This past week on The Bachelor: Maddison and Peter go fishing. Is Maddison more than just a catch? Natasha and Peter go on their first one-on-one date. Wait, she’s still here? Kelsey and Peter go four-wheeling through the countryside. Does their relationship keep on rolling? Plus, we have a three-on-one date between the remaining ladies. Who ends up going home? The drama continues…
The episode starts off in Lima, Peru! While the girls were getting comfy in their new space, Peter was facetiming his mom so that the two could have a chat about Peter’s worries moving forward. He expresses that his major concern is falling for someone who isn’t necessarily falling for him because he wants his feelings and his level of commitment reciprocated. Considering next week is hometowns, this week is going to be an important one for Peter as he decides which ladies stay which means he’ll be meeting their families. After this, Peter shows up to surprise the ladies and he states these same concerns that he brought up to his mom to the girls because honesty is the best policy for Peter right now.
The first one-on-one date of the episode went to Maddison. Alright, I’m going to say it. Madison is probably my favorite girl on the show. She stays out of the drama and I think it’s obvious that she is there for the right reasons. Just to recap, Peter and Maddison had the first one-on-one of the season where he took her as his plus one to his parents’ vow renewal which, to everyone watching, was kind of a big deal. Anyway, back to the date this week, Peter and Maddison went fishing which was both a sweet and well-suited date for the two of them because Peter thinks that Maddison is a total catch. She expresses to Peter that she was glad he came to talk to them earlier because it was nice to see him taking this seriously, and additionally, Maddison assured him that she is there for the right reasons and can see a future with him or she wouldn’t be as invested as she is.
Later that night, Maddison tells Peter how this experience has been hard for her because at this point in the journey her heart is really in it and she began to also open up about how she wants to be with someone like her dad, especially in regards to devotion to religion and the part that plays in his role as a husband and a father – ultimately, she’s seeking that in her life partner as well. Maddison asks Peter how he feels about this because it is something that is really important to her and she’s introducing this topic for conversation because she wants to make sure they are on the same page moving forward. Peter responds saying that he loves how religion means so much to Maddison but with that being said, he admits that his own personal faith isn’t as strong as it could be, but it is something that is important to him and something he wants to work on. Peter then tells Maddison that he is falling in love with her. Wow, okay! Anyway, I definitely think he picked the right person to express this too, but let’s hope he doesn’t pull a Ben Higgins and tell multiple women that he’s falling in love with them. Ultimately, Maddison accepts the rose for this date.
Next up, Natasha and Peter take on Peru! I’m genuinely surprised that Natasha is still here because I don’t see any chemistry between the two of them and this was their first one-on-one of the entire season. I do think that’s unfortunate though because Natasha is one of the more mature, level-headed women on the show. Anyway, they spent the day exploring the city and overall, I thought they had a great date, however, things kind of took a turn later in the night. Natasha and Peter finally sat down and had a serious conversation about the future and she admits to seeing a future with him, but feels like she has been holding back because she doesn’t know where he stands. Alright, this is where I got angry because in one of Peter’s talks to the producers he admitted that he saw his relationship with Natasha as more of a friendship than a romantic one. Okay, that’s fine Pete, but you need to be honest with her and tell her that because what is she still doing here if that’s the case? Anyway, Peter tells Natasha that he doesn’t think he could get there with her and he didn’t think that Natasha and he could progress to the same level that he is at with the other relationships. Peter sends Natasha home and truthfully, she handled this whole situation with such grace and maturity and that just goes to show that she deserves someone much better than Peter. There, I said it.
Moving along, we saw a one-on-one date with Kelsey and Peter. They went four-wheeling through the countryside. I don’t know whose genius idea it was to let the guy who couldn’t even get into the back of a golf cart without injuring himself, to the point where he needed stitches, drive a four-wheeler, but whatever. This date looked like so much fun and after they were done four-wheeling, we saw them lying on the side of a hill overlooking the countryside. How romantic. Peter asks her what she envisions in regards to a family and a husband someday and she responded that she wants to be able to work, but also have the opportunity to be present at home because she thinks it’s important to be at home with her husband and eventually, her kids even if she does want to have some semblance of a career as she does that. Because that is something that is extremely important to her in her future life with someone and a family, she ideally would want to find that balance.
