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

[Jillybean]

The  pastor who said "we go somewhere else" did mention Cedar Rapids, at least.  So, there's that.

[Primetimer]

The 'Two-Day Bachelor Television Event' begins with three hours you'll never get back!

Read the story

[TheFinalRose]

Well I am so mean, but I certainly enjoyed the ten minutes of watching Andi cry. Andi and Josh were both self-centered, argumentative and stubborn people who of course couldn't calm each other in a relationship, as she supposedly wanted. But I think that calming nature was what she was attracted to in Nick, the guy that she attached herself to even though she kept saying he wasn't her type.

 

The whole timeline of going to the Bachelor premiere, seeing other engaged couples with wedding dates, and then breaking up afterwards was weird. I guess it could be true, but then she said later that they had been fighting for a long time. Again, not being mean on purpose, but hope Andi softens from this heartbreak as she could be very cold and entitled.

 

As for Britt, wow. That glare she gave Chris when he didn't give her the date rose was completely telling. The girl forgot the cameras were rolling and just lost it. That was a great real moment on this show, amongst the majority of fakety-fake moments.  I could never live in Arlington. I need stimulation. I can't see any of those contestants being happy there, even Whitney, especially Whitney. Even though she's a fertility nurse she lives in Chicago! I cannot see this lasting with any of these chicks, but I can see Chris finding someone in IA after the fame dies down.  I hope.

[Bobcatkitten]

Yeah I googled it and there is a town with a small college like 15-20 minutes away. I'm not saying it's a major metropolis or anything but you don't have to drive hours to get somewhere. 

[JudyObscure]

I wish, instead of Whitney's job interview with Chris's friends, she had met three of Chris's women friends from Arlington. Maybe those younger-than-Chris older ladies we saw at the premier. I'd like to know what their typical day is like, what they do for fun, etc. It may all be better than it looks. They may all get in somebody's SUV a couple of days a week and go into town for shopping and lunch together and take turns having playdates with the kids. Maybe it's like sex-in-the city only married-in-the-country and they all laugh about the men and support each other. On the other hand, they might say they left their cool single girl apartments in the city, married and moved to Iowa, looked out at the flat forever and wanted to cry.

Those kids didn't even have band uniforms.

[kathybgd]

I knew from the moment that phoney little Britch got out of the limo she thought she would always be at the top of the heap. Then came the moment she realized she wasn't. YIKES!!! Talk about death stares ! She totally forgot about the rolling cameras because she is a self involved , entitled little bitch in a little boys body! I can't stand Whitney either, something there is just. not. right! And someone mentioned upthread something very curious. Where the hell was Becca? I saw her in the background once or twice, but but......? And something is going on with Andi. Why would we get a half hour of imbarrassing crap like that if they wernt trying to bring this frowning snob back somehow? That was so Ott ridiculous that I just muted her and continued playing slotomania until she was off my screen! If I never see Kelsey on my television again , it will be a good thing. She needs to just go away.

[Alapaki]

She's [Carly'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.

 

 

IIRC, she lists her age as "29" (in Bachelorette years).  I realize that usually means somewhere between 35-39 in human years.  But I'd be very very surprised if Carly's age doesn't start with a 4.  By comparison, Whitney also lists herself as being 29, and she looks, to me, much younger than Carly.

 

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.

 

 

To me it seems like every time an 'ette starts talking to him, his eyes just glaze over.  He seems to go into "stare at the spot between her eyes, nod every 3 seconds, try to look interested" mode.  I'm wondering more and more if there isn't a lot of the Juan Pablo attitude to Chris and that Chris (with the show's help, of course) conceals it better.

[Shibori]

I realize Arlington was probably culture shock for most of these girls, but I think in the proper perspective it's not that big a deal. I grew up (and intentionally moved back to) a small, mostly defunct, former mining/coke oven town (technically a village) in Southwestern PA. There's been a recent boom due to fracking, but my whole life if you wanted to go anywhere, you had to drive. It was 10-15 minutes to "town", for a crappy mall, Walmart (opened in the mid 90s) and a handful of chain restaurants and stores. To get anything trendy or for serious shopping we made the 60-90 minute drive to the "city" (Pittsburgh), though in the last 10 years or so Morgantown, WV has really come into its own. But lots of people choose to live in rural areas where you need to drive to get to anything. The closest Walmart to Arlington is 21 miles (and there are grocery stores closer) that's not outrageous to me, though I get that these girls aren't Walmart girls.

I saw the vacant buildings and immediately thought, ooh, I could do something cool there. (I live in a converted church.) I'd love to take over one of those buildings and make a modern general store- little bit of groceries, lunch counter, coffee, etc. and maybe combine with an online business of some sort. Which made me wonder- what if Chris's pick wants to work (whether or not they have kids). Would he be ok with that or just want Susie homemaker baby factory?

[Hpmec]

The women all signed up thinking that even if the guy turned out to be a total douche, at least they'd get to travel to some exotic locales if they collected enough roses to keep them in the running. Then they found themselves stuck in Iowa with a contender for most boring man on the planet. At this point, they are all simply trying to stay in the contest except for Britt who, I think, is about ready to jump ship and conflcted because she's there for the sole purpose of becoming the Bachelorette. As for the rest, none of them would marry Chris Soules in a million years. Doesn't matter who he proposes to or what she says. Once the cameras go away, the "winner" will flee.

