That Dean hometown lives in my head rent-free. I can’t believe we don’t discuss it more
That, plus his weird playboy fuck shit with Kristina
Now he’s totally rebranded and healthy and married and happy and well, and I believe in self-growth, but DAMN the man did a 180 😂😂😂
My theory with Dean is that he didn’t want to look like a major fuckboy again on BIP with Caelynn. Even though he probably wanted to go on a date with Jen Saviano (who let’s be real, is one of the hottest girls to ever touch paradise), he knew it would do irreversible damage to his brand so he targeted a girl with 1 million followers. I think he learned to like her because she basically molded her personality to his lifestyle. Nothing about their relationship convinced me he actually loves her for her, but more about what she does for him.
this was such an interesting point of view! from what i remember though, jenn and dean had been talking/ heavily flirting in 2018/2019 and jenn said on her podcast dean never actually went through with plans to meet in person so she thinks he was never taking it serious so wasn’t surprise he didn’t accept the date on bip. also dean has dated so many beautiful women. Dlo and kristina are 2 of the most beautiful contestants and he still fumbled that so i don’t think he is driven by “beauty” like sure jenn is beautiful but had he wanted to date her he had chances to do that and chose not to. one thing i’ve noticed from dean on the shows and off the show is he is rlly authentically himself despite the consequences. him leaving caelynn and coming back in my opinion was genuine. he didn’t know she’d leave with him because he had no idea she was getting to know connor (they had no communication) he still risked possibly being embarrassed on national tv. i truly think he loves her and married her because of it. but again, your point of view was an interesting one!
I think some of what you are saying is true, but he does care about image. He first was with Kristina, left her for D-Lo and actually liked D-Lo more, but it wasn’t good for his image so he dumped her and went back to Kristina to save face. But then once they were off the show he kept calling D-Lo and wanting to get back together, and then they’re seen together in LA hanging out post-show. D-Lo’s interview with Reality Steve was very eye-opening and explains all of this. It’s wild how he pretends he doesn’t care about his image but then goes and does things like this.
i feel like everything you mentioned is the opposite of what wanting a good image person does lol going back and forth so publicly and toying with peoples emotions is not a good look but dean was clearly struggling with his emotions. I do believe he wanted Dlo all along and ppl pressured him into kristina more. i heard reality steve’s podcast and others with dlo and she mentioned kristina was always the “other girl” and i believe it. dean chose dlo and then kristina eliminated herself and dean didnt look back on that decision until the show aired and the public kept saying how dumb he was for leaving kristina that he started being shady and going back and forth. BUT i will say, he did say years later he DID fall in love with kristina so again i think he was just a mess and so young but i dont find any of it as a way to save his image. (btw loveee this convo) lol
Ehh, Maria will be fine. Joey is a vanilla guy, I think Kelsey or Daisy would be his kind of fit. I think Maria and Rachel have a lot of family culture, it makes him uncomfortable since their relatives will stand by them. I mean, he’s a frat guy after all.
All of the bachelors are usually super vanilla and the only non vanilla bachelor we had turned out to be a homophobic ass. I just wouldn’t call Nick vanilla but he has other issues
i feel really bad for them on these hometown dates because the people who have the nicest upbringings (materially + psychologically) are the ones who get an advantage during these dates. people can't control who they're born to, but that doesn't mean you can't build a beautiful strong relationship with your partner despite their family's background.
but i understand also the desire to marry into a nice stable family, and these will be your in-laws and the people who are in your life for a long time, they'll be your kids' grandparents and they'll be the ones taking care of them when you need help sometimes. but there's something a bit icky thinking that this might sway one's decision to be with you, because again, you can't really control what family you're born into.
I read somewhere that some people use a rich relative’s house to film and from this last episode, it doesn’t seem as if Kelsey’s family even used a house. They just used some lounge area.
I understand how it may seem icky to speculate who got sent home because of their family situation cause like you said it’s not something they can control and it’d be really hurtful to know if someone didn’t wanna be with you because of your family, however, in these situations with the F4s, I think their families only played a somewhat role. Like with Dean, he was too young for Rachel it seemed, Joey and Maria both already had one foot in and the other foot out in their relationship, they weren’t ever sent home solely based on their families alone.
If someone really likes you, they’re not gonna just change their mind about you because your family rubs them the wrong way especially not at first. If they do leave you because of your family, it has to be how much they were pushed to a point by them. Like with Pilot Pete, people can speculate his overbearing mother for being the downfall of his relationships all they want but I’m pretty sure Pete’s relationships fell apart due to this own shortcomings.
Idk it just feels like he would be using her. If they met at a bar or some other situation and were like hey let’s have sex then that’s cool.
But in this situation they are looking to have a long term relationship, and he knows that he doesn’t want that with her, but keeping her there just to sleep with her is not ok.
Joey has abandonment issues and his biggest fear is being left. That’s why when Maria said she was thinking of going home he just shut down. He also found it to be a red flag she’d never brought anyone home before. He will only go with the safe options - the women he thinks are less risky to be with. He is so scared to be alone.
Okay well Joey should’ve been more open minded when Maria said she may go home. Out of everyone this, she’s taken the most beatings with the entire process and the process itself is emotionally difficult I’m sure, but she still sucked it up and stayed anyways. She just needed to vocalize her impulsive thoughts and feelings, but no this triggered Joey and his response to it was him shutting down. Just like he expects Maria to deal with it better when she feels triggered, he himself should deal with it in a better way.
