Former Bachelorette star Rachel Lindsay will be blogging exclusively with Us Weekly each week about her opinion on Arie Luyendyk Jr.’s journey to find love on The Bachelor. Check back every Tuesday for her recap!
There may not have been a football playoff game this week but thank goodness we still had The Bachelor this Monday. The week kicks off in Fort Lauderdale and everyone seems to be getting along and super excited to be enjoying the nice Florida weather, but we all know (or hope) this won’t last long.
Fortunately, we don’t have to wait long to burst the sunny bubble as Arie greets the girls in their beautiful suite. He informs the ladies that Chelsea gets the one-on-one date, and you can see the girls’ demeanor change. You remember Chelsea … she was the girl on the first night that notoriously held the title of interrupting other girls to get more time with Arie when others had none. She later received the first impression rose and most of Bachelor Nation rushed to judge her as the resident house villain. Since that moment, we were introduced to Krystal and quickly realized the error in our ways.
Chelsea has a luxurious date on a yacht and I cannot lie, this is a date that I would not mind crashing. Arie really seems to be into Chelsea and very vulnerable with her. That vulnerability carries into the night as we see Chelsea finally open up about her past. To date, Chelsea is the most relatable woman on the show as her story and the lessons learned from that story are empowering. In this moment, we begin to understand Chelsea and her purpose on the show. If Arie did not fall for Chelsea in this moment, Bachelor Nation did. Arie gives Chelsea the rose and she deserved that and so much more.
As night turns to day, brace yourself for the most dramatic group date ever. The ladies on the group date get to go bowling. I personally appreciated the simplicity in this date and the over 50-year-old crowd. Now most of you were probably disturbed by Arie’s dance routine and intimate moment with his bowling ball. We all understand the Big Lebowski reference. I, however, appreciated seeing a more playful side of Arie. So if it takes funky socks, some Latin music, and the lick of a ball to bring this out of Arie, then Big Rach is here for it!
What starts off as a friendly game, soon turns out to be a full out brawl. The girls are split into two teams and learn that the winner will get to move on to the night time portion of the date, and the losers will go back to the hotel. Krystal’s team wins the competition but her victory is short lived as she quickly learns that Arie changed his mind and now believes everyone should continue on the date. Prior to this moment, we all knew Krystal was a ticking time bomb, but she chose this moment to explode.
Now, can I be candid for just a moment? Don’t judge me, but I initially understood Krystal’s frustrations. When I was on Nick Viall‘s season we had a very similar date: the infamous volleyball date. We were faced with a similar competition and prize. I’ll have you know that my team won despite my underhanded volleyball serves, Alexis Waters. We subsequently learned that Nick changed his mind and decided to bring all of the girls on the remainder of date. I was very annoyed by this not because he changed his mind, but because I felt the girl he really wanted to see that night would be retreating back to the hotel and he wanted to spend more time with her that night. In hindsight, I was right.
So you can understand why I initially understood Krystal. But when her frustration turned to anger and name-calling, she lost me. I could not save her from the deep end she jumped head first into. She couldn’t put the cuckoo back in the clock. Long story short, because it went on for entirely too long, Krystal was so upset that she decided not to continue on the remainder of the date. The girls are annoyed at her dramatics; Arie goes back to the room to tell her he is disappointed with her actions and that she should stay in the room for the night. Krystal, of course acting upon pure delusion as she only knows how to do, takes that conversation as a clue that she should proceed to the date. Upon arrival, she was confronted by the women for her contradictory actions, and she retreated back to her room. Kudos to Baby Bekah for not only silencing Krystal that night, but getting her to leave the room too. It had been an impossible task until that point.
Arie and the ladies continue to enjoy their “Krystal-clear” evening. During this date, we are starting to see some front runners come to light. Kendall really seems to have a connection with Arie and she is winning me over too. The Becca/Bekahs also seem to progress their relationships with Arie. But clearly the most exciting or “excitement” part of the group date, according to Arie, is that Lauren B likes her coffee with coconut milk. I will pause here for you to have time to get out your excitement as well. It was easy to conclude from his reaction to the coffee that he would give Lauren B the rose that night.
Now, it is time for the “country date for a country girl!” Tia and Arie take a ride through the Everglades, spot alligators and talk to one of the locals. Once we get past this stereotypical introduction, we learn that there is a lot more to this country girl. Tia really shines, and I feel that she finally distinguishes herself from just being known as Raven Gates’ best friend. Tia has a lot of layers to her and is super down to earth at the same time. I really like the connection between Arie and Tia as I feel it is the most natural, easy, and real. Tia must feel the same way because she wins the prize for being the first girl to tell Arie she is falling in love with him.
At the ceremony, we are blessed with Krystal’s presence again and she becomes the focal point of the cocktail between the girls. Some of the girls confront Krystal on her actions but it lands on deaf ears. Krystal and Arie talk about her explosion and it is clear from Arie’s body language that he is over Krystal. Krystal is Krystal, and no one is going to change that. You cannot reason with delusion. Somehow, however, Krystal gets a rose at the ceremony and Maquel, Marikh and Ashley go home.
Next week, the girls move on to the city of lights and love, Paris! I expect to see romance, love and drama, and I am sure you do too! Come back next week to get the Rundown with Rach as you know I will have plenty to say.
The Bachelor airs on ABC Mondays at 8p.m. ET.