[Rhondinella]

I think we missed out the best potential entertainment of the season by producers not keeping Ashley around long enough to visit Arlington.  The horrified look on her face when she realized there is no place within an hour that she could get her eyelash extensions replaced would have been worth sitting through the whole rest of this crappy season.

 

He may get "engaged" to one of these women but, c'mon! No way any of them is leaving her life and job to move there.  Either he'll move to be with her and commute back and forth occasionally to oversee operations, or the (more likely) relationship will end once the contract is up.

 

Here's my question: How much time does Chris actually spend in that town?  I know he has a house and a business, but if the business is as successful as it sounds, he may not have to be there on hand 24/7; surely he has others helping run the operation?  So does he have digs somewhere else in a bigger town, even Des Moines, where he spends a lot of his time?  I'm just not sure I'm buying that he lives there all the time.

 

Those kids didn't even have band uniforms.

 

 

And they only flashed on it for a second, but I THINK I saw that the cheerleaders were just wearing regular street clothes?  Did I imagine that?  The least this show could do in exchange for disturbing them all with this freak show would be to cough up money for some uniforms.

[b2H]

And notice that some of the kids in the band were wearing their football uniforms.   My husband's late wife came from a similarly small town in Kansas.  When your school population is as small as what we saw last night, there's no choice but to be multi-tasking.

[Former Nun]

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

 

 

Her over-enthusiastic response to EVERYTHING on that date was irritating.  She's SO perky.  She's SO friendly.  She's SO loving.   That's not to say she isn't the best of the pack--the pick of the litter.  She just needed to tone it down.  Her voice is bad when she's speaking normally...but that squealing--ugh!  

 

I rarely watch this show but keep it on my DVR to fast-forward in case I read something juicy here.  I'd love to see Britt as the next Bachelorette.  She could certainly bring on the crazy!

 

ANDI.    Couldn't Production spring for some tissues?   They could use Kleenex and get some product placement fees.

Edited February 16, 2015 by Former Nun

[thejuicer]

Oh Kelsey. The best thing for you right now is to quit all social media, move to a small town that hasn't seen The Bachelor, and get some serious help. I hope you can ameliorate your life.

 

While I'm not the biggest fan of Andi Dorfman, I felt bad for her. She seemed pretty genuine there.  It was a total softball interview (my first question would have been "Since you quit your job, what do you do every day now besides get drunk with Nikki and promote hair extensions/ugly t-shirts/hair straighteners/lame phone apps/fitness products on your Instagram account?").  To put things into perspective though her and Josh were "engaged" for no more than 8 months. They met on a TV show. Biggest failure of her life? That just tells you the kind of life Princess Andi has had.  Everything goes her way, she always wins, always gets chosen first. Maybe this will show her what's important, and she may even go back to her real job as a DA/attorney instead of waiting for the next E! gig.  One can hope.

 

I love Kaitlyn and Carly. They were so cute with the banter on the ice skating date. Carly was catty, yes, but that doesn't negate her observations which I thought were accurate. To brush Carly off as "just jealous of Britt" is a bit of a reach - there are 4 other gorgeous girls in the house vying for Chris's attention but she's only focusing on Britt? I know I'd be just as annoyed by Britt's ratty extensions, hot pink lips, permanent blow-up doll faces, and most of all her fakery fake fake fakeness.

 

Oh Britt. She just about lost her mind after Kaitlyn got the group date rose, the way she SEETHED at Kaitlyn/Chris, the way she cracked her knuckles one by one, the way she interrupted Chris while he was talking - what a 180 from the way she portrays herself. Shudder. I've been creeping her Instagram and she's full of hearts and rainbows and Christianity there. Even last night she posted "Forgive those who persecute you" or some bullshit and says she forgives people who talk shit about her. Um Britt, Kaitlyn was "persecuted" by you.  She was a lot more gracious than I would have been, and good on Carly for calling Britt out by saying she got the special concert date and the group date rose last week.  Then Britt tried to backtrack saying "I only feel this way because it's hometown" or something, and tells Kaitlyn "Oh no I love Kaitlyn it's not about her". It definitely was about her. Or maybe the fact that for once you weren't the centre of everyone's universe. Entitlement is not a good look on her.  I cannot stand fake hypocrites like Britt, and I hope she is not selected as the next Bachlorette.  The way Chris tried to clarify her expectations about living in Arlington and she bats her eyelashes licks her lips and says "I want to be…a mom" I can see why her acting chops haven't landed her any gigs in Hollywood. 

[Mu Shu]

Not only that, I thought the cheerleaders were middle aged women? Depressing place, but I think the town may still exist to provide a zip code to farmers and the inevitable housing developments not far away.

Damn, Chris just sucks. He should take some of those soybean futures he may be hedging against and get intensive elocution lessons. He is so tongue tied that I am getting second hand embarrassment. Stop apologizing for handing out the roses, and send Britt and Carly packing.