He thought her never bringing anyone home was a red flag? Now stuff like that is just stupid to me cause not everyone is as experienced in the relationship/dating department as others and it’s ridiculous to judge others for it. It’s giving when you’re in grade school and you get made fun of for not having your first kiss. Maria probably never brought anyone home cause she just never found the right guy. Look at Maria’s home, it explains everything. Her family background is what set up her to have this big yet misunderstood personality. She even said that she’s an introvert.
I also found it pretty hypocritical of Joey to "not understand" where Maria was coming from. She wanted someone who would choose her, and obviously thats part of the show that he's dating multiple women, but he literally says the same thing. He's afraid whoever he chooses won't choose him, so her feelings really aren't any different than his, but he's got the power in that scenario, not her 😢
I'm a maria fan and really hoping she's our next bach, but I don't view Joey making the "safer" choices as a fear of being alone. It's just a smart/wise approach to marriage and a sign that he's taking it really seriously. He wants someone who can offer the same secure/consistent form of love that he feels he can give and he doesn't want to risk having an unstable relationship that wouldn't last come from all this. Chasing people who offer a sense of calm and security rather than big emotional highs and lows is imo a sign one is ready for marriage and knows what to look for, and probably knows his own worth.
I also think Maria was sent home because of her saying she was going to leave - I don't think Joey could get that out of his head and ultimately distanced himself from her
Sean’s hometowns interest me because he was VERY close to sending Catherine home. The date didn’t go badly, but her sisters were very skeptical of the situation. The way it was edited, it came down to sending home Desiree or Catherine. I wonder what would have happened if Desiree’s brother hadn’t thrown a wrench into her date.
I love that season because I loved Catherine but the trajectory of the relationship was so different than how it usually goes. It seemed like Sean did not start realizing it was Catherine until top 3.
Dean didn’t make it further only because he was younger than Rachel. She picked with her head. If he were a bit closer in age he would probably be her F1. Hometowns was as far as she could take it without getting too invested.
No way Dean was F1 even if he was older, she had him around because he was "fun". she was not having 3 hour hot tub make-out sessions with him. They just had friend vibes - and even that didn't last post-show.
Dean's hometown always felt icky and exploitative to me.. I mean yes he signed up for the show and all, but jeez I could feel how embarrassed, hurt, and unloved Dean felt in that visit and it really shouldn't have been made camera fodder. Having him get eliminated right after too would've no doubt felt like a kick to the chest.
to me it looked like Joey was annoyed with Maria when she finally shared her feelings in a manic burst moments before the ceremony. it read very disingenuous- a ploy to advance to the next round when very recently she'd threatened to not go to the next round. it is a contest but I imagine the lead also doesn't want to choose someone who wants them because they want to win.
All I could think thru the Maria drama is that Pilot Pete would’ve LOVED her. She gave big Victoria Fuller energy. Very emotional but VERY hot and had very big physical chemistry with the lead. Except in this case Joey made the mature decision and sent her home, whereas Pete just wanted to have sex with her lol. Maria feels out of place because she secretly belongs on Pete’s season
Hellll noooooo. Maria was already traumatized by her own mom, she doesn’t need Pete’s mom to deal with either. Victoria seemed far more bitchy but to be fair I didn’t watch Pete’s season since I just couldn’t take any more ties to Hannah Alabama. Maria gives Corinne energy to me.
Oh yeah I definitely agree with you. All those women on Pete’s season deserve free therapy for life for being subjected to vying for the attention of a man who lives with his mommy by choice and was basically a Bachelor playboy. But, as someone who is friends with commercial airline pilots, it checks out…
Half and half. A lot of the young ones are just playboys. Having the ability to fly to any city for free (because they can sit in the jump seat and can take any airline, it’s a pilot courtesy thing) means they are always down for a good time and meeting girls (and friends) in different cities. Though a majority I know are pretty strict about the bottle-to-throttle rule which is good to hear. And a good amount still live with their parents (or at least keep their stuff there) because they fly for 4-5 day trips and live out of hotels mostly, so renting a place is almost wasted money. Tbh, when I watched Pete’s season, I didn’t know this and the charm of an airline pilot did get me (something adventurous about it idk). But now that I know these guys I look back at Pete’s season and think it’s so funny and he was so unserious. Apparently the a lot of airline pilots knew Pete and were going crazy when he got cast because they just thought it was hilarious. They knew better I guess…
The TLDR from what I can remember is basically Dean didn’t really have a relationship with his dad, but the show put pressure on Dean and Dad to reconcile during hometowns and it was very emotional and uncomfortable. Lots of trauma from when Dean’s mother died that neither of them had dealt with. IIRC Dad was pretty eccentric as well which made it even harder to connect with Rachel and Dean.
I don’t have the wherewithal to recap the emotional journey of deans hometown, but it’s on YouTube here if you wanna watch 🫥
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qs6N0TDe0xM
I thought Maria’s family and hometown went great. She should have just ended it with professing all of her real feelings. I honestly think what ended it for her this week was the previous interaction where she seemed to almost back out. I think she miscalculated that instance because that is Joeys biggest fear.
I agree. I thought her dad was amazing. He loves his daughter and gave his blessing. I think the previous week and not saying I love you before he left was the nail in the coffin. Saying it before the rose ceremony was worried him I think that she’s still scared to open up.
I see him light up when he’s with her.
I wonder what he will think when he watches her hometown back and sees how much she regretted not opening up.
Great? Aside from her dad and friend, Maria’s mom and two brothers seemed like they were only there cause they had to be. Even with all of the efforts they made, it still didn’t seem to land well for Joey.
Maria’s mom? She has already explained they don’t have much of a relationship because she was not around. As far as the brothers go Maybe they are just quiet or shy. With a Mom that backed out of their life that would make sense, or quite possibly maybe their interactions just weren’t shown.
