The Bachelorette featured Katie Thurston eliminating three bachelors and going on one-on-one dates with Blake Moynes and Andrew Spencer, Hunter Montgomery showing his aggressive side and hurting Michael Allio on a group date, and Greg Grippo admitting he was "falling in love with Katie" during the Season 17 episode that aired Monday night on ABC.
|
ADVERTISEMENT
|
RELATED LINK: MEET ALL OF KATIE THURSTON'S 'THE BACHELORETTE' SEASON 17 BACHELORS (PHOTOS)
The Bachelorette episode began with the guys feeling relief and a weight lifted off their shoulders following Thomas Jacobs' exit. The guys believed everyone left on the show was competing for Katie for the right reasons, and everyone seemed to get along well.
However, Katie had asked Blake, a 30-year-old wildlife manager from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, to move into the house with the guys, and Blake predicted Katie's original bachelors weren't going to be happy about it.
The Bachelorette co-host Tayshia Adams approached Katie's cast of men and explained how a man she trusted and respected had requested to join the season and date Katie. Tayshia revealed that Katie had decided to explore the potential of that new relationship and he'd be arriving shortly.
Once Blake stepped into the room, Aaron Clancy, a 26-year-old insurance agent from San Diego, CA, immediately recognized the Season 16 The Bachelorette contestant and the room fell totally silent.
Aaron noted Katie must have a pretty special connection with this bachelor to allow him to enter the process this late in the game, and Greg Grippo, a 27-year-old marketing sales rep from Edison, NJ, admitted, "This sucks."
Blake said he would have liked to join the show earlier but Katie wanted to be "super respectful" to her group of men and had taken her time in thinking about things and weighing out her options.
Blake said he was well aware it didn't look great that Katie was technically his third Bachelorette in a year, but he insisted he had never met a woman "quite like Katie before."
The first Date Card then arrived and had Blake's name on it for a one-on-one date. Katie wrote on the card that she wanted to "make up for lost time." Aaron clearly wasn't happy, and Hunter Montgomery, a 34-year-old software strategist from Houston, TX, was also extremely frustrated.
"If some of these guys are mad, I really don't care. I don't have time to, like, be worried about that. I came here for Katie and a connection with Katie, and that's it!" Blake said in a confessional.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' COUPLES NOW: WHO DID 'THE BACHELOR' STARS AND THEIR BACHELORETTE PICKS ACTUALLY END UP MARRYING? (PHOTOS)
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOWBlake hoped to receive validation on his date that he and Katie would be a great match, and he said receiving a rose wouldn't hurt either.
Once Katie had to confront her clearly-deflated and upset bachelors about her decision to let Blake join the cast, Quartney asked the Bachelorette if she and Blake had communicated prior to the show.
Katie explained Blake had sent her a one-liner DM on Instagram after her time on The Bachelor but she never pursued anything with him.
Katie recalled how she "really had to think about" allowing Blake to stay on the show but she noticed she had good chemistry with Blake and needed to follow her heart in everything that she does, "both good and bad."
Katie told the cameras that if she didn't feel a connection with Blake on the date, she'd eliminate him right away.
For their date, Katie and Blake rode horses together, and Blake confessed he was terrified of horses as a little kid. Blake certainly wasn't a pro on his horse, but he at least provided Katie with a few laughs.
Blake shared with Katie how his biggest passion in life is African wildlife and he travels to Africa often. Katie said she also thrives outdoors and in nature, and Blake could tell his life was aligned with Katie and things just felt right between them.
Katie believed she could be herself around Blake and that they're very similar, and the couple kissed on their date. Katie called Blake a good kisser and joked, "Check."
ADVERTISEMENT
Meanwhile, another Date Card -- reading "Love is a Battlefield" -- arrived for Katie's group of suitors and had the following names on it: Greg; Quartney; Aaron; Andrew M.; Josh; Hunter; Mike Planeta, a 31-year-old gym owner from San Diego, CA; Michael Allio, a 36-year-old business owner from Akron, OH; Justin Glaze, a 26-year-old investment sales consultant from Baltimore, MD; Brendan Scanzano, a 26-year-old firefighter trainee from Toronto, Ontario, Canada; James Bonsall, a 30-year-old from New York, NY; Connor Brennan, a 29-year-old math teacher and musician from Nashville, TN; and Tre Cooper, a 26-year-old a software engineer from Covington, GA.
Andrew Spencer, a 26-year-old pro football player who splits his time between Vienna, Austria and Chicago, IL and is the reported cousin of The Bachelorette alum Clay Harbor, said he was so happy to be able to enjoy a one-on-one date with Katie.
RELATED: 'MARRIED AT FIRST SIGHT' COUPLES NOW: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS RE-MARRIED? (PHOTOS)
During the evening portion of Katie and Blake's date, Blake asked the Bachelorette how and why she became so sex-positive because there must be more behind that side of her personality than just humor.
