If Clayton ending up with Susie wasn’t a surprise enough, the fact we got both Rachel and Gabby as Bachelorettes was another shocker as well. This is not going to be a Kaitlyn/Britt season for those that maybe weren’t paying attention. The guys aren’t choosing who they want as their Bachelorette. Rachel and Gabby will be Bachelorettes throughout the course of the ENTIRE season. Something they’ve never done before. Hey, 20 years and 46 seasons, you gotta change things up once in a while. Just had a first with the Bachelor leaving the final rose ceremony single, and now we’ve got a double Bachelorette season. I like it. After last night, and the performance that both of them gave on stage and how both of them stood their ground, it would’ve been really hard to choose one over the other. I have no idea when that decision was made, or when Rachel and Gabby actually knew, but my guess is they knew before last night started. How could they not? They need to get styled, fitted, etc with filming beginning in a few days. Once everyone in the audience and watching at home was cheering for them after their couch confrontation with Clayton, and Jesse gave the ol’ “The Bachelorette is not Rachel. Or Gabby” I knew it was both. Why else would he kill everyone’s hopes at that point when those were the only two on peoples minds at that point.
With this being the first time the US franchise has done this, there’s gonna be so many questions we all have that we aren’t to know or get answers to until filming begins. One thing they announced last night was that it premieres on July 11th, which is a good 6-8 weeks later than “Bachelorette” usually premieres. All this means is Paradise will end airing in November now, that’s all. “Bachelorette” is still beginning filming this weekend like it usually does. Maybe it takes a little longer to film and ends mid-late May instead of first week of May? But Paradise films for mostly the month of June. I don’t see how that changes other than maybe it gets pushed back a week or two, depending on how long “Bachelorette” filming runs now with two women. But with “Bachelorette” premiering on July 11th, assuming it runs its normal 11 weeks with no off weeks, that just means the earliest BIP can premiere would be Sept 26th. And if it premieres then, then it’s running into November. Which is fine. Michelle’s season (and Tayshia’s the year before that), ran until the week of Christmas. I just think Paradise might air on Tuesdays like Tayshia and Michelle’s season to avoid going head to head with Monday Night Football. We’ll see. But don’t be alarmed at anything. All this does is just kinda push stuff back a few weeks. It’s still filming in the exact same time it always does. It’s just airing later.
As for filming itself and how it’ll play out, we just don’t know a lot until it gets underway. They haven’t ever done this on the US show. I know one of the overseas version did, but I didn’t watch or know how they did it. Now, “Joe Millionaire” just had two leads and we saw how they did those dates. When it was a group date in the beginning with a lot of the women, both guys were part of it. Then when the women dwindled down, one of the guys took a group of women to do one thing, and one guy took the remaining women to do another thing. And each had 1-on-1s mixed in as well. It was established fairly early on which girls were into which guy, and while Gabby and Rachel will probably have a couple guys they’re both into (and vice versa), I think as the group starts getting smaller, there will be a clear delineation into which guys left are for Rachel and which guys left are for Gabby. HOWEVER…
Knowing the way this show works and how stuff is storyboarded before the season even begins, is it REALLY that much of a stretch to think there will be one guy this season that Rachel and Gabby are both SUPER into, they each get 1-on-1’s with him at some point, even HE can’t decide which one he likes more, and that guy actually gets an overnight date with both? I certainly can see it happening. Hell, if I were a producer, I would make SURE it happened. It’s too good of a storyline to pass up. And not to pit Rachel and Gabby against each other. Just more for dramatic purposes where this guy will end up having to ultimately choose as we get closer to the end. We’ll see. A lot of possibilities this season.
Here’s another one: How the hell are they gonna do hometowns? On “Joe Millionaire” for hometowns, I can’t remember how many were left at that point, but I wanna say at least 8, they brought all the families to one location, and they each got time with each guy. If the “Bachelorette” doesn’t do that, and we keep our standard four hometown dates, are you telling me Rachel and Gabby are gonna film 8 separate hometown dates? That seems a bit much and would most certainly extend filming. So that would happen towards the end of April. Sooooo early to say right now what’ll happen, but I have a feeling as filming goes on, just like all non-COVID seasons, I’m gonna find stuff out to spoil, I’ll start hearing more stuff about filming, pictures we’ll get out, and I can begin piecing what I hear together with any photo/video evidence.
In terms of locations, one place I heard they were going this season was Paris. Not sure when, but that’s one place I heard they’re headed. Now there’s also this email floating around that was sent to me about Virgin Cruise Lines cancelling cruise destinations for 3 weeks in April due to “lack of sales.” The email also states that Virgin was approached by an American TV company who are willing “over the odds for the entire ship for 3 weeks.” It fits with the “Bachelorette” timing, it would definitely be something new and different, but I haven’t heard if this is 100% the “Bachelorette” that contacted Virgin Cruise Lines. Sounds like it could be, but nothing confirmed yet. If it IS true, that opens up so many possibilities:
-Would all the dates be on the cruise? (Shuffleboard, anyone?)
-Would the cruise just take them to destinations and all the dates would be on land and just maybe rose ceremonies on the ship?