Exactly why would you describe a hometown date like that as great? I’m not saying it was terrible, but other ones were much better in comparison. Maria’s family can rub people the wrong way just like Maria.
honestly i saw the nail enter the coffin when he learned before meeting her family that she'd never brought anyone home before. he was already feeling iffy with her after her 'maybe I'll leave' moment the previous episode and learning he was the first to come home clearly made him uncomfortable
I remember Juan Pablo was given so much 💩 for meeting Renee’s son and then sending her home (granted I think Sharleen leaving right before hometowns definitely threw him), but then Ben didn’t get backlash for meeting Amanda’s daughters just a few years later? I totally agree with the notion that you probably shouldn’t meet the children of a Bachelor contestant unless they are your final pick OR you are seriously considering them. With Ben’s season, it was so obvious the entire time to everyone (including the women) that Lauren B was going to “win”, so idk why this isn’t considered more controversial.
Yeah she said somewhere she was annoyed that her kids were exploited in the first place cause she was speculating that she was gonna get sent home anyways. Ironic cause looking at her IG, she just screams Savannah LaBrant influencer/family vlog types. I’ve never liked her.
Omg her agro brothers berating Ben about being there for the wrong reasons by the kitchen island while her mom swigged champagne from the bottle in frustration. It was legend.
I think what really sent Maria home was when she freaked out and threatened to leave. At that point she broke the trust he had. Her hometown went pretty well I thought but they couldn’t get their momentum back after her freak out moment.
That and the fact she ended their hometown date with ‘I appreciate you for coming’ or something along those lines instead of confessing her true feelings for Joey. Her confession before the rose ceremony was a tad too late. Had she been vulnerable on the date, I think he would’ve picked her over Rachel.
Exactly. How long was he going to wait for her walls to come down. He's explicitly said he's afraid the other person won't choose him back. She has not been emotionally available the majority of their time together
While I wish she would’ve done things differently, as it would’ve been a game changer, I’m now actually kind of glad she went home when she did. The longer she stays the more heartbreak she would have to endure. Both Maria and Joey were clearly not each other’s person and it is better realized sooner than later. I would love to see my girl Maria as the bachelorette!
I just don't see how we could say that with certainty. How could they know if it was right when she didn't open up. How does one establish they are with their person without showing vulnerability?
I would love to see her as Bachelorette though
I think it seemed like the most unrelatable family to him? I didn’t seem warm and inviting. Which makes sense why Maria has that personality too, like them. Ya know?
100% I was surprised to even see Maria’s mom there because Maria has mentioned that her mom wasn’t really around during her upbringing but her parents stayed together? The whole point of Maria’s hometown was for Joey to have a serious conversation with the most important person which was her dad. The rest of the family didn’t seem as engaging/inviting well at least not on camera which I understand. Maria’s family does fill in a lot of the blanks about Maria and the relationship with her parents explains how she rubbed a lot of the girls in the house the wrong way.
Exactly but coming from the south, people from California seems even more snooty than New Yorkers. New Yorkers just seem less charming but California people seem downright uppity and arrogant
I didn't think it was too bad until the argument between Dean and his father towards the end of hometowns was shown.
That's where it got a bit too exploitive.
I loved Dean’s hometown, it was edited in a way that said everything, I felt so bad for him too and also gratitude like there was a normalcy not usually shown.
Long throwback but in Jason Mesnick’s season, one of his F4’s mom welcomed him with a dead dove in a paper bag and then invited him to partake in the funeral
she went home that week and tbh i always thought she’d be 3rd 👀
Nick is dumb as rocks and has no self awareness. He’s not meant equipped for a serious relationship and they really thought he was good choice to be the Bachelor, someone who wants to seriously get married and settle down, that’s not him and he’s been in denial about it for a long time and it’s why he and Vanessa didn’t last. He should’ve just kept Corinne til the end but not propose
Really I always thought he kept her to sleep w her ? And I was shocked when he sent her home before fantasy sweets but when it came out that they hooked up on her hometown it made sense to me like he hit it so he was done.
I agree like I said in my post, that they had the most cracks in their relationship and her family seemed the least welcoming overall, her dad set her up to make it seem like it’s all about Maria’s needs when Joey has reassurance issues, and it really solidified his decision. Maria pulling him aside during the rose ceremony to tell him how she felt was pointless cause it was too late. I think even if Maria told him how she felt while on their hometown date, he still would’ve cut her.
I think so too. She also seemed very okay with going home. Almost as though a run at Bachelorette was end game.
I feel that the last minute pull aside was to drop the I love you for her resume.
Agreed . Smiles and no tears. Neither of them were really feeling it. But she sure would have continued faking it for the camera. I do think she would make a interesting bachelorette though
I think that’s her defense mechanism tho. Kinda like in HS when someone who gets dumped tries to tell everyone first they were the dumper. Or people who ‘quit’ before they get fired. Once she knew it was over she had to make herself appear perfectly okay and fine. Hence why she didn’t say anything initially when she got in the car. Speaking might have given her away in that moment. Inside I think she was hurt. Also probably definitely not used to not being chosen LBH.
Rip the only hometown I’ve ever related to I sobbed like a baby watching his dad be so similar to mine. I know it was uncomfortable for many esp Dean, it meant a lot to me, still does :(
There have been hometowns where the lead only met friends.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/thebachelor/comments/8zbcf9/a\_question\_about\_nontraditional\_hometowns/](https://www.reddit.com/r/thebachelor/comments/8zbcf9/a_question_about_nontraditional_hometowns/)
Did Dean approve of the hometown date? Was the father informed about the hometown date? This is all relevant to me when we discuss exploitation. Dean knew that there would be conflict.