I wonder how much a cup if coffee goes for in Arlingtin?

Tara would have solved the matter of no bar in town by opening her own. Missed opportunity, right there.

[Superpole2000]

I realize Arlington was probably culture shock for most of these girls, but I think in the proper perspective it's not that big a deal.

I think it is a massive deal. The women have no family there. They would have to give up their careers. They would essentially kill off all existing friendships because how many current friends would go out of their way to visit them in Arlington? Their social lives would revolve around a guy who has little to offer in conversations, and I could see all of them resenting that...especially if Chris continually displays his usual give up and withdraw when the going gets tough attitude. I think it would be hard for any of them to avoid feeling trapped in that type of situation.

[Andromeda]

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.

Someone mentioned Waterloo and Cedar Rapids. I think maybe the pastor? I recognized both those names because unlike some of the women, husband and i researched this place during the last Bachelorette and saw that those towns were the closest. That said, I've lived where I had to drive a half hour one way to a mall, and while no, it's not impossible, it is a huge pain the butt. The closest town, Waterloo, isn't that big -- maybe 10,000, which is still small, but probably what most of these women were thinking of when they heard he lived in a small town.

 

I think it is a massive deal. The women have no family there. They would have to give up their careers. They would essentially kill off all existing friendships because how many current friends would go out of their way to visit them in Arlington? Their social lives would revolve around a guy who has little to offer in conversations, and I could see all of them resenting that...especially if Chris continually displays his usual give up and withdraw when the going gets tough attitude. I think it would be hard for any of them to avoid feeling trapped in that type of situation.

I agree, it's a MASSIVE deal. It's the type of situation that, if the woman isn't really prepared for it or wants it, could end a marriage. I don't see any of these women as the introverted type who'd be happy spending all day and evening alone, or alone with babies, despite Britt's claim that all she wants is to be a mother. And most have careers that can't be accomplished telecommuting (like Whitney). I'm introverted, I telecommute and work from home, so I actually spend most days around the house, but knowing I can pop off down the street to the coffee stand or the Walgreens or market or doctors or shopping mall or one of a dozen restaurants makes a huge difference in my daily lifestyle.

Edited February 16, 2015 by Andromeda

[Shibori]

Sorry, Superpole2000, I didn't mean to imply that it wouldn't be a big change and sacrifice for the women. I meant that portraying it as a ghost town that's 3 hours away from civilization isn't really accurate. It might be a ghost town, but there are other towns with signs of life much closer than Des Moines, and you won't really be loading up the runaway mule for your twice-a-year trek to the general store. If Chris wasn't a total dullard, it might be a little easier to deal with.

I wish they'd address the job question, though. If they wanted to work, could they? (Both in terms of logistics and Chris's attitude?). Could Whitney, for example find work as a nurse within reasonable driving distance? if any of them were so inclined, they could probably parlay their 15 minutes of fame into a Pioneer Woman style blog or something.

Edited February 16, 2015 by Shibori

[CalamityBoPeep]

 

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.  

 

 

 

 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.

 

 

I agree... it seems like Carly has come to the realization that she's not "the one" (she was pretty sure she'd be eliminated at the rose ceremony that never was, after all), so she decided to embrace the friend-zone/brother-sister thing and try to save him from himself, a bit.  She knew that she'd be taking herself out of the mix, and ensuring her own exit, but at that point, I think she didn't care about that.  She knew that she wasn't going to be getting a hometown rose.  The fact that it meant taking down Britt while doing it, was just icing on the cake.

[alexa]

Someone mentioned Waterloo and Cedar Rapids. I think maybe the pastor? I recognized both those names because unlike some of the women, husband and i researched this place during the last Bachelorette and saw that those towns were the closest. That said, I've lived where I had to drive a half hour one way to a mall, and while no, it's not impossible, it is a huge pain the butt. The closest town, Waterloo, isn't that big -- maybe 10,000, which is still small, but probably what most of these women were thinking of when they heard he lived in a small town.

 

 

Not to be petty, but Waterloo has 60000 some people, not 10000.  Plus it is connected to Cedar Falls which is a college town and has Univ of Northern Iowa, a state college.  So, I get what you are saying, but travelling to Waterloo/Cedar Falls isn't like going to a small town of 10000.  

 

The point being, you will not go to these towns every day, but they do provide an escape.  During the week, you live your life, do your work, etc, and then on the weekends, and occasionally in the evenings you might go do something more interesting in the larger cities.

Edited February 16, 2015 by alexa

[Andromeda]

alexa says Waterloo is attached to Cedar Rapids, so that's not the town of 10,000. There was one in the other direction, as I recall, that was closer. But it's been months since I checked. In any case, it's a lot of country driving for even the smallest thing, which can get old very fast, especially for women like Britt or Whitney who are used to living in big cities. Whitney is from Kentucky, so I see that as a fit, but I don't know where in Kentucky. Because there are cities and tiny towns in every state, and even if she grew up in a small town, she chose to move to one of the country's biggest metropolitan centers, so it must have appealed to her to live there. I think that's true of all of the women left. I hear some of them saying they grew up in small towns or are familiar with life in small towns, but I don't hear them saying they loved it and want to go back. The only one who did is Britt, who said she want's to reinvent herself (as a country girl, presumably), but I don't believe a word of what she says.

