After a montage of footage was played of a variety of events displaying drama among the women, “The Bachelor” host Jesse Palmer opened-up the floor starting with Brooklyn and Christina.  Brooklyn said it came across that Christina was calculating and manipulative   Christina was guilty of sucking up the energy from whatever room she was in according to Kat.  Brooklyn had major beef with Kat for initiating alone time with Zach right before his one-on-one date with Charity.  She had some choice words and stated, “if the shoe fits, lace that bitch up!” 

Jesse asked Christina how surprised she was by the womens’ reactions to her?  She answered that she never got that sort of reaction before in her life, and it felt that everything she did was the “wrong thing.”  Christina thanked the women and said hopefully she “can do better in the future.”

Pictured (l-r): KATHERINE, BROOKLYN / Photo: ABC/Craig Sjodin

NOT THERE FOR THE RIGHT REASONS!

Anastasia was next!   Anastasia was called out for being on “The Bachelor” for not the right reasons.  Her downfall came when she was exposed by Kaylee to Zach that she overheard Anastasia numerous times saying she was there to get followers on Instagram.  Anastasia said she was shocked by the accusation that she was there for social media.  

Then another strike against Anastasia’s character came when Cat called her out for having a boyfriend while she was on the show! Kat said Anastasia called him when they were in the Bahamas!  Anastasia admitted to talking to someone one week before going onto the show, but didn’t label him as a “boyfriend.”  Cat said she has receipts as proof, as well as overhearing Anastasia telling her boyfriend that she came there for “a business opportunity.” 

Host Jesse Palmer reacted that this sounds like she wasn’t there for the right reasons.  The show replayed the footage of when Kaylee interrupted Anastasia and Zach’s alone time, and Anastasia twisted the situation to make it seem like she was the victim of Kaylee making a physical threat on her.  Kaylee said Anastasia knows that she’s not an aggressive person, and she was there trying to further her relationship. She was there for the right reason, NOT like Anastasia.   

Katherine (Kat) said she was surprised by the reaction she got when she took Zach away right before Charity’s one-on-one date with him. She said she apologized.  This was something not aired in the episode.  Charity confirmed that.

After some back and forth arguing between Brooklyn and Kat, Jesse reminded them that if it doesn’t get resolved, there’s always this summer on “Bachelor in Paradise!”

JESS IN THE HOT SEAT:

Pictured: JESSE PALMER, JESS / Photo: ABC/Craig Sjodin

Jess got eliminated after telling Zach that she wanted a one-on-one date with him.  “I’m just so confused,” she said during her ride home.  Jesse asked her what she was feeling now?  Jess said she felt so misunderstood.  “It didn’t feel like what I was trying to say came across to him.”  While watching back the breakup footage, Jess said she never saw herself be so strong.  

Jess was still feeling emotional from the whole ordeal.  She said she’s lucky that the rest of the women helped her so much. Jess said “I truly fell in love with myself” and “I know what I deserve is more than that.”  She said she needed more “time and compassion.”   She didn’t see it going such a negative way and hated that they left in “such a weird place.”  Jess was blindsided. She also noted how she wished Zach had shown some emotion during their breakup because she would have felt validated.  She was surprised to see the footage of Zach crying as she rode away from him.

GREER IN THE HOT SEAT:

Greer was sent home to Budapest.  After Greer had to recover from Covid-19 for three week, she lost so much time with Zach.  She was hoping that there was a chance that her and Zach could spend time and catch-up.  Greer said after watching the show back, she realized that she and Zach are not each other’s person and hopes he did find his person.

Jesse Palmer alluded to “The Bachelor ” franchise’s failure to acknowledge black face in the past.  Particularly, he was most likely referring to Erich during Gabby and Rachel’s ‘Bachelorette’ season in order to set up a recent incident with Greer.
Jesse addressed some controversy that popped-up on social media with Greer when she defended a friend who dressed-up in black face.  Greer said she was nervous to talk about it and what she failed to mention in her apology that what happened was racist. It’s not about the intent, it’s about the impact.  She said her ignorance is racist and she is “deeply sorry” that she hurt the black community.

