S20.E04: Week 4

[Bugs Meany]

The thing that struck me about this week's episode is that it felt like there were two or three women who got talking-head shots who I swear I've never seen before.... Now, granted, I only 1/2 to 3/4 watch at any one time.  But It really seems like this show has veered into American Idol territory in allowing the freak-show contestants to monopolize screen time at the expense of potentially viable candidates.

 

One of them must be Jennifer, who really illustrates your point. She's beautiful. There was an early connection there. (She was the first girl Ben kissed, and on Bachelor Live he sort of implied that he should have given her the FIR.) And she's nice. The other girls were happy/proud when she grabbed Ben at the beginning of the cocktail party, which is really the ultimate endorsement of character on this show. And yet she's this season's Phantom Contestant.

[Padma]

Maybe Jennifer will wind up like Samantha, the woman "discovered" by the audience who was impressed by her beauty and gave her enough attention for BiP (an opportunity that she blew).

 

I have absolutely no idea who Jennifer is. From the description above, she sounds like someone that would be much better to be seeing than Lauren H, the twin(s), Olivia, Calia and 3 or 4 others whose names I still don't know.

[Mabinogia]

I had to look Jennifer up. She's gorgeous! Why isn't she getting more screentime?

[violet and green]

I think the edit is heavily skewed towards highlighting the crazy in these first four eps. Jennifer's boobs got their own special lighting in I think ep 2, or maybe ep 1, in a one on one with whatsisname out in the garden pre Rose ceremony. I figured she's a frontrunner, who will peak later in the series.

[PamelaMaeSnap]

Ditto on Jennifer getting the phantom coverage, for whatever reason ... and I think she's ALMOST beautiful but there's something slightly askew that keeps her from being full-on drop-dead gorgeous. But I can't figure out what that is because she's never on my screen long enough. 

 

Plus, then there was Rachel, who, when she was one of the eliminees last week, I had absolutely no idea who she was. None. 

 

If I were Amanda, with two kids at home, and getting as little attention as she appears to be getting from Ben (maybe there's more we haven't seen), I'd be outta there and home with the kids. She strikes me as one of those who keeps getting through because she's not in the bottom, not because she's among the frontrunners. The voice alone would drive me batty.

[Canada]

If Jennifer is getting the Samantha edit, I hope she doesn't turn out to be a nasty bitch like Samantha did.  She ended up being an awful person.

[TomGirl]

As others have pointed out, Ben is fairly easy to read, and Lauren B is clearly at the top of the list for now.

[Kimmature]

 

So far, I don't see any of these women as the next B-ette.

I'd be thrilled if the franchise went to someone new, instead of just retreading past contestants.  Except for boring Sean and Catherine (and the really disturbing focus on their 'honeymoon bed'), isn't it a given now that past contestants have a much better 'love' track record on Bachelor Pad and Bachelor in Paradise?  I'm cringing at the thought of sitting through Jade and Tanner's wedding, and I had a huge thumbs up for Marcus not being on the horrendous Bachelor float- I just don't find re-treads that interesting.  I liked Amber the first few times that I saw her, but she just emphasized that there's something seriously wrong with anyone who goes on the franchise more than once.  

 

Why not bring in completely new blood?  I do like Ben more than I thought that I would, but most of his contestants bore me to tears. Drunk girl, crazy girl, girls who are incredibly gorgeous and apparently likable but must have something very wrong with them if they're ending up on a reality TV show to find a partner when they're 24.  I think that the "Bachelor Family" must be so inbred and so focused on TV that they may forget that at least a small soupcon of surprise would be a good thing.  Then again, it's ABC, so at least they're not making everyone dress up as Belle every single date. 

[C76]

According to a podcast Ben was on last week, yes.  The brainstorming part, anyway.  He said that he thought a spa day would be cool, and then they filled in the rest with a helicopter and hot tub.  Stuff like that.

 

Thanks for the information! 