-Where does someone go after they get eliminated at a rose ceremony? Thrown overboard?
-What if it hits an iceberg and Jack can’t save Rose?
The questions are endless for this thing if it is true. Again, when you’re this far into a franchise, you gotta try mixing things up. They are certainly trying their damndest.
All in all, the shock factor for the average fan tonight was through the roof. If you’ve read every post, tweet, DM, and all the crazy ass theories online since November, then no, all the hype tonight was probably a lot of hyperbole to you. But remember you die hards are a small, small percentage of their overall audience who watches the show for 2 hours every Monday night then shuts off their brain for a week until it airs again. So to those people, yeah, tonight was a pretty boffo ending. Clayton leaving single (never happened), Susie coming back after all that (they didn’t see that coming), and a two Bachelorette announcement (never happened). I’m looking forward to it because it is gonna be different, and that’s what this franchise needs. Thanks to all of you who followed and supported this season. Wouldn’t be here without you. Follow on social all through the weekend for updates on the “Bachelorette” men and anything else I may find out about the beginning of filming. Talk soon and go Jackrabbits! (And Hokies).
Send all links and emails to: steve@realitysteve.com. To follow me on Twitter, it’s: www.twitter.com/RealitySteve. Instagram name is RealitySteve, or join my Reality Steve Facebook Fan Page. Talk to you tomorrow.
jlal
March 16, 2022 at 8:00 AM
“She literally left the show because of it.” No RS she didn’t leave the show, Clayton pretty much kicked her out. However, he was pissed as he was told that Susie had signed a contract to be bachelorette. He thought it was a done deal and she had totally used him. Susie had been manipulated and told he was closer/picking/in-love whatever with one of the other women. She also was hounded all season to be the Bachelorette. Production wanted her for bachelorette and tried to break them up to that end. Susie didn’t say yes on the final, because she knew she couldn’t tell the truth about what had happened. She didn’t want young girls to see her say yes, after he treated her so bad. I think they have been together since it ended. They still had to deal with his idiocy with the other two. But, once they talked and figured out how much they had been interfered with, it answered a lot of questions. Clayton said he quit his job, sold his condo, and is moving. You don’t do all of that if you have only been back together a few weeks. They have been together since it ended. They are under contract so will never say any of this. I have heard/seen where some people guessed that Clayton was led to think she wanted to be Bachelorette, but they took it further than that. She told them all along she was really into Clayton, so they tried to interfere. It created a ton of drama and ratings, but Clayton and Susie won in the end because the truth won out. I guess the show won too. They didn’t get Susie for Bachelorette, but got the ratings anyway and probably better ones.
I will say it again, after hearing just how far production is willing to go even flat out lying to the lead to get their story line I’m disgusted. Clayton isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed and certainly made bonehead mistakes, but he and Susie were done wrong by the show.
shenanigans
March 16, 2022 at 10:14 AM
If Susie is willing to give Clayton another chance, that’s her business. After all, two of the most successful couples in Bachelor history, Jason & Molly and Arie & Lauren, got married and had kids after the guy rejected them and got engaged to somebody else. If those women could get past that and move forward, Susie can certainly forgive Clayton.
Mia
March 16, 2022 at 10:14 AM
Get a life, jlal.
justsaying
March 16, 2022 at 10:23 AM
Why was it ok for Gabby to swear up a storm or for Rachel to “haunt” Clayton during the breakup but if it was the other way around.. he’d be in prison for that.
rob22
March 16, 2022 at 11:55 AM
Obviously it’s all speculation until Suzie & Clayton address it directly. My theory is that they were able to get together and see how production had manipulated both of them to get to the place where it crashed and burned. That makes it a little easier to forgive the other person when it’s happened to both of you. And the manipulation was really blatant, especially with having Susie go last & putting her into a situation where her head was spinning. And Clayton is a person that is so easily manipulated. Low Emotional intelligence in terms of how he was coming across, and too willing to accept production queues as truth with no pushback at all. Not to mention his own terrible though processes that were on display for all to see. I also wonder if Susie was wanting to see how Clayton reacted to being rejected. Would he again turn into a gas lighting jerk? Or, was that just a bad day. No way to know the truth. Someday maybe they’ll talk about it honestly after their NDAs have expired.
dogmomma
March 16, 2022 at 12:49 PM
The first post (jlal) makes a lot of sense as to why things happened the way they did. And of course it would be better to hear it from Clayton and Susie, but we all know they can’t talk about it. It absolutely doesn’t surprise me that they were manipulated for ratings. With Joe Millionaire winning over lots of Bachelor nation, they had to do something crazy to make this show more popular. I really dislike so many things about the show and how they manipulate and use people. I have skipped several seasons and I think lots of other people have as well, but now people are going to be curious about the new format with two girls being in the lead. Brilliant move on their part to help a sinking ship.
wisewords
March 16, 2022 at 1:12 PM
@jlal where are you getting your information? Why do you know more than RealitySteve? Or is this your personal theory on what happened? Please clarify.
