The Bachelor, Ep. 20.11: Finale

We've come to the end of Ben's journey. Tonight he chooses either Lauren or JoJo. If you've read the spoilers, you know who he chose months ago. If you haven't read the spoilers, chances are it's pretty obvious who he's picking.

This could end up being the MOST DRAMATIC finale ever...Chris says they are ready to do the wedding on After the Final Rose. On the "Women Tell All", Ben said he was ready to get married "tomorrow" to the girl he proposed to. So, we'll see! Ben's pastor and both his family and her (no spoiler) family are all there.

We start the night off back in Jamaica. The girls recap where they're at. Long story short: they both feel amazing that Ben told them that he loves them. They both are on the same page with Ben. JoJo has 0 doubts and she feels the best she ever has. Meanwhile, Ben's head is a mess. He's in love with 2 women and he doesn't know what he's going to do. He can picture a life with both of them. He meant what he said to both of them. He doesn't see how he can propose to one while still being in love with the other one.

Ben prepares his parents for meeting Lauren and JoJo and the fact that he is in love with both of them. His mom was very worried about this.

Meet the Parents: Lauren

The Bachelor, Ep. 20.9

This week are the overnight dates in Jamaica!

Caila
Ben says that he thinks he has the deepest relationship with Caila of all the girls. He thinks she will make a great wife.

They take a rafting ride down a river. And could there be any more silence? She talked about where her room was. They talked about the most generic topics. Not a whole lot going on here. She was surprised that she was so anxious. Ben can tell that she isn't herself because she's very quiet and reserved. He asked if she was excited and she said yes, but he knew she was holding something back and that something was going on.

She said she thinks that she is overthinking being anxious. She is worried that he will pull away because he feels her pulling away. He told her that they've gotten to know each other well enough that if she gets anxious, she should tell him and he can try to help her through it.

She still hasn't told him that she loves him, but she's hoping that at the end of the night, that she'll be ready and it will be the right time.

She told Ben that she was happy that he noticed that she wasn't herself and calling her out on it. At the last Rose Ceremony she realized that 2 other people are probably falling in love with him. All of her previous relationships she's had doubts and it didn't feel right. Being with him is different and it just feels right. She said she's wanted to tell him for a long time that she was in love with him.

That was exactly what Ben was waiting to hear from her. She said he didn't have to say anything, she could just tell how he felt. They kissed and there were fireworks! Literally. And they were kind of out of control.

The Bachelor, Ep. 20.8

I just read a great blog post about Ben, which pretty much sums up every single thing I love about him. Thought you might want to read it as well - read it here.

This week: Hometowns

Amanda - Laguna Beach, CA
Amanda's kids joined her and Ben at the beach. She hadn't seen them yet, so it was a big reunion for them. Her girls, Kinsley and Charlie, look like twins - how much age difference is there? I forget, but they look the same age! They both had the cutest pigtails. Ben got a little emotional when he watched them run and hug Amanda. The girls were excited to meet Ben and wondered where he was, but little Charlie said she was shy. Awe!

Amanda is looking for someone who wants to lover her kids and make them a priority. She felt like her past relationships that wasn't the case.

I knew Ben was going to be amazing with them. He was so engaging and really went out of his way to talk to both of them and be active with them. He chased them and they chased him, they played in the sand, and even flew a kite. They were like the perfect little family. And then...reality set in. The car ride. Screaming from the backseat. Lots of crankiness after the long day.

Then it was off to meet the rest of her family: her mom, dad, and sister. Their first impression was that Ben seemed a little bit yound and wondered if he was ready to be an "instant dad". They hope he has good intentions.

His mom asked him what he was thinking. He said he had never really thought about it until he met her and then he realized he was OK with it and he was surprised by his reaction. Her dad asked about their relationship. Ben said their relationship has been real and honest. He said they've talked about what a future together woud look like. Her dad stressed what a change having kids would change his life and the responsibility of putting the kids before what he wants.

Amanda said her feelings have grown so much and she would be really devastated if she went home. Ben kind of said the same thing - that he feels really good about their relationship and having growing feelings. They had a nice kiss on his way out and he told her to tell her family thank you, and that they were awesome. He was very genuine and really seemed to have a great time. But, I think he knows that he has a lot of things to think about. He knows it's not just all about him...there are the kids to think about.

Lauren B - Portland, OR

The Bachelor, Ep. 20.7

This week, Ben is taking the girls to his hometown of Warsaw, Indiana. He lives in Denver, but this is where he grew up. He met up with his parents and filled them in on the girls and what's happened so far.

He picks the girls up in a boat...that he was driving by himself.

1-on-1 Date: Lauren B
To say that no one was excited to see Lauren get the first one-on-one date would be an understatement. It didn't help that Ben asked Lauren on the date in front of everyone else.

Ben picks up Lauren in a an old red Chevy and drives her around town. He showed her spots from his childhood. He also shared an embarassing story about his first kiss.They stop at the Baker's Youth Club where Ben used to work. A lot of his friends still work there.

They joined in on the fun and played games with the kids. How cute is Ben with the kids?! Totes adorbs! He was so cute with a little kid who was crying off by himself. Awe! Total swoon moment.

The director challenged the "Half Court King" to a half court shot and if he made it, Ben had to kiss Lauren. Shocker...he nailed it!

Ben had a surprise for the kids and for Lauren, and he brought in a couple of Indiana Pacers and the Pacer mascot.

The talk of the evening was about their last conversation. He said what was said about her affected him because he hasn't seen any of that. He said he didn't want to be blindsided. She said she felt helpless because she couldn't say or do anything to show him that it wasn't true. She said she can be her complete self when she's around him. He said that one thing said about her wouldn't make him change his way of thinking about her. When he said he trusted her she felt like a huge weight was lifted off her shoulders. They seem to be back on the same page. It's a shame that Leah had to try to sabotage what they had.

They ended the evening at the local bar with some of his friends.

She didn't say it to him, but she said that she is in love with him.

1-on-1 Date: JoJo

The Bachelor, Ep. 20.6

Last week, we had the dreaded "to be continued". Olivia had just made the really awkward and offensice "Teen Mom" comment to Amanda. And Ben had just pre-empted the Rose Ceremony by asking Olivia to go talk, re: all the shady stuff he just heard about her from the other girls.

He tells Olivia that the women are saying that she is not connecting with them like everyone else. She said she had a target on her back because of getting the first impression rose and the group date roses. She felt like the girls hated her and so she withdrew to not throw it in their faces. And then they complain that she's not being social, so she feels like she can't win. She said she's different from everyone there because she likes to read in her room and talk about smart things, while everyone else wants to do each other's nails and hairs. She said she smiles and tries to be nice, but she knows that she can come off as intimidating because she is confident and can be aggressive to get time with him. She said that when he asked how things were in the house that she said they're fine because she can handle herself. I don't quite think that's what he meant, but whatever. So, she actually did come off as pretty normal in that conversation and she had some pretty good answers, but we've seen the other side of her as well. Which side is the real side? The girls, of course, are not happy to see Ben come back with her and she still has a rose. They try to talk to her, but she doesn't want to talk about it. Emily doesn't think that her tears are real.

Rose Ceremony:

Get Roses (9): Amanda, Becca, Caila, Emily, JoJo, Lauren B, Lauren H, Leah, Olivia
Eliminated (2): Jen, Jubilee (on the group date)

Emily was really sweating it out being the last one called. She was worried about what she had said to Ben. He kept Olivia and she couldn't understand why, so she was afraid she was going home. Instead it was Jen...whom no one could have pointed out in a line-up. Her and Leah..who are these girls?

New week, and they are now off to the Bahamas!

1-on-1 Date: Caila - deep sea fishing

The Bachelor, Ep. 20.5

And...they're off to Mexico City, Mexico!

1-on-1 Date: Amanda
Olivia was sure her name was going to be the name on the date card. She can't understand why Amanda would be getting a date, because she has kids and she thinks she is all wrong for him. She thinks because she has kids, she won't be coming back from their date. [Hint: this is foreshadowing for an incident coming up later.]

Ben wakes Amanda up at 4:30 in the morning for their date. He can't wait to see their faces when he catches them by surprise all asleep. He was greeted with the usual responses. Lauren H with her retainer was pretty funny. However, did someone tell Amanda that he was going to do this, because she woke up with perfect hair and makeup...like perfect.

