S19.E07: Chris Tells All / S19.E08 Week 8, Part 1

[Tara Ariano]

Chris Soules discusses his most memorable moments from the season and his thoughts on the bachelorettes.

Chris takes the remaining six women to Iowa where one lucky lady accompanies Chris to his hometown to watch a high school football game. Later, some of the women take a spontaneous road trip to Chris' hometown and see how small it really is.

Edited February 13, 2015 by OnceSane
locked thread until the show airs

[b2H]

And this, no pun intended, is where the rubber will meet the road.

 

I heard where one or more of the girls actually took themselves out of the competition..

 I wonder if this is where it happens.  Would make sense.

 

The tell-all is entirely premature and most likely a snoozefest.  I may skip that part, unless they embed the tell-all in the telling of the story, in which case I may DVR it and FF.

[leighdear]

LIES! LIES! LIES!  No way Kelsey can ameliorate the damage because all she does is LIE! LIE! LIE!

[Rhondinella]

Thread is locked.  Will reopen at 11 PM Eastern/10 PM Central.

[Kimmature]

I want Carly to do commentary, forever.  

 

Good to see Britt take herself out of the game.  

 

I'll be very happy if Andi finds some poor soul to marry who won't have anything to do with the franchise, so that this could be her last appearance.  In retrospect we should have just taped the tell all and fast forwarded through her fake tears and overacting. 

[Rhondinella]

LOVE the continuing smearing of Kelsey by the editors.  That was fabulous.  I should probably hate myself for enjoying that so much.

 

I wonder if that interview with Andi was intended to

set her up as the next Bachelorette

, as has been speculated.  One thing I'll say for her, she can cry on cue, and convincingly.

 

Ok I know that RS says

Britt

is the most likely candidate for the next Bachelorette. But after tonight I just don't see how that's possible.  I've been feeling for a couple eps now that they might be setting up

Carly

instead.  Honestly I could see that working.  

She's got a bit of the wholesome, down home vibe that this show seems to like.

 And she's been painted in a much better light than any of the other possible candidates, except possibly

Kaitlyn

.

[PhilW]

I loved the Arlington pastor (the one and only pastor in the whole town) who answered Carly's question about what people do there, "We go somewhere else!" Finally, honesty on The Bachelor!

 

When Kelsey dropped the word "ameliorate," after all of her comments tonight playing dumb about her previous comments about being smart and using big words, I thought she might actually be trolling all of us viewers.

 

I loved the editing of Kelsey's appearance tonight: Kelsey pleading ignorance about why all the other women hated her, spliced together with the highlight reel of her previous talking-head interviews talking **** about all the other women. The editors (and producers) clearly hate her.

 

Andi's interview went on way too long...they were just trying to fill out the first hour I guess...and it turned into an awkward therapy session. But for once, Andi's perma-frown came in handy for the non-stop cryfest!

 

Chris totally seems to be stuck in high school...like until he stumbled into reality-TV D-List fame, his entire life had peaked in high school.

 

His line before the date with Jade, "I haven't brought a woman home since Andi was here" was hilarious for its epic emptiness. Since Andi? No kidding, Chris.

 

Britt's phony insecure/jealous reactions to Kaitlyn getting the rose, and to Jade and Whitney getting 1-on-1 dates got old really fast. I can't wait until she's sent home.

 

Didn't Chris allegedly have multiple DUIs in his past? That must not have happened in Arlington itself, because they probably don't have a police department.

 

Whitney's lack of parents notwithstanding, I'm getting tired of her act. She reminds me of Tracy Flick...it's like she has treated this whole "process" like it's a job interview, not a romantic pursuit. Everything she says is "polished" and poised. It's not like beauty-pageant poise, or even necessarily like job-interview poise...it's like uncomfortably outdated finishing-school poise. She's coming across as even more phony than Britt.

Edited February 16, 2015 by PhilW

[leighdear]

I think Carly was a raging bitch this episode.  She looks like a grumpy Amy Pohler, but without an ounce of her humor.  I really disliked her and didn't think she was funny.

[JenE4]

Kelsey came off a bit better, but we know better than that, amiright? 

