‘The Bachelorette’ Hometown Dates Recap: Option Paralysis
Warning: This recap contains spoilers for the July 18th episode of The Bachelorette.
Cue the Simon & Garfunkel, rose lovers, because this week we are homeward bound. JoJo, wrapped in a comfy sweater-coat, begins this leg of her “journey” in Highland Ranch, Colorado, home to Chase — aka the guy whose voice and facial expression have remained consistently flat all season. Will his family be equally mono-expressive? Let’s find out!
“Chase has been a little slower to open up than the rest of the guys,” JoJo reports. “I really hope that today he is able to put it all out there.” As we’re reminded multiple times in the first 2 minutes, Chase grew up in a “broken home,” which may explain his reluctance to say “I love you” to a virtual stranger. He explains to JoJo that she’ll be meeting his dad separately, in order to avoid any “awkwardness” (apparently his parents’ divorce was quite acrimonious). Then he and JoJo make out, as Chase clutches a thermos protectively.
Photos: ABC
Chase gives JoJo a brief tour of his bachelor pad (nice wine fridge, bro!), and then his dad Doug arrives. “Growing up my dad wasn’t there very often,” Chase notes before opening the door. “Hopefully this will go well.”
Like his son, Doug is a man of few words. “Is he treatin’ you right?” he asks JoJo softly. “He’s a good man.” Doug listens patiently as Chase reiterates how difficult the divorce was for him, and asks his dad what went wrong in his first marriage. Though its clear all Doug wants to say is “You’ll get nothing and like it!” instead he plays his part. “I started climbing the corporate ladder, and I was gone way too much,” he murmurs. “I carried a lot of guilt for that… I want to make darn sure that you don’t ever let that happen in your life.”
Related: Chris Harrison Blogs ‘The Bachelorette’ Hometown Dates
How great is this guy? Even though Doug clearly comes from the “men-don’t-show-emotions” generation, here he is apologizing for his missteps as a parent on national television in an effort to help his son find happiness. Kudos to you, Doug!
After their chat, JoJo excuses herself so Chase and his dad can talk alone. Doug is understandably worried that his son might get his heartbroken (“What if it’s not you?”) but he remains quietly supportive. Welp, that went well. On to part 2!
Chase introduces JoJo to his mom Sandy, his brother-in-law Brian, his sister Brittany, his stepfather Brad, and his nephew Everett, who is already winning this episode with his mustache-pacifier.
The gang gathers around the table and proceeds to ignore the beautifully-set plates of food for a few minutes before Chase’s mom pulls JoJo aside for a lil’ chat. “Chase is crazy about you, I can tell,” she says, adding that her son has “done a great job of evolving.” But the best part of this conversation is that it’s taking place in the backyard on A CONVERTED SKI LODGE CHAIR LIFT.
That is some on-brand lawn furniture, people. When Chase sits down with his sister, she kicks things off with some politely-masked sarcasm.
But then things get serious, as Brittany and Chase discuss their difficulty with “dropping that l-bomb” due to their past. “To us, it’s more than a word,” muses Brittany. “There’s a lot more emotion behind it.” We don’t get much of a sense of what sis thinks of JoJo, but Sandy is more than effusive about the Bachelorette: “She’s darling! Great laugh. Loves dogs. Hates fish. And she’s found of you — so she’s smart.” Awwwwww. Moms are the best, aren’t they? All the unconditional love is almost too much for Chase to take.
So was his family’s support enough to get Chase to “open up” and drop the “l-bomb”? Well, almost. “I’m falling in love with you, JoJo,” Chase whispers as they share a farewell embrace by the SUV. “It’s scary to me, but it’s real to me.” And she LOVES it. “I feel really good,” JoJo purrs back. Then they make out some more.
Let’s move on to Chico, California, a lovely northern city that’s overrun by deer.
Chico is also the home of one Jordan Rodgers and his hair, which is working hard to stay in formation in the face of a strong breeze.
Their first stop is Pleasant Valley High School, Jordan’s alma mater — and somehow Jordan has convinced the school administrators to allow their digital billboard to be used as a prop in this romance charade.
JoJo and Jordan stroll the halls, greeting his old teacher, stealing smooches in the library, and perusing old photos of Jordan with his high school football team. Hey, Team Bachelorette — you’re in the shot!