 

The casting was just wrong for this installment. They needed a bunch of Lindseys (horse girl from earlier season). They needed more Taras (the only country girl I can think of in this cast, who was drunk the first night).

 

I agree Chris has a temper, and he bolts in uncomfortable situations. He is the farthest thing from a ladies' man, and not a good fit for this show. I read a definition of a ladies' man once, that he's a guy who genuinely loves women -- loves talking to them, being around them, being friends with them. Chris is a guy's guy, and he's most comfortable out on the farm or in a bar, just like he's said. And yeah, I remember the DUIs (wasn't there like 9 traffic tickets, a couple of which were DUIs? And an arrest or two?) I'm starting to see why he's still single.

 

At the start of the season, I wondered if Chris didn't want to leave Arlington, but now I think he really does intend to stay there. So there are no options for his wife. Chris and Arlington are a package deal.

Edited February 16, 2015 by Andromeda

[CalamityBoPeep]

I think it is a massive deal. The women have no family there. They would have to give up their careers. They would essentially kill off all existing friendships because how many current friends would go out of their way to visit them in Arlington? Their social lives would revolve around a guy who has little to offer in conversations, and I could see all of them resenting that...especially if Chris continually displays his usual give up and withdraw when the going gets tough attitude. I think it would be hard for any of them to avoid feeling trapped in that type of situation.

 

When Whitney talked about having no parents and family, I thought "That'd make it easier to move to away, at any rate."  If she's on her own in Chicago, it would be a case of removing herself from the vicinity of whatever friends she's made there, but she seems like the type who would find making new friends pretty easy.  So, the real question for her would be, could she take her fertility nursing expertise and maybe a refresher in hospital nursing, and work in a hospital nearby?  There are some hospitals within an hour radius of Arlington, so she could probably work reasonably close to home.  A lot of people commute an hour to work, in and around big cities.  It'd just be a really boring, straight along the highway, hour commute through the corn.  It'd be crap when the highway is covered with snow, though, so it might be nice to have a apartment in the city for those contingencies.  Chris is apparently loaded, so I could see them affording that.

 

Speaking of Chris being loaded, why doesn't he open up a bar or diner or something Arlington?  Wouldn't necessarily have to work there himself, but it might be nice for the locals to have a gathering place.  

[Shibori]

Have we ever heard Chris ask one of the women about what they do for a living? Seems like that would be a logical conversation and relevant to the expectation to move- though I realize it might have been cut if he did. I wonder if any of the early cuts would have been less drama and more interested in farm life. Do the women know who the Bachelor will be when they sign up? (This is my first season watching.). It'd be a bummer to sign on only to find that you got stuck with the farmer that won't move.

[CalamityBoPeep]

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

 

 

 

Trivia tidbit:  John Mellencamp grew up in Seymour, Indiana.  His family still lives in the area, and he now has a home in Bloomington, Indiana, and I'll just note... With about 18,000 people, Seymour is a hell of a lot bigger than Arlington. LOL  Kind depressing to drive through, not all that pretty (the little city where I am really focuses on the pretty, so it's really noticeable to me), but way more bustling than Arlington.  He did concerts at our local theater (before my time here) when he was a young struggling musician.  Anyway... just a side note about a hometown hero...

 

Former Nun said:

 

ANDI.    Couldn't Production spring for some tissues?   They could use Kleenex and get some product placement fees.

 

God, yes.  They wouldn't have even had to have a box... they could have just given the woman a handful of tissues.  Anything to avoid the sight of her wiping her nose with her fingers, then running her fingers through her hair!  Blegh!

 

And also... Andi sure did seem awfully concerned with what people thought about her and her relationship with Josh.  She said something like "I was that person that people were looking at like 'You two are so in love!'"  Way to put your focus on your relationship, Andi.  If you're busy looking at how other people are looking at you, you probably aren't looking much at your partner, are you?

[CalamityBoPeep]

My son happened to be here last night, and he was watching the "Chris Tells All" part with me before he headed home.  He doesn't watch this stuff, and kind of rolled his eyes over my enjoyment (until I explained the fun of snarking on it to him.  LOL).  Anyway... he totally loved Ashley S.  Found her incredibly fun and loved that she brought the crazy, to the point he said to me "Man, if I was straight and willing to go on a reality show, she'd totally be the one I brought home to meet you.  She would have definitely been there at the end."  

 

I told him he'd just be doing that for the show mockery angle and I'd support him in that decision. He agreed readily... convinced that Ashley knew exactly what she was doing, in bringing the Meta.  Heh.

[atlanticslide]

The point being, you will not go to these towns every day, but they do provide an escape.  During the week, you live your life, do your work, etc, and then on the weekends, and occasionally in the evenings you might go do something more interesting in the larger cities.

But what work do you do if there's nothing but farmland around? When Chris took Andi back there for the hometown date, she asked about what kinds of job opportunities there would be for her - didn't he say something like "there's opportunities to be a homemaker"?

