Monday, July 30, 2012

The Bachelorette Emily Maynard .. Finale Recap (July 22, 2012)

Jef met the parents first. He does the right thing … flowers for mom and sis, make nice with the brother, asks for Dad’s blessing.
 
Arie goes up next (why bother, right?), but the whole family likes him, too.
 
I would bet the family would like Sean, and Chris and even Ryan. These things always go well. Remember Courtney?
 
Dad and brother believe it is not possible to love two men at once. Emily says she never though so either … but she is!
 
Until the next day when she spends the day with Jef. She keeps insisting that “he gets me.” They have time with Ricki (say goodbye, Arie) and then an evening alone.
 
Arie is done for. She tells Chris Harrison she can’t have the final date with Arie. She knows Jef is the one for her. She’s crying the whole time.
 
She goes to break the news to Arie … but lets him kiss her and rub a “love potion” on her arm before she finally breaks down crying and tells him “I love someone else a little bit more.” A LITTLE BIT MORE. Did you hear that Jef? 
 
It was painful to watch Arie profess his love (prior to the date) knowing what was about to happen. Even on the “after show” he admits still having feelings, searching her out in North Carolina (off camera) and then allowing his friend JEF to talk him through it. Wow, Jef is either crazy or unbelievably awesome. And, excuse me, but if Arie really reached out to Emily privately ... why didn't he keep it that way?
 
Back to the show, Arie (and I) did appreciate that she didn’t put him through the pain of a rejected proposal. He’s upset, but he handles it pretty well.
 
I think she wants forgiveness from Arie, but I don’t think she’s going to get it. Arie feels “stupid” … all the guys say that. The girls always wonder “What is wrong with me?”
 
Then we hear Emily wondering if she should get engaged. Is she ready? Should she wait? All that is out the door after Jef gets down on one knee and proposes.
 
This whole show could have taken place in 30 minutes. Thanks for the two hours ABC.  I'm anxious to see who the new "Bachelor" is ... Some say Roberto or Sean. I'm still going with Arie. We'll see.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

The Bachelorette (Emily Maynard) July 9, 201

It’s the final time the four of them will be together. I’m so glad. I can’t take much more of this. Really, two hours of this is TOO long. 
 
Emily is struggling between Sean the Hunk, Jef the Monk, and Arie the Punk.
 
SeanSean gets the first day-long date. They take a helicopter … finally a helicopter! They sit on the beach and it’s almost painful to watch Sean holding back. He wants to say it. He says it to the camera (he actually does love the camera, he is a model after all.) He feels like it should say it. He’s there. The producers are watching it. Emily needs it. He’s one of the final three already! But it’s hard to say something you really don’t feel. 
 
Cue to the evening date, Sean reads Emily a letter that he wrote for her daughter, Ricki. Sweet but … not … really … about … Ricki. Kinda short too.
 
Finally, Sean says “I have fallen in love with you.” Not the same thing as “I love you.” He is really having a hard time with this. I think he wants to feel it and thinks he should feel it, but I don’t think he is feeling it.
 
She gives the Fantasy Suite key to Sean (now we know this is how it’s going to work) and waits for Sean to say “I’d like to spend more time with you.” She describes Sean as “So hot and so manly.” They spend time in the hot tub, hang out some more, and then Emily sends him home. She’s a mom and does the right thing to set a good example.
 
JefJef gets to go on a boat ride. They have a comfortable day. Emily says Jef gets her like no one gets her. They definitely have an easy relationship. There’s no holding back for Jef. He’s feeling the love and he’s telling her, the producers, the boat captain, the fish, anyone who will listen.
 
Later that day, he’s the one asking the questions. He wants to know where they would live. She says wherever he wants, but maybe a fresh start somewhere new. Is she thinking Hollywood? He wants to know why other relationships haven’t worked out. She blames the fact that “it” was missing. Whatever that special something is. She tells Jef he makes her laugh and he makes her feel self-confident. 
 