Katie repeated her story of being victim to a non-consensual sexual encounter that had taken place when she was drinking on New Year's Eve ten years ago.
Katie said the "Me Too" movement helped her crawl her way out of a dark place -- when she didn't want to have or talk about sex at all -- and grow into a person who is comfortable in her own skin and okay with communicating about sex.
Blake seemed shocked by Katie's story and assured the Bachelorette that she could feel safe with him, considering he's very sex-positive as well, and that she never had to be afraid of him for any reason.
"The conversation with Blake is easy. There are no awkward pauses, there's no hesitation or surface-level topics," Katie said in a confessional. "I definitely took a gamble with Blake; I didn't know what was going to happen. But after tonight, I know I made the right decision."
Katie therefore gave Blake a rose on their date and said she wanted to get to know him better and see where their relationship could go.
Blake said he hadn't felt this way about somebody in a long time and he wasn't going to hold back or hide anything from Katie about how he was feeling. Blake said Katie had given him trust and honesty, and he added, "Today could be the first date with my future wife."
Katie then surprised Blake with a private concert by American Idol's Season 17 winner Laine Hardy. The couple danced and kissed the night away in their own little world, and Katie gushed about how the evening was "so romantic."
"I could see myself walking away with Blake at the end of this. There -- I said it! And it's the truth," Katie shared.
ADVERTISEMENT
Wells explained how the winning team would receive more time with Katie, and so Hunter put his competitive and aggressive hat on. The guys were all trying to show off their skills, and Hunter got to do some tackling drills with Katie.
RELATED LINK: BACHELORETTE SPOILERS: WHO DID KATIE THURSTON PICK AND END UP WITH? WHAT HAPPENS ON THE 2021 SEASON OF 'THE BACHELORETTE' (SPOILERS)
The guys ran out in ridiculous wrestling costumes, and Michael admitted this was "the worst day" of his life because he has a "dad bod" and everyone else was incredibly fit and in shape, especially Aaron.
The game started off light-hearted and fun, but then Hunter tackled Mike P. incredibly hard. Hunter continued to tackle man after man -- "laying hits," as he put it -- and Katie noticed how intense the game had become.
Suddenly, Michael grabbed the ball and ran to the hoop, but then Hunter brutally tackled him from behind. Katie could tell the tackle didn't look good at all and so she ran over to help him, and Michael couldn't move while he laid on the grass.
After a few moments, Michael was able to stand up on the ground, and he said, "I'm good."
But then Katie called the game early and didn't want the men to play anymore. Katie said if anyone got hurt, he'd have to leave "the bubble" and go to the hospital amid the coronavirus pandemic and wouldn't be able to return to the Mexico resort.
Katie therefore didn't want to lose anybody and possibly wonder about "the one who got away." Katie invited all the men to the afterparty since they were "all winner," and a rose was up for grabs that night.
At the afterparty, Greg said he was "feeling strongly" about Katie at this point and was just exhausted from worrying about her chemistry with the other guys.
Michael revealed to Katie how the previous day was his wife Laura's birthday and it was a lonely and thoughtful kind of day that he typically spends with his family. Michael told Katie that she brought comfort to his life and there was "something special" between them.
Michael also shared with the other guys on the date how he's widowed and missed his wife.
ADVERTISEMENT
Connor B. then performed Katie a little song on his ukulele that made her cry. SHe called the song "so sweet" and gushed about how a man had never done anything like that for her before.
Mike P. also got to first base with Katie during their alone time.
Meanwhile, Aaron said he couldn't stand Hunter because he had a "f-ck you" mentality and had been way to aggressive on the Bash Ball field. Hunter said he didn't envision Katie with anyone else but himself and so he simply wasn't worried about the other guys.
"I don't want to sound cocky or overconfident, but there is no one else like me," Hunter boasted.
"As far as these guys kissing Katie, I don't care -- hug her all you want. My relationship with Katie is as strong as it could be right now, and it's only going to get stronger tonight."
When Hunter got to sit down with Katie, he revealed how he had never introduced his children to a woman after his divorce. He showed Katie pictures of his kids, Bennett and Madison, and said there is a "Dad Hunter" side of him that Katie had yet to see.
Katie could tell Hunter is "a proud dad," and the pictures seemed to melt her heart.
Michael then shared his story of being widowed and it brought Greg to tears. Greg commended Michael for walking around with a big smile every day after going through so much adversity in his life.
"Hearing Michael A.'s story, it just made me realize, like, you have to live every day like it's your last," Greg said in a confessional.
"So with Katie, I do believe that I'm meant to be with her. I just feel like tonight, I have to step it up a little bit and show her just how much she means to me."
Katie told Greg that he tends to having "resting sad face" and never looks happy, and Greg acknowledged the process had become difficult for him because he's "completely crazy" about her.
ADVERTISEMENT
"Truthfully, one of my biggest fears is you wanting to leave," Katie told Greg.
"No, I would never," Greg said.
"Promise?" Katie asked.
