The Golden Bachelor Recap: Likewise Is in the Air

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Can you believe there are only six women left? And hometown dates are next week with just three of them?! This season of *The Bachelor* is seriously shocking – it feels totally off. Even with all the focus on emotional experiences, there’s a real lack of connection and romance. Mel keeps responding with just “likewise” when women share their feelings, which is awkward. It seems like the show’s producers thought they could recreate the success of the first season without putting much effort into building genuine relationships. It’s not working! Unlike Gerry, who was incredibly empathetic and open, making every conversation feel hopeful, this lead isn’t connecting with the women. Even if Gerry was putting on an act, he always seemed genuinely grateful and invested in getting to know them.

Look, I don’t *dislike* Mel, okay? He’s perfectly…fine. He’s the ultimate regular guy – the kind of dude you’d invite to your Super Bowl party without a second thought. He’d probably even sweet-talk the caterer into throwing in an extra sub. But when it comes to really *acting*, to showing some depth and complexity, he just doesn’t quite deliver. Honestly, at this point, if he started openly complaining about the actresses not being the right age, *that* would at least be interesting! I’d be rooting for the women to form a seriously intense, *Yellowjacketsstyle posse and, well, let’s just say Mel might end up on the menu after a good roasting. I just need *something* to grab onto!

The only good part of this episode was wondering which of the six women would make it to Hometown dates – I honestly didn’t know who would be sent home. If it were the usual four, I’d have known exactly who was going, but with three eliminations, it’s time to find out!

The preview made me think Cheryl was on the one-on-one date, which would have meant Cindy was being eliminated. I was really surprised to see Peg riding a unicycle around the house – she brought so many props! It reminded me of my college roommate who brought a whole tub of medieval costumes. Peg would definitely be in her element at a Renaissance fair. When Jesse visited, I was hoping he’d announce a group trip – somewhere like Lake Tahoe would be perfect. Instead, he told them hometown dates were coming up, but only three women would get one. Carol immediately got worried because she hadn’t had a solo date yet, and Nicolle was trying to subtly show off her probiotic gummies. The date card read, “Peg, Debbie, Cheryl, Nicolle, and Carol – I’m looking for my soul mate,” and Cindy started crying right away.

It’s group date time! Mel has brought everyone to Butterfly Mountain for an afternoon focused on spirituality. He introduces Shaman Dani, explaining he’s looking for a partner who shares his spiritual side. It would have been great to learn more about that! Honestly, I know so little about Mel – what does he truly want? Interestingly, during a chakra cleansing, he revealed his inner child craves “friendship.” That’s unexpected! I’m eager to hear more. Mel continues to be an enigma as he asks each woman on the date what making it to Hometowns would mean to her.

It’s amusing to imagine Mel needing his family’s approval from these women, especially considering their age. He hasn’t dated anyone seriously in years, and they’re well past the age where they need anyone’s blessing – they *are* the experienced ones!

Mel experiences a series of unusual dates. Peg covers him in mud, Cheryl shares a cold plunge with him, and Debbie and Mel try tantric yoga – all signs she’s a strong contender to meet his family. He then has Nicolle do a shaman-card reading, asking about her future plans. Nicolle candidly reveals her goals to grow her social media following and promote a plant-based cookbook she wants to write. Mel was hoping for a deeper connection, and while Nicolle answered honestly, she also playfully asks for a kiss for the cameras. It’s clear we’ll need to watch more episodes to see how far Nicolle will go to get the perfect shot.

Following a chakra cleanse, Carol decided that she and Mel weren’t a good match. They hadn’t spent much quality time together or had meaningful conversations, and she didn’t feel a connection with him. She’s decided to leave. Cheryl saw Carol leaving in her car and quickly told the other women. Since there wasn’t a rose ceremony after the group date, the date ended without anyone being saved.

It’s time for Cindy’s one-on-one date, and she’s excited! She puts on her favorite cowboy boots and meets Mel at Griffith Observatory. Mel planned a special date with a Texas theme – a horseback ride to the top! He jokes that horses can sense fear, and that people don’t ride horses much in Detroit. Once they reach the top, Cindy opens up about her past. She admits she got married hoping to start a family, but it felt like she rushed into it. After discovering her husband was unfaithful, she stayed for three years trying to make things work. Now, she’s been single for a while and doesn’t want to just *fall* into a relationship – she wants to truly fall in love. She tells Mel her feelings are genuine, and he says he feels the same way. As a sweet gesture, Mel gifts Cindy a star, similar to the penguin Scheana famously bought someone on *Vanderpump Rules*. Let’s all look up and find the Cindy star in the sky!

The rose ceremony is approaching, and the contestants are getting a chance to video chat with their loved ones. Three of them excitedly tell their families they’ve found someone special, even though it’s not necessarily true! Meanwhile, Peg’s hair is incredibly full and bouncy – she clearly spent time with hot rollers to achieve the look.

It’s rose ceremony time! Cindy received a rose, and Peg was an unexpected choice. Ultimately, Debbie got the final rose – Debbie! Oh, no! Cheryl was sent home, which was a shock, as I really thought she’d make it further. Nicolle is also going home. Cheryl is understandably heartbroken and is looking forward to being with her family for support. Nicolle, however, reacted strangely, jokingly suggesting she might be chosen as the Golden Bachelorette. That was… awkward!

Next week: Hometowns and everyone’s family telling him that he should be in love!

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2025-10-16 16:58