 

The thing I see as being one of the biggest barriers to a relationship with any of these women is that they're not going to just go straight from filming to having a family - even after the final episode airs, presumably they'll want to take some time to just be together and really build the relationship before having any kids, so what is the chosen woman going to do in the meantime in a town and an area where it'll likely be hard to find work where she doesn't know anyone and the nearest neighbors seem miles away? Quitting my job and staying home with kids is so, so far from my ideal life, but even for someone who wants that life, it'll probably be a while before the kid part happens so, what, is she just going to hang around Chris's house all day? Help him farm?

 

I could maybe see taking over one of those defunct stores and opening up a shop or bar or restaurant or something, but if there wasn't enough business to sustain the places that were there that are now closed, that suggests there wouldn't be enough business to sustain a new place.

[ranchgirl]

Interesting how Carly herself, and all the other ladies, thought it was Carly who would go home at the Deadwood rose ceremony. Wonder why that is?

Carly was funny tonight, but she has taken herself out of the running. She is just support and comic relief for the other girls.

I was surprised how well Kaitlyn, Britt and Carly could ice skate.

I think Whitney is controlling and overpowering, but Chris doesn't see that yet. He just sees how well she handles herself in social situations, which impresses him. But she was so OTT when she realized those "fans" (?) were his best friends and the reaction to that mural. Did she think that Chris painted that and did all the work for it? Does she think that Chris thought of it and arranged for it to be done?

She is a very outgoing and social person, so I don't know if life on the farm would be enough for her in that area.

Having said all that, her "story" of her mom's passing and no relationship with her dad makes her the perfect person to start over in Arlington. She wants a family ... ready made in his and one to start with him. And if she gets him, she will wear the over-all's in that relationship which Chris will love at first and then grow to dislike as he begins to see what is going on. (Usually after 2 or 3 kids.)

I think up to this point, Jade is his front runner in his mind, or he is trying to force her to be because she was his sisters pick. I think once she reveals to him her past "mistake" he won't be able to let that fly. I can't believe she didn't tell him right after she met his Mom and Dad about her rebel side. I'm sure his Mom went home and immediately looked her up on social media. Yikes!! Also, was there a rose on this date? Maybe that happened while I wasn't looking but I don't remember one. Maybe it was when they were practicing their "French" in the high school hall way.

One of the ladies who sat behind Chris and Jade at the football game looked just like one of the ladies that spoke during the premier episode that was from his hometown.

I like Becca. I don't know where she was last night, but I like her. I think she has the best personality to handle Chris' lifestyle, but I just don't think he has any feelings for her. We know by the previews that he visits her family, so I guess we will see her tonight.

[archer1267]

And most have careers that can't be accomplished telecommuting (like Whitney).

 

 

I was curious as to how close Arlington is to a hospital, and it looks like there's one 17 miles away in Oelwein. Chris had mentioned wanting a "career woman," but honestly, unless she has the type of job that can be done anywhere with a wireless connection, I don't know what his wife's going to do there. And while opening a cafe or bar in town sounds fun, you need critical mass to really make a go of it. There just isn't the kind of foot traffic there. (Then agan, Chris' ex-fiancee opened up a stand-up paddle company, SUP Iowa, so I guess it's possible to be a successful entrepreneur.)

 

Ditto on Britt finally showing her Fatal Attraction, "I will not be ignored" side. So, it's okay for her to suck face with Chris in front of the other women, but she bursts into tears just hearing that Jade kissed Chris at the football game? Nutter. And what a crappy thing to do to Kaitlyn. 

 

I assume that mural won't be "permanent" if Whitney is not the one Chris picks. 

[JenE4]

Was Becca not included in the group date because she was the one who was slated to be sent home and production had already written up the group date card? Because there's no reason why she couldn't have been included in that group date. They were just ice skating and drinking coffee; it wasn't like they had a bicycle built for 4 and couldn't have squeezed her in or something.

 

I have to admit, I'm loving the "to be continued" endings of the last few episodes. I think production might be going a bit too far with obviously amping up the drama quotent, but that's one small change that's kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat for the next episode.

[Lamb18]

Whitney may not have much opportunity for fertility work in Arlington, but I bet there are local clinics and even the possibility of being a visiting nurse. She may need some refresher coursework but the University of Iowa is not that far away - probably about half the distance to Des Moines, maybe a little closer.

Just a thought - I wonder how Whitney and Nick (Andi's season) would get a long. She wants a mom and dad, well, Nick can provide that plus 10 siblings!

I felt like the Andi segment was an audition for a second chance at Bachelorette. I felt a little sad for her but she did not have to do an interview and put her unhappiness on display. I got a subtext of "I'm heartbroken and I know there's someone out there and I want a second chance at love and The Bachelorette is the only way to do that." I wonder if they're holding her in reserve in case they can't find anyone better. Also in the audition pool: Juelia, Carly, maybe Britt, Kaitlynn, Whitney and Becca(if they aren't chosen by Chris.

[saber5055]

alexa says Waterloo is attached to Cedar Rapids, so that's not the town of 10,000. There was one in the other direction, as I recall, that was closer.

