The Bachelor Recap: Trouble in the Turret

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“I really like that you have all these different sides to you.”

“I do have walls up, but those walls could not be up.”

“That’s good. I’m emotionally available.”

“I love that.”

“But also, I’m fun.”

“I love fun.”

“Are you someone that loves fun?”

“I love fun.”

“I’m looking for someone that could be the mother of my children.”

“Some of my sides are soft.”

“But I also like to have fun.”

“Yeah, fun is something that’s fun.”

Repeat for two hours.

It seems Grant’s encounter with Bachelor Nation has taken an unfavorable turn, with his songs to the contestants and a clip of him mentioning Rose during the group date causing a stir on Reddit. It’s uncertain how he can regain their trust at this point. Following Bachelor Joey’s exceptional term as the lead, it’s challenging to envision anyone who could measure up. However, Grant appears to be lacking that certain indefinable quality, as the French would say, “je ne sais quoi.” The repetitiveness of the dates and relationships is not helping the situation either. The major obstacle for this season seems to be that Grant’s light is shining too brightly, which may be causing some discomfort.

Many people recognize the TV show “Sex and the City,” especially the episode “The Big Time” where Miranda Hobbes explains that when someone decides they’re ready to settle down, they essentially put up a signal. This is what Grant seems to be doing by constantly mentioning his search for a wife and describing each woman he meets as a potential spouse and mother. It’s clear that he’s ready to commit, but he struggles to articulate exactly what he wants in a partner. Additionally, his later comments about using a family to heal past issues suggest that he might not fully understand the concept of a balanced partnership in marriage and parenthood.

Let’s get into it.

After The Prom From Hell, the ladies gather together to ponder over all the chaos that had unfolded. Suddenly, Jesse bursts in and shares the news that Grant, finding the situation tiresome, has supposedly run away to a country with no extradition treaty – a joke, he quickly adds. In reality, Grant is in Madrid, and their flight departs within an hour! Juliana reveals that this upcoming trip will be her first vacation with a boyfriend, but there’s a twist – his nine other girlfriends will also be joining them.

Upon their arrival in Madrid, Grant shares anecdotes of his past visits to Spain during his basketball career, expressing a heightened emotional readiness for romance. He engages in conversation with Jesse, as they acknowledge this week marks a significant turning point. Previously, moments like gazing deeply into a woman’s eyes, placing a hand on her waist, and complimenting her maternal potential were all considered casual flirtation.

Meanwhile, the female contestants gather for some sangria, discussing their desires for their time in Madrid. Juliana, eager to move past any romantic tension, expresses her hope to see her “boyfriend” a bit too loudly. Grant then announces that Dina is selected for the “Strolling Around the City One-on-One Date!

On this particular day, they engage in numerous activities. They play soccer with kids, dance with the elderly, walk down romantic alleyways, and even row a boat! Dina is eager to reveal her softer side and multiple dimensions to Grant. In contrast to other female characters on the show, she asserts, “No, this is me. I’m tough-as-nails, and he’s going to love it. I’m in charge.” They write their wishes on a shop wall, with Carolina wishing for a happy marriage filled with love, laughter, children, and fun. Grant desires to find his life partner and the mother of his kids. Dina expresses her wish aligns with Grant’s when she says, “Wow! We have identical aspirations!” While rowing a boat, Dina struggles not to assist Grant, hinting at her belief that he might need help. I adore her. She essentially communicates, “You haven’t got a clue what you’re doing, and I could take care of everything.” This is the point where Grant discusses his desire to be a provider, and Dina, an accomplished lawyer, responds by acknowledging that she too is a giver, suggesting mutual giving in their relationship. This revelation leaves Grant astonished, as he claims he’s never experienced such a dynamic before. This would prompt me to ask countless follow-up questions, including “Huh?” and “What?” He also remarks that Dina surpasses the stereotype of being a career-oriented woman with a five-year plan. Has he ever encountered a woman who works?

During the evening part of their date, Dina discloses that her structured and intense nature stems from being one of eleven siblings. She doesn’t have many spontaneous moments, but she appreciates how Grant encourages her to be more carefree. Additionally, she inquires about his seven-year relationship, implying a sense of awe or wonderment, such as “That is quite a long time.” Grant admits he was self-centered and career-driven, and he didn’t cater to the needs of his ex-partner. I suspect Dina was seeking reassurance about his commitment towards her, but it seemed like he wasn’t fully invested at that point in their relationship.

Dina expresses that she appreciates how Grant leaves her feeling vulnerable, while Grant is taken aback by the fact that Dina even has a LinkedIn profile. It seems this pairing might work out, but I could use more details about their connection. By the way, I’d appreciate knowing more about their relationship dynamics.

At the hotel, the other contestants are anxiously awaiting the group date card. Meanwhile, Carolina seems to be talking non-stop about how she’s not complaining, yet continues to do so. It’s unclear if her way of connecting with others is constant complaining or if she genuinely doesn’t understand that she’s not the star of the show right now. Carolina also mentions her dislike for group dates because she has to witness everyone’s private moments with Grant. This seems ironic, considering she herself was quite intimate with him in front of Mario earlier on. Alexe, Litia, Carolina, Natalie, Rose, Parisa, Zoe, and Juliana are selected for the group date. Surprisingly, Juliana wasn’t chosen for either of the one-on-one dates this week. It leaves me wondering what Grant is waiting for since he appears to have a strong interest in her!

On their group outing, they travel through another Spanish town on hired donkeys instead. The donkey of contestant Parisa was particularly gassy, causing some humor among the group as Alexe jokingly suggested she found it appealing. Contestant Carolina’s donkey seemed to be a professional actor, keeping her at the rear during the entire journey. They eventually arrived at a bullfighting arena with one of the few female matadors, named Carmen. Carmen expressed that bullfighting is all about self-assurance, as there was no insurance for their reality TV participants to confront a real bull directly. To showcase their confidence, they had Grant push a cart simulating a bull. Contestant Litia shared a small, innocent kiss, which triggered an emotional response from Carolina.

