TeeVee: The Bachelor Brad, Take 2, Episode 5
The Bachelor Brad (Mondays at 8PM on ABC)
It's down to 11 girls and Harrison comes in to tell them they'll all be getting a date this week, including the dreaded 2-on-1 Date (dun dun dunnnn). Harrison also explains that Brad has left LA. Their mission... track him down and make him fall in love with them in Las Vegas. That should be easy... NOT!
The girls have an hour to pack their bags, and we get a little home-video style montage of the girls travels. Brad meets them in front of the Aria Hotel (Product Placement Alert!) and shows them to the new Bachelorette Dorm, which just happens to be a 2-story gorgeous penthouse suite.
He leaves the date card on the table then bolts. Michelle picks it up and reads it... Shawntel gets the Solo Date that will end in a "bang". Dirttttty! Or creepy, I mean what goes bang? A gun. Or the more likely... fireworks... duh.
So Shawntel meets Brad in an oversized sweater, white short shorts and cowboy boots. Kind of hot, in a should never be worn together kind of way. Their date, or the first part of it, go on a shopping spree.
The two seem to have fun running from store to store trying on different outfits and picking out fun stuff. This would not be my dream date. I hate shopping.
Photo Credit - ABC
Just to get a good drama-clip the producers send Shawntel back to the Bachelorette Dorm and make her show the goods to the other ladies. For the most part, they put on a good face while secretly wanted to stab Shawntel and steal her new Fendi dress.
She gets dressed up for the second part of their date, and Brad whisks her away to where else?! A rooftop for dinner and champagne. That's when it finally comes out that Shawntel is a funeral director and passionate about embalming, as well as a conversation about her cross-eyed cat. Brad takes the whole conversation in stride, giggling like a school girl in his interview clip before giving her the Rose, and watching the fireworks. But more interesting than their make-out session during the fireworks, where the girls pressing their faces agaist the glass of their dorm, knowing those fireworks were for Shawntel.
The next date card arrives, and Jackie reads it. Time for "speed dating" or what I like to call the Bachelor Production team gets their "VIP Hell Cards". It's been the most talked about date this season, because Emily has to go on the NASCAR date. You know, the girl who lost the love of her life in a plane crash, who happened to be a former NASCAR driver/owner. Extra perk, he's driving career ending at this very track. Now, Harrison has been quoted as saying that the dates are prepared well before Emily was cast, and that this week offered no other options considering Brad didn't want her to go on the Solo OR 2-on-1 dates. They're still evil.
BUT, on the other hand, Emily is pretty amazing. She could have walked away, and said, "Nope, not going to do it." but she didn't do that. Sure she got A LOT of extra time with Brad because of it, but I also think it did help her take another step forward from her past and another step closer to Brad. Now, do I think that was the Bachelor Production teams place... heck to the no.
Okay, enough of my Holier than thou... The girls got to slow motion walk in their racing outfits in a fog. Awesome.
Photo Credit - ABC
As some of the other girls were racing, Brad finally realized that Emily was forcing a smile and stole her away to talk in the grass. That's where she completed the story about Ricky being a driver that ended his career in Las Vegas and how she's trying to move past it. He, rightfully feels "like a jerk" (Hear that Bachelor Production team!) She's able to get in a racecar and drive. And I'm sure that Ricky's proud of her for it.
Photo Credit - ABC
Once all the girls had their turn on the track, they head up to... a rooftop! Brad pulls Emily away again, and the girls show their jealousy. Particularly Alli who no longer feels special and they all seem to feel as if they're intruding on a "Brad-and-Emily" date.
Meanwhile Brad and Emily talk, and Brad tells her that he's feeling intimidated by the story, but has strong feelings for her. This makes Emily worried, because she's met a "billion" guys who can't/won't handle her life.
Then we get clips of Alli crying... and Chantal crying, both complaining that he's pulled Emily aside too many times that night. When Michelle got her chance at alone time, she started with complaining about the "immature" girls, but quickly realized Brad's not in the mood to talk about that, and switches to a make-out session.
Brad, then pulls Emily aside one more time to hand her the Date Rose and to tell her it's not because of her past but because of her.
Now, ever since the Group Date card arrived, the Ashleys knew they'd be on the dreaded 2-on-1 date. It's even extra hard on them because they've become besties.
Brad tells us it's because he had feelings for both of them, and since they've both been on Solo dates, it would be a good test for him. They head off to catch a glimpse of Cirque du Soleil's Viva Elvis before rehearsing for the show later.
Photo Credit - ABC
By the time dinner arrived, Brad and his furrowed brow was having a hard time making a decision. He decided to follow his heart and go with Ashley H... which means Ashley S was sent packing in the rejecto limo while Ashley H. got to fly on wires with Brad all backed by the song "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" I felt sad for Ashley S, but she's got one thing going for her... She's a pretty crier. Most girls can't look cute while crying, but I think she pulled it off.
Photo Credit - ABC
Ashley S is my first nominee for the next Bachelorette.
Back at the Bachelorette dorm, Chantal and Shwantel were discussing who'd they'd want to see leave... the whole conversation seemed contrived.
THERAPY SESSION
Brad calls up his TV Therapist and talks about the emotional girls, to which his "therapist" tells him he needs to be selfish and do what he wants. At least, that's what I heard.
COCKTAIL PARTY
Brad pulls Chantal away and tells us he's worried she's bringing too much drama. They seem to patch things up. (Oh, and Chantal slips the word "Love" in there... But I actually think this was during the group date... I can't remember...)
He then pulls Alli away in hopes of making her feel special. He pops some champagne and presents her with a tiny tiered cake that had green on it, just like her dress the first night. It was sweet.
Marissa gets some featured alone time with him, and hands him over a note of random thoughts. These two seem to have little chemistry...
While he's sitting with Britt, the other girls (mostly Michelle) talk about how they don't see him with her.
Then Michelle gets her alone time, shutting the bedroom door, climbing onto Brad's lap and telling him not to talk. She cryptically tells him that she knows he needs to make tough decisions tonight, and that it's time to send girls home before kissing him. I think this was the first time Brad saw a glimpse of the "crazy" side of Michele, but it wasn't long enough to go from hot to creepy.
ROSE CEREMONY
Shawntel, Emily and Ashley H all of roses from their dates, so there's only 5 roses to hand out...
Michelle and her zebra dress get the first rose. Followed by Alli, Britt, Jackie and the last rose goes to Chantal.
That means Lisa and Marissa get rejecto
Awe. Poor girls. They never really had a chance. (I was 2 for 3, I didn't see Ashley S having to battle in a 2-on-1 with Ashley H...)
Photo Credit - ABC
Check out my rankings of the girls remaining as the head to Costa Rica where the group will be whittled from 8 to 6. (St. Marteen's, then hometown dates, then South Africa...)
OH... and a Bachelor Extra! Remember Chris L. from The Bachelorette Ali?! You know, the one I totally fell for during that season and wanted to watch him as The Bachelor over Brad Womack (for the second time), but completely blew a sigh of relief that he chose not too, because I actually want to see him happy?! Well, apparently he is happy... He's dating former Bachelorette (and Bachelor Pad contestant) Peyton. Good Luck you two!
Photo Credit - ABC
