We are back in the hometown of America’s cutest Bachelor, and just in case you thought he couldn’t actually be cuter, here he is, driving an old pickup and waving hello to random people on the street like a good ol’ boy. The first thing he does is have breakfast with his parents and tell them about his love life. He unwinds with them, telling them about the drama of the Bahamas and giving a recap of all the women while the women take a walking tour of Warsaw. He tells them he feels like he’s falling in love, and his mom is so happy. It’s cute.
Apparently trying to make up for the disastrous last week on a boat, Ben pulls up on a boat to take them on a mini lake trip. He’s clearly feeling much more in his element here in Warsaw, but some of the girls are a little less certain. Lauren B. feels like there’s a lot left unsaid between the two of them after Leah’s attempts at sabotage, but Ben is determined to make better on this week. Fortunately, he gives her 30 minutes to get ready as she gets the first one-on-one date. Less fortunate, the girls are around and watching as he asks her out; it’s made even more evident that these girls are all friends, but they’re still competing for the same man--a realization someone new has every week, apparently.
Lauren + Ben Tour Warsaw
Ben gives Lauren a quick tour of his hometown and his favorite spots, including the place where he received his first kiss. “I told her, ‘I want to kiss you, but I don’t know how’ and she laughed at me!” Because he wasn’t already the cutest man alive?
After their drive through Warsaw, Ben takes her to Baker Youth Club where he used to work. Lauren jumps right in, playing jump rope and basketball. They’re having a good time, and the mood is only increased when several players from the Indiana Pacers, Paul George and George Hill, join them on the court to play with the kids. However, while Lauren’s hanging out with the girls, Ben sees a crying kid in the corner and persuades him to come out and have a good time with them. The kids and I agree: they’re definitely going to fall in love.
Back at the house, the girls are discussing their own thoughts on hometown dates. While Becca is ready to bring Ben home to meet her parents tomorrow, Amanda acknowledges that it’s going to be a lot bigger of a deal for her than the others, as taking Ben home means introducing him to her two daughters as well as her parents. As they’re sitting around discussing everything, the new date card arrives. Jojo gets the next one-on-one date, and though she’s relieved, Emily is less so.
During dinner, Lauren wants to address the rumors regarding what was said about her in the Bahamas. However, Ben tells her he only listened because he doesn’t see everything; he just sees what she shows him and doesn’t want to be blindsided. Lauren’s insistent on getting him to understand that she’s being true and genuine with him, to which Ben agrees. He’s not going to let what one person said undermine his growing feelings for her. Unlike the other dates, it doesn’t stop when dinner’s over. He takes her to his local dive bar and introduces her to his friend, and y’all, it’s cute. Lauren admits that she’s not in love with "Ben the Bachelor" but with "Ben from Warsaw," and then smiles happily at the camera. We officially have the first (allegedly) genuine admission of love on this season of The Bachelor, and it was so sickeningly adorable I was glad it went to commercial right after.
Jojo + Ben “Find Love in the Windy City”
Jojo’s feeling a little uncertain of her connection with Ben and is hoping this date is a game changer. Meanwhile, Ben tells the camera that he thinks it’s funny that Jojo is still not certain of their connection, despite how many times he’s told her they’re great.
In Chicago, they get a chance to play around in Wrigley Field for a bit. Wearing appropriately titled “Mr. Higgins” and “Mrs. Higgins” jerseys, they have a little batting practice, and watching Ben watch himself on the jumbotron with this look of pure giddiness is possibly the cutest thing ever. He’s a little kid living out his dream with a girl who is falling in love with him but is still not entirely sure she can completely fall in love with him just yet.
Ben is feeling the opposite; he’s having an amazing time and wants her to be comfortable, as he feels more open with her than he’s felt with anyone else so far. As they have a candlelit dinner in the outfield of Wrigley Field, Jojo admits she’s trying to open up, but Ben tells her he just wants her to be herself and unafraid. Which is only made worse as she tells him that her natural inclination is to run from her feelings. He asks how far this fear could go, and she admits it’s because she’s always felt like the one who always loved more than the person she’s dating and she’s terrified it’s going to happen again. Which is entirely understandable, considering she’s searching for a husband on a show where she’s currently competing with five other women.
As they discuss their fears and their feelings, it’s nice because Ben clearly feels the most comfortable with her, but this almost feels like a conversation between two best friends, not potential spouses at times. Of course, I’ve seen enough romantic comedies (and the trailer for the crazy ending where he probably sends home the wrong girl before the final rose ceremony) to know that this is most likely to end with them falling in love with each other.
In the house, Becca is still harping on the fact that she’s feeling insecure that she’s dating the same guy as five other women (didn’t she already go through all of this?) and Lauren says that she gets it; she came home with all of these amazing feelings of love and happiness, but she knows Jojo is going to come home with all the same feelings after her own date and it’s hard feeling objective of the situation. That night, Caila, Amanda and Becca get the next group date card, meaning Emily gets the next one-on-one date. This would be Emily’s first one-on-one date.
The Pressure is On for Caila, Amanda and Becca
There’s finally a rose, but the competition among the girls is getting fierce. Caila tries to take it out of the gate, ending up in the canoe with Ben on their group date. The other girls note that they’re acting like Allie and Noah, The Notebook-style, but it doesn’t stop them. Each makes an effort to get some alone time while she's out there with him, but it’s clear this won’t be like the other group dates; the claws are out and the smiles are less frequent when Ben’s not around. This is the only rose this week, and they’re each determined to get it.
