Chris Harrison Blogs 'The Bachelor' Episode 5

Welcome back, Bachelor Nation. Every week, just when you think it can’t get any more dramatic, it somehow does again. People are really worked up about Olivia and about the “to be continued” at the end of this show. While I can promise you that we’ll be back on our regular rose ceremony schedule next week, I can’t promise you that the drama will die down anytime soon, or ever, for that matter on The Bachelor.

After a great week in Las Vegas, we headed south to the bustling metropolis that is Mexico City, where the people are friendly, the history is rich, the tacos are tasty, and the almond croissants at the Four Seasons Hotel Mexico D.F. are the best I’ve ever had. Every summer we get to spend some time on coastal Mexican cities like Sayulita or Tulum, but Mexico City is so different. There isn’t another city like it in the world and Ben, and the women, had an unbelievably good time. That is, right up until the end.

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Amanda has been waiting very patiently to finally get some alone time with Ben, ever since she told him about her daughters during their first date in Los Angeles, and a day in a hot air balloon over some of the most beautiful ruins on Earth was a pretty good payoff for that long wait. Something you didn’t get to see on that date was that while Amanda and Ben were having their picnic, another couple in a hot air balloon got engaged right over their heads as they flew by. Ben and Amanda actually invited them over and gave them some of their champagne. It was a beautiful part of a beautiful day.

I think it’s normal for a person like Amanda to be nervous when talking about her past on a date, but those are the things that you just need to know when entering into a serious relationship. Obviously, as expected, things went really well and she got a rose.

The group date was one of our really fun immersive dates that always are a big hit because you get a lot of experience in the local culture in a very short period of time. The language, the food, and of course you learn so much about a place just by walking through the streets, and this date really did have it all. From early on, Jubilee had been keeping her distance from Ben. I think after her one-on-one date and all the drama that took place after, Jubilee was still holding her guard up pretty tightly. I’m not saying I can’t understand that, as I probably would have done the same, but when things move as fast as they do in this environment, even the slightest guard can be devastating.

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Jubilee is an amazing and complex woman and wears her heart on her sleeve. Being in an environment where you’re competing for a man’s heart with a group of women you’re also living with can be really hard. I think it was hard for Jubilee to open up and be herself in the big group settings, and unfortunately I think that’s why her and Ben had a hard time progressing while his relationships with the other women were allowed to flourish every week. I commend Jubilee for asking the hard questions, and I commend Ben for giving an honest answer. Sometimes saying goodbye is the right thing to do even when it’s hard.

We all know the group date rose went to Olivia, and that’s definitely in part because Ben and Olivia seemed to have a great time together on this date. It’s also possible, and Ben seemed to allude to this in his speech, that he wanted to encourage her to keep being herself in group settings, something that had really set Jubilee back. The other women, however, were not impressed by this. Not even a little bit.

The last one-on-one date of the week was a date at Fashion Week in Mexico. I think people may not realize how big a deal this was. Mexico City is the largest metropolitan area in the Western hemisphere. This is a big deal. People train their whole lives to walk that runway, and Ben and Lauren H. got out there and surprisingly did really well. Lauren H. went through quite a bit in her last relationship and her decision to try again is inspiring.

Things took a real turn at the cocktail party. Up to now, the women had really kept their feelings on Olivia private. Tensions had boiled over, and Emily decided she was going to tell Ben that she couldn’t take it anymore. I’m sure Ben’s head was really conflicted at that moment, but things only got worse when Olivia compared Amanda to a “teen mom.” Now, I really don’t know how Olivia meant it, and I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, but when the other women already had it out for Olivia, a comment like that, intended or not, was sure to ruffle some feathers.

When Ben pulled Olivia aside to talk to her at the end of the night, you could hear a pin drop. The women all felt exactly as you do now, dying to know what’s going to happen next. And they, and you, will find out next Monday!

And a special thanks to all of you for tuning in to Bachelor Live these last five weeks. It was fun, and we look forward to answering many more of your unanswered questions at the Women Tell All in a few weeks. Until then, Bachelor Nation, we’ll see you online @chrisbharrison.

The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC.