'Golden Bachelor' Episode 5 recap: Gerry Turner, reluctant heartbreaker, picks his final 3

Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY
·4 min read

Houston, we have a rose problem on "The Golden Bachelor."

Gerry Turner's big loving heart, the feature that makes the 72-year-old Indiana native so irresistible on ABC's reality dating show, is disrupting his rose allocation, which is a required and basic "Bachelor" function.

It wounds his heart that, of course, anyone who's not blessed with his red rose goes home hurt. But that's how it works.

Gerry cried throughout the Episode 2 rose ceremony and his pain has escalated, bringing a rose-delivery work stoppage in Thursday's episode. The pressure is mounting, with plans to meet the remaining women and their families in next week's "hometown dates" outing.

Here's how Gerry dealt with the Episode 5 floral-induced heartbreak — his own and that of the three women who went home from Bachelor Mansion.

With only three roses remaining, the final six women face the possibility that their fairy tale with Gerry Turner may not have a happy ending, and Gerry must make his toughest decisions yet on Episode 5 of "The Golden Bachelor."
With only three roses remaining, the final six women face the possibility that their fairy tale with Gerry Turner may not have a happy ending, and Gerry must make his toughest decisions yet on Episode 5 of "The Golden Bachelor."

Gerry's dream helicopter and yacht date left Faith spinning

It started so happily. Faith screamed for joy and tossed a couch pillow after learning she'd been chosen for Gerry's once-in-a-lifetime magical date. The stunning SoCal helicopter ride lived up to its billing, even for the flight-fearful Faith, especially a flaunting Bachelor Mansion flyover. The helicopter was close enough to see the grounded contestants' smiles, through gritted teeth.

"I hate you," hair and makeup artist Susan, 66, said while laughing and waving from the pool as fitness instructor Leslie, 64, sulked nearby.

The date went next level with an ocean turn and a Bond-like yacht landing, followed by Champagne, rich-people bites, deep talks and couch canoodles. Gerry presented a rose to Faith, who carried the prize into the yacht hot tub for joint luxuriation. Faith spared no details recounting the mansion date to her fellow contestants, and seemed truly moved.

"I'm falling in love with this guy, how crazy is that?" Faith told the camera later.

Group date at Santa Monica Pier with (L-R) Susan, Sandra, Leslie, Gerry, Ellen and Theresa.
Group date at Santa Monica Pier with (L-R) Susan, Sandra, Leslie, Gerry, Ellen and Theresa.

The ups and downs weren't just on the roller coaster during the Santa Monica Pier group date

Gerry and the remaining five contestants were game for a laugh-filled group date on the roller coaster and arcade games of the Santa Monica Pier. Gerry's greatest skill on display, however, was staying present while avoiding returning the "love" words coming at him.

Financial services professional Theresa, 70, used her post-ride downtime to profess her feelings. "I'm really falling in love with you Gerry, and I think we could work," Theresa said.

"Oh, we could work," he replied, holding back his "I love you, too" for later episodes and smaller circles.

Sitting in the suspiciously stalled Seaside Swing ride, Leslie confirmed to Gerry that she too had ATV bruises from last week's memorable off-road date. "You told me to squeeze, I squeezed," she explained. Then Leslie tearfully disclosed her past relationship emotional bruises.

"I'm falling in love with you," Leslie whispered during a final clinch that was so quiet and muffled by Gerry's shoulder that subtitles were required.

"You're my girl," Gerry responded.

Then the trouble. During a casually attired post-date one-rose mini-ceremony, a shaken Gerry cracked under the "heavy weight" and refused to proceed. "I can't do this, I can't," he stammered, calling off the ritual and vowing to give out both remaining roses at the official ceremony the next day.

The rose ceremony happened: Who went home?

As promised, Gerry was suit-clad and resolute for the mansion rose ceremony, even if he confessed to having a sleepless night. "I know I have the responsibility of holding your hearts in my hands," Gerry said with grave earnestness before proceeding.

With Faith already holding her rose, Leslie accepted Flower No. 2. A dramatic eternity of music passed before Gerry offered Rose No. 3 to Theresa.

Retired executive assistant Sandra, 75, who missed her daughter's wedding to play pickleball for Gerry, exited, along with Kris Jenner doppelganger Susan.

But the hardest blow was passing over pickleball enthusiast and retired teacher Ellen, 71, with whom Gerry had shown a real connection and a dreamy balloon-ride date. Gerry walked Ellen to the dreaded waiting SUV. "Yours, obviously, was the most difficult decision," Gerry told her during a tearful bench debriefing. Ellen was gutted, but gave Gerry a final hug before announcing, "OK, I gotta go."

Pulling away, the darkened SUV window slowly passing Gerry's forlorn face, Ellen wiped away tears and stayed positive about finding love and Gerry.

"He's really a special guy. He deserves to be happy," said Ellen. "He's been through a lot."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'The Golden Bachelor' recap: Three women remain after tearful goodbyes