Anyway, JoJo’s understandably nervous about meeting Jordan’s family —especially given the somber specter of the Famous Older Brother Who Won’t Be There. “Is that something that we don’t talk about?” she asks Jordan, who answers with a confusing, “No. I mean, yeah.” Excellent, thanks for clearing that up.
Upon arrival at the Rodgers Family Estate, Jordan introduces the Bachelorette to his mom Darla, his dad Ed, his brother Luke, and Luke’s girlfriend Lindsey. Over the meal that no one touches, Darla cheerfully tells JoJo that Jordan — who she referred to as her “spicy” child — often used to threaten to run away while growing up. And she had a classic Mom response: “That’s fine, sweetheart, but if you step off the property line, I’ll call the police.” And just like Dorothy Quimby in Ramona and Her Mother, Darla would help Jordan pack his little bag. “He’d march off to the edge of our property to the edge of our property and just look back at me,” recalls mom with a wistful smile. UGH WHY MUST OUR CHILDREN GROW UP AND LEAVE US?
Sorry, had a little freak out there.
Anyhow, Luke takes the lead and pulls JoJo aside for the first one-on-one chat. The Bachelorette launches right into The Aaron Situation. “I can tell he really misses Aaron,” says JoJo. “But he doesn’t like talking about it.” Nor does Luke, for that matter. “We miss our brother,” he says sadly, adding that he hopes God will “bring things full circle” and help everything “get back to us being a family.” Damn, first Chase’s dad Doug and now Jordan’s brother Luke — it seems like all the male family members on these hometown dates could really use a hug.
On an unrelated note, is it me or does Jordan kind of look like a serial killer in this old football photo?
Gruff-voiced Luke does crack a smile, however, when he talks about Jordan’s relationship with JoJo. “Knowing my brother, I can tell he likes you,” he says.
This guy is pretty adorable. Maybe if things don’t work out with his girlfriend Lindsay, Luke Rodgers could be the next Bachelor?
Papa Ed, meanwhile, admits to JoJo that he finds the whole Bachelorette situation “weird” — though he it’s not completely foreign to him. “Our family’s in media a lot,” he explains. “Fame can change you, but one thing I know about Jordan — he’s so strong-willed, he’s not going to let that change him in any way.”
Maybe I’m just overtired, but my heart is kind of breaking for this family. Whatever the reasons for the rift, Rodgers clan, get it together — life is far too short for petty feuds with the people you’re supposed to love the most. [End of rant]
On a happier note, Jordan’s chat with his mom Darla is sweet and kooky. When Jordan reveals that he’s said “I love you” to JoJo, Darla’s reply is completely blissed-out: “Wow. So this could be your destiny. This could be your plan.”
After saying goodbye to the family, JoJo and Jordan take a moment alone outside to share their deepest, darkest fears.
Indeed, the Bachelorette can’t shake the fear that Jordan’s definition of “love” will differ markedly from her own. After all, it happened with Ben.
#NeverForget.
“There’s so many moments when he tells me that he loves me that I want to just say, ‘I love you too,’” she admits. “But I stop myself… I just think I’m really scared.” Jordan’s feelings are a little hurt by JoJo’s doubts — “I thought we were past it,” he grouses — but he vows to prove that he’s ready to “wake up every day and work at our relationship.”
Hold that thought, pal, because we’re on to Robby’s hometown, St. Augustine, Florida. “Best case scenario today is that JoJo tells me she loves me,” says Robby, who is destined to be disappointed. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The duo meet up in the town square, and after an affectionate greeting, Robby asks JoJo to whistle — which she does.
Right on cue, a horse pulling an old-timey carriage trots around the corner, driven by a guy who also happens to be named Robert. (One key difference: The second Robert has a job.) Robby and JoJo smooch their way through the quaint streets of St. Augustine, until finally arriving at a seaside restaurant. “I am having moments where I feel like I’m falling in love with Robby,” admits JoJo. “But then I also have moments where I’m conflicted.” Conflicted about the fact that Robby is fresh off a very painful breakup. Is he really ready to commit? We all know the answer, really, but let’s listen in as the Bachelorette attempts to ask him anyway: “I would hate to fall madly in love with you and then that still be a chapter in your life that isn’t over. It scares me.” So Robby, what say you?
JoJo isn’t buying it, especially since her last relationship (with Other Chad) was a rebound relationship that “filled that void” for a while but then fell apart. “I just want to make sure that’s not what’s happening here,” she reiterates. Robby holds his ground, insisting that JoJo is his “everything” and will be forever and ever and ever etc. The Bachelorette seems reassured, and Robby feels great as they head off to meet his family. “I don’t see anything that could possibly go wrong,” says Robby, who once again is destined to be disappointed.