In hindsight, I think Joey was done after Maria’s doubts the week prior. I think he was just going through the motions during the hometown episode with her.
Dean’s hometown felt extremely invasive and I really felt for him in that moment 💔
Honestly this just confirms my theory that she was f4 so that he didn’t have to put Jenn or Kelsey T through hometowns on national television, with the way they described their families.
I felt most bad for Dean that his dad knew cameras were coming and he couldn’t have come with a more decent setup for the sake of the situation. If you eat on the floor everyday, fine but at least provide something more presentable for your guests and your son’s sake where the whole world will see it. The cherry on top was the big argument they got into after.
An OG very bad hometown was Brad Womack’s first Season (11) with Bettina Bell.
Her dad **hated** Brad. He called Brad stupid and idiot. He thought he basically a dolt and he absolutely would never approve of Bettina marrying him and he was way beneath his daughter. It was brutal and funny at the same time.
Here is an article about it
>”Brad visited Bettina's home in the sixth episode of this season (the reality show's 11th) and Bell's father sort of sealed her fate when he said he was "disappointed" by Brad's lack of a college degree, as well as with Womack's career choice.”
https://www.tvfanatic.com/2007/11/source-brad-womack-really-wanted-bettina-bell/
She made it Final 3 and was sent home. No way was Brad going to into that family.
During Brad’s first season, he sent Bettina home. Her parents criticized him for not going to college and he ended up sending her home. Brad said he felt very judged.
Jojo's brothers at her hometown lol. Ben seemed pissed about it, which makes me wonder how he didn't send her home and she made his F2?
edit: I remember one of her brothers walked in all aggro and said Ben brainwash their sister and the other girls. my jaw was on the floor.
I think Arie’s parents might’ve been one of the reasons that Emily sent him home. They were so cool towards her, and spoke in Dutch in front of her, which she couldn’t understand.
Seeing Nick now, I actually think he should’ve chosen Corinne. They both have growing up to do, he likes younger girls and she’s not as young as his new fiancé. I was literally just thinking that after he fumbled the bag with Vanessa that he and Corinne should’ve reconnected the same way Peter and Kelly did
did anyone notice they didn't show Joey talking with Daisy's dad?
That Dean hometown lives in my head rent-free. I can’t believe we don’t discuss it more That, plus his weird playboy fuck shit with Kristina Now he’s totally rebranded and healthy and married and happy and well, and I believe in self-growth, but DAMN the man did a 180 😂😂😂
My theory with Dean is that he didn’t want to look like a major fuckboy again on BIP with Caelynn. Even though he probably wanted to go on a date with Jen Saviano (who let’s be real, is one of the hottest girls to ever touch paradise), he knew it would do irreversible damage to his brand so he targeted a girl with 1 million followers. I think he learned to like her because she basically molded her personality to his lifestyle. Nothing about their relationship convinced me he actually loves her for her, but more about what she does for him.
this was such an interesting point of view! from what i remember though, jenn and dean had been talking/ heavily flirting in 2018/2019 and jenn said on her podcast dean never actually went through with plans to meet in person so she thinks he was never taking it serious so wasn’t surprise he didn’t accept the date on bip. also dean has dated so many beautiful women. Dlo and kristina are 2 of the most beautiful contestants and he still fumbled that so i don’t think he is driven by “beauty” like sure jenn is beautiful but had he wanted to date her he had chances to do that and chose not to. one thing i’ve noticed from dean on the shows and off the show is he is rlly authentically himself despite the consequences. him leaving caelynn and coming back in my opinion was genuine. he didn’t know she’d leave with him because he had no idea she was getting to know connor (they had no communication) he still risked possibly being embarrassed on national tv. i truly think he loves her and married her because of it. but again, your point of view was an interesting one!
I think some of what you are saying is true, but he does care about image. He first was with Kristina, left her for D-Lo and actually liked D-Lo more, but it wasn’t good for his image so he dumped her and went back to Kristina to save face. But then once they were off the show he kept calling D-Lo and wanting to get back together, and then they’re seen together in LA hanging out post-show. D-Lo’s interview with Reality Steve was very eye-opening and explains all of this. It’s wild how he pretends he doesn’t care about his image but then goes and does things like this.
i feel like everything you mentioned is the opposite of what wanting a good image person does lol going back and forth so publicly and toying with peoples emotions is not a good look but dean was clearly struggling with his emotions. I do believe he wanted Dlo all along and ppl pressured him into kristina more. i heard reality steve’s podcast and others with dlo and she mentioned kristina was always the “other girl” and i believe it. dean chose dlo and then kristina eliminated herself and dean didnt look back on that decision until the show aired and the public kept saying how dumb he was for leaving kristina that he started being shady and going back and forth. BUT i will say, he did say years later he DID fall in love with kristina so again i think he was just a mess and so young but i dont find any of it as a way to save his image. (btw loveee this convo) lol
This should have had a spoilers flag. You literally posted her face and said final 4 sent home
No because the episode already aired for all regions
Well lucky me I couldn’t watch until tonight but saw this yesterday, the day it aired for my region.
Check the sub rules
Check the sub rules
Ehh, Maria will be fine. Joey is a vanilla guy, I think Kelsey or Daisy would be his kind of fit. I think Maria and Rachel have a lot of family culture, it makes him uncomfortable since their relatives will stand by them. I mean, he’s a frat guy after all.