 

 

So far, I don't see any of these women as the next B-ette.

 

I miss the days when the Bachelor or Bachelorette were random folks, instead of candidates from previous seasons. 

[catrice2]

I am surprised that after only watching a little of the show how easy it was for me to start criticizing the women.   Basically the people that I know who watch the show only watch to be able to see the crazy, or to talk about the women. I don't see my comments as catty, but just factual the way I see it. I can respect that some people think Becca? (I think the one that is from another show?) and Lauren are pretty, but I honestly don't thin any of them were extra special, but are they supposed to be? I thought the premise of the show was a regular nice guy is looking for the girl next door...not a model? I think these people have to know by now what happens when you come on this show..i.e., opening yourself up for ridicule and comment.  I can't imagine being on here and then moving back home to a normal life. 

 

I am also ashamed that I started to think I could know people from 5 minutes on a television show.  The clips I saw this week have made me incredibly sympathetic to Olivia.   Most of the girls that have already gone home seemed to be very average, and only a few of the ones left are cute, but not beautiful.  Lord, someone showed the twins without makeup and I thought how sad it was that they looked that bad makeup free in their early 20's.. I think this show should go more for late 20's or early thirties.  Have they ever had older people? 

 

I don't know how they choose the Bachelor or Bachelorlette, but I would hope they will decide they have shamed themselves enough that they would not want to do it again. I guess the idea of being on television and getting these free trips, being in the media is appealing.   Do they get paid, or do they have to take off work for this? 

 

They honestly did not show enough of anyone's talent other than the twins and Olivia to be able to tell if anyone else was fun or interesting.  That's too bad.  It is also too bad that someone spoils this show every year so that there is no suspense.  Then the producers get to go back and edit, etc. to fit or push whatever narrative they've decided to push, and the Bachelor gets to make up all his blogs, etc. to support that.   I can't see how women could be so emotional about someone they have known for a few days or weeks, and that they continually see kissing and complimenting some other woman. 

[TiaLou]

I miss the days when the Bachelor or Bachelorette were random folks, instead of candidates from previous seasons.

 

Sorry to be that person, but every Bachelorette has been a previous contestant on the Bachelor; they've never had a "random" Bachelorette. (For those keeping score at home -- and who isn't? -- the last "random" Bachelor was Matt Grant, though the second version of Brad Womack, also a "random" Bachelor, aired after Matt's season.)

[Padma]

Sorry to be that person, but every Bachelorette has been a previous contestant on the Bachelor; they've never had a "random" Bachelorette. (For those keeping score at home -- and who isn't? -- the last "random" Bachelor was Matt Grant, though the second version of Brad Womack, also a "random" Bachelor, aired after Matt's season.)

 

 

Sorry to be that person, but every Bachelorette has been a previous contestant on the Bachelor; they've never had a "random" Bachelorette. (For those keeping score at home -- and who isn't? -- the last "random" Bachelor was Matt Grant, though the second version of Brad Womack, also a "random" Bachelor, aired after Matt's season.)

Hmmm. I never realized that! It reminds me how they've had recycled "winners" like (the awful) Jen Scheft.  I hope -- hope!-- they won't be bringing back Andi (wouldn't mind Josh Murray as a Bachelor, but please--no more Andi.)

 

On topic, so far, I don't see anyone other than Lauiren B making a good Bachelorette. But I'd much prefer they just chose someone new, too. Casting someone whose never done the show might be difficult on the lead, but Matt Grant was an excellent bachelor so ..why not?

 

Also, I must try to figure out which one is Jennifer this week, as so many people have described her in such a flattering way. I'm tired of the RCs where I look at the women leaving and say, "There was a Rachel?" It's always a surprise at TWTA when I could swear I'd never seen half of them, ever.

[Bugs Meany]

So far, Lauren B is the only one I can see as a bachelorette.