Nice save on showing us that Pomegranate Ashley was "normal" in her tape,  but they interviewed her in person, too, didn't they?! Too funny that she just wandered around the crew's area at night. They're trying to play off that she's "crazy" for thinking they're betting on the women, but that's her one delusion that is likely accurate. 

Oh! That's why I thought the drunk girl who returned looked SO DIFFERENT than she looked when she was falling off the risers...she's a different girl! Did any of us realize that?! Lol!

So Jillian truly always had NSFTV short shorts on. But she was his top 3?! No way!

Chris's look when Harrison brought up Britt: Nope,  they're not together. He looked pained to hear her name.

Andi... Wow. For some reason I expected to see her cold, measured demeanor with fake tears, but she is genuinely heartbroken. Maybe Josh will see this and they'll each be willing to back down and give halfway. At the very least, it will be a learning experience to compromise if you want the relationship to work. 

I'm typing this on my phone as the show goes along, and suddenly Megan is leaving? It looks like she knew she was out and so she asked him if she was...was it mutual that she's leaving? But there's still a rose ceremony?! I better save my typing for commercial breaks! But there's not a RC because no rules!

Arlington is depressing. Some guy just serves coffee from his house because there are no restaurants or markets other than a butcher shop? I wonder how far it is to a supermarket, etc.? The commercial teaser makes it seem like Britt is going to leave, and I wouldn't be surprised if she does. I wonder how far he is from Des Moines? Jade is saying 3 hours from Chicago, right? Was it Carly's idea to go to Arlington?! No rules!! Love it!

Chris has Whitney meet his best friends, they adore her. He says in his voice over that she makes him a better person,  he says to her that's what I love about you. She says this is the moment she fell in love. The mural will be there "forever." They're getting the sweeping love background music!! Whitney for the win! This is a closed case, people! 

Carly needs to talk to Chris about Britt?! Noooooooooooo! Britt says she likes to reinvent herself and she's been so many different things. Hmm. Red flag. She IS fake! This is her latest--but not next--persona! 

Yikes, Britt. Every season there's a contestant who thinks s/he is the one and no one else should be in this competition. Obviously this year it's Britt. Yes, she's always been the frontrunner but after last week's group date, that's pretty f'ed up to throw a fit over someone else getting the rose one time! It is insulting to Kaitlyn and all of the women that she's never once considered them competition. I'm so glad that we don't have to wait a full week! This is going to be good!!!

[Kimmature]

Ok I know that RS says

Britt

is the most likely candidate for the next Bachelorette. But after tonight I just don't see how that's possible.  

 

Chris H. threw in an out of place reference to Juelia's exit (her horribly sad story) , that made us think that she might be in line to be the next Bachelorette. 

Edited February 16, 2015 by Rhondinella

[ElectricCityy]

I was rooting for Carly to be the next Bachelorette but she was such a petty mean girl tonight. I don't even like Britt and I thought Carly needed to calm down a bit. She doesn't care if she leaves as long as Britt is right there with her.

[PhilW]

Oh! That's why I thought the drunk girl who returned looked SO DIFFERENT than she looked when she was falling off the risers...she's a different girl! Did any of us realize that?! Lol!

 

 

Yes, there were 2 drunks: Tara and Jordan. But it's actually very easy to tell them apart: Tara was falling-off-the-risers drunk, and Jordan was twerking-handstand drunk.

Edited February 16, 2015 by PhilW

[PhilW]

She doesn't care if she leaves as long as Britt is right there with her.

 

 

I totally agree, and that underscores Carly's pettiness right there. She claimed to be concerned for Chris more than herself tonight, but all she has really cared about starting in about Episode 3 was not leaving before Britt.

[Mu Shu]

Ugh, not Juelia. Other than her sob story and bad wig, she's got nothing.

I hate fake ass Britt. From her horrible yellow/orange faux tan, to her shitty 90's faux grunge schmattas to her brassy yet rather expensive but much too long extensions. I think she's the mentally ill one, not Ashley. I get fine girl vibes from her. Oh, and one or two court metrages do not an actress make. She's pushing thirty and going nowhere in that career.

Who the hell dresses Carly? That dress with the appliqué must have been an elderly cruise ship patrons leavings. Seriously, these women dress like shit. At least Kelsy had on a flattering dress and gorgeous gold necklace.