 

 

I live there, guys. There is Waterloo/Cedar Falls (totally connected, just two names), Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Waverly. I've been to all many, many times and all have EVERYTHING a fancy-schmancy woman would be looking for, including excellent restaurants, theaters, nail salons, hair extensions ... everything. And Waverly is home to the biggest draft-horse sale in the United States. Which makes me think Lindzey, as another poster said, would have been a good match. There are tons of horse shows throughout Iowa and the Midwest she could have competed in.

 

Which makes me wonder why a better cast wasn't selected for Chris. Like some farm-type women, women who own their own Internet business, women who raise/show horses or dogs, a veterinarian, women who like the solitary life of country living. Oh wait, those would be there for the right reasons and not to be next b-ette or to advance their acting career. So, never mind.

 

I live an hour from a major city. When I worked in town, I would be in the office on winter days when people who lived five blocks away "couldn't get out of their driveways." I had a small car that got great mileage, and my hour of driving was at highway speed as opposed to others who drove ONE HOUR through city traffic to get to work. Doing grocery shopping means I'm gone around five hours as I pick up everything else I need while I'm in town, plus the two-hour 'round trip. It's a trade off, yes, but I have no neighbors blasting music and I can watch the meteorite showers from my front yard with no city lights blocking the view. Trade offs are part of life.

 

Does a fertility nurse need a special degree? 

[Rhondinella]

Which makes me wonder why a better cast wasn't selected for Chris. Like some farm-type women, women who own their own Internet business, women who raise/show horses or dogs, a veterinarian, women who like the solitary life of country living. Oh wait, those would be there for the right reasons and not to be next b-ette or to advance their acting career. So, never mind.

 

 

Because Fleiss, et. al. aren't concerned with producing a lasting relationship.  They want drama, and bringing these (mostly) high maintenance career women to a tiny town like this was guaranteed to bring it much more than if they had cast a bunch of women who want to actually settle down on a farm.  Plus, I choose to believe most women like that are far to sensible and sane to even consider a show like this a viable option, farmer or not.

 

Which is why I still don't understand why they didn't keep Ashley around long enough to go to Arlington.  Seriously, I'd pay money to see her reaction.  She'd bolt even faster than Britt is.  Or, conversely, they could have taken the women to Arlington a little sooner in the season and made them stay in town (of course, where they'd stay, I don't know. Sleepover at Chris's house?) for a few days until one or more of them cracked from the boredom of it all. As satisfying as Britt's implosion last night was, I'm honestly kinda disappointed we didn't get that.

[Bugs Meany]

Also in the audition pool: Juelia, Carly, maybe Britt, Kaitlynn, Whitney and Becca(if they aren't chosen by Chris.

 

Juelia isn't any more likely than Brad Womack to be the next TBette.

[saber5055]

Because Fleiss, et. al. aren't concerned with producing a lasting relationship.

 

 

Oh, right. Thanks for the snap back to reality, Rhondinella! I forgot this show's MO for a minute there. Heh.

 

Is this episode online anywhere? Because this is where I live, I'm curious to see the entire thing and not just what I saw during commercial breaks on SNL ... which were not that many, surprisingly.

 

I did see Andi's breakdown which lasted long enough to cover TWO SNL commercial breaks. The heck? And I agree, what's up with the no-tissue thing? Her dress must have been soaked with her wiping her tears off on it. I had a feeling it was a Next B-ette set up. But I had to laugh at her "all of a sudden" breaking up with Josh because of what she heard on the red carpet. The posters here knew they were splitsville before then.

[Neerbeena]

 

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.

 

This is so true.  Are we all supposed to believe Britt is fake because Carly says so because I don't see it.  I think she acts the same way with the other women as she does with Chris, all touchy-feely and flirty.  And if she's a liar because she tells Chris things he wants to hear, then Whitney is just as bad if not worse.  Ninety percent of the Britt is fake and a liar comments are from Carly and who mentioned that Britt doesn't take showers?--that's right, thin-lipped Carly.  Maybe Britt's free-spirit persona might be annoying to some and she's obviously using her feminine wiles to bag the big prize, but I don't thinks she rises to the "we have to save Chris from this horrible person" level.

 

[Kbilly]

I assume that mural won't be "permanent" if Whitney is not the one Chris picks.

 

I got the sense it wasn't very permanent at all--it looked like paper to me!

 

What's with all the girls wearing plaid shirts as wrap-arounds, white pants, crop tops....90s fashion gives me the shivers. Chokers and sunflowers and baby doll dresses with Doc Martens oh my!

 

It cracked me up how Whitney was talking about how beautiful Des Moines was like it was Paris or something. I can't believe they haven't gone international. They saved some serious scratch on this season. On the ice skating date--were they hanging out in a basement of old signs?!

 

Carly talks so much shit, Women Tell All may be spicy for her. I don't like Britt but Carly came off petty to me telling Chris that Britt had reservations about Arlington. I didn't notice a cruise ship port--it's not ideal for her either.

 

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

 

I have it! I got a little kick out of seeing it on TV. The flowers are black actually. Katelyn was wearing a top I have earlier although I usually wear it with pants...she did not. 