And, finally he asks her, “Am I a good fit for Ricki?” And, she thinks he would be a perfect fit. She tells him that when she was home, between “bachelor trips” the one person she could imagine herself and Ricki with each morning was Jef.  
 
Wow.
 
She offers him the Fantasy Suite key, and in the nicest way possible, he turns her down out of respect for her daughter, her family, his family, his dog (OK, maybe not the dog) and says he‘s hoping for many nights in a fantasy suite of their own. Nice.
 
He says to the camera that it’s time to “bridle their passions.” I guess he hasn’t seen her with Arie. 
 
ArieAnd, Arie, who gets to swim with the fishes. Literally, the dolphins. He calls “Emily” the love of his life. He admits it’s hard to talk to her because he is always kissing her. Yep. They have chemistry. 
 
But they have a talk at dinner, finally. She wants to know a few things about him and it’s pretty clear … they are very different. He doesn’t like to be alone. He eats out every night. He has lots of friends. He travels a lot. He sleeps in. Their lifestyles are very different. He's a party boy, and she's a mom. Hmmmm ...
 
Despite all of that, he says what Emily wants to hear when it comes to Ricki … he would try to be her friend first before a dad. On and on. Emily likes it. She seems to ignore the party about his frat-boy lifestyle ... 
 
She doesn’t offer him the Fantasy Suite key. Doesn’t trust herself.
 
It’s pretty obvious what’s going to happen next even though they all get one last chance with a “video of love.” Emily cries because this is so hard.  She realizes it takes heart break to find the person you are supposed to be with but she doesn’t want to be the one to teach that lesson. Too bad. You signed up for this.
 
And, then there are two roses. Jef gets the first one and Arie gets the second. Sean handles it all very well. Emily cries. He makes a very classy exit. Two weeks after this was over … I’m sure he was wiping the sweat off his forehead and thanking his lucky stars that he dodged that bullet. I like Sean so I’m glad he made it out.
 
Things to note:
  • Emily has lots of bikinis.
  • Emily has enhanced more than her teeth.
  • Emily shouldn’t wear her hair pulled back. And that choice of skirt for the final rose ceremony was unfortunate.
  • How do you cry and not mess up your makeup? Who can do that? Emily!
My predictions:
 
Easy. Jef is the winner. Arie is a future bachelor. He will be even creepier when kissing EVERYONE. Get ready.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

The Bachelorette (Emily Maynard) July 2, 2012

"I could really be in love with some of them," says Emily prior to the hometown dates. That's great news because she's about to be engaged to one these guys! Who knew this could happen?

Just want to point out a few things about the hometown dates and Emily before the show summary:

  • Emily (throughout this entire season) is constantly licking her front teeth. This is common with someone who just got braces off or perhaps has new veneers or caps. Thoughts on that? Anyway, it's so annoying. I just had to point it out.
  • No divorces among the parents of the guys who made it to the hometown dates. 
  • Two of the final four seem to come from VERY wealthy families. Hmmmm ....
  • Two of the final four have parents from different countries. 
  • Only one of the final four is a southerner, and Emily is VERY southern. 
  • Sean is not that funny.

First, she visits Chris in Chicago ... he's a first generation Polish American so he knows "all the Polish places" says Emily. He seems to have a great family and has two sisters. One of the sisters, who seems a little worried about this process, as they all should be, told Emily to "end it sooner rather than later" if it wasn't working out. Smart girl. Chris tells Emily he's in love with her. I literally screamed at the TV, "NO!" I knew this wouldn't end well.

Jef was up next ... on to Salt Lake City. He's quite the marksman, and he takes Emily to shoot skeet. Then to meet his large Mormon family. (Not sure if that will weigh into her decision, but I believe his parents are quite involved in the Church.) His family farm or land or whatever it was insane. Those people have some money. They were very nice, lots of kids, open to Emily.