Finally, Britt needs to stop sticking to everyone like a limpet. Who rides in the back seat with one other person and straps themself in the middle so they can be up that persons ass?? Freaking weirdo.

[Shibori]

Chris has not been blessed with eloquence, immeasurably or otherwise.

The editing on the Kelsey interview was genius. She sounded like a high school kid who's been studying SAT words and not-quite-effectively shoehorning them into sentences. And as a mental health professional (shudder) she should know what a sociopath is.

I thought Whitney talking about her mom was a striking contrast to Kelsey talking about Mr. Kelsey Sanderson Poe. Whitney genuinely talked about her mom without making it creepily all about her. Though I don't personally care for her, I think she'd make Chris a fine Stepford wife. (And she'd likely be the closest thing Arlington has to health care.)

Edited February 16, 2015 by Shibori

[Alapaki]

Man, I should've been taking notes.  There was so much wrong with this episode.

 

Chris: Kelsey, were you condescending?

Kelsey: No.

Chris: Okay.

 

Chris: Did you fake the panic attack?

Kelsey: No.

Chris: Okay.

 

I'm glad the editors blew up her shit.  Because the interview itself was a joke.

 

Andi, Andi, Andi.  Perma-frown is back, baby!  (caveat: I view everything she does and says through the lens of my seething, bordering on irrational, hatred for her, but here goes).  Soooooo, we're to believe that you and Josh, the love of your life, your FIRST love, are going along.  You sashay your loving selves over to the live premiere for this season.  You realize that chuckle-head is actually going to marry tits-mcgee that he met on Bachelor in Paradise.  THEN AND ONLY THEN you decide to talk to Josh about why you haven't set a date.  Come to the conclusion that it's time to blow up the relationship, your FIRST LOVE relationship.  And you get the press release together and sent out, all within 3 days?!?!  Bullshit.  Please, just STAHHHHP.

 

And, Chris H?  I realize it's funny to bust on crazy Ashley.  But you do realize that you basically acknowledged that you and production were aware that she was acting in way that suggested she was unstable at best, and you allowed her to stay on the show?  Saying her audition tape seemed "normal" doesn't cover your ass.  I realize she'd never have a successful lawsuit because the deck is stacked when it comes to those things.  But I think Fleiss and Co really did slip up and reveal themselves taking advantage of a fucked up contestant.

[Mu Shu]

Yeah, I didn't like the way they made fun if Ashley. In fact the world would be a better place if they made her the Bachelorette. That WAS a pomegranate, god love it .

[PhilW]

I think she'd make Chris a fine Stepford wife.

 

 

That sums up Whitney very well...she definitely has a Stepford vibe to her. It's just weird to me that in 2015 that kind of person still exists, but some men (maybe Chris) are looking for exactly that in a wife.

[reggiejax]

I think Carly was a raging bitch this episode.  She looks like a grumpy Amy Pohler, but without an ounce of her humor.  I really disliked her and didn't think she was funny.

 

I love Carly, and I so want her to be the Bachelorette, but there is no denying that she can talk trash with the best of them. 

 

And nothing can ameliorate the ineptitude of Kelsey's attempts to rehabilitate her image.

[Alapaki]

During his interview about the 2-on-1 date, Chris said that he ratted Ashley out "because he had to be honest".  First of all, iirc, he just offered up Ashley's name to Kelsey.  But even if Kelsey did ask him who said she was fake, he could've said "I don't want to get into names and betray confidences.  I just want to know if it's true."

 

So his answer was bullshit.  I wonder if the Producers, in addition to setting up the 2-on-1, put him up to ratting out Ashley by name?

 

Also, his remark that he never expected Kelsey to confront Ashley was either one of those "hostage in the video blinking morse code" ways of admitting he was put up to it, or he really doesn't know the first fucking thing about women.

 

And I really hope one day to learn what their obsession is with Jillian's ass.  Between that and the Crazy Ashley segment, it seemed like a lot of punching-down when the women weren't there to explain or defend themselves.  It'll be interesting to see how much air time those two get at the WTA. 

[PhilW]

But even if Kelsey did ask him who said she was fake, he could've said "I don't want to get into names and betray confidences.  I just want to know if it's true."

