sofiah

I thought maybe Ben slipped up and told Lauren he loved her... and then kind of had to tell Jojo too to keep up the suspense. But if it's true that Jojo's date was first (is that known for sure?) then that kind of negates that theory...

I think the whole Amanda thing bothered me because her connection with Ben seemed so flimsy to begin with... that it's hard to understand why either one of them felt it was a good move to include the kids. I felt like Amanda was extremely uncomfortable and nervous the whole time - and it was because she was afraid one, or both, of her little girls would (understandably) have a total toddler meltdown and scare off Ben. The scene of her kid crying in the car, then crying on her lap at her parent's house, then dropping off her screaming little girl in her crib... what a mess. I am a mother of two kids, about the same age as Amanda's, and it is such a hard age... they are so volatile, so demanding - you can't really focus on anything other then them. I felt like I could feel her tension through the screen and see the wheels turning in her head, thinking of ways to put out the fires and keep her girls' little complaints from escalating into bigger 'issues' (while at the same time trying to impress Ben, look cute, and keep her top from falling off). I felt for her, but at the same time, she put herself in that situation and should have known better. The girls, I think, will be fine. They were probably confused as to what was going on, but they probably won't remember it in a week.

Well, no, because Maddie has been on t.v for so many years. But I agree Brynn lacks a certain artistic depth when she performs. She's not as bad as Kendall though, because at least her actual dancing is impressive. Wait...So everyone on the next season of 'SYTYCD' will be a kid?! I wanna watch that! When does it start? A little for me too. It seems to me like there was a lot of favoritism... if you ever looked at Alexa's instagram, it was really obvious she was much, much more invested in some students (Kalani, Brynn, her sister Addison) then others. I've also grown to find Alexa's choreography and style kind of one note - it either really works for a dancer and looks great, or it really doesn't work and looks silly. Its all kind of faux-deep and try-hard "artsy"... but hey, the tweens on youtube go crazy for it, and her dancers win a lot of awards, so she's obviously doing something right. Also, I think she is really young (like very early twenties) so it makes sense that her choreography would be a little gratuitously angsty. Either way, I think she's left Club Dance studio... and moved to L.A to work there. I don't know, I could be wrong.

Arie was the best. I wanted him to be the Bachelor back in the day. Wasn't it between him and farmer Chris at one point? I actually think Amanda is really pretty. She's weird though, when they left together for their date and he was snuggling into her in the car, and she was just kinda sitting there.

Jill is so ridiculous. And a hypocrite - she gets all up in arms if anyone dares insult Kendall - but then she has actually been very horrible towards Brynn... who is actually better then Kendall in all fronts - performance and technique. Really? Who else does she dislike? This is true, but I think they would have a lot of interaction at Club Dance because Brynn and Kalani were both on the studio's Pre-Pro dance company, which I think only had like 10 girls on it or something. They would have trained together for hours everyday, travelled to competitions together, etc. It was also always really obvious that both Brynn and Kalani were close with their teacher Alexa Moffett.

I did not understand the Brynn/Kalani show down. Isn't Kalani like 3 years older? Don't get me wrong - I do not like Brynn's mom at all, but the poor little girl has to be better then Kendall, Maddie and now Kalani?! LOL. Either way, I think the hate between Kira and Brynn's mom (forgot her name) is very real. Debbie Allen seemed to genuinely be impressed by Kalani's little performance. Speaking of which, I recognized those costumes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lIyaViPjjM those look the same don't they? Maybe Kira lent them to Club Dance as well. I hate Abby, but I am actually starting to sympathize with her on some things -- these mothers going on and on about how important these fake competitions are, how important "the group number" is...zzzzzz... are they acting? Even Abby can't properly pretend to care about this charade anymore.

Yeah, it also wouldn't make sense for Ben to then confront Lauren B about it -- and for Lauren B to get so upset.

I agree with those that said that Brynn could technically dance circles around Maddie. I think she is a great dancer, she has great flexibility, her lines are amazing and she is strong. I don't even think it's necessarily a technique thing though - because Maddie also has great technique - I think Brynn has simply had more intense training and has learned more skills. However, that being said, I think Maddie is a better performer overall. While Brynn may be technically better, Maddie exudes charisma and confidence onstage in a way that Brynn doesn't, imo. Either way, I think they are both great and a duet with both of them would be stunning.

I agree with Ben being pretty good at the break ups. He is to the point, says there is no spark, says he can't reciprocate their feelings, there's nothing there anymore, etc. A lot of the other Bachelor/ettes imply that they are letting someone go because they didn't open up enough, or they have walls etc., which always makes the person think they could have stayed if they had just been "more open". Ben just tells them he's not feeling it.