Upon arrival at the Hayes home in Jacksonville, JoJo gets a warm welcome from Robby’s mom Holly, his dad “Coach”, sisters Grace and Katie, brother-in-law Tyler, and younger brothers Michael and Patrick.
Of course not, silly! The family spends a few obligatory minutes chatting over untouched plates of food, and then Patrick and Michael lure Robby out into the living room for a private chat. Michael’s seen enough to give joJo high marks. “She’s awesome, she’s so cool, she can definitely hang with [us],” he says. Patrick adds, “Dude, looking at you right now, I can tell… this is real.” The family support is great, but Robby tells his brothers that he’s still having “panic attacks” that he won’t get JoJo’s final rose.
Meanwhile, JoJo and Holly’s chat quickly turns to the elephant in the room: Is Robby really ready to be engaged — or is he rebounding? Take it away, Holly: “In almost everything you do in life, there’s always a chance that you’re gonna get hurt. But if my son envisions you in his future, there’s no turning back. If it’s the real deal, he’s going to go in with his whole heart, because that’s just what he does.”
So… that’s a “he might be ready but he might not”? Okay! Glad we cleared that up. And so is JoJo. “That makes me feel really good,” she says, beaming. Then the Bachelorette let’s Holly in on a little secret: “I am certainly falling in love with him. I haven’t told anybody that!”
Let’s pause for a second: Can anyone explain to me what JoJo sees in Robby? He’s a nice looking guy, sure, but he’s also comes across as pretty intense and clingy. Plus that hair is… problematic.
Speaking of problems, Holly has some bad news for her son.
It’s not a fun conversation for either of them, but poor Holly does her best to talk Robby off the ledge “Deep breath, baby,” she whispers, laying a comforting hand on his leg. “It’s okay. It’s okay.”
Is it, though? We should probably let JoJo be the judge of that. Robby marches off to find his beloved, interrupting her chat with Grace and Katie. It’s time to “nip it in the bud.”
“People are saying that I’m not here for the right reasons,” he tells JoJo grimly. Naturally the Bachelorette wants to know why Robby’s ex-girlfriend’s roommate would make up lies about him, but the former competitive swimmer has nothing to offer but a weak “I have no idea.” Not good enough, pal. “Is there any truth to what’s being talked about?” asks JoJo, her jaw clenched.
His answer should have been a quick and decisive “Of course not!” — but something (the actual truth?) makes Robby physically incapable of sounding innocent. “About me leaving her to come…” he begins, trailing off before a frustrated JoJo interrupts: “Did you break up with her when you found out you were coming on the show?” Robby’s mouth says no, but his rising blood pressure says… maybe?
“Robby, just be honest!” JoJo wails. “I would rather know now… Just tell me now!” In other words, the Bachelorette knows somewhere in her heart of hearts that something in the milk ain’t clean… and she’s desperate for Robby to convince her otherwise. That’s what he tries to do — “my relationship with [my ex] was over nine months before it actually ended” — but it’s clear the whole conversation has taken its toll on JoJo.
As any mature person who’s been through a breakup knows, if you’re still in “I will never speak to that person again” mode — as Robby is with his ex — you are not completely over said person… and JoJo knows it. “It’s scary,” she whispers to Robby. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”
I do — you’re sending this dude home at the next rose ceremony. Right? RIGHT?
Oh gurl, are you serious? Ugh, let’s just move on to Luke’s date.
Welcome to Burnet, Texas, y'all! Luke, looking every inch the J. Crew cowboy, waits for JoJo in the center of his small town. “If today goes well,” he says, “then that’s the point at which I can tell her that she has my heart.” The Bachelorette arrives wearing the boots Luke gave her way back on night one.
Nice callback, Team Bachelorette! JoJo is thrilled to be back in her home state of Texas, but she’s still got a few concerns about her high-haired cowboy. “I’m just waiting for that moment where that emotional, like, depth comes back out,” she explains. “I see glimpses of that side of him, but I want to see more.”
More, you say? Sure, you can have more from Luke, JoJo — more family members, that is. As they turn down the dirt road to Luke’s “crib,” the Bachelorette wonders aloud why there are so many cars parked outside. Because, dear girl, you’re about to head pell-mell into a giant group of Pells.