They went for a hot air balloon ride over the city.

She shared that she was nervous to open up to him about her life and who she is, besides her kids. She doesn't want to scare him by talking about her failed marriage. She said she got married when her oldest daughter was 6 months old. She said there were red flags, like he wasn't the nicest person all the time and she and her girls weren't always a priority to him. After getting pregnant with her second daughter, she found things on his phone about other women. He said he admires her for all she's been through. It breaks his heart that someone would do that to her and her daughters. He isn't sure why someone like her would be interested in someone like him, but he's very appreciative. He said he never wants her to be embarassed or ashamed of her past. He doesn't want her to hold anything back for fear of what he might think. And with that, she got the rose.

Group Date: Emily, Becca, JoJo, Leah, Jennifer, Olivia, Jubilee, Lauren B, Caila

The Bachelor, Ep. 20.4

Just as having twins on in the same season is something new...so is taking twins on a "sort of" 2-on-1 date. They are all traveling to Las Vegas, NV, which is where Emily and Haley are from. I literally can't wait to watch this awkwardness go down.

1-on-1 Date: JoJo - helicopter ride to Valley of Fire State Park

4 episodes in and we finally get to see something of JoJo. First they enjoy some champagne on the roof. Then, their ride arrives...and proceeds to blow everything! The table goes flying! He sneaks a kiss behind the fallen table, while the other girls look on. Olivia was going on and on...and on...and on about how comfortable she is with her relationship with Ben. And how she is totally fine with him seeing other girls because he's her "piece" and he can't possibly have a connection with anyone else like the one he has with her. And then the kiss, and now she's all sad because he's going away with JoJo and he's going to fall in love with her while she is stuck at the hotel. Wow, that escalated quickly.

We saw about 2 seconds of their time in the helicopter, and before we know it, we are at the evening portion of the date. JoJo said her last relationship of a year and a half ended 5 months ago. She gave everything to him and he was not giving back to her and she wasn't the only one in his life. That experience worries her about the future and being with someone who won't reciprocate her feelings. He asked her if she was ready to move on and she said she was. She was glad that she felt safe enough to talk about her past with Ben. He gave her the rose and said (not to her) that he could be falling for her and the more he learns about her the more he likes her.

To end the date, they go outside and are treated to a "surprise" fireworks display. All the girls can see this from their suite...and jealousy ensues. Olivia feels like she is being cheated on. The twins are jealous that they haven't gotten to watch fireworks on top of the roof in their own city.

Group Date: Talent show - Lauren H, Rachel, Lauren B, Amber, Leah, Jen, Olivia, Amanda, Jubilee, Caila, Emily, Haley

The Bachelor, Ep. 20.3

Well hello there, Ben! --------------------------------------->
It's a great day because it's Monday, which means we get to see Ben! Yay! And it looks like we're in for a lot of drama tonight!

Let's get started!

We start with the girls in the house, and a couple girls are talking about Olivia and how deep down there's a mean girl inside her. She just knows how to put on a good show in front of the cameras.

1-on-1 Date: Lauren B - fly around Agoura Hills/Malibu on a plane
We haven't seen much of her since the first night. Ben said that she is someone who stood out to him the first night right out of the limo, but he doesn't really know her yet.

Ben drives her to an airport. She is used to flying because she's a flight attendant. But, they aren't flying in just any airplane, it's a single engine, open plane with a propeller on the front. Yeah, I would be pretty scared. It was rather annoying trying to listen to their conversation on the headsets that had so much feedback that they had to do a bunch of subtitles. Then there was some awkward kissing as they weren't aware of the mouthpieces on their headsets, so there was a lot of weird head tilts.

After the plane ride, they go for a walk out in the middle of nowhere. Then magically, a hot tub appears. OK, so this is now the 2nd time he has been in a hot tub with a girl that has been in a very weird and random place (first time was with Caila in the middle of the store). Romantic for them, being all alone in the wilderness, but super weird to see....them in a hot tub, in the middle of the open wilderness.

The Bachelor, Ep. 20.2

So, Lace admits that she had too much to drink on night 1. She said that's not her at all and hopes to make a better impression. However, the more she talks, the more she still sounds drunk. Is this possible? She said she's not crazy...but even having to say that out loud suggests that she just might be. Yikes.