I kind of think the whole Leah thing was producer driven. Something in the vein of - ok Leah, you are not the one. He is making it too obvious that Lauren B. is, so we need you to go in and "plant a seed of doubt" in his mind that we can milk for the rest of the season in order to not make the F1 so obvious. They milked the "seed of doubt" thing this episode - when there clearly is no real conflict in Ben's mind. Leah criticized Lauren B and he straight up sent her home for it. Gee I wonder who he believes... I also thought it was weird that Lauren B. was sitting there at the end of the party, clearly crying, and Ben just smiled and ignored her. And then we don't see them talk for the rest of the episode. I suspect they did have some sort of interaction and we didn't see it because it would have many his preference for her even more obvious. These are just guesses btw, totally unspoiled!

Haha I noticed this too. Holly kept talking about how Debbie Allen asked the girls to come in, was interested in their girls, etc. and then they get there and the first thing Debbie Allen says is "I received a call that you guys wanted to come take a class here!"... oh, Holly.

Did anyone notice after Nia and Kalani came off stage after their African dance Kalani sat down and seemed to be taking deep breaths like she was in pain? I didn't DVR it so I can't watch back, but it looked to me like she was having some sort of issue... did I just imagine that?

Although Ben obviously has chemistry with Jojo... he is clearly over the moon for Lauren B. Who wouldn't be? I have a serious girl crush, she is just the cutest. I feel like with the exception of Jojo, and maaaaaybe Caila, Ben would send all these women home and just date her if he could. Something weird going on with Olivia -- either he has been told he has to keep her around and give her roses, or they are not showing us the moments where he doesn't look at her with a confused/disgusted look on his face. Because that is all I see!

Oh I agree with all of you -- I like Kalani a lot! I think she's a great dancer and seems like a great kid. I just sometimes wonder what she's doing there. I also agree that Kalani will stick around as long as she wants, as I think Abby does really like her.

Wow, I thought Jill came off really bad in this episode -- the way she was talking to Brynn, she obviously feels very threatened by that little girl, and she kind of has good reason to - Brynn is a much better dancer then Kendall. She can do lyrical better then her, and she can also do sassy jazz better then her (in my opinion). There is something about Kendall's dancing that is just so clunky and awkward, I always feel like she seems to be dancing under water, everything seems heavy and slow. I also feel so confused by Kalani -- why is she there? Her mom is not around to provide drama, there is no focus on her anymore... she is way older then these girls, and I feel like she's gone from being a really extraordinary dancer when she first arrived, to now just blending in the background doing mediocre choreography that is too easy for her. This can't be good for her actual dance training. Also illustrates how Abby just picks a girl to be her "favorite" for a while, and then drops them when she gets bored. I thought Maddie's dancing looked really good in her solo - she looked strong, like she has somehow actually improved dance wise despite everything else going on.

Maddie was also featured in Teen Vogues Young Hollywood Portfolio. They pick 12 up and coming stars and do a little photo shoot and profile on them... there's also a short audition tape they have them each do just for fun. Maddie's is pretty cute, she plays around and tap dances in an old fashioned diner. http://www.teenvogue.com/gallery/young-hollywood-photo-exclusive I have to say, Maddie has really grown into her features. Her face is kind of stunning.

I agree. I actually think it can be worse, and more hurtful, when people reveal and act on every single little doubt they have about a relationship (within reason, of course)... it can lead to a lot of cruelty, anxiety, insecurity and the whole on/off torture road. Why drag someone through the mud, inflict your confusion on them (again, within reason - obviously some things should be shared) when you're not sure if you're doubt is legitimate, or if it could be gone the next day. You have to be sure of your feelings before you thrust them onto someone else, both the good and the bad. You don't tell someone you want to break up with them, unless you're sure -- just like you don't tell someone you love them, unless you're sure. It sucks for Carly that she was blindsided -- but its not Kirk's fault that he wasn't feeling it like she was. I think he told her when he was sure. And it does make sense that its at the end of the show... because they don't live in the same city. Would she really have reacted differently had he done it a week before? I seriously doubt it. He could have given her a rose (just like Justin did to Cassandra) and then just let it fizzle, not return her calls, not call back, etc. He could have avoided all the hate from "Bachelor Nation". It was going to be horrendous no matter what - I think he genuinely tried to do it the best he could.