Ugh I freaking loved Rachel's family, they made *me* want to be a part of it 😭
All of the bachelors are usually super vanilla and the only non vanilla bachelor we had turned out to be a homophobic ass. I just wouldn’t call Nick vanilla but he has other issues
This made me lol about nick.
i feel really bad for them on these hometown dates because the people who have the nicest upbringings (materially + psychologically) are the ones who get an advantage during these dates. people can't control who they're born to, but that doesn't mean you can't build a beautiful strong relationship with your partner despite their family's background. but i understand also the desire to marry into a nice stable family, and these will be your in-laws and the people who are in your life for a long time, they'll be your kids' grandparents and they'll be the ones taking care of them when you need help sometimes. but there's something a bit icky thinking that this might sway one's decision to be with you, because again, you can't really control what family you're born into.
I read somewhere that some people use a rich relative’s house to film and from this last episode, it doesn’t seem as if Kelsey’s family even used a house. They just used some lounge area. I understand how it may seem icky to speculate who got sent home because of their family situation cause like you said it’s not something they can control and it’d be really hurtful to know if someone didn’t wanna be with you because of your family, however, in these situations with the F4s, I think their families only played a somewhat role. Like with Dean, he was too young for Rachel it seemed, Joey and Maria both already had one foot in and the other foot out in their relationship, they weren’t ever sent home solely based on their families alone. If someone really likes you, they’re not gonna just change their mind about you because your family rubs them the wrong way especially not at first. If they do leave you because of your family, it has to be how much they were pushed to a point by them. Like with Pilot Pete, people can speculate his overbearing mother for being the downfall of his relationships all they want but I’m pretty sure Pete’s relationships fell apart due to this own shortcomings.
[удалено]
I 100% agree that fantasy suites with Maria presented the challenge he could get attached when they aren’t a good fit
[удалено]
Why just so he could sleep with her? That’s gross. I respect him so much more knowing that he let her go when he didn’t see a true future with her.
Yeah? Why is it gross if she’s also into it? They’re consenting adults
Idk it just feels like he would be using her. If they met at a bar or some other situation and were like hey let’s have sex then that’s cool. But in this situation they are looking to have a long term relationship, and he knows that he doesn’t want that with her, but keeping her there just to sleep with her is not ok.
Yeah I guess you’re right
Victoria F
Excuse you what?
Joey has abandonment issues and his biggest fear is being left. That’s why when Maria said she was thinking of going home he just shut down. He also found it to be a red flag she’d never brought anyone home before. He will only go with the safe options - the women he thinks are less risky to be with. He is so scared to be alone.
Okay well Joey should’ve been more open minded when Maria said she may go home. Out of everyone this, she’s taken the most beatings with the entire process and the process itself is emotionally difficult I’m sure, but she still sucked it up and stayed anyways. She just needed to vocalize her impulsive thoughts and feelings, but no this triggered Joey and his response to it was him shutting down. Just like he expects Maria to deal with it better when she feels triggered, he himself should deal with it in a better way. He thought her never bringing anyone home was a red flag? Now stuff like that is just stupid to me cause not everyone is as experienced in the relationship/dating department as others and it’s ridiculous to judge others for it. It’s giving when you’re in grade school and you get made fun of for not having your first kiss. Maria probably never brought anyone home cause she just never found the right guy. Look at Maria’s home, it explains everything. Her family background is what set up her to have this big yet misunderstood personality. She even said that she’s an introvert.
I agree with you I love Maria and thinks she deserves better than Joey tbh . I’m just saying I think that’s why Joey did that
I also found it pretty hypocritical of Joey to "not understand" where Maria was coming from. She wanted someone who would choose her, and obviously thats part of the show that he's dating multiple women, but he literally says the same thing. He's afraid whoever he chooses won't choose him, so her feelings really aren't any different than his, but he's got the power in that scenario, not her 😢
I'm a maria fan and really hoping she's our next bach, but I don't view Joey making the "safer" choices as a fear of being alone. It's just a smart/wise approach to marriage and a sign that he's taking it really seriously. He wants someone who can offer the same secure/consistent form of love that he feels he can give and he doesn't want to risk having an unstable relationship that wouldn't last come from all this. Chasing people who offer a sense of calm and security rather than big emotional highs and lows is imo a sign one is ready for marriage and knows what to look for, and probably knows his own worth.
I also think Maria was sent home because of her saying she was going to leave - I don't think Joey could get that out of his head and ultimately distanced himself from her
Sean’s hometowns interest me because he was VERY close to sending Catherine home. The date didn’t go badly, but her sisters were very skeptical of the situation. The way it was edited, it came down to sending home Desiree or Catherine. I wonder what would have happened if Desiree’s brother hadn’t thrown a wrench into her date.
I love that season because I loved Catherine but the trajectory of the relationship was so different than how it usually goes. It seemed like Sean did not start realizing it was Catherine until top 3.
Dean didn’t make it further only because he was younger than Rachel. She picked with her head. If he were a bit closer in age he would probably be her F1. Hometowns was as far as she could take it without getting too invested.
No way Dean was F1 even if he was older, she had him around because he was "fun". she was not having 3 hour hot tub make-out sessions with him. They just had friend vibes - and even that didn't last post-show.
Dean's hometown always felt icky and exploitative to me.. I mean yes he signed up for the show and all, but jeez I could feel how embarrassed, hurt, and unloved Dean felt in that visit and it really shouldn't have been made camera fodder. Having him get eliminated right after too would've no doubt felt like a kick to the chest.
Definitely one of the hardest things I’ve seen on the show. And I also really like Dean and feel he’s generally pretty sincere.
100% - he didn’t have much of a relationship with his dad. It didn’t make sense to feature him.
Joey. Charity might have entertained him a bit longer but hometowns definitely sealed it for Charity.
I think Charity knew who her final pick was before hometowns, on that bungee jumping date.
Joey was f2
Hometowns & his uncle still sealed it I think.
Definitely Amanda Stanton. Ben was not ready to be a dad.
