Would it be an episode of The Bachelorette Season 21 if Jenn wasn’t testing her fear of heights with these unsuspecting men?
I’m beginning to wonder if she may have told a little fib about the whole heights thing because she never misses an opportunity to jump, fly, or do just about anything up in the clouds.
I’ll give it to her, though. Each opportunity allows her to snuggle up to her men, and you can’t be mad about it.
I forgot we didn’t actually have a rose ceremony to close out the previous hour until things opened up.
Let’s be serious: Jenn was never going to let Matthew back in.
If that were truly the guy she wanted to be with, having already had a history with him, she would have welcomed him back immediately or called off the whole thing and ran away with him.
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She did neither.
Making him stand in front of the men and apologize is one of the most awkward things this season has done, including the strip tease.
The guys acting like they would leave if Jenn invited that man on the journey was laughable because they weren’t going anywhere.
Devin is here to the end, y’all. He may have complained, but he would have taken a new guy coming on as a challenge.
Hopefully, Matthew got to spend a little time in New Zealand before returning to Boston! I don’t believe in staying someplace for a shorter time than it takes to fly round trip!
The rose ceremony is uneventful, mainly because there aren’t any conversations with Jenn, but ultimately, time is up for John and Thomas N. And that decision tracks with what we’ve seen.
The nine guys left feel like they’re the ones Jenn is feeling the most—some more than others.
After the rose ceremony that they should have been tacked on to the last episode, the next day brings coffee talk and a one-on-one with Jonathon.
Remember when Jonathon came in dressed like a Grey’s Anatomy extra with his face covered and his butt out to meet Jenn for the first time? Did you think then he’d still be here now?
The thing about Jenn and Jonathon is that they feel like besties. Nothing about their vibe screams deep, emotional connection. And they clearly feel that way too, which is why they spend the day portion of their date being silly and cute and then get deathly serious at night.
For obvious reasons, you have to go from 0 to 60 in the land of The Bachelor, but having to unleash your relationship trauma every time the lights go out and a candle gets lit has to be exhausting for the guys.
Jonathon explains why he’s closed off emotionally, and I would be, too. It’s a hell of a story, and Jenn has yet another guy she feels understands her past. She gives him a rose right as an unexpected rain shower passes over.
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It feels very staged, but as a firm believer in Sweet Home Alabama being one of the best romcoms of all time, I support it.
While Jenn and Jonathon are getting DEEP, the guys get a date card, and it’s obvious that if Austin doesn’t get the one-on-one, he’s out of there.
Of course, he does not, and we see everyone but Grant shipped out to a sheep farm where they have to play farmer of the day for Jenn’s heart. And Diane and Richard run a tight ship!
The best part of the date is seeing how all the different guys chose to wear their flannel shirts.
And the obligatory Devin piling on we’ve all come to expect.
You would think this far into this whole thing, the guys would pick up on her enjoying Devin’s brashness and willingness to put Jenn first no matter what during a group date.
Instead, they’d rather talk their stuff and clean up sheep poop. I can’t feel sorry for them.
Somehow, Devin wins farmer of the day, which results in them making out on a sheep farm. And he remains the one to beat.
The night part of the date brings the dramatic part of the episode, as Austin decides to bow out. I can see why Jenn is upset, but what did she know about Austin?
They haven’t spent much time together, and she IS further along with pretty much every other guy there, so it’s less about him not choosing her and more about him choosing himself because he knows these other guys are more invested and have a better connection.
He figures he can’t catch up enough to not get his heart broken, which makes sense.
At the same time, Jenn feels like she let Austin down, which is a tough feeling. It has her not feeling her best the rest of the night, which is very relatable.
Related: The Bachelorette Season 21 Episode 2 Recap: It’s Devin/Dylan Time!
The guys do a great job of validating her feelings and making her feel seen, which is nice for her.
Jenn doesn’t give out a rose because emotions are too high, and that’s that.
The next day brings us Jenn and Grant’s horseback riding date. Please don’t jump me when I say this, but these two have absolutely no chemistry. And it pains me to say that!
They’re both so pretty and nice, mature adults, but when you see Jenn with Devin, Marcus, Jonathon, hell, even Sam M., there’s something in those interactions that isn’t there with Grant.
It sucks because you can tell Grant really does like her, and she likes him, too, but it’s not enough.
Their date also gets a rain segment, but it just looks cold. The night portion involves more bonding over family trauma, but Grant is just so genuine and kindhearted. He wants to be a good man, and if Jenn doesn’t want to marry him, I will.
Jenn gives Grant a rose, but if I had to place a bet now, he won’t make it to hometowns.
The cocktail party and rose ceremony have subdued energy, which is the theme of the hour. Jenn cancels the party because she knows what she needs to do, and I love that for her.
She’s at the point where the connection is either there or not. And it wasn’t with Dylan, so he gets the boot.
Dylan is SO sweet, and he should put in a Bachelor application because he’s just the total package.
We’re down to the final seven guys, and the end-of-episode montage shows basically every single one of them breaking down at one point or another, lots of ‘I love you’s’ and Jenn standing with her final one telling them not to propose.
Related: The Bachelorette Season 21 Premiere Recap: Jenn’s Ready For a Ferocious Love!
Oh, the dramatics! We’re halfway through the season, and I need that drama to keep on keeping on.
Hop in the comments and let me know what you think about Jenn’s final seven and who you think is heading to hometowns!
You can watch The Bachelorette on Mondays at 8/7c on ABC.