This season of The Bachelorette has no rules, but the one rule I am most certain of is that both leads, Gabby and Rachel, are not allowed to be happy at the same time. This inherent rule has never been more true than in episode 4.
Does Gabby have a great group date? Are her men (ahem, Nate) showing her attention and care? Rachel chaos will ensue. The great group date snub has become a bachelorette trope, but it doesn’t make it easy to watch. All the classic tropes and scenarios are present this season, but the format still seems to be sorting itself out, and after most episodes, I’m not quite sure what I watched.
Maybe I’m still recovering from the eyesore locations of the pandemic, but Paris is always a good idea. The Paris dates with Tino and Jason felt simultaneously realistic and romantic. I enjoyed the shot of Rachel and Gabby having girl talk juxtaposed with the conversation between the two men. Even the toxicity of the situation could not permeate the atmosphere of love.
I mentioned it before, but I’ll repeat it. I love that Nate and Gabby have a shared intimacy in their small moment on the episode, and his speech detailing how he notices all of the little things?!? Swoon.
Now on to the Hayden of it all. His demeaning language and behavior had me yelling at the television during the entire segment. His goodbye should have happened last week, but I’m glad he was held accountable for his words. His bizarre exit speech confirmed the right decision to walk him out. How bout them meatballs?
The elephant in the room this season is the looming threat of rejection. While everyone experiences rejection- a common human emotion- being the lead of a show where all men are interested in dating you should insulate you from experiencing too much of this emotion; however, rejection was said more than the journey in this episode. The one downfall of this format is that the chances of rejection are higher than ever before. Gabby and Rachel have navigated this new reality with grace, although watching it sometimes can be painful. I hope as the relationships on the show deepen, we can leave rejection behind as a prominent theme of the season.
It feels peculiar for them to be on a cruise ship, considering the fact there are two leads and eighteen contestants at the beginning of the episode, but this break in format and location is enjoyable. Having the ability to travel to multiple locations in Europe should make for some picturesque backdrops for romance.
I want to end by saying that the quirky scenes with Gabby and Jason squishing grapes to make wine and trying on berets made the episode complete. I hope Gabby continues to have fun, be vulnerable, and lead with her heart. My hope for Rachel is that she focuses on the positive connections she has with front runners Tino and Aven and not the rejection she feels. It’s hard because we all have a negativity bias, but if she looks for it, her happily ever after might not be too far away.
Meatball being a standout favorite for me was not something I anticipated this season, but I love the man behind the sauce. Shoutout to Quincey because not only was he a fashion king, he was a great narrator, and I hope to see his designer swim trunks in Paradise.
Until next time!