Following a brief practice round, they unveil the main event: a mechanical bull! A motley crew of locals congregate to sift through their junk emails while watching. The one who lasts the longest on the bull wins a prize. Most women are thrown off in mere seconds, but Alexe manages to hold onto the bull by its horns (quite literally), which seems to go against the rules. This isn’t sanctioned by the International Rodeo Association. Zoe observes Alexe’s technique and decides to mimic it. In the end, Zoe wins! She receives some exclusive time with Grant, which includes a stroll to another part of the arena, raising a toast, and sharing a quick kiss. It appears that the wooden hot tub in the field or the canceled cocktail party for everyone else is no longer relevant at this point. Instead, it seems more advantageous to lose the group date mini-challenge and secure the group date rose instead.

As the group date cocktail party begins, first things first: Grant presents Parisa with some rather unattractive rocks, which seems quite intimate given their impending goodbyes. Rose chats with Grant before anyone else, stumbling through their past difficulties. He acknowledges a potential connection between them and wishes to continue moving forward. Later, Zoe shares her backstory with Grant – she was adopted, grew up in a predominantly white area where Black people were not valued as beautiful, and struggled to find acceptance and self-love. Moved by her openness, Grant expresses his appreciation for her sharing this part of herself.

As a film enthusiast, it strikes me that Grant appears to believe that if a woman confides in him and sheds tears over any matter, that’s a sign of emotional openness and fostering the relationship. This seems to be the reason for his swift actions towards Carolina.

Regarding Carolina, let’s dive into this matter at hand. It seems there’s an irritating quirk about her: she tends to verbalize her thoughts excessively. She appears to believe that everyone must be privy to her thoughts and current state, assuming they are all eager listeners. Currently, she is expressing doubts about Grant and has questions left unanswered, expressing a need to understand his intentions. However, here’s my advice: Girl, you’re the frontrunner! Calm down!!! Unfortunately, people are growing weary of listening to her lament about the possibility of marrying the man everyone is vying for. Finally, Juliana has had enough and makes a questionable move in the game by pulling Carolina aside.

Juliana subtly conveys to Carolina that her behavior is becoming bothersome and disruptive without directly accusing her. Instead of telling her to stop talking, she expresses her discomfort by stating that Carolina’s actions are leaving a sour taste in everyone’s mouth, and if she has doubts about Grant’s intentions, she should consider leaving the group. When pressed for information, Juliana maintains her composure and politely deflects further discussion by suggesting they only share what they are comfortable with. In response to being questioned about her feelings for Grant, Carolina becomes emotional and confesses her affection for him. The other girls attempt to draw more details from both Carolina and Juliana, but when confronted about the excessiveness of her behavior, Carolina sheds tears and reacts defensively by stating that she will only reveal information if prompted. Zoe suggests that Carolina’s one-on-one interactions with Grant can sometimes be overwhelming, and eventually, Carolina breaks down in tears again about her feelings for him. In essence, Juliana tactfully communicates her displeasure without being harsh, while the other girls try to navigate the emotional tension between the two women.

In this scenario, instead of Grant entering the room to select the group date rose, it turns out that he won’t be doing so tonight. Grant then pulls Carolina aside for a private conversation, informing her that she possesses qualities he seeks in a wife, and he intends to sort out the current situation. Consequently, no one will receive the group date rose this evening.

On Sarafiena’s one-on-one date, they plan to bungee jump from a bridge. This seems quite adventurous but rather unusual. Unfortunately, there were no suitable locations for wine tasting. The date activity lacked significant impact, as it mirrored the Stratosphere jump date. Sarafiena mentioned her fear, but she found comfort in Grant’s presence. Sarafiena occasionally uses terms like “insane” and “psychotic” to describe various situations. They moved on to dinner. It is unclear if there is a romantic connection between them. Grant appears to be probing for deeper emotional experiences since Sarafiena isn’t showing as much passion in their kisses. She shares that her mother is watching, and she doesn’t want to make a fool of herself, which adds a touching dimension to the conversation.

Sarafiena confesses that she felt shame growing up without a father, and it’s at this point that Grant suggests, “you can rewrite your own history.” I wonder what kind of counseling or therapy Grant is undergoing, if any, but it seems he may need more. Sarafiena receives the rose as Grant sees potential for her to become a good wife. I hope someone on the show will discuss their hobbies soon! Please! Grant even hints at falling in love with her! Wow, that’s surprising!

At the cocktail gathering, the atmosphere is tense! Grant pulls Juliana aside to discuss the drama brewing with Carolina. Juliana explains that Carolina seems ungrateful for her time with Grant, which isn’t sitting well with others. This news distresses Grant since Carolina appears to be the favorite! He has a conversation with Carolina, who manages to turn it around by saying she has reservations because she takes their relationship so seriously. It leaves me questioning if Carolina’s ‘poor-me’ act has worked in her favor before or if she feels compelled to use it to address other issues. Rose seizes the moment to share with Carolina how her stories negatively affected their relationship. She exclaims, “You really messed me up,” and swiftly decides to leave for home. I respect you, Rose. You’re not enjoying yourself right now. It’s time to head back home. Everyone begins calculating the number of rose ceremonies and group dates that Carolina has disrupted.

Time for the rose-giving event! Lita, Julia, Alexis, Zoe, and Carolina receive roses! Next stop: Scotland, and it appears as though Julia is getting the shopping princess outing, a promising development! And Carolina simply can’t resist! Join us again next week!

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2025-02-18 10:55