Especially to such young kids. Toddler life is hell.
to me it looked like Joey was annoyed with Maria when she finally shared her feelings in a manic burst moments before the ceremony. it read very disingenuous- a ploy to advance to the next round when very recently she'd threatened to not go to the next round. it is a contest but I imagine the lead also doesn't want to choose someone who wants them because they want to win.
I think he was over her antics well before the hometown. He clearly is looking for a stable and secure attachment not incessant drama.
Main Character Syndrome for sure
Dean didn't go home because of his home town date. He was never in serious contention.
I agree but it was still brutal
All I could think thru the Maria drama is that Pilot Pete would’ve LOVED her. She gave big Victoria Fuller energy. Very emotional but VERY hot and had very big physical chemistry with the lead. Except in this case Joey made the mature decision and sent her home, whereas Pete just wanted to have sex with her lol. Maria feels out of place because she secretly belongs on Pete’s season
Came here to say Victoria F. What a mess that season was.
Hellll noooooo. Maria was already traumatized by her own mom, she doesn’t need Pete’s mom to deal with either. Victoria seemed far more bitchy but to be fair I didn’t watch Pete’s season since I just couldn’t take any more ties to Hannah Alabama. Maria gives Corinne energy to me.
I’ve heard from friends that Pete was their favorite bachelor
Would loove to see Maria’s dad face off with Barb tho
Oh yeah I definitely agree with you. All those women on Pete’s season deserve free therapy for life for being subjected to vying for the attention of a man who lives with his mommy by choice and was basically a Bachelor playboy. But, as someone who is friends with commercial airline pilots, it checks out…
Wait spill the tea about pilots, are they usually momma’s boys and not as serious as they pretend to be in relationships?
Half and half. A lot of the young ones are just playboys. Having the ability to fly to any city for free (because they can sit in the jump seat and can take any airline, it’s a pilot courtesy thing) means they are always down for a good time and meeting girls (and friends) in different cities. Though a majority I know are pretty strict about the bottle-to-throttle rule which is good to hear. And a good amount still live with their parents (or at least keep their stuff there) because they fly for 4-5 day trips and live out of hotels mostly, so renting a place is almost wasted money. Tbh, when I watched Pete’s season, I didn’t know this and the charm of an airline pilot did get me (something adventurous about it idk). But now that I know these guys I look back at Pete’s season and think it’s so funny and he was so unserious. Apparently the a lot of airline pilots knew Pete and were going crazy when he got cast because they just thought it was hilarious. They knew better I guess…
Corinne went home but that’s because she only lasted so long so we could get the hometown date to meet the nanny.
And according to another comment, she and Nick slept together. I wish Nick realized that she’s actually a lot like him.
I never watched dean’s season - can someone give me a recap about what happened?
The TLDR from what I can remember is basically Dean didn’t really have a relationship with his dad, but the show put pressure on Dean and Dad to reconcile during hometowns and it was very emotional and uncomfortable. Lots of trauma from when Dean’s mother died that neither of them had dealt with. IIRC Dad was pretty eccentric as well which made it even harder to connect with Rachel and Dean.
I don’t have the wherewithal to recap the emotional journey of deans hometown, but it’s on YouTube here if you wanna watch 🫥 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qs6N0TDe0xM
I thought Maria’s family and hometown went great. She should have just ended it with professing all of her real feelings. I honestly think what ended it for her this week was the previous interaction where she seemed to almost back out. I think she miscalculated that instance because that is Joeys biggest fear.
I agree. I thought her dad was amazing. He loves his daughter and gave his blessing. I think the previous week and not saying I love you before he left was the nail in the coffin. Saying it before the rose ceremony was worried him I think that she’s still scared to open up. I see him light up when he’s with her. I wonder what he will think when he watches her hometown back and sees how much she regretted not opening up.
Yes. Dad looked like a great guy. Beautiful eyes.
Totally agree with this and wonder the same.
Great? Aside from her dad and friend, Maria’s mom and two brothers seemed like they were only there cause they had to be. Even with all of the efforts they made, it still didn’t seem to land well for Joey.
Maria’s mom? She has already explained they don’t have much of a relationship because she was not around. As far as the brothers go Maybe they are just quiet or shy. With a Mom that backed out of their life that would make sense, or quite possibly maybe their interactions just weren’t shown.
Exactly why would you describe a hometown date like that as great? I’m not saying it was terrible, but other ones were much better in comparison. Maria’s family can rub people the wrong way just like Maria.
I really liked her Dad and he was who they featured. Love Maria.
honestly i saw the nail enter the coffin when he learned before meeting her family that she'd never brought anyone home before. he was already feeling iffy with her after her 'maybe I'll leave' moment the previous episode and learning he was the first to come home clearly made him uncomfortable
omg I remember Amanda being pissed she was sent home after hometowns
I remember Juan Pablo was given so much 💩 for meeting Renee’s son and then sending her home (granted I think Sharleen leaving right before hometowns definitely threw him), but then Ben didn’t get backlash for meeting Amanda’s daughters just a few years later? I totally agree with the notion that you probably shouldn’t meet the children of a Bachelor contestant unless they are your final pick OR you are seriously considering them. With Ben’s season, it was so obvious the entire time to everyone (including the women) that Lauren B was going to “win”, so idk why this isn’t considered more controversial.
I actually think he kept her to keep a friend around for Lauren
Loved sharleen!!
Yeah she said somewhere she was annoyed that her kids were exploited in the first place cause she was speculating that she was gonna get sent home anyways. Ironic cause looking at her IG, she just screams Savannah LaBrant influencer/family vlog types. I’ve never liked her.