No Date this Week: Jami, Rachel, Lauren B, Leah

Group Date: Teams of 2: Jubilee/Lace, Jen/LB, Mandi/Amber, Becca/JoJo, Lauren H/Jackie; they go to a high school ("Bachelor High") and compete answering questions in various school subjects.

OMG! Chris is the principal...he's wearing some dorky glasses, a vest...too funny!

Chris tells the girls to find a partner and then find their locker. Inside, they each get a backpack.

Round 1: ingredients/supplies in the backpack they need to make a volcano erupt; 1st 3 teams to get it to erupt move on. Lace is useless and her team is out.

Round 2: bobbing for apples and passing them only using their mouths; Jackie gets distracted and can't get her apple and her team is out

Round 3: studying Indiana - find the state and put it on the map of the USA where it belongs. It is so sad that they are having this much trouble; Becca and Jojo put the state sideways and put it where Pennsylvania is. Yikes! That is embarrassing.

Round 4: shoot a freethrow - first team to both score wins; Amber and Mandi win

The Bachelor, Ep. 20.1

Can Ben get any cuter? Seriously...so adorable! I am so ready for a full season of nothing but Ben! I just wish there weren't so many girls getting in the way :/

Let's get this started!

Ben gets some advice from Sean Lowe, Jason Mesnick, and Chris Soules. I get why Sean and Jason are there, but Chris wasn't exactly successful in his journey. His advice was to "kiss them all!" Yeah, that worked out well for you in the end. I wouldn't exactly say a 3-month engagement is somthing to strive for here. I think Sean had the best advice, and he was honest in saying that he didn't start having feelings for Catherine from the beginning - she kind of snuck up on him.

First Impressions - Girls' Video Packages

The Bachelor, Season 20: Ben's Girls & Episode-by-Episode Spoilers

Who's ready for the hottest bachelor ever (in my opinion)?! This girl!

As always, below are the girls who will be vying for Ben's heart and the final rose. Thanks to RealitySteve, you can also find out what happens in each episode and who Ben picks in the end...should you not be able to wait a few months to find out :) Keep scrolling past the bios for all of the juicy spoilers (or click here)!

Ben's season premieres Monday night, Jan. 4 at 8:00 on ABC.

Ben's Bio
Age: 26
Occupation: Software Salesman
Hometown: Warsaw, IN (lives in Denver, CO)


Ben's Girls

The Bachelor, Ep. 19.21: Finale & After the Final Rose

Tonight's the night we get to see if the spoilers are correct! Plus we follow up with the "happy" couple and find out if they are still happy 4 months after the proposal.

Chris starts out back in Iowa. Becca and Whitney will be meeting Chris's family. Recap of where we're at: Whitney has said she loves Chris, Becca's relationship with Chris has moved a lot slower and she hasn't pledged her love yet. He is torn and could go either way.

Whitney

The Bachelor, Ep. 19.20: Women Tell All

BachelorNation Party Crashing
Chris H. crashes some fan viewing parties along with this season's bachelor, Chris. Chris (the bachelor) says, "What if they have guns?" Really, Chris? What a stupid thing to say. Who would bring a gun to a Bachelor viewing party. He keeps losing points with me week after week...

Let's just say, the girls at these parties are a lot like Ashley S. and drunk Tara and Jordan.

Recapping the Drama
Random clips from the season, with live facial reactions from the girls. Lots of boos from the crowd after Carly's really hurtful words about Britt. Britt was in tears. She asked Carly why she pretended to be her friend. Carly said it was confusing because she didn't think drama needed to be created where it didn't exist. Carly said it wasn't about her friendship with Britt...and then everyone was shouting.

Britt goes to the hot seat.

The Bachelor, Ep. 19.9

Top 3: Overnight Dates in Bali

Kaitlyn
They go to a local temple. They have to put on special clothes, and they are not allowed to kiss in the temple. Embracing the culture, they decide to carry baskets on their heads just like the women were doing. They participated in some sort of prayer ritual, and Chris wore something really strange on his head.

