The Bachelorette Season 19 has proven to be one of the most dramatic seasons of all time (Jesse Palmer’s words, not mine). Following the eliminations that have taken place on Season 19 so far, with hometowns looming and possible engagements only a few weeks away, things got real on this past week’s episode of The Bachelorette.
Lots of things happened this week that I’ve never seen before on The Bachelorette, but we also hit a few milestones that mean things have gotten serious. Let’s break it down.
The Realest Bachelor Breakup Of All Time
When Nate got a second date card, I knew. The men knew. The only one who didn’t know was Nate.
Gabby knew she couldn’t go to hometowns and possibly meet Nate’s daughter if she wasn’t 100% ready to commit to being a mother. So she did something I’ve never seen on The Bachelor or The Bachelorette before: She took him on a 1-on-1 to give him a proper breakup.
The two sat on a bench in Amsterdam and had an incredibly emotional and honest discussion about how, while Gabby has deep feelings for him, she knows she can’t move forward with him if she’s not ready to step into a motherly role.
Holding back tears, Nate let Gabby know that he understood, but that when the time did come for her he knew she would be an incredible mother. Despite being 100% blindsided by the breakup, he responded with maturity and respect. Nate’s reaction made the breakup all the more difficult for Gabby:
The way he handled everything makes me want to be with him more.
It’s going to be hard for Gabby to go through a devastating breakup while continuing to date the other men, but she knew that had to make a choice.
Rachel’s Wardrobe Is Still Slacking
To be clear, Rachel Recchia is one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. But her outfits for this season are completely missing the mark.
Gabby shows up to dates in gorgeous outfits that suit her personality. Rachel shows up wearing whatever that poofy red dress was. I’m not hating on how Rachel looks—she obviously looks stunning regardless of the outfit. I just wish Rachel's outfits would feel more true to her personality outside of the show.
GOOD QUESTION RACHEL!
When Zach made a comment on his date with Rachel that he had taken steps to improve himself, she asked him a very important question: What specific steps did you take to better yourself?
It’s a simple question, but so effective. If he wasn’t lying, he’d have no problem answering. But if he was trying to just say he’s worked on himself without actually doing so, it would be very obvious.
Luckily, Zach shared with Rachel that therapy has become a huge part of his life and has helped him overcome low points in his mental health. Props to Rachel for making him elaborate.
The First “I’m Falling In Love With You”
Ring the bell, everyone. We’ve got the first “I’m falling in love with you.”
Bachelor/Bachelorette contestants are always careful with their wording. You might have heard an “I could see myself falling in love with you,” or “I have deep feelings for you,” but nobody on this season has yet to utter the six words that carry the most weight in the Bachelor franchise.
Until last night! At the conclusion of a very successful 1-on-1, Zach spilled the beans to Rachel that he’s falling in love with her. Zach’s forward communication (plus mentioning he goes to therapy) have definitely boosted him to the ranks of Rachel’s top contenders.
I’m The President Of The Gabby Fan Club
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m in love with Gabby Windey.
Gabby is grounded in a way that makes her so connected with others. She’s so good with emotions it almost seems like she can read people’s minds.
With Gabby, what you see is what you get, and I mean that in the best way possible. Gabby is such a genuine person, she brings out the genuinity in others. When Gabby came to tell the guys she had sent Nate home, she bared her soul to them. In turn, they offered support and comfort, while still allowing Gabby to share everything she needed to share. It was like everyone in the room was connected in that moment.
Gabby’s Guys Are Top Tier
I love how the guys on The Bachelorette always become besties. We saw it a couple seasons ago with the guys on Katie’s season of The Bachelorette, but Gabby’s guys are no exception. I guess if you put a group of dudes together and give them unlimited drinks, they’re bound to become buddies.
But Gabby’s guys have really stepped it up in the past several weeks. Like I’ve already mentioned, her conversation with the guys after the breakup with Nate was so mature.
My favorite moment from the scene was Johnny’s comforting words to Gabby after she had explained: “We knew.”
Johnny explained that all day the guys had been sitting around, worrying about the decision Gabby was about to make. They knew she had been thinking about hometowns. And they knew she wasn’t going to meet Nate’s daughter if she wasn’t ready. These guys are in tune with Gabby now.
Let’s not forget that when Spencer was sent home, his closing words to Gabby were, “They’re great guys.” Awwwwww.
Surprise Covid Elimination
Another Bachelor first—Jesse Palmer had to break the news to Gabby that Logan had tested positive for Covid-19 and would no longer be able to join them on their journey.
It took me a while to realize that Logan’s positive Covid test meant he would no longer be a contestant. I guess there’s a possibility he could return after he recovers, but he’ll have missed too much time. A week is like six months in Bachelor time.
So after switching sides halfway through, it was all for nothing. Logan is out of the running.
By the way—why did Jesse make it seem like Logan was missing for a mysterious reason? We don’t know what happened off-camera, but it seemed like Jesse didn’t tell any of the remaining guys that Logan had left because he had to quarantine. Maybe it’s a HIPAA violation?
New Villain Alert!
Someone start playing the Jaws music. We have a possible villain arc starting.
Tino has been one of Rachel’s front runners since the beginning, which is why he was shocked that Tyler got the group date rose over him. Okay, shocked is fine. You’re allowed to be a little upset.
But Tino took it a step further when he began to express his anger and frustration at not earning Rachel’s rose. We see him complaining to a producer off screen, saying:
I hit every point today.
Hit every point???? This isn’t basketball, dude. Maybe I’m misinterpreting, but it SEEMS like he was trying to say he played the game right today and thought he deserved to win. Even Jesse Palmer says contestants run into trouble when they think they know how to play.
Improvements To The Double Rose Ceremony
One of the biggest issues of the season so far has been timing—the usual Bachelor/Bachelorette protocols aren’t meant for two leads. However, producers made a good change to the Rose Ceremony this past week when they let Gabby give away all her roses, then gave Rachel time to give away hers. It was a big improvement from switching back and forth between roses (like they’ve done previously this season).
The switch allowed both women to have their moment, and give the guys they eliminated a better environment in which to say goodbye.
What do we think? I don’t read Bachelorette spoilers, but I’ve got Tyler for Rachel’s winner. I still think any of Gabby’s guys could be the one, but hometowns will definitely be a big factor.
The Bachelorette Season 19 airs Mondays on ABC. Past episodes are available to stream with a Hulu subscription.