 

I don't see it. She's cute and likable, but not a strong enough personality to carry a show. (Not that every previous Bachelorette fit that description.) I don't want to get into mansplaining, but the guys going through the casting stage are hoping for JoJo. She's sexy and outgoing and charismatic; there would plenty of footage of the guys fist-pumping and toasting to JoJo during the drive to the mansion. I already know this based on the Instagram comments she gets, compared to the other prominent contestants (Lauren B., Amanda, Becca, Olivia, Caila, even my beloved Jennifer). Btw, do not look at their Instagram comments if you want to remain unspoiled. Random a-holes drop spoilers all over the place.

[lavenderpenguin]

I don't see it. She's cute and likable, but not a strong enough personality to carry a show. (Not that every previous Bachelorette fit that description.) I don't want to get into mansplaining, but the guys going through the casting stage are hoping for JoJo. She's sexy and outgoing and charismatic; there would plenty of footage of the guys fist-pumping and toasting to JoJo during the drive to the mansion. I already know this based on the Instagram comments she gets, compared to the other prominent contestants (Lauren B., Amanda, Becca, Olivia, Caila, even my beloved Jennifer). Btw, do not look at their Instagram comments if you want to remain unspoiled. Random a-holes drop spoilers all over the place.

 

I agree -- I think JoJo is gorgeous and the men would go crazy over her. I mentioned it somewhere else in this thread, but she looks like Isla Fisher + Lucy Hale together to me. Definitely beautiful. 

 

The only one that I think is equally beautiful is Caila, and I think that might be the direction the production is going in. Caila is very girl-next-door pretty, and has a bubbly, upbeat personality that I think a lot of men would be into. I also think the "sex panther" comment was deliberately left in, kind of like, "She's adorable and smiley, but still has lots of sex appeal too!"

 

I also think a reason that Caila might be preferred by production is how well Ben's season is going thus far -- he's this well-mannered, gentlemanly guy that a lot of people thought might be boring because he was so low-key during Kaitlyn's season. I think Caila fits into that same mold (generally not very dramatic, has her moments, pretty, and seems like she'd follow instructions well). JoJo has a bit more personality and I could easily see her turning into a much harder to handle Bachelorette than Caila (e.g. kind of like Kaitlyn, where she seemed super chill/funny in her Bachelor season, but then turned into a nightmare Bachelorette when she was running the show). 

 

But Lauren B., nope. I think she'll be F1 (Ben seems to be so incredibly into her), but even if she isn't, I just don't see her being able to carry a season.

Edited January 31, 2016 by lavenderpenguin

[Bugs Meany]

JoJo has a bit more personality and I could easily see her turning into a much harder to handle Bachelorette than Caila (e.g. kind of like Kaitlyn, where she seemed super chill/funny in her Bachelor season, but then turned into a nightmare Bachelorette when she was running the show).

JoJo comes from a prominent family in Dallas that won't want to embarrass, and has started a company that she won't want to sabotage. (Even if she's flipping houses with Daddy's money, that's her career.) She's savvy. Chris Harrison won't have to take her aside for a stern talking-to.

[Padma]

One thing I'm really enjoying about Ben is his conversational skills and how he interacts differently--and engagingly--with each woman. I didn't like Andi, but I thought she did that well, too. For me, that would be the most important quality in a lead--plus the "contestants" being very interested in them (i.e. not another Bentley, ever).

 

So far, I agree that Caila seems pretty and sweet but she seems like no great shakes at conversation, barely contributed anything at all to getting to know her date on the one-to-one. And I found out who JoJo was last week and she wouldn't be my choice as b-ette either (proving how differently people see things--as if any proof was needed!) To me, she's very attractive, good looking in a kind of forgettable way, but not someone I would ever describe as beautiful. She seems intelligent, but I don't see her as the woman that bachelors would be going crazy about. She seems older, and more like an authority figure/teacher-type, not the woman with a personality that is a magnet for contestants at all. Maybe my impression will change as she interacts more with Ben, but unless it was a season with older more serious and stable bachelors (like Byron's season, which I wouldn't mind at all), I just don't see her as a lead, nice and capable though she probably is.