Next they walked around the streets and said hello to the locals. There were even wild monkeys! And then more monkeys! They were so cute...I want one! Chris let one sit on his shoulder and ate a banana. Next thing you know they just start climbing up his legs and all over him. One even peed on him. Kaitlyn was kind of freaked out. She wasn't so sure she wanted them climbing all over her.

They had dinner in a beautiful garden. Chris said she's been holding back, and she said she knows she has a guard up. She doesn't want to be that way, but she has a fear of loss from her last relationship. She said she is surprised by the way she feels about him. She is vulnerable but feels like she is at her best self when she's like that. He said he's really excited about what they have going and she agreed.

Fantasy Suite time: she said she can't imagine saying no to that. He said they deserve it and she said it was exactly what they need. There was an outdoor bathtub completely filled with different colored rose petals in the shape of a heart...the whole thing was covered in them! It was really pretty!

She said she feels like she has opened up more to him than she has to anyone. She said she is completely falling in love with him. He said he was falling in love with her as well. Ooh...kind of a Bachelor/Bachelorette faux pas...not really supposed to let them know that.

Whitney

The Bachelor, Ep. 19.8

We start with the continuation of last night's episode. If you thought that would be at the Rose Ceremony, you would be wrong. There was one more date that week, and that was with Becca.

Date #4: Becca
Becca talks about a previous on-again/off-again relationship. She said she's never been in love before, even though that relationship lasted 4 years. She said the way she feels about him was unexpected to her. She said she wants him to meet her family. Not much happened on this date...pretty boring...which is why we only saw like 2 minutes of it.

Back at the hotel, Carly is telling Whitney and Jade about the disaster of a date. Britt enters and she said just packed her bags and she thinks she might leave tomorrow. Britt said she was upset because they had just had a really great conversation and then he gave the rose to Kaitlyn instead. She didn't think the man she loved and was supposed to be with would do that. Carly asked if there was anything he could say to change her mind and she said she didn't think so. Carly wasn't buying it because in 5 minutes she will say something different. Britt said it's in the realm of possibilities that he could change her mind, but she didn't think so...which is just what Carly was talking about. Britt got really upset and left the room.

Cocktail Party

The Bachelor, Ep, 19.7

Chris Tells All Special

Chris H. sits down with Kelsey. She doesn't think she is controversial. She still claims she didn't fake the panic attack. She blamed it on too many emotions flooding her. She claims to know what a panic attack is because she's in the medical profession, even though she's never had one. I heard a "real" medical professional say it is physically impossible to pass out during a panic attack. So, yeah.

On Ashley: she hopes Ashley can see that she still respects her...even after all the nasty things she said about her.

She's worried about seeing the girls on The Women Tell All because she thinks it's going to be a crucifixion.

On to Chris...

The Bachelor, Ep. 19.6

Kelsey Drama Continued
Last week we ended with Kelsey collapsed on the bathroom floor receiving medical attention right before the Rose Ceremony. She "appears" to be having a panic attack. I'm not really sure what this was, since she seemed fine when she left the room. They start to give her oxygen and ask her how bad the pain is. She said she's not in pain. They asked what they could get for her, and she said she wanted to talk to Chris. While someone went to get him, she sat up and told the medic "I'm gonna get a rose tonight for sure." And at this point she was laughing like she had just gotten away with something. I can't believe this girl! This is so ridiculous! If only Chris could see this! I can tell you one thing, I can't wait for the Women Tell All! Jade was around the corner, and she heard what she was saying.

Chris comes and now she's acting all woosy, and said she was OK but just got overwhelmed. She said she didn't know that he would take their conversation and then decide to cancel the Rose Ceremony. He told her that it wasn't anything that she had said. He told her she looked great and helped her up. Wow, what a quick recovery. Then she enters the room with the girls, and she's crying. Seriously? She tells them that she was embarrassed but the weight of her conversation with Chris and everything that she just got overwhelmed and fainted. NO ONE is buying this load of bull crap. She then started laughing, saying that she said some really delusional things while she was on the floor. Then she starts making all kinds of jokes, like her getting all dressed up, and "these don't come out every day" (talking about her boobs). I really hope she's embarrassed by her performance right now watching it back. She is so incredibly delusional! And we thought Ashley S. was the crazy one!