KAT IN THE HOT SEAT:

Jesse told Kat that there was a time in the season where he thought she would be the one with the ring on her finger.  Kat was sent home the week before hometown dates.  Kat was crying after watching her journey back. She said she thought that they were each other’s person.  The emotions she said was that she was losing him, but all of her insecurities were coming through and made her feel “not good enough.”   Kat said she still doesn’t know what shifted.  

Kat did have some good news that came out of it all, tearfully, she said that her being on the show impacted her family more than she thought it would.  She now has a mother-daughter relationship with her mother because of the show and Kat is so grateful where they’re at now.  Jesse was happy to hear it and thanked her for sharing.  

CHARITY IN THE HOT SEAT:

Charity was in tears after watching her journey back.  She said she was falling in love with Zach.  During her hometown date, she told Zach that she was falling in love with him. Charity said she didn’t remember the last time that she said that to anyone.  Jesse asked her what it was about Zach.  Charity said with Zach, he really is a standup guy and so genuine.  He made her feel safe and comforted.  He validated her and that’s what she needed.  She said Zach saw her for her, and to get to that place of vulnerability and to be blindsided.  

What was her family’s response?  Charity said it was hard when she got home, they asked if she was heart-broken.  Charity said she was.  Charity said her family knows that she can take this experience and the lessons to apply it to other things in her life.  She said she’s now more eager and ready to find her person.  Jesse said he gave her a lot of credit because she had to navigate a lot.  

ZACH ARRIVED!

Pictured (l-r): JESSE PALMER, ZACH SHALLCROSS / Photo: Craig Sjodin

When Zach came out onto the stage to hopefully give closure to some of the women seeking it, he wasn’t there very long, and he gave answers to their questions that didn’t really address their questions.  I’m sure viewers and these women were still left feeling, what happened?

Upon Zach’s arrival in the hot seat he told Jesse Palmer that it’s still “terrifying” seeing everyone!  Jesse said one thing that people found out about Zach is that he can make quick decisions.  Zach explained that he made decisions going off his gut instinct. Kat was the first one to talk to Zach.  She said their relationship grew amazing and she wanted to know if there was a tangible moment where there was a shift in their relationship.  Zach said when it was getting to right before hometowns, he had to make a difficult decision.  He said there was not one thing. “It was just a difficult decision.”

Then, Charity addressed how she struggled a lot and also wanted to know what was the turning point. Zach said after meeting four different families, he had a pit in his stomach because he didn’t know what to do.  “It was hard.  I didn’t feel good that day…I think the world of you.”   

Jess also tried to get closure.  She said she felt misunderstood and maybe he felt misunderstood.  She told him she was shocked how sad he was after she left. Zach said he really cared for her a lot. He really liked her, and when she left, in his mind he reacted that he really liked her and she was riding away.
Mercedes and Kaylee got in-person hugs from Zach to makeup for their Zoom break-ups. 

NEXT WEEK:  Next week is when “Fantasy Suites” overnight dates happen.  Or,  “sex week” as Zach called it.  Zach will have overnight dates with the three women who are left that include:  Ariel, Kaity, Gabi.

The sneak-preview showed Zach telling Jesse Palmer that “it’s not conventional” but he’s decided that there will be no sex in the overnights’  Then, Zach is shown talking to Jesse about how he let himself down and let the women down.  Apparently, it seemed that Zach ended-up having sex with one of the women.
Zach said coming into this, I wanted to do the right thing.  I went with my head and not my heart.  

THE BACHELORETTE:

Host Jesse Palmer played a joke on Charity after the taping wrapped.  He told her that he was going to play a game with her to post on the show’s social media.  She had to choose multiple questions from sets of two.  His last question for her was “The Bachelorette or Bachelor in Paradise”?  She answered “The Bachelorette.”  Right Answer!  Jesse said he was glad she gave that answer because it’s true, she’s the next Bachelorette! 

Pictured: CHARITY. ZACH SHALLCROSS / Photo: ABC/Craig Sjodin