 

 

You're assuming that Chris is tactful, and also smart enough to think on his feet. Nope and nope.

[Alapaki]

I don't think Carly did herself any favors this week.

 

I'm always baffled by the women who, rather than working on developing their own relationship with the "star", become obsessed with blowing up a fellow contestant's relationship.  That conversation Carly had with Chris at the ice arena just completely friend-zoned herself, at best.  

 

I still think Britt has a chance at being the next Bachelorette, but it depends on how she handles the Rose Ceremony.  

 

I can see Kaitlyn being chosen, especially if she gets sent home next week before the FS week.

 

If Becca doesn't "win", and remains a "virgin", I wouldn't be surprised at Fleiss casting her for next season solely for the fact that she's a "virgin".

 

I can't see Jade being selected.  That doesn't fit Fleiss' neanderthal "madonna-whore" worldview.

[Rhondinella]

Who rides in the back seat with one other person and straps themself in the middle so they can be up that persons ass?? Freaking weirdo.

 

 

To be fair, it's possible that she was told to sit there by the cameraman for the sake of the shot.  That or the cameraman was sitting next to her.  That's what I always assume when people are placed weirdly in cars on reality shows.  Doesn't make the "weirdo" part of that statement incorrect, though. :-)

 

First of all, iirc, he just offered up Ashley's name to Kelsey.  But even if Kelsey did ask him who said she was fake, he could've said "I don't want to get into names and betray confidences.  I just want to know if it's true."

So his answer was bullshit.  I wonder if the Producers, in addition to setting up the 2-on-1, put him up to ratting out Ashley by name?

 

 

Well, he had just been talking to Ashley, so it wouldn't have exactly required an intelligence equal to Kelsey's eloquence (heh) to figure it out even he hadn't specifically named the tattle-tale.

[atlanticslide]

Arlington is depressing. Some guy just serves coffee from his house because there are no restaurants or markets other than a butcher shop? I wonder how far it is to a supermarket, etc.? The commercial teaser makes it seem like Britt is going to leave, and I wouldn't be surprised if she does. I wonder how far he is from Des Moines? Jade is saying 3 hours from Chicago, right? Was it Carly's idea to go to Arlington?! No rules!! Love it!

I thought she was saying it was 3-4 hours from Des Moines. Which, if that's the case, ouch. Arlington really did look depressing. There's small towns, and then there's a town that literally has nothing in it at all. I could probably handle it if there was at least a bar, a supermarket, a restaurant, but seeing that it had none of that - and in fact, that lots of businesses were just closed and boarded up - was really sad. I can definitely say I wouldn't be able to live there.

 

Jade going on about how this was the Best! Date! Of Her Life! - Jade, you wandered around a boring, empty town, wandered around an empty school, made awkward-looking smalltalk with Chris's parents, and watched a high school football game. Dial it back a notch.

 

On the flip side, Whitney's day with Chris actually seemed really fun and lovely. I found the photo-turned-mural a little weird though, if only because what happens if he chooses someone else in the end? There was also something I found odd about her reaction to it, though I can't put my finger on what.

 

I know she wasn't that nice or gracious tonight, but I can't help it, I love Carly. Kaitlyn too. I love that they have Britt's number, and their commentary cracked me up.

[Alapaki]

And another thing.

 

The biggest joke (and also the biggest clue that she's a potential psychopath) was Kelsey's whole "isn't my story great, and tragic, and great?"  And yet Chris H. didn't address that at all.  It can't be that he wanted to hold something back for the WTA.  Because if that was the case he would/should/could have held back the question about Kelsey being condescending for the time when the other women would be there to give him examples.

 

I really wonder if Chris was told to play softball, or if he just chickened out and they had to save his interview in post-production editing?

[Alapaki]

Arlington is depressing. Some guy just serves coffee from his house

 

 

I think I heard Chris say that the guy unlocks an abandoned old store that apparently still has running electricity and a coffee maker (I'm guessing it's not a Keurig).

 

Arlington really did look depressing. There's small towns, and then there's a town that literally has nothing in it at all.

 

 

Indeed.  Arlington is about 5 businesses short of a John Cougar Mellencamp song.  

 

None of which is to say I think that's bad, especially for the folks who've grown up there.  But it's got to be a major culture shock for a lot of people, and not just the "coastal elites".  No restaurants.  No take-out.  No pizza delivery.  With the closest grocery store probably an hour away you're probably only shopping for food one a week or so at most.  And doing a lot of home cooking.  Hopefully they have a good cable or satellite tv provider.  

 

And, if I can take this opportunity to shit on Andi yet again:  I don't seem to recall seeing that downtown area and the specifics of how little Arlington has when Andi visited during her HTD with Chris.  As I recall, there was just general talk of Arlington being "small" and "rural", and otherwise just a lot of shots of the bucolic, sprawling farm/homestead that made it seem like actually a really nice, really big, home that could be in a lot of metropolitan exurbs.

 

I'd bet anything that (to the extent that Andi hadn't already decided on Josh), compared to her attitude towards Arlington, Britt could be its ambassador.  And yet we never saw that side of things during Andi's season in order to protect the image of honest princess Andi being Just. So. Committed. To. The. Process.

[scenicbyway]

I've been waiting for this episode all season.  I live in a really small town 3 hours from Des Moines (not Arlington) and as a former city girl, it's really tough.  There is no restaurant, it's an hour and a half round trip to a grocery store or any store, but we do have a gas station which is helpful.  I think Jade nailed it when she said Chris is really insecure about where he lives.  I think that's why he chose Jade for the Arlington date because he thought she'd be the most understanding about his hometown since she grew up in a small town.The truth is Iowa and the Midwest is full of little "ghost" towns like this and it is really hard for someone who's used to having a Target on every corner or a Starbucks on every street to adjust to life in the middle of nowhere.

 

I get the impression from Chris that he'd willingly propose to any of the women left if they expressed a real willingness to move to Arlington--Whitney's they only one to do that so far and, ironically, she's the only one that has yet to go to Arlington.

 

I think Carly is awesome, I don't think she and Chris have any real chemistry and she took one for the team when she told him about Britt's real feelings but I think she'd make a great Bachelorette.  Des Moines really freaked Britt out and by the time the girls made it to Arlington I think she was hoping for a helicopter to carry her back to L.A.  It looks like she's just auditioning to be the Bachelorette at this point, too bad that Chris hasn't seemed to figure that out yet.

 

As for Andi.  Is anyone surprised they didn't work out?  Once the 15 minutes were up, they were over.  The guy's sister warned her during hometowns that it wouldn't last because the entire family's world revolved around the little brother's NFL career.  She warned her that there would be no room for her.  Take a hint!  I hate that they wasted all that time on Andi but wouldn't give any kind of time to Des and Chris' wedding.  An actual success story and they ignored it.  I guess Andi and crazy Kelsey made better television.

[Lamb18]

I don't understand why Whitney is like a Stepford wife. The impression I've gotten from her is that she's analytical and likes to think things through and that she has enough confidence in herself to not feel the need to push for attention and rat out other girls. Not that she's confident Chris will pick her, but confident she'll be

OK and is an OK person if Chris doesn't pick her. I liked how she did her research before going on the show. It sounds like she checked out Arlington beforehand; I wonder if she took her own road trip before the show began filming.

 

I feel like Chris was into Britt as much tonight even before Carly tattled on her. She was initiating a lot of the kissing and he put her down fairly soon after she jumped into his arms. I feel like Britt wants to win more than she wants Chris.  Carly is the "right reasons" police. I wonder if she's not feeling him more as a big brother since she's being protective of him.

 

Who knew Whitney had a story, too? I wouldn't call it amazing, though, just sad. I wonder if that's partly why she's a fertility nurse, just to be involved with families and help people start families.

[Treebeard]

DVR'd it. Just got to Carly: "Hey mom, don't google my wife." BWHAHAHA. Got to hand it to her on that one.

Edited February 16, 2015 by Treebeard

[Armchair Critic]

Too many shows on Sunday night, I just peeked in on this and didn't see much. But now I really wonder if Chris did more than "nap" with Britt since she expects to be the front runner.

[Superpole2000]

Arlington was depressing.

 

Q: "What do people do in Arlington?"

A: "Go somewhere else."