Rose Ceremony

The Bachelor, Ep. 19.5

Top 11: Santa Fe, New Mexico

Megan thinks that New Mexico is like a beach resort and can't wait to see everyone in their sombreros. She's so excited to leave the country for the first time. Oh dear...I really worry for this girl...she is a few bricks short of a load.

Whitney is excited to be in such a romantic city. Really? What about Santa Fe is so much more romantic than any other city?

Date #1: Carly

The Bachelor, Ep. 19.4

Top 15

Chris H. tells the girls that Chris's 3 sisters will be helping him with the dates for the week.

Date #1: Kaitlyn, Samantha, Juelia, Mackenzie, Kelsey, Megan, Ashley S., Ashley I.

"Let's do what feels natural", is what the date card said. They all think it means going without their makeup.

Chris drives the girls (4 of them) in one car, while Megan drove another car, to a lake. It didn't take them long to strip down to their suits and took off into the lake. Chris was interested to see how the girls reacted to being out in nature.

Ashley I. said she needed to break out of her shyness, so she took her top off and jumped in the lake. Crazy Kaitlyn was next to join her. Kelsey, on the other hand, thought this date was for bimbos, and she wasn't about to act like that. She just was not enjoying this date at all. She said her mouth hurt from fake smiling. She said the lake was dingy and was basically a "hell hole". She said she wanted to take a fork and stab herself in the eye. Wow. She really didn't hold anything back did she? Of course, she didn't say any of that to Chris, though.

Chris then tells the girls that they aren't leaving, that they are going to camp overnight there. Kelsey just died a little inside. She said, in a very whiny voice, "I want to be where I want to be, and I don't want to be here!" Then she said "As if this couldn't get any worse..." ...cue the bee buzzing around her that stings her. Poor thing...

Chis said he has his own tent (which was way bigger than the rest), the rest of them will be 2 to a tent. They decide to race to see who can get their tent up the fastest. Megan and Kaitlyn won. Ashley I. had absolutely no idea what they were doing.

They make a fire and do some grilling.

The Bachelor, Ep. 19.3

Final 18:
Jimmy Kimmel crashes the party and takes over for Chris Harrison. He begins by breaking into Chris's room and waking him up and totally embarrassing him.

Jimmy then meets the girls. He introduces the "amazing" jar. Any time someone says the word "amazing" they have to put $1 in the jar.

Date #1: Kaitlyn
They get dropped off at Costco. Ha! Jimmy gave them a list of things to pick up for their date later that night...that was going to include Jimmy. Lots of very interesting things. They looked like they were having a really good time finding the products. They even took some time out to shoot some hoops and play inside a giant plastic bubble rolling down the aisles. Little kids came along and pushed them...so cute! This is definitely something that normal couples do on a regular basis. If you can't shop together, you might not belong together.

They take all the stuff back to the house and start setting everything up. They wonder what Jimmy is going to have in store for them.

Chris and Jimmy bond over grilling the steaks. Jimmy said he felt like he was on a date with Chris while Kaitlyn was doing her own thing with the ice.

Jimmy asks Kaitlyn if she likes farmers. Kaitlyn said she has dated a farmer before and he was a "legit" farmer because he got up in the morning to milk cows.

At dinner, Jimmy pulls out the big question about the Fantasy Suite, and he asks Kaitlyn if she would be mad at Chris for going into the Fantasy Suite with other girls. She said she couldn't be mad because it was part of the process. Lets just say there is a lot of nervous laughter from Chris during this whole conversation. Jimmy and Kaitlyn were totally bonding, and Chris just laughed uncomfortably. It was pretty funny.

Jimmy hands the date rose to Chris, and Jimmy stops him right in the middle of his speech and said it was horrible. Ha! Chris then says "amazing" twice, so he owes the jar $2. Then they awkwardly hug over top of Jimmy...who was strangely seated in between them during the entire date. I wonder why Jimmy didn't let them sit together. He then said that he felt like their adopted son. How embarrassing that had to be for Chris to do all of that in front of someone sitting so close to him.

Later, we see Jimmy as the 3rd wheel again, as he joins them in the hot tub. So romantic!

Date #2: Britt, Jillian, Becca, Tracy, Mackenzie, Kelsey, Amber, Ashley S., Juelia, Samantha, Nikki, Carly