Then Arie in Scottsdale, Arizona. Emily seemed to be the happiest to see him. No doubt. He's a race car driver like his daddy and her took her for a ride in an Indy car. I know nothing about this sport so that's all I can say. She said he looked "stupid hot" but I will settle for "stupid." Maybe she meant "super hot?" Whatever. This guy does nothing for me, and I can't stand the way he can't keep his hands to himself. But, Emily likes it. Who would have thought it? She is definitely the most happy with Arie.

At his parents' house, it's obvious Mom rules the roost. She asked lots of questions ... especially about Brad. Wow. Emily was in the hot seat. She's going to have to get past the mother to get to Arie.

Finally a visit to Sean in Dallas, Texas. Sean and his family played some really funny jokes on Emily ... they acted like Sean still lived there and showed her his messy room and then served up a cooked armadillo for dinner. I'm not kidding. But, I liked his parents. His family seemed very nice and pretty normal except for the bad jokes. Sean chased her SUV down for a last kiss as she drove away. Ahhhhh shucks.

So .... it's down to the final three as Chris is eliminated.

"I don't know what to say," says Emily. And, then she goes on to explain how the other relationships were just moving faster.

Chris gets testy and says, "I told you I loved you. How much faster could the others be moving?" I guess he hasn't seen Arie at work. Then, he calms down and wishes her the best. He's hurt.

Well, he won't be the only one. I am glad he escaped. He will be fine.





The Bachelorette (Emily Maynard) June 25, 2012

They are in Prague.

At this point, I think the guys are enjoying each other as much as anything. Who wouldn't be? Traveling the world with a group of your buddies ... FREE. They want to hang in there for the ride. Emily is simply a sidebar. I've watched this franchise forever (I know, I know), and I think this group of guys has gotten along as well as any group of girls or guys ... better than any really. I'm glad they are enjoying each other because Emily is no fun.

Arie gets the first one-on-one date with the "woman of his dreams" ... yawn ... really? And, Emily feels like she is "vacationing with my husband."

But Arie has a secret. The producers played it up, but it was a non-event. Arie went out, it seems very casually, with one of the producers on the show and she finally tells Emily. He explains it away ... off camera of course. Then, they kissed and made up and rode off into the sunset together and lived happily ever after. We didn't have to watch any more of the painful "endings" of "relationships" with the other guys. And, never heard from Emily or Arie again. I wish.

I have a sneaking suspicion that if HE's the GUY and they GET MARRIED, we'll get to watch it all LIVE.

Next one-on-one is with John. He doesn't seem to be able to "step up" and really tell her what she wants to hear. Emily really wants the guys to kiss her and love on her and make her feel special. This girl needs attention. You better give it to her. And, better now than later. But, he can't do it. No chemistry. Barely any conversation. He says he wants to take Emily home to meet his parents ... he thinks.

The group date is with Sean, Doug and Chris. Chris is edgy. He wants more time alone. He is acting out. Acting very YOUNG. Sean gets Emily alone and kisses her. We all know that guarantees him a trip to next week. Doug, so sweet and humble (quit hating on him, people!), has a hard time getting physical ... he's a old-fashioned guy and this group mugging is not his style. She gets him alone, and he does give her a quick, awkward kiss because he knows she is looking for this ... but she sends him home anyway. Too little too late. She's in a hurry Doug! She needs a husband! Now! I feel sorry for this guy. She was not nice to him. He will find a girl out there ... not too worry.

Back at the house, John, who is kinda funny ... can't decide if it will be worse if Chris gets the group date rose or doesn't. He doesn't. Sean, the make-out man, is the victor.

Then, Jef gets a one-on-one date. They have this weird marionette play, but he makes Emily really laugh and scores points for thinking of Ricki and getting her a marionette, too. She definitely has chemistry with Jef, and he's easy to talk to and he has a calming, pleasant personality.

So, at the rose ceremony ... we prepare for the hometown dates and the FINAL FOUR are Chris, Jef, Arie and Sean. No surprises. The spoilers were all right.