Warning: Potential spoilers ahead for the most recent episode of The Bachelorette with Tayshia Adams! Look away until you've caught up!
Wow. Season 16 of The Bachelorette has continued to surprise in some major ways as we head into the final few episodes, right? We've gotten to know more about some intriguing dudes, lost some favorites who didn't really get a full chance to shine, and seen Tayshia have some big, important conversations that have changed the franchise as a whole for the better. But! We still have tonight's episode to think about, so let's dive into what we're hearing might go down.
Alright, the biggest of big deals from last week was that cliffhanger with Bennett Jordan and Noah Erb. There has been major drama building between the two, with Bennett heading toward the end of last week's episode looking like a true villain. He "gifted" our friend, "young Noah," with a really condescending set of presents, right before Tayshia walked in to begin trying to get to the bottom of the rift between them on their 2-on-1 date.
Who knows right now how Bennett responds after Tayshia asks, "What's in the box?" but she will, apparently, not enjoy his answer. Reality Steve says that she eliminates the loafer-wearing lout, and opts to give the mustache-less Noah yet another rose. This should immediately send Bennett packing, but according to the intel, the very end of the episode will see Tayshia return to her room from the episode's group date, and finding Bennett there wanting to talk. She agrees, he drops the "I love you" bomb and Tayshia tells him she needs time so she can think about it. WHAT?!
OK, back to the main part of the episode. After the 2-on-1 date, we'll get the rose ceremony that was delayed last week. Tayshia puts three men in an SUV bound for the airport, and sends home Demar Jackson, Ed Waisbrot, and former true contender Spencer Robertson. Then, JoJo Fletcher comes in to let the remaining men know that next week is already Hometowns (!!!!!!), and anyone who gets a rose from here on out will be granted said visit with family.
Ben Smith is granted a 1-on-1 date with Tayshia next, and this is where we get our first major revelation of the night. Ben has already, almost literally, shown Tayshia all of himself physically, and now he's opening up even more emotionally. We heard last week about his long battle with eating disorders, and tonight will see him talk to Tayshia about how close he is to his sister. But, Ben also spills that he broke his back while in the Army, and hit a very difficult low while trying to rebuild his life. That led to Ben attempting suicide twice, in 2018 and in 2019, but he noted that his sister was always there for him.
As you might imagine, Tayshia gives Ben the date rose, meaning he'll be getting a Hometown date next week.
Phew! Man, these intense conversations are difficult, but something which I hope becomes a new trend for the franchise. And, we get some more of it in this episode, because the group date involves hooking the men up so they can do a lie detector test. This date includes five men: Zac Clark, Brendan Morais, Ivan Hall, Noah Erb, and Riley Christian. And, yes, it's possible I put them in the order I believe Tayshia would put them in at the time she went on this group date.
Here's what happens. JoJo is tagging along for this date to assist with detecting lies, so she asks Riley what his name is (I believe they like to establish a baseline reading for when you tell the truth). But, when our man says "Riley," it shows up as being a lie! Later, he explains the situation to Tayshia, noting that the drama with his parents (which we heard about last week) goes even deeper.
At birth, he was named after his dad, Dwayne Henderson Jr., but upon getting older and finding out more about him, as well as reconnecting with his mom, he decided to legally change his name to Devon Riley Christian. Wow. These men have led some lives, OK?
If you think Tayshia immediately gives Riley the rose for this revelation, she does not. Instead, she decides not to give any group date rose, because she needs more time to think on her choices before Hometowns. And, then we get Bennett's sudden reappearance, which closes out the episode.
So, what do you think Bachelor Nation? Will this be the most dramatic episode of The Bachelorette in Season 16? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to tune in every Tuesday at 8 p.m. EST on ABC, to see what happens with Tayshia's journey to find love!