Mackenzie is also, to me, very pretty. Granted she is very young and who knows how she'll look in ten years or so... but regardless of age, it's really refreshing to see someone come in wearing beach appropriate attire - wasn't she just in a tank top and shorts? - instead of weird revealing rompers and crazy high heels and not covered in make-up or with straightened hair. I also like that she apparently hasn't felt the need to get ridiculous breast implants. I like Ashley S. but I thought her anger at the fact that Nick dared talk to her "while she was washing her face" was pretty funny. Of all the horrible things people do to each other on this show... oh the nerve to talk to one of the girls before she's had a chance to put her make-up on! Jacklyn is so, so sad. She obviously thinks her nose job has made her way hotter then she actually is. Her whole attitude coming in would work if she were some drop dead gorgeous bombshell who did make the men want to dump their "boring" girlfriends for her... but as it stands, its kind of pathetic, because I doubt any of them will be interested at all. Jared could not have been less interested.

I agree. No one knows the intricacies of what went on. I think it is awful of Julia to "pimp" her story out, especially if she is misrepresenting certain facts... it is also awful of the family to imply that Julia is to blame based on her action/inaction. Horrible all around. I don't like Julia, and I think she is not the brightest bulb... but I don't think she's malicious. I think the fact that she is surrounded by a bunch of enablers who are more then happy to attend her endless pity party, violin in hands, is not helping. It also seems to me like her and Mikey pretending to have a connection might have been part of the deal of letting then stay in the show. Their kisses have zero chemistry... zero. Am I missing something with Samantha? She's pretty... but so are both of the Ashley's. To me, if it wasn't for her personality, Ashley I. is the prettiest girl there. Samantha has that ageless look of someone who has gotten too much work done. I'm not saying she has... just something about her face seems off. She must be stunning in person though.

Favorite part of the episode was the very end -- when Joe is talking poetically about how his relationship with Samantha is developing perfectly... while we see her getting thrashed over and over in the waves.

In terms of lists, etc.... I wonder what the producers thought Jared was going to do there... none of these girls seem like they are his type at all. Maybe they were expecting more of a love triangle between Jade/Tanner/Jared? I feel like Jared was mildly interested in Jade in the beginning, but quickly and completely let it go as soon as she chose Tanner for the date.

I guess I'm in the minority -- but I actually do not doubt that Ashley S. is kind of crazy... and it has nothing to do with talking to animals or enjoying nature. That is perfectly fine... kooky the way she does it, with her vacant eyes and whatever, but totally fine. The real crazy is probably how intense she is in terms of relationship stuff... I mean, Dan did not really do anything that bad to her and yet she is going on about it pretty passionately. He seemed to be communicating with her every step of the way, which, in a show like this is all you can really hope for. Weather the "red flags" he saw are legitimate or not, at least he was honest about them with her. I also don't find her the great beauty everyone else seems to think she is -- she is by no means ugly, far from it, but she wears a a whole lot of make-up and she's got strange lips and kind of a weird chin. As for the Joe stuff, the only problem I have with it is that no one is telling him why they think he is a douche. Why are all these guys afraid of upsetting him? Its so weird - its like Jared is afraid of upsetting him, they all walk around eggshells around him... except for JJ. No, Joe, of course its not a problem that you went on a date with Juelia, felt a connection, and then later felt a better one with Samantha. That would be fine. But it's not what happened. The problem isn't even that he "used" Juelie for a rose, because they all do that in one way or another. The problem is the schmarmy way he did it, and the fact that him and Samantha were basically a couple before they even got on the show. The contestants on the show are, by definition, supposed to arrive single. If you come as couple you are kind of cheating. It's like what someone, maybe Kirk?, said -- just leave and go book a hotel room in one of the nearby resorts.

I think there was more to them leaving last night then what actually aired -- I forget where I read this, but apparently the awards were completely messed up - people who weren't in duets were getting awards for duets (I think Kalani got one even though she was only in a solo), things were in the wrong category, etc. I've had enough of Jeanette and Ava. Seriously, go away. Jeanette is so unlikable that I actually root for Abby. They must have some deal where Jeanette agreed to do this if Ava always gets the solos -- I think the other girl on that team, Tessa, is a better dancer then Ava.

The lead dancer, Talia Seitel, is actually a great little dancer imo. Here's one of her solos that I enjoyed

Yeah, I've seen a lot of the girls refer to TDA week as "dance olympics"... they are taking a bunch of amazing classes, learning from a bunch of amazing dancers, working with successful choreographers, etc. I think the number of dancers who go there expecting to win is small. The rest are there for the experience.