"Yeah," Greg replied.
RELATED: '90 DAY FIANCE' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)
Greg felt a newfound sense of energy and confidence and said in a confessional, "I am falling in love with Katie." He said he'd be "devastated" not to earn himself a rose that night.
But Hunter was convinced he would receive the group-date rose that night, and he was right!
Greg said he didn't understand what Katie saw in Hunter, who was clearly on Cloud 9. Aaron called Hunter "two-faced" and said he was coming across as "fake."
Later on, Katie explored her connection with Andrew S. on a late-night, one-on-one date. The pair had a flirtatious, easy and simple relationship, and so Katie wanted to dive deeper with the bachelor.
Andrew S. and Katie opened a series of pink envelopes under strings of lights that provided questions or tasks that would bring the couple closer together. Andrew S. could tell he and Katie are "so alike," and they had a lot of laughs and a little romance.
Andrew S. said Katie's touch was driving him crazy, adding, "She's got a hold on me. It's just been nice to be close to her... and we haven't even scratched the surface."
ADVERTISEMENT
Katie gushed about how it felt like she and Andrew S. had been dating for a long time as they played in a pile of neon, glow-in-the-dark beach balls.
"I love the energy we share together. We can get deep and serious and we can laugh so hard we're crying," Katie said. "We just have so much fun, and it's obvious in the way we kiss that there is this physical chemistry. I hope tonight is the start of falling for him."
Andrew S. revealed to the cameras he had almost proposed marriage to a woman before and the event changed him. Andrew S. said his dad went to prison when he was six years old and so he threw himself into football and hung out with friends who had complete families.
The bachelor told Katie that he was "so all in" to the process, and then Andrew S. asked Katie how she felt about being an interracial couple.
"One of my exes I had back in the day, she was worried about having mixed children," Andrew S. explained.
"I know her background and her character, and she's not racist or anything, but she was worried about going to a grocery store and someone asking, 'Are these your kids?' And they not look like her, and it was tough for me. That was a woman I thought I was going to propose to soon, and hearing that, it was tough," Andrew explained.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' COUPLES NOW: WHO DID 'THE BACHELOR' STARS AND THEIR BACHELORETTE PICKS ACTUALLY END UP MARRYING? (PHOTOS)
The story brought Katie to tears, and Katie said she would "never give a f-ck" if people judged her or questioned her for being with a Black man. Katie said she and Andrew S. could make "beautiful children" together and she -- being a strong woman -- would be "a Mama Bear."
"All I want in life is love. All I want is to have a beautiful family, regardless of how they look," Katie insisted.
"That's the relationship I want," Andrew S. said. "Honestly, I have really fallen for your heart, and I believe in love. You have gotten me really close."
Katie believed Andrew S. would be the best father and the best husband, and she felt very fortunate to have this "one-of-a-kind" bachelor on the show with her.
ADVERTISEMENT
The pair ended their date with champagne in a hot tub, and Katie said she felt "effortlessly happy" with Andrew. With that being said, Katie gave Andrew S. a rose and a kiss.
Katie told the cameras she could picture herself falling in love with Andrew S. and "walking away with him at the end of this" -- a feeling Katie said felt "so good."
Before the next Rose Ceremony commenced, Katie announced that she could see her husband in the room.
During the cocktail party, Justin played a little game with Katie to get to know her better, and Tre said he felt happy again and more like himself after Blake's surprising entrance.
Hunter said he was already thinking about hometown dates and his strategy going forward was going to be "aggressive" since he had received the group-date rose earlier in the week.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOW: WHOM DID 'THE BACHELORETTE' STARS AND THEIR BACHELOR PICKS ULTIMATELY END UP WITH?! (PHOTOS)
Hunter and Katie looked at stars through a telescope and had a mini one-on-one date when multiple guys barely had any time with Katie, including Jason, who hated watching Katie and Hunter together.
James S.id he was done "waiting on the sidelines," and so he interrupted Hunter's little strawberries and champagne moment. James was tired of being "burned" on group dates, and so he told Katie that he had feelings for Katie and they continued to grow every day.
Tre and Aaron were also frustrated about Hunter "monopolizing" Katie's time when he already had a rose, but Hunter said he was simply "competing for love" when confronted about his actions.
Tre gently compared Hunter to Thomas for not being sincere in his words and explanations for things.
"It showed active disregard for my position and anyone who doesn't have a rose," Tre told Hunter, adding that he'd be heartbroken if Katie chose to send him packing.
ADVERTISEMENT
At the Rose Ceremony, Katie then handed out roses to Greg, Aaron, Michael A., Connor B., James, Justin, Mike P., Brendan, and Tre.
Katie therefore eliminated Quartney, Andrew M., and Josh.
Hunter then interrupted Aaron's champagne toast at the end of the night, saying no one was going to stand in his way of being with Katie and eventually winning her heart.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
Interested in more The Bachelor news? Join our The Bachelor Facebook Group!
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