 

I did find it fascinating, though. I wish the show would have expanded the Road Trip to Arlington segment and dropped all of the time wasted on Andi.

[Gregg247]

I wish Chris H. had asked Andi why she quit her job as a lawyer as soon as the show ended, and if her trying to get a new job in the "entertainment industry" contributed to her break-up.  Also, how many football games did she have to sit through last Fall?  I'll bet she just LOVED sitting there not being the center of everyone's attention! LOL

 

I don't like Caitlyn or Britt, but the other 4 "ladies" all seem nice, so Chris has a good group to choose from. 

 

Arlington was kind of sad, with all the closed businesses.  As Chris said, with improved farm technology, there's much less need for field hands, so fewer people work the farms, which means fewer residents of farming communities, which means fewer businesses in the area.  I guess that high school services all the nearby towns, too.  Otherwise, they couldn't have enough students to field a football team.  When Chris went on and on about his football days, I kept thinking to Rob Lowe and "Peaked in High School" Rob Lowe on the DirecTV commercials!

 

EDIT to add: What's the deal with the lack of food on the 1-on-1 dates this season?  Chris takes the "ladies" out to do some stuff, but he never feeds any of them.  Obviously, they're eating at some point.  Why not show this?

Edited February 16, 2015 by Gregg247

[TomGirl]

I can just see the final Chris and Whitney proposal:

Chris: Will you marry me?

Whitney: Shut UP!

Chris: Tee hee hee!

Whitney: No WAY!

Chris: Tee hee hee!

[backformore]

I want that sweater dress Carly was wearing,  the grey with navy roses.  

 

I googled Arlington Iowa.  429 people, 425 of them white.  

429 people in the whole town!  That's roughly the number of students in our local elementary school.  Or patients in the hospital nearby.  

 

While I think Britt is an entitled bitch, I can see why she would not be thrilled about moving there.  

Edited February 16, 2015 by backformore

[GracieK]

I'm sorry but when Carly drew Britt on her hand and proceeded to say.. I LIIIIEE.. I could not stop laughing. My husband has never watched with me before tonight and even he was laughing at that. And he just kept saying how fake Britt seemed the entire episode.

I think Kelsey worked with a coach or publicist to learn how to tone down the affect in her voice and appear more natural. She was definitely advised to take her time and gather her answers after being asked each question. But I'm not convinced that she isn't the narcissist, condescending jerk she appeared to be last week. This is simply damage control. And Chris definitely went softball on his questions.

Edited February 16, 2015 by GracieK

[Swedish Chef]

For all the ballyhooed chemistry with Britt, I have to say, his chemistry with Whitney is off the charts. He seems like a completely different--and more interesting--person around her. He was so much more engaging on the date in Des Moines with her than he has been. If she's not Final Rose, I'll eat my hat.

[atlanticslide]

I googled Arlington Iowa.  429 people, 425 of them white.  

429 people in the whole town!  That's roughly the number of students in our local elementary school.  Or patients in the hospital nearby.  

I had more than that in my high school graduating class.

[Alapaki]

I have to say I'm not really enjoying the "no rules" (or perhaps in the context of this season the "ah, fuck it, this can't get any more boring") approach they're taking.

 

So far, they've allowed Chris to bring back two women he'd previously eliminated.  And tonight they just allowed him to cancel the rose ceremony?  I think part of the point of the show should be to make the "star" make tough decisions.  If he wants to bring someone back, then he should have to ​immediately send someone else home.  And no getting out of having to eliminate people.

[Artsda]

Whitney's really teenage girl with her vocabulary. "Shut up" it's like watching the blond high school cheerleader in a teen movie.

 

Interesting that the sisters picked Jade for the Cinderella date and then Chris chose Jade to go on his hometown tour to see his town and run into his family at the football game. I think his family is a big influence for who he chooses.

 

Arlington is really small, but cities aren't that far. Like Cedar Rapids which is a lot closer  or Dubuque. It can be done in an hour, they made it seem like it's got no civilization for the 3 hour trek to Des Moines. 

 

I like Jade, but don't see her adapting well from LA to Arlington just like Britt. I adore Kaitlyn, but same with her lifestyle from Vancouver. I think she should for sure be the next Bachelorette, but don't know how that would work since she's from Canada. Britt's got a bad edit, so I think she's out of the running. Carly's an option, but is a gossip always running about the other girls to Chris.  