[Bugs Meany]

[JoJo] seems intelligent, but I don't see her as the woman that bachelors would be going crazy about.

 

I don't want to sound condescending and dismissive by playing the guy card, but I can tell you that she is that woman. Not every. single. applicant, but for the majority of the 26- to 34-year-old personal trainers and accountants and salesmen in the Bachelorette S12 cast, JoJo is #1 on the wish list.

[Mabinogia]

I imagine JoJo would appeal to guys. She's beautiful but in an attainable way, not so stunning that a guy is going to be afraid to approach her. She is approachable. She doesn't seem high maintenance. She seems cool and fun to hang out with. She comes across as a girl who would be perfectly happy going to a game or hanging out with your friends. She seems more like a guys girl than most of the others.

 

On the other side of the coin, I can only imagine the undesirable kind (controlling, manipulative or the kind of guy who needs a girl to cling to him for his own validation) of guy going for someone as high strung, high maintenance and delusional as Olivia. She might be stunning but very few emotionally healthy guys would want to deal with her constant need for attention and validation.

 

Celia, I think would appeal to guys too because she is very girl next door but slightly exotic, bubbly and fun. Plus, I doubt there are many men out there who wouldn't want a hot little sex panther. lol

[C76]

Sorry to be that person, but every Bachelorette has been a previous contestant on the Bachelor; they've never had a "random" Bachelorette. (For those keeping score at home -- and who isn't? -- the last "random" Bachelor was Matt Grant, though the second version of Brad Womack, also a "random" Bachelor, aired after Matt's season.)

 

That's ok. I forgot. I remember being stunned when the series first aired, and have peeked in every few seasons or episodes since. ;)

[Sweet Dee]

I really like Amanda, she was barely shown this episode. I miss her!

 

I like the Olivia that Olivia thinks she is. She thinks she's adorably awkward, loud, funny, imperfect, and confident. I'd be friends with that Olivia. But not the one we see.

 

Lauren B is the cutest and she'll probably win. The twins were sort of pretty but more like trashy pretty, not classically beautiful. And that's okay!

 

I still like Ben. I had mentioned in another thread that he's dull but cute. I think he's a great Bachelor.

[lavenderpenguin]

JoJo comes from a prominent family in Dallas that won't want to embarrass, and has started a company that she won't want to sabotage. (Even if she's flipping houses with Daddy's money, that's her career.) She's savvy. Chris Harrison won't have to take her aside for a stern talking-to.

 

This is an interesting perspective because I'd think that being on a show like The Bachelor is fairly embarrassing in and of itself. I love the show for entertainment value, but I think I'd have a hard time taking a former contestant seriously, because who takes months off to be one of 26 'girlfriends' to a dude you don't know yet (and will barely get to know through the process) all the while being filmed? Famewhores looking for their 15 minutes, that's who. I'm not saying that the contestants are 'bad' people, or that all of them are looking to be D-list celebs, but at the same time, I'm skeptical that there are that many of them who are naïve enough to believe they will finding lasting, 'true' love through the show. 

 

I also find the 'prominent family' and budding business to be unconvincing factors, because how many kids of prominent families have we seen act like a hot mess over years? Paris Hilton, Prince Harry, the Bush daughter caught drunk driving, Kim K. pre-reality fame, Bristol Palin, the list goes on and on. Let's be real, JoJo's "prominent family" is small potatoes compared to those folks. As far as her business goes, I'm sure she wouldn't purposely sabotage it, but I think the fact that she's had generous assistance with setting it up makes it slightly less of a deterrent, because it's not like it's her meal ticket and I also have trouble buying that someone would leave a business they are passionate about for months to pursue ~true love~ on a cheesy reality show. We saw this with Andi and her "passion" for her legal career -- which magically went *poof* right after she finished her stint as the Bachelorette. 