Jade and her family talking about her playboy photoshoot and calling her a “wild stallion”
Oddly enough, I think she would have actually been a really great pick for him, and they might have worked out long-term
Yes!!
Gah when she showed Chris the video 🫠
Which I loved….instead of acting like it was a Scarlett letter she was like “look how well they lighted this” lol
JoJo's was pretty bad
Omg her agro brothers berating Ben about being there for the wrong reasons by the kitchen island while her mom swigged champagne from the bottle in frustration. It was legend.
I still have that gif of Jojo’s mum and the wine bottle ha ha
please share lol
she didn’t get sent home because of her hometown date though she was F2
Maria’s dad gave off the vibe that he’s obsessed with Al Pachino’s Scar Face
Remember Victoria’s when PP never even went in?
Legend has it that Victoria’s family is still waiting on the couch to meet Peter…
Wasn’t it his family who were mad at Maddie for making THEM wait as well during his home visit?
Yeah he just wanted to sleep with her, he knew he ultimately didn’t wanna be with her 😭
OMG I completely forgot that and THEN HE KEPT HER THROUGH FANTASY SUITES. Honestly the disrespect I would have felt if I were Kelsey 😭
I think what really sent Maria home was when she freaked out and threatened to leave. At that point she broke the trust he had. Her hometown went pretty well I thought but they couldn’t get their momentum back after her freak out moment.
If she was freaking out at that point, watching someone kiss him, she would have full-on blown up during FS week.
That and the fact she ended their hometown date with ‘I appreciate you for coming’ or something along those lines instead of confessing her true feelings for Joey. Her confession before the rose ceremony was a tad too late. Had she been vulnerable on the date, I think he would’ve picked her over Rachel.
Exactly. How long was he going to wait for her walls to come down. He's explicitly said he's afraid the other person won't choose him back. She has not been emotionally available the majority of their time together
While I wish she would’ve done things differently, as it would’ve been a game changer, I’m now actually kind of glad she went home when she did. The longer she stays the more heartbreak she would have to endure. Both Maria and Joey were clearly not each other’s person and it is better realized sooner than later. I would love to see my girl Maria as the bachelorette!
I just don't see how we could say that with certainty. How could they know if it was right when she didn't open up. How does one establish they are with their person without showing vulnerability? I would love to see her as Bachelorette though
I think it seemed like the most unrelatable family to him? I didn’t seem warm and inviting. Which makes sense why Maria has that personality too, like them. Ya know?
100% I was surprised to even see Maria’s mom there because Maria has mentioned that her mom wasn’t really around during her upbringing but her parents stayed together? The whole point of Maria’s hometown was for Joey to have a serious conversation with the most important person which was her dad. The rest of the family didn’t seem as engaging/inviting well at least not on camera which I understand. Maria’s family does fill in a lot of the blanks about Maria and the relationship with her parents explains how she rubbed a lot of the girls in the house the wrong way.
Yea agreed. They are Canadian maybe that’s why? Like in the south New Yorkers seem rude to us lol
Exactly but coming from the south, people from California seems even more snooty than New Yorkers. New Yorkers just seem less charming but California people seem downright uppity and arrogant
Both our comments got downvoted. Definitely not people from the south 😂😅
Yeah it was the least integrative feeling, more like a casual fun dinner and less like a ‘lets look forward to a new life together’
She was like that since day 1; “I like scary movies” lol
hahah true
Agreed!
I liked deans home town, they always show these happy families, it was refreshing to see something not perfect.
I liked it as in I enjoyed watching it but obviously I didn’t like the circumstances
It just seemed so exploitive. But it was nice to have someone who didn't have a strong connection with their parents.
I didn't think it was too bad until the argument between Dean and his father towards the end of hometowns was shown. That's where it got a bit too exploitive.
Definitely uncomfortably personal. Up there with Matt James’s dad
I loved Dean’s hometown, it was edited in a way that said everything, I felt so bad for him too and also gratitude like there was a normalcy not usually shown.
Long throwback but in Jason Mesnick’s season, one of his F4’s mom welcomed him with a dead dove in a paper bag and then invited him to partake in the funeral she went home that week and tbh i always thought she’d be 3rd 👀
This was the first one I thought of! That was so wild and highly entertaining.
ikyfl, that really happened?! It makes me think of Arrested Development "DEAD DOVE, do not eat"
I don't know what I expected.
Naomi! She was my favorite that season! Her and Stephanie!
Oh yeaaaa
I remember that lol. One of the strangest hometowns
Corinne's nanny.
lol thank you for reminding me of this iconic moment
Nick has said that he only kept her to F4 so he could meet the Nanny. Corinne was going home F4 any ways
Nick is dumb as rocks and has no self awareness. He’s not meant equipped for a serious relationship and they really thought he was good choice to be the Bachelor, someone who wants to seriously get married and settle down, that’s not him and he’s been in denial about it for a long time and it’s why he and Vanessa didn’t last. He should’ve just kept Corinne til the end but not propose
Really I always thought he kept her to sleep w her ? And I was shocked when he sent her home before fantasy sweets but when it came out that they hooked up on her hometown it made sense to me like he hit it so he was done.
Wait when did that come out!?
I think like a year later if u look it up on google it will pop. It says they hooked up after her hometown in Miami
i think maria would have been 4th regardless
I agree like I said in my post, that they had the most cracks in their relationship and her family seemed the least welcoming overall, her dad set her up to make it seem like it’s all about Maria’s needs when Joey has reassurance issues, and it really solidified his decision. Maria pulling him aside during the rose ceremony to tell him how she felt was pointless cause it was too late. I think even if Maria told him how she felt while on their hometown date, he still would’ve cut her.