[jette]

I so agree that Chris' cast of women, while pretty, sure contain a ton of odd ducks. Whitney's response to that goofy mural (which would be forever-ever, on a building in town how many miles away from Arlington?) seemed positively demented to me. If I were in that crowd watching the unveiling, I'd have pulled Chris aside and said, run.

 

Love Carly. Sometime after her 1on1, she transitioned into kooky narrator / pot stirrer a la Michelle Money. Isn't she the girl who tipped us off (and confirmed MM's opening night dig) about the fact that Britt doesn't shower? Then a hand puppet? The picture of Jesus on the wall in Arlington's Methodist church is the same one as her grandparents have, so that confirms that she and Chris are meant to be? Being chosen to hear Jade's confession? All golden moments. Me thinks she'll be the next Bachelorette. She could be "successful" if Fleiss would cast to her strengths, but he won't.

 

Or why doesn't Fleiss just give Michelle Money her own season? She's sure done the time on every other iteration of Bachelor show. 'Course they'd need to recruit some fellas eligible for that OurTime website...

[backformore]

 Whitney is from Kentucky, so I see that as a fit, but I don't know where in Kentucky. Because there are cities and tiny towns in every state, and even if she grew up in a small town, she chose to move to one of the country's biggest metropolitan centers, so it must have appealed to her to live there. I think that's true of all of the women left. 

 

Sure'  but a lot of Chicagoans, myself included, love the city only until it comes to raising a family.  Traffic, less than ideal schools, crime, etc, makes parents go to the suburbs. Whitney chose a specialty in nursing that would mean she needed to be close to a big city -  small towns do not tend to have the need for fertility specialists - at least not enough for a full-time job.  And stuff like in-vitro fertilization is EXPENSIVE.  Whitney would have to make major changes in her life.  It's not like they get married and immediately have kids to raise. 

 

And also... Andi sure did seem awfully concerned with what people thought about her and her relationship with Josh.  She said something like "I was that person that people were looking at like 'You two are so in love!'"  Way to put your focus on your relationship, Andi.  If you're busy looking at how other people are looking at you, you probably aren't looking much at your partner, are you?

Yeah, and,  Andi was looking at the other BACHELOR couples who were already planning a wedding, and wondering what was wrong with her and josh, that other people were "ahead"  of them.   Wow.  reminds me of high school, comparing timelines with that of other couples.  She is more upset about what other people think than she is about the actual breakup.  

[Andromeda]

Sure'  but a lot of Chicagoans, myself included, love the city only until it comes to raising a family.  Traffic, less than ideal schools, crime, etc, makes parents go to the suburbs.

I agree, many people move to the 'burbs to raise families... but Arlington is hardly the burbs. I think some of the women probably do live in outlying suburbs even now, when the screen identifies their town as a major city. I remember when Jason Mesnick was on, it said he was from Seattle, but he was really from Kirkland, for instance. Like you said, Whitney would have to make major changes in her life. The deal in this case is that there's no decision-making, no "where will we live?" discussions or looking for a career opportunity in a new city and deciding whether to take it. If you take Chris, you take Arlington.

I personally don't like the cliff-hanger endings. For one thing, the previews now contain spoilers -- we saw three of the final four on their hometown dates. That's annoying. I was also confused by what was going on when Kelsey had her meltdown because Chris hesitated, she melted down, then it was another week before we saw the resolution. I forgot where we left off -- since there's no real "plot," the action's more subtle, so I forget it quicker than I would for a drama.

Edited February 16, 2015 by Andromeda

[NikSac]

I could maybe see taking over one of those defunct stores and opening up a shop or bar or restaurant or something, but if there wasn't enough business to sustain the places that were there that are now closed, that suggests there wouldn't be enough business to sustain a new place.

 

Exactly. I've been to towns like this (even way out here in California!) and it was freaky how absolutely nothing was open, but I also felt like trying to own or open a business there was not a good idea. Seems like this is the case for Arlington, too?  Small town I can imagine... town of 400ish not so much!

[reggiejax]

For one thing, the previews now contain spoilers -- we saw three of the final four on their hometown dates.

 

And the fourth was easy to guess based on the three shown in the previews. So despite the efforts at suspense by doing a cliffhanger, it was all given away in the previews. 

 

I get that this year is all about "no rules", but it is really making for kind of a slipshod season. On the plus side, it was good he got rid of the drunks early. They would have been having a tough time in these later weeks, what with all the canceled cocktail parties. 

 

She's not hot enough,

 

I beg to differ. I think Carly is very attractive. But even setting aside my own personal opinion of Carly, if a hatchet face like Andi can be The Bachelorette, and even inspire rumors of a do over, then a cutie patootie like Carly is plenty hot enough to be the Bachelorette. And perhaps Carly is lying about being 29 (and let's be honest, that age always sounds like a lie, even if it is true), there is no way in hell she is in her 40's, as has been suggested in a previous comment. 