Later in the night, Kelsey and Peter had a serious conversation about her family and Kelsey explains who of her family would be there if they both went back to Iowa the following week for hometowns. She had previously expressed how she hasn’t talked to her dad in a really long time but she goes on to explain that her dad reached out not too long ago. When he reached out, she ended up flying out to see him and afterward, she began talking to him, however, her mother doesn’t know she’s pursued a relationship with him. Kelsey said that she’s not trying to keep it from her family but she wants to be able to dictate her own terms and decide how to go about this new relationship with her dad without any outside influence. Peter was very supportive of this and one could say, inspired even. At the end of their talk, Kelsey accepts the one-on-one rose.
Finally, something new! We have a three-on-one up next between Hannah Ann, Victoria F., and Kelley. I don’t know if they coordinated their outfits and I don’t know about anybody else, but I’m totally getting American Flag vibes. Anyway, Peter grabs Hannah Ann first to chat. We start with crying. Shocker. Hannah Ann says this week has been hard for her because she doesn’t want to say goodbye to Peter. Okay, yeah I don’t think the last twenty girls that left wanted to say goodbye to Peter either, Hannah Ann. As if things couldn’t get any more generic, she made a list of things she loves about Peter and I mean this literally, she wrote this all down on a piece of paper to give to him. Think of the most cheesy things you could say about someone that are extremely surface level and you pretty much get what made up Hannah’s list. Peter loved it, but is anyone really surprised by that at this point?
Peter grabs Kelley next and she switches gears talking about how she has been frustrated this week with the one-on-one choices because she really wanted another one with him. Kelley expresses how she has a lot of fun with Peter and she does like him so she’s trying to focus on their relationship, aside from all the drama that’s ensued outside of it. Peter thanks her for being honest, but really wants to know if it’s more than just “fun” for her which they were trying to figure out during her past one-on-one with Peter and she does tell him that this is more than fun for her, giving him the confirmation he needed in regards to their blossoming relationship.
Peter and Victoria F. talk last and this relationship has been a rocky one. Peter wants to know how Victoria feels about their last one-on-one date and instead of talking this through calmly, she accuses him of always being in a mood when they’re together and how this can’t keep happening if they want to move forward. Peter counters that he isn’t always in a mood when he’s with her, but he feels as though she has given him reasons to doubt their relationship because she’s always pushing him away. She expresses that she doesn’t want to lose him, so it’s easy to never really have him in the first place. He reassures her that he wouldn’t give her a rose if he didn’t see something with her and if he didn’t have any intention of pursuing the relationship they have.
TIme for the roses to be handed out… or is it? Peter grabs the first rose and before he says a name, he asks Victoria F. if they can talk as he begins to walk her to the car. Easy for us to assume she’s going home, right? Wrong. Peter tells her that he wants to continue things with her even though it hasn’t always been the easiest between them and their relationship is, and I quote, “crazy.” If I was Pilot Pete, I would have sent her home. If I had other relationships that weren’t as rocky as this one, I would tell her goodbye and focus on the more stable ones. Anyway, we have one more rose on the table and it comes down to Kelley and Hannah Ann. Peter ultimately gives the rose to Hannah Ann and yet again, Peter lets go of another strong and mature woman. As Peter walks Kelley out, we see Hannah Ann sobbing. Girl, I have NO idea why you would be crying so hard, you got a rose, calm down. Anyway, Peter says goodbye to Kelley and goes back to enjoy a bottle of champagne (too soon, Kelsey?) with the remaining women.
Next week Peter will travel to the ladies’ hometowns. Will he get the chance to meet all of their families? Who will go home? Who will stay and embark on the rest of this incredible journey? This is the most dramatic season ever. Stay tuned for next week’s recap of The Bachelor.