting a one-on-one date while others are getting a second one. Did you see the expression on Clayton’s face when she was going on and on about that? And to bury herself even further by commenting on the age of the women he’s showing most interest in? She’d walk away with a helluva lot more dignity if she just owned up to the fact that “he’s just not into her” and leave before he lets her go. She claims she’s the oldest one of the women. She’s 32, which is not old, but the way she’s behaving, she wreaks of desperation…NOT an attractive look. I suspect she was egged on by producers to confront him.
wisewords
February 16, 2022 at 8:14 AM
@ctrealitygirl, agree! Any time one contestant complains to the lead about another contestant it always seems to backfire. If you watch these shows with any regularity you would know that. Too bad Mara got hooked in. No doubt producers are stirring up drama now that Sha-nay-nay is gone.
jlal
February 16, 2022 at 11:25 AM
ctrealitygirl – I totally agree that it (read Mara) just reeks of desperation when they complain to the lead about not enough time, etc. And, yes I did notice Clayton’s face when Mara was complain. You can tell he was thinking, “Well I’m just not that into you”…
I do agree that 23 is a tad too young to expect someone to commit to marriage and kids. Not unheard of, but in this day and age most people are older. I don’t know if Clayton doesn’t have much dating experience or if it is the edit, but he seems like he is totally taken in by a pretty face and words without digging deeper.