We're down to the final two…or is it three?
‘The Bachelorette’ Fantasy Suites Ended in a Surprising Elimination
When tonight's The Bachelorette begins, Tayshia says she's still riding the high of last week's hometown dates. I, however, am still feeling a bit sour about Ben's dismissal. But then I remember that the three remaining Bachelors—Zac, Ivan, and Brendan—are all great catches. The bar is typically so low when it comes to contestants on The Bachelorette that I'm used to having an obvious choice. Not this season. Whoever was in charge of casting this time around deserves a big raise and a VIP parking spot on the La Quinta lot.
Anyway, surprise! JoJo has been on the property this whole time? She has one last contractually obligated “girl chat” with Tayshia before she's set free. Thank you for your service, JoJo! Before she left, JoJo told Tayshia to use the fantasy suites as a chance to talk out all the big-picture stuff: kids, future goals, values, last names…all the things someone should, in theory, know before getting engaged on national TV.
But there's not much opportunity for that during the day portion of Ivan and Tayshia's date, which involves sitting in large ice baths, trying to break the world record for the “longest coldest kiss.” Hmm. The producers clearly seem to be running out of activities, but surely there had to be something better than this? And what do they have against Ivan?
https://twitter.com/AnnieRehill/status/1341213084745150465Chris Harrison is joined by “Bachelor Nation favorite” Big Paulie to provide commentary. I've been watching and covering The Bachelor for near a decade, but I had no idea who “Big Paulie” is. I'm fairly confident he's not the deceased crime boss, as Google told me, but rather the franchise's stage manager and security. Then again, it is very mafia-esque to make poor, sweet Ivan shiver in an ice buckets for six-plus minutes mere hours before his fantasy suite night.
That night, probably because he's so grateful to be alive, Ivan tells Tayshia he's fallen in love with her. She says she's falling for him too, and they head off to their…trailer? I know Airstreams are a big TikTok thing, but hasn't Ivan suffered enough today? He deserves room service and a king-size bed, at the very least!
https://twitter.com/queenbbarb/status/1341215241452052485And compare that with Zac's date: He and Tayshia are given a blank canvas and a bunch of paints and told to use their bodies as the brush. (I can't not think of that iconic Lady Gaga and Taylor Kinney V cover.) The whole thing is playful, ice-free, and legitimately hot.
AdvertisementZac has a certain confidence, one that Tayshia describes as “swagger,” that comes only from someone who's seen some shit and come out stronger (and sexier) on the other side. But the most attractive moment of all is when he tells Tayshia he's in love with her. It's how he says it: “I love the human being that you are.” Damn, that's a good line. No “I think I'm falling for you.” No wonder Tayshia's eyes light up as she says she loves him back.
Unfortunately for Brendan, his date is as terrifying as Ivan's: shopping for engagement rings with Neil Lane. Brendan's been open about his divorce and legitimate fears about commitment, so it's no surprise that the look on his face is one of sheer terror. At one point, as he tries on a band, his hand is shaking.
https://twitter.com/JeffEisenband/status/1341213779472904196Tayshia can tell the vibe is off, but that doesn't lessen the shock when Brendan tells her later that night that he's going to self-eliminate. He explains that he realized he's still broken and not ready to give Tayshia his whole heart. And while Tayshia is obviously devastated, she's not mad—she's grateful he told her now, before they went down the road any further. Gotta say: I respect Brendan for setting boundaries for himself. We stan a vulnerable king!
With that, we're down to the final two…oh wait, Ben is back! (No, not that Ben Is Back.) He shows up at Tayshia's door to say he's in love with her and completely blew it by not telling her in the moment. But what does Tayshia think of this grand gesture? To be determined—see you for the finale next time!
Anna Moeslein is the senior entertainment editor at Glamour.
This story originally appeared on: Glamour - Author:Anna Moeslein