Well, it’s a lot more than that, actually. Luke introduces JoJo to his mom Susie, his dad Bill, his sister Abby, and 50 of his “closest friends.“ It feels a little ”One of us! One of us!“ and JoJo finds the whole thing a bit "overwhelming,” but she goes with it. After all, who can be stressed out when the party is crawling with cute babies?
Luke appreciates how quickly JoJo acclimates to the large gathering. “She fits right in,” he raves. “She’s great at being in the moment. It just made my heart smile.” We don’t get to see much of Luke’s mom Susie — she’s beautiful and reserved, much like her son — but Luke has a nice long chat with Papa Bill about marriage and his prospective bride. Bill knew Susie was the one, he says, after a brief absence during his busy working years. “I realized, ‘Gosh, I just couldn’t live without her,’” he explains to his son. “That was the day that I knew.” He cautions Luke to make all his decisions from the heart, rather than based on a “timeline” set forth by producers or anyone else. Unrelated thought: Do you think ABC would be up for a Dallas reboot?
I don’t know what it is, rose lovers, but Luke is really growing on me. Early on in the season he struck me as stiff (both his demeanor and his ridiculous hair), but now, seeing him so relaxed and confident in his natural habitat, I’m starting to see his appeal. And when Luke’s dad choked up recalling his son’s time in the Army — “My mind always goes back to thinking about how thankful we are that you served our country and that you’re back safe and sound” — I’ll admit my eyes started leaking with emotion.
After some good-natured ribbing from Gramps (“JoJo, he can’t even boil water!”), Luke leads the Bachelorette away for a surprise: A horseback ride out to a comfy hay sofa.
it’s the perfect time for Luke to make the obligatory proclamation of almost-love, which he does… barely. “I see that future, and I want that future,” he tells JoJo. “And it is scary… But when I’m sitting in front of someone I’m falling for, that all makes sense.” It’s not much, but it’s enough to make JoJo cry tears of joy and/or Oh f**k what do I do now? confusion. Don’t ruin your mascara yet, honey — the interns crafted a beautiful flower-heart out in the middle of the field, and Team Bachelorette needs their money shot.
And with that, we’re back in Los Angeles, where Chris Harrison stands at attention at private jet hangar to greet the four final guys. The dude who goes home, you see, will be left to stand on the tarmac while JoJo and her 3-man harem fly away to the “exotic overnight dates” locale. Who will that unlucky sap be? ALL OF THEM!
Just joshin’, y'all. A girl and her fanfic-addled imagination can dream, can’t she? Anyhow, let’s get to the rose ceremony. “I feel sick to my stomach,” JoJo whispers to Harrison before making her way down the red carpet to the staging area. “I think I know what I need to do,” she tells Team Bachelorette. “And I think I need to say goodbye to Luke.”
[CUE EAR-SPLITTING NEEDLE SCRATCH]
What the what? America, please join me in screaming at the TV: DON’T DO IT YOU FOOL! SEND ROBBY AND HIS BOB’S BIG BOY HAIR HOME! Just as it looks like Luke is a goner, the cowboy interrupts: “JoJo, can I talk to you for a sec?”
“Yeah,” she replies breathlessly, and leads Luke away by the hand. The rest of the guys are left to stand on their marks and grumble about their competition. “Very interesting timing,” gripes Jordan. “Had a whole day to talk about things…” Zip your lip, QB — Luke has something important he needs to get off his chest.
There you have it, JoJo. Luke loves you too! Now all four guys have dropped the l-bomb, and you’ve still gotta send someone home. Our Bachelorette is understandably a little stressed out.
You know what else sucks? There are about two minutes left in the episode, which means we ain’t getting a rose ceremony. What we are getting, though, is two episodes next week — the Fantasy Suite dates and the Men Tell All — and a look at JoJo and Chase’s uncomfortable attempts to make a snowman while the credits roll.
For the sake of everyone’s appetite, let’s choose to believe that’s mud. Anyhow, rose lovers, what do you think JoJo should do? Should Luke’s last-minute “I love you” earn him a spot in the final 3? Why is JoJo still even considering Robby given the whole mess with his ex? And seriously why can’t the Rodgers family just get along? Post your thoughts below! And be sure to check out Chris Harrison’s behind-the-scenes blog here. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to watch this Bachelor in Paradise promo a few hundred more times.
The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC.