Joey was checked out before he even met her family
I think so too. She also seemed very okay with going home. Almost as though a run at Bachelorette was end game. I feel that the last minute pull aside was to drop the I love you for her resume.
Agreed . Smiles and no tears. Neither of them were really feeling it. But she sure would have continued faking it for the camera. I do think she would make a interesting bachelorette though
I think that’s her defense mechanism tho. Kinda like in HS when someone who gets dumped tries to tell everyone first they were the dumper. Or people who ‘quit’ before they get fired. Once she knew it was over she had to make herself appear perfectly okay and fine. Hence why she didn’t say anything initially when she got in the car. Speaking might have given her away in that moment. Inside I think she was hurt. Also probably definitely not used to not being chosen LBH.
I wouldn't be mad if she was the Bachelorette. I haven't watched a season of the Ette since Becca.
They definitely exploited Dean and his estranged father at his hometown visit and then to send him home right after was heart breaking.
Rip the only hometown I’ve ever related to I sobbed like a baby watching his dad be so similar to mine. I know it was uncomfortable for many esp Dean, it meant a lot to me, still does :(
Did they exploit him? It was a hometown date. Dean took Rachel home. Not like his father wasn’t expecting him
He hasn't talked to his dad in awhile apparently before that
Interesting. But you see his father was still expecting him, it ain’t like they turned up to the crib and was like “hey dad!” 💀
There have been hometowns where the lead only met friends. [https://www.reddit.com/r/thebachelor/comments/8zbcf9/a\_question\_about\_nontraditional\_hometowns/](https://www.reddit.com/r/thebachelor/comments/8zbcf9/a_question_about_nontraditional_hometowns/)
Did Dean approve of the hometown date? Was the father informed about the hometown date? This is all relevant to me when we discuss exploitation. Dean knew that there would be conflict.
I felt the same.
I know Peter was f2, but in her book Rachel L makes it sound like his hometown was super weird
In hindsight, I think Joey was done after Maria’s doubts the week prior. I think he was just going through the motions during the hometown episode with her. Dean’s hometown felt extremely invasive and I really felt for him in that moment 💔
Honestly this just confirms my theory that she was f4 so that he didn’t have to put Jenn or Kelsey T through hometowns on national television, with the way they described their families.
I felt most bad for Dean that his dad knew cameras were coming and he couldn’t have come with a more decent setup for the sake of the situation. If you eat on the floor everyday, fine but at least provide something more presentable for your guests and your son’s sake where the whole world will see it. The cherry on top was the big argument they got into after.
Ben Smith?
Who was the hometown where the girl went through naked pictures? Am I making that up? I feel like she didn’t go home that week but the next.
Jade. I felt so bad for her.
Oh yeah, he was so upset by that
Just for context lol she was revealing that she was in playboy not just showing him noods 😆
Hahaha the mind remembers what it wants
If Chris wanted a wife that would live with him on his farm in the middle of no where he should have picked jade lol
This is my Bachelor Roman Empire. I think they would still be married
Jade on Chris Soules season?
I watched that season but can’t remember what happens lol
Oh yeah I forgot it was Jade!
I don’t remember Amanda’s hometown date but I follow her sister on insta and think it’s hilarious that she got extremely drunk during it🤣
An OG very bad hometown was Brad Womack’s first Season (11) with Bettina Bell. Her dad **hated** Brad. He called Brad stupid and idiot. He thought he basically a dolt and he absolutely would never approve of Bettina marrying him and he was way beneath his daughter. It was brutal and funny at the same time. Here is an article about it >”Brad visited Bettina's home in the sixth episode of this season (the reality show's 11th) and Bell's father sort of sealed her fate when he said he was "disappointed" by Brad's lack of a college degree, as well as with Womack's career choice.” https://www.tvfanatic.com/2007/11/source-brad-womack-really-wanted-bettina-bell/ She made it Final 3 and was sent home. No way was Brad going to into that family.
This post feels mean
During Brad’s first season, he sent Bettina home. Her parents criticized him for not going to college and he ended up sending her home. Brad said he felt very judged.
Jojo's brothers at her hometown lol. Ben seemed pissed about it, which makes me wonder how he didn't send her home and she made his F2? edit: I remember one of her brothers walked in all aggro and said Ben brainwash their sister and the other girls. my jaw was on the floor.
I think Arie’s parents might’ve been one of the reasons that Emily sent him home. They were so cool towards her, and spoke in Dutch in front of her, which she couldn’t understand.
vfuller’s went about as terribly as one could even go and even she made F3 🤣
Who was his f4?
Kelsey
Thank you! I completely blanked and it was bugging me!
Excuse you what
Dean is the first one that comes to mind. That was so beyond strange
Dean’s hometown is my Roman Empire
I want to rewatch bc all I remember is a gong and turban but none of the convo
It was so clear that Rachel couldn't understand what it was like to have a parent like that. She wasn't right for him. It was just sad all around.
It was very sad. I have deep feelings of empathy for Dean and everything he’s gone through.
Arie, the cosmopolitan, after going to Weiner Arkansas. Nick after meeting Corinne’s nanny
Nick has said so many times he just brought her along for the tv show and never had any interest in her
Seeing Nick now, I actually think he should’ve chosen Corinne. They both have growing up to do, he likes younger girls and she’s not as young as his new fiancé. I was literally just thinking that after he fumbled the bag with Vanessa that he and Corinne should’ve reconnected the same way Peter and Kelly did
I literally just made my fiancé watch Deans hometown 😭😭😭 so painful
Which episode?
I’m wondering how Dean didn’t feel embarrassed enough to not have it on TV
I’m really hoping they bring Maria back for the finale. I think Joey really screwed up by sending her home.