Amanda gets some alone time first and gushes about how excited she is to finally see her kids again after being apart from them. She’s never had a chance to introduce her girls to someone she’s dating, and she’s surprised to find she’s actually excited about it.
Becca goes next and has taken over the spot for Leah this week. She’s determined to find out why her connection with Ben isn’t at the same spot as it is with the other girls. “If I don’t get the group date rose today, it’ll kind of just be like, ‘Why am I even here?’” she laments, and we’re starting to wonder the same thing.
Back in the barn, the girls are kind of surprised by how short the date today was, especially after hearing Ben mention this was such an important rose as the girl would meet his family and he would meet hers.
On their alone time, Caila spills to Ben that she loves seeing him have such a connection to his hometown, especially since she doesn’t have a strong community herself. She’s starting to have a little bit more of her personality come through, and it’s interesting to see her become more than just the soft and bubbly software sales rep.
In the end, he gives the rose to Amanda because he wants her to feel confident that he does want to meet her family and she wants him to know that. Caila and Becca are left in the barn feeling dejected as Ben and Amanda walk off, and it’s obvious they’re rethinking their security in the final rose ceremony--Becca especially. They’re sent back to the home and try to drink away their insecurities, but Becca finally has her own breakdown of the season over their lack of a connection.
During their dinner, Ben takes Amanda to McDonald’s, which is apparently the most romantic dinner in Warsaw. I hope Becca is watching this and laughing at the fact that she was sobbing on the couch about this perfect date while Amanda got taken to dinner at McDonald’s and had to work the drive-thru window before she got to eat.
Of course, Ben makes up for it when he takes her to a carnival around the corner in honor of him. The mayor gives him a sparkling recommendation, and it starts off the montage of possibly the cutest date of the season. Keeping in line with The Notebook theme, they have a sweet moment on the ferris wheel and manage to successfully ignore all of the people stalking them around the carnival and taking pictures.
Amanda gives Lauren a rundown of their date the next day, and it’s clear that Lauren’s trying to tamp down her jealousy.
Emily, Meet the Higgins
Taking a morning ride on the lake, Emily and Ben get nice and cozy while the girls question what’s happening. Caila tries to make them feel better about the date, while saying this is probably because their own relationships with Ben are “more mature” than his date with “puppy dog” Emily.
However, Emily’s got her own nerves as she gets to be the one to meet the parents. They’re having a nice breakfast on the lake, and Ben’s mom takes a cue from him and pulls Emily aside first. She’s nervous and talking a mile a minute, and the original Mrs. Higgins is clearly trying to keep up with her. She’s worried about her being too young for Ben, though, and expresses this to Ben. “Does she even know who she is?” she asks, and maybe it’s all the Monster-in-Law that aired this weekend, but it’s clear that Mama Higgins is not all that into Emily. Which, considering she’s trying to keep Ben’s interests in mind, is a reasonable request. After his own talk with Mama Higgins, Ben’s starting to doubt Emily’s ability (or even desire) to be a wife at her young age.
Though Emily is floating on cloud nine, Ben is feeling a little less sure. Sitting her down on the bench in the backyard, he tells her that his parents thought she was as gorgeous as he does, but he just doesn’t see her as his wife. “I don’t necessarily want to say goodbye, but I know it’s for the best,” he tells her as all the other girls look on. Making it easier, she can’t deny she saw it coming; though she saw it, she was sure she’d be able to get him to see it, too.
Realizing what’s happening, all the girls run out to comfort her and find out what’s happening. She gives them the rundown on what happened and finally breaks down, the other girls crying with her.
She keeps her spirit up on the ride out, though, staying positive through the end.
The Clock Strikes Midnight
There’s a lot of pressure on the rose ceremony this week, as Ben acknowledges. Though one girl met his family this week, he meets the families of the remaining girls next week and it’s a lot of pressure. Becca and Caila are feeling the least secure as they walk into the ceremony. Chris asks him how he feels and whether he thinks he sees himself falling in love with all of them, but he admits one girl has been lagging behind.
Jojo and Lauren B. look happy and secure in their place with Ben, while Caila and Becca look miserable. Lauren, Jojo, and Caila join Amanda, and it’s time for Becca to say her goodbyes. She’s mad and zooms off, though stays behind at Ben’s request. “Yesterday I said not blindside me,” she tells him, but he says he didn’t want to go through everything and bring her family into it when he wasn’t sure how he felt. She appreciates the honesty, but it’s clear that this was still heartbreaking for him.
“I just want someone to love me back,” she tells the camera on her ride home as they pan on a dejected-looking Ben.
Next week threatens turmoil in paradise for the four remaining girls, with Ben realizing for the first time what exactly it means for Amanda to have kids and with all their fathers (and brothers, if applicable) being protective of their hearts as they all date the same man.
I know Ben really wants to be serious about Amanda, but after watching the promo, I’m afraid she’s going to be the next blonde to be sent home by Ben. However, I will commend him because although he may have thought this was the hardest rose ceremony yet, I think the remaining four were the ones he had the best connections with from the start.