[Padma]

If Jimmy Kimmel came to your house and mocked you for using "Amazing" all the time--even set up a $1 jar as a penalty every time it happened--wouldn't you..just possibly...STOP saying it?  I can't believe how they (esp Chris) continue right along with "amazing" this and "amazing" that, sometimes adding the variety of and "incredible" here or there. You know how hotels put Bibles in the nightstand drawers? Maybe TB should slip a thesaurus into the environment around TB and co. They need help (and not Kelsey's pretentious "I'm smart when I use a five syllable word instead of a two syllable one that everyone obviously knows." If she keeps that style while "writing" in Paris, she's going to have a hard time getting anyone to read it.

 

I love Carly calling out Britt and Britt's meltdown in front of Chris, giving a glimpse of how fake she is. It's about her--and she wants to go to HT as his definite #1, not as a contender--it's not about her feelings for Chris at all (I don't think she really has any. Plus, she was able to be as fake about her feelings re: small town life...and career goals...as she was about wanting "100" children. She says what she thinks he wants to hear and she wants to have it all sewed up already. Nice to know, it's not happening.

 

I think the other girls would be fun to hang out with. Whitney seems the most reserved and analytical and candid--also not trying to sabotage anyone else--so she's pretty much my favorite at this point. I'm just not sure if that means I'm rooting for her to be chosen F1 or to be free of boring Chris and maybe find someone else through Bachelor alum meetups, a more promising group.

[Andromeda]

None of which is to say I think that's bad, especially for the folks who've grown up there.  But it's got to be a major culture shock for a lot of people, and not just the "coastal elites".  No restaurants.  No take-out.  No pizza delivery.  With the closest grocery store probably an hour away you're probably only shopping for food one a week or so at most.  And doing a lot of home cooking.  Hopefully they have a good cable or satellite tv provider.

And none of what these young women really love -- nail salons, hair salons, tanning salons, threading services, clothing boutiques, shoe stores!

 

What a fun installment. I have anticipated this episode, and thought way too much about it, since the season began. I even googled Chris's high school, since I read he took a date there in the episode description. I knew (or assumed, since it's so tiny) that Arlington didn't have a high school, so I wondered where it was. It's in an even tinier town, but serves three or four small towns, the largest of which is 1200 pop. The school is K-12, too, not just high school, and about five miles from Arlington (which isn't bad -- could have been a half hour.)

Des Moines looked nice. I assumed from the previews they were showing the statehouse -- those are always so photogenic. That was a cute trendy restaurant for the group date, too -- I loved the decor of retro signs. So many bridges, too -- prettier than I expected. That said, Carly saying she thought it was flat, but then saw the trees, made me chuckle. Beneath the trees, the land IS pretty flat.

Which reminds me -- this was filmed in the fall, right? The date on the photos in the camera that Whitney and Chris were looking at was 01/22/2015 -- three weeks ago! No way was this filmed three weeks ago. Chris and his dates were running around without coats (and Jade had a crop top) in the sunshine, with fall foliage in the trees. And football. Yet today, the temperature in Des Moines was 12 degrees. Anyhow, that camera date was odd.

 

I love Carly. I know she was being mean, but I don't care -- she gives great TV interviews, and she just cracked me up! I'd love to have her as a friend. While my dream would  be for her to be named the next bachelorette, I bet the producers won't do it, because they can't find a good enough "hook." She's going to go home too soon to have a broken heart, and she lacks a weird tragedy in her past. Plus I assume many won't think she's hot enough, which is stupid, because I love watching her facial expressions. And hand puppets.

 

Of course Britt would never move there. Obviously. Just look at her. She'd have to travel three hours to get her extensions fixed. Her emotional outburst after the rose was handed out was awesome. Normally I'm rooting for the women to speak their minds and not put the bachelor on a pedestal, panting after whatever crumbs he doles out, but in this case she was making Kaitlyn feel bad. She came off as so entitled. Sadly, I'm thinking Chris will keep her around at least a little longer -- I can see a guy like Chris needing a few days to realize the woman he's been lusting after has real drawbacks, and reassess.