Edited February 16, 2015 by reggiejax

[Captain Asshat]

Which makes me wonder why a better cast wasn't selected for Chris. Like some farm-type women, women who own their own Internet business, women who raise/show horses or dogs, a veterinarian, women who like the solitary life of country living. Oh wait, those would be there for the right reasons and not to be next b-ette or to advance their acting career. So, never mind.

Yeah...this is a television show concerned about viewership, draaaaama, and ratings. TPTB couldn't care less about love, romance, and compatibility. Face it...who would watch the TV version of eHarmony,com?

Edited February 16, 2015 by Captain Asshat

[JenE4]

were they hanging out in a basement of old signs?!

 

It was a salvage yard/coffee shop according to the window signs when we got a wide shot. It looked pretty cool, but that looks like an accident/lawsuit waiting to happen with people carrying around hot cups of coffee while random letters and signs are strewn about just waiting to be tripped over.

[saber5055]

I've been to towns like this (even way out here in California!) and it was freaky how absolutely nothing was open,

 

 

I'm saying TPTB put the b-ettes there after finding out when everything is closed. Like a late Sunday afternoon. That the town had a library impressed me. My town of 1,700 has one and the hours are sporadic. And it's always closed during lunch hour, and all day Sunday. So there's that.

 

Thinking about this, while living on 6,000 acres of corn outside Arlington, Iowa, really appeals to me, I have to say that I don't see Chris matching up with anyone from this show, at least not past the designated six months or however long they have to keep up appearances. Rural life is DEF not for everyone, and especially not hot-tub-type women who are looking for the spotlight more than Mr. Right. Besides, I do not see Chris having anything to offer. And that laugh ... gah. And his "get me away from here" look when there is a problem. Not the best resume for a marriage partner. Although like another poster said, I'd consider how much $ he had in the bank, and then NOT sign a pre-nup before I said, "I do." 

Edited February 16, 2015 by saber5055

[Former Nun]

Question:

Which makes me wonder why a better cast wasn't selected for Chris. Like some farm-type women, women who own their own Internet business, women who raise/show horses or dogs, a veterinarian, women who like the solitary life of country living.

 

Possible Answer:

Because none of them has a contract with the approved agencies that deal with Mike Fleiss?

[Mu Shu]

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.

Chris has DUIs?  Plural?    Isn't that jail time?   I wonder if he fights the way he laughs?    I think he's a big pussy.

 

So much for him and his family  claiming the higher ground over Jade and her soft porn, if indeed they do.    Playboy is pretty innocuous, but DUIs can kill.   Fucker.    I agree Judy, I think he's mean.   He can't handle conflicts, and he constantly commits blunders causing the women to squabble over his plain ass that are unnecessary.   I think he's very passive aggressive, and would be hell to spend a long, cold winter with.   Plus, his ears are unusually small, especially on that jug head. 

[alexa]

alexa says Waterloo is attached to Cedar Rapids, so that's not the town of 10,000. There was one in the other direction, as I recall, that was closer.

 

Not to be petty, but Waterloo has 60000 some people, not 10000.  Plus it is connected to Cedar Falls which is a college town and has Univ of Northern Iowa, a state college.

 

Just fyi that I said Cedar Falls, not Cedar Rapids.  Cedar Rapids is a separate city farther south.  Anyway, just didn't want to be misquoted.  Back to the topic, though I said and agree all of these cities have more to do than Arlington, I also agree that day to day life in Arlington would be boring.  Though I am from small town Iowa, my small town was more what these girls hoped for.  Large enough to have some people, quaint, has some nice businesses and restaurants.  They probably would have actually enjoyed it a bit, and might have had the small possibility for employment :-)

[Shibori]

You know things are crazy when the woman using her hand with makeup on it as a puppet still comes across as far more sane than the "mental health professional."

[Alapaki]

my first question would have been "Since you quit your job, what do you do every day now besides get drunk with Nikki and promote hair extensions/ugly t-shirts/hair straighteners/lame phone apps/fitness products on your Instagram account?")

And how about bringing up the fact that DURING THE SEASON she conceded that Josh was the EXACT type of guy she always goes for and it NEVER works out? Instead we get Chris consoling her that "it's nor your fault, you're not a failure, just keep Groundhog Day-ing your dating life"

[saber5055]

Just fyi that I said Cedar Falls, not Cedar Rapids.

 

 

Oops, I quoted your quote and didn't catch the Cedar Error myself. And I've been to both CF and CR so many times I can't count. Cedar Rapids is just further south than Waterloo/Cedar Falls. It's just north of I-80 ... which would take any b-ette right back to the west coast, non-stop, and at 80 mph!

[Alapaki]

And also... Andi sure did seem awfully concerned with what people thought about her and her relationship with Josh. She said something like "I was that person that people were looking at like 'You two are so in love!'" Way to put your focus on your relationship, Andi. If you're busy looking at how other people are looking at you, you probably aren't looking much at your partner, are you?

Because the whole reason she was cast was for Fleiss to show that awful, awful Juan Pablo that "the process really DOES work!" Andi's so shallow she conflated her role with her entire identity.

I'm sure the crying was from the realization that she was at 14:59 of "fame" and that the clock would strike 15:00 as soon as the producer called "cut"