SherryfromD
March 16, 2022 at 3:22 PM
I think this info came from @zacharyreality on IG. It’s in his stories.
adelina
March 16, 2022 at 4:51 PM
Sure thing Jan.
jlal
March 16, 2022 at 5:22 PM
I have a life Mia. This is a site about the bachelor. So like everyone else on here I commented about the show.
jlal
March 16, 2022 at 5:32 PM
I was told by someone. I don’t do social media. However, I did click the podcast link RS had in the post. They said pretty much the same thing, at least about the manipulation. What I was told the show took it much further than just manipulation. Susie said in an interview that she reached out to him that night and they talked for 5 hrs. Everything I have seen and heard gives me no reason to doubt what I was told. Everyone knows and RS warns all the time about production manipulation, I was just shocked at how low they would go.
jlal
March 16, 2022 at 5:33 PM
I was told by someone. I don’t do SM. However, I did click the podcast link RS had in the post. They said pretty much the same thing, at least about the manipulation. What I was told the show took it much further than just manipulation. Susie said in an interview that she reached out to him that night and they talked for 5 hrs. Everything I have seen and heard gives me no reason to doubt what I was told. Everyone knows and RS warns all the time about production manipulation, I was just shocked at how low they would go.
missyb
March 16, 2022 at 6:24 PM
Only thing Clayton did wrong was verbalize what we’ve all known the show to be since it’s existence. He brought to light everything that is wrong with this show. His lack of holding his tongue made clear the absurdity of it.
Nahu
March 17, 2022 at 10:15 AM
I don’t understand why people are hating on Clayton so much. Other leads have done far worse IMO. Like Jake Pavelka, who yelled at Vienna and came off as abusive; or Arie and Peter, who propose to a person and then broke up with them on national TV; or Juan Pablo; or Colton… I could go on. I just don’t think anything Clayton did warrants the amount of vitriol I’ve seen. Bachelor Nation fans really need to touch some grass.
On Nick’s podcast, Susie said she and Clayton got together after the show was over and compared notes. I’m pretty sure they realized how much they had been manipulated by producers. Clayton didn’t get the idea that she wanted to be the Bachelorette out of nowhere. Susie confirmed that’s the reason he got so upset.
I don’t know if Clayton and Susie will last. But I think the fact they decided to get back together, knowing full well people wouldn’t root for them and actively wish them to fail, shows how strong their connection is. We’ve seen other couples in a similar situation succeed.
justsaying
March 17, 2022 at 2:10 PM
Thank you @Nahu. I agree that Clayton isn’t the worst bachelor.
He tried really hard to move on after Susie left. I can see he was forcing it and he just couldn’t force it anymore. Gabby and Rachel, honestly, didn’t take much convincing to stay so they need to take responsibility for sticking around. He clearly gave them an option to just end it all that night.
For Rachel to ask Clayton if he said ILY to sleep with her, seriously. Low blow. It takes two to tango.
janiel
March 17, 2022 at 8:51 PM
You’re trying to say they put guys in jail for swearing? Uh… no.
kernst33
March 18, 2022 at 7:05 AM
@justsaying Gabby literally tried to leave, and he refused to let her take it. That’s why she was so mad when he did the very same thing several days later when he again dumped hard-to-hear news on her and Rachel at the same time. I also think it’s a bit much to say that it was a low blow for Rachel to ask that, given the context of their relationship and their time in the fantasy suites — he made such a big deal about how he hadn’t said “I love you” in years, and it’s easy to wonder why if it wasn’t to end up together.
rick45
March 18, 2022 at 3:55 PM
I bet Gabby and Rachel are glad Clayton didn’t withhold his tongue!
justsaying
March 18, 2022 at 9:24 PM
@kernst33 Firstly, we don’t know in what context Clayton told Rachel about how long he hasn’t expressed love to another woman. Maybe he was chewing on some salad when he said that or he was about to fall asleep when he told her that. Who the heck knows!
Maybe we weren’t watching the same show. I saw Clayton walking Abby out when she stopped, turned around and chatted a bit with Clayton and she stayed. Hardly begging or groveling. Take some self accountability. Gabby and Rachel decided to stay even after hearing the confused and distraught Clayton said he’s fallen in love with all of them. So they have to deal with the fallout too.
justsaying
March 18, 2022 at 9:26 PM
@janiel It’s a figure of speech. Oy vey!
amr214
March 19, 2022 at 10:48 PM
I know that was just a dumb (really dumb) joke, but it set me off,so here ya go! I’m continually amazed by how clueless some (many?) men are re: how physically unsatisfying sex really is/can often be for most women.
Sure it can be great for a while if you both actually give a s*** about each other, but even then the physical attraction wanes MUCH sooner for women than it does for men. (FACT. Google it.)
That’s why the whole “love”/emotional part seems to matter so much more to women. Without that factor, you’d be SHOCKED at know fast we lost interest & moved on! Seriously. If women acted solely on their current level of sexual interest, you’d be crying into your pillows every night.
amr214
March 19, 2022 at 11:06 PM
WOW… My comment appeared 5 min ago, but it’s already gone?! *Somebody* must be really sensitive on the subject! ;D