 

As far as being savvy, I'm not saying JoJo isn't but I haven't seen anything that says she is, either. I'm sure she's smart but it's still too early to tell. Some have speculated that she was referring to dating a married or otherwise taken person when she talked about her previous relationship -- we have no clue if that's what she meant, but if true, that certainly would be an indicator of being messy and exercising bad judgment in her personal life.

 

This all isn't to say that she'd be a bad Bachelorette. I'm just saying that something about her cool girl vibe reminds me of Kaitlyn circa Chris's season and I imagine that even the slightest similarity would have the production running in the other direction. Her prominent family, career, etc. don't feel like very persuasive factors either.

 

I don't want to sound condescending and dismissive by playing the guy card, but I can tell you that she is that woman. Not every. single. applicant, but for the majority of the 26- to 34-year-old personal trainers and accountants and salesmen in the Bachelorette S12 cast, JoJo is #1 on the wish list.

 

This is off-topic, but I'm genuinely curious to get a guy's perspective on this and there aren't many on this forum-- do you think the men truly preferred Kaitlyn to Britt when they voted on Night 1 of the last season? For some reason, I always felt as if it was rigged because Kaitlyn was the fan favorite. I'm not saying that Kaitlyn couldn't have been voted in fair and square, but for some reason, I just imagine that most men would go crazy over someone as stunningly beautiful as Britt (and compared to Olivia's edit this season, Britt didn't come off that badly in her season - just a little emotional but it's not like she was starting drama or acting insane like Kelsey). As a guy, do you think the Kaitlyn v. Britt vote was legit?

Edited February 2, 2016 by lavenderpenguin

[huahaha]

So the twins never been to see fireworks from a hotel in Vegas? Umm what? Vegas has the biggest NYE fireworks show that costs the city a million dollars. I live on the east coast, but has seen that show twice already (it's amazing I recommend it!), but 2 people who were born and raised in Vegas have not? I don't believe that for a second.

 

I think she said that she'd never seen the fireworks from a hotel rooftop. That seems reasonable to me. I've seen the Boston fireworks many times but never from up high. Maybe now she'll go.

 

As for JoJo, she was either playing the pronoun game or in a poly relationship as the secondary partner. I can't imagine her telling Ben that she was someone's mistress and him being ok with that. 

[Bugs Meany]

This is off-topic, but I'm genuinely curious to get a guy's perspective on this and there aren't many on this forum-- do you think the men truly preferred Kaitlyn to Britt when they voted on Night 1 of the last season? For some reason, I always felt as if it was rigged because Kaitlyn was the fan favorite. I'm not saying that Kaitlyn couldn't have been voted in fair and square, but for some reason, I just imagine that most men would go crazy over someone as stunningly beautiful as Britt (and compared to Olivia's edit this season, Britt didn't come off that badly in her season - just a little emotional but it's not like she was starting drama or acting insane like Kelsey). As a guy, do you think the Kaitlyn v. Britt vote was legit?

 

As legit as Saddam Hussein's victory in 2002! The brief version: the producers came up with the vote as a way of getting their preferred Bachelorette, Britt. "Don't blame us, the guys chose Britt!" Then came the backlash. They panicked and had Kaitlyn win, hoping the fans would forget all about it once they got their choice.

[ByTor]

The twins were sort of pretty but more like trashy pretty, not classically beautiful. And that's okay!

That's my (apparently unpopular) opinion of JoJo.

[wovenloaf]

That's my (apparently unpopular) opinion of JoJo.

I agree with you. In an effort to find out if my opinion was completely at odds with the male members of society, I asked Mr. Wovenloaf what he thought of her. He was originally like "Meh, she's alright. I can't really get a good look at her." Then a shot of her in a flimsy tank top happened and he was like "Ooooh. She's got big boobs!" Alright then.... *eyeroll*