 

When Chris went on and on about his football days, I kept thinking to Rob Lowe and "Peaked in High School" Rob Lowe on the DirecTV commercials!

That was funnier than the SNL special my husband is currently watching. Edited February 16, 2015 by Andromeda

[locomoco]

Loved the postscript where the navigation system kept losing satellite signal... I would imagine that Arlington, Iowa is one big wireless signal dead spots... that would be a deal breaker for me.

[Treebeard]

Whitney is the only one I can see fitting into his life at all.

Britt- HAH! No way, no how. She belongs in LA. I think her goal was next bachelorette all along. 

Jade is too young and not ready to settle down.    

I think Kaitlyn and Carly are just caught up in bubble and convinced themselves they could...they'll bounce back quickly in real life though- I hope either one of them is the next bachelorette.

I feel like Becca just wandered onto the show and stayed around to watch.

Edited February 16, 2015 by Treebeard

[Bugs Meany]

Plus I assume many won't think she's hot enough, which is stupid, because I love watching her facial expressions. And hand puppets.

 

She's not hot enough, and she knows it; hence her vendetta against Britt (with some extra vitriol reserved for Jade). Carly's plenty fake in her own way: she claims she's concerned for Chris's happiness, but they could be competing for free magazine subscriptions and she'd be just as furious that Britt batted her eyelashes and jumped out to an early lead.

[Hpmec]

The producers don't like Chris. Airing Talking Heads where he's shit faced and looks it and can barely articulate a slurred thought is not flattering. When Whitney was telling her sad story about being parentless, Chris's reaction was to flash a stupid ass inapproprite alcohol fueled grin. He can't handle his liquor. He has nothing to say. He's boring as hell. Just a terrible choice all around. For his sake, I hope he says goodbye to reality tv and all the wanna be fame whores on the show, goes back to Iowa, marries a local girl, and devotes his energies to the farm. He isn't cut out for this trainwreck of a show.

[TomGirl]

Where was Becca in this episode? Why didn't everyone get to go on a date at this late stage? Why was she absent from the girls' bull sessions? Weird.

[PhilW]

I can see a guy like Chris needing a few days to realize the woman he's been lusting after has real drawbacks, and reassess.

 

 

I can see a guy like Chris needing a night in the Fantasy Suite to reassess Britt's worthiness. That is the only logical reason why Chris would be keeping her around at this point.

Edited February 16, 2015 by PhilW

[Canada]

Okay, all I have to say about that Chris Tells All - what a bunch of bullshit!  From beginning to end, I don't think one person said anything truthful.  Except the Ashley S is crazy part; that was probably true.  Kelsey can fuck off, Chris can fuck off, and Andi can fuck off too!

[alexa]

Arlington is really small, but cities aren't that far. Like Cedar Rapids which is a lot closer  or Dubuque. It can be done in an hour, they made it seem like it's got no civilization for the 3 hour trek to Des Moines.

 

This part annoyed me too.  They chose the farthest city, and though I know they chose Des Moines because it is larger, they could have at least mentioned the closer by cities like Dubuque, Waterloo, and Cedar Rapids.  There is plenty of business and things to do in those areas.  Granted if you lived in Arlington you couldn't go every day, but it isn't as far as Des Moines.  I grew up about 3 hours from Des Moines, and we rarely went there so I don't think the show fairly represented what someone from Arlington would do.

[JudyObscure]

I don't want to see any of these women with Chris.  I think he's mean.  It's not easy to spot, what with editing and the way he runs out of the room whenever the show demands anything other than, "This is an amazing place to fall in love."  I saw that mean streak on Andi's show when he was sneering about Nick and I've seen it a few times  here.  Last night when Britt was having her little meltdown, he tried to say the right soothing things for about 30 seconds and then you saw him thinking, "This is hard, this is uncomfortable, I don't know what to say, why is Britt putting me on the spot like this?" and his ugly, angry look came over his face and he got up quickly and left.  This is what the woman he marries will see a lot of.  Anytime he comes home drunk after a night out with his friends and she asks him why he didn't call, it's going to be a stupid excuse, followed by angry face, followed by Chris leaving the room.  Let's not forget Chris doesn't just have DUI's in his past, I think there were a few fights, too.