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SPOILER ALERT! This post contains details from Wednesday’s episode of The Golden Bachelorette.
Another week, another set of dates for Joan Vassos — and the Bachelor mansion is feeling a little empty now with just seven men left.
Keith is a little worried after the last cocktail party, when he spaced out a bit while chatting with Joan. But, he’s ready to take on the new week and trust himself more moving forward, so his relationship with Joan doesn’t “stall out.” He’s not the only one feeling some pressure, because hometowns are right around the corner, and everyone is hoping to be one of the lucky few.
Meanwhile, before she embarks on more dates, Joan is getting some advice from Trista Sutter, who is still married to the man she chose in 2003 on the inaugural season of The Bachelorette. Joan wants to know how to get out of her head and go all in with these men. Trista tells her that her biggest regret from her journey was not being vulnerable enough with Ryan while on the show, and she assures Joan that her late husband John is going to be so happy for her when she finds a new love.
Joan also makes the decision not to give out any roses on dates this week, leaving that until she’s spent sufficient time with everyone to make decisions about whose hometowns to visit next week.
Keith doesn’t have to mull over his blunder last week for long, as he gets the first one-on-one of the week. He meets Joan for a helicopter ride, and the pair go on a sightseeing tour, even flying right over the mansion. In a confessional, Joan says she’s hoping to see a little more depth from Keith on this date.
The helicopter drops Joan and Keith off at a winery, where they do a tasting before taking a walk around the grounds. During their private chat, Keith opens up more about his previous marriage. He says he and his daughters haven’t spoken to his ex-wife in more than a decade due to her struggles with addiction. Joan is touched that Keith was able to be more vulnerable with her, and seeing that they can get deeper than the surface gives her encouragement that they could go the distance.
Back at the mansion, Mark is mulling over the idea of bringing Joan home next week, wondering if he’s doing the right thing by pursuing someone new. Just when he’s hoping for a sign, Mark sees a hummingbird, which he takes as a signal from his late wife Denise that he’s on the right track, allowing him to really open himself up further to Joan. Lucky for him, he’s getting the second one-on-one this week.
The rest of the men — Guy, Jordan, Jonathan, Pascal, Chock — are summoned for a group date with Joan. They’re going bowling!
Things start of smoothly, but quickly attitudes start to sour when Chock makes some big moves on Joan. Not only is he on her team, he also sits with his arm around her at the lane, whispering sweet nothings in her ear and asking her questions like, “Which side of the bed?” throughout the day. Guy tries to tell him to cool it, but Chock isn’t having it. Hey, it does ultimately up the ante and make the guys even more competitive.
And for the record, it does seem like the rest of the men got at least a few minutes with Joan. Each of the men take a few minutes to pull her aside and tell her more about their families, in anticipation of sticking around for hometowns.
Will it matter, though, considering Joan and Chock progress their relationship even further by admitting they see a future with each other? Time will tell on that.
For her last date of the week, Joan picks Mark up at the mansion in a red Porsche convertible, and they cruise to the marina to board a massive yacht. Joan says in confessional that she’s hoping that she and Mark will develop more of a repertoire together on this date, because they haven’t quite gotten their relationship to the point of comfortability she’s felt with some of the other men.
Pretty quickly into their date, things get a little awkward as they start sailing. It’s clear the conversation isn’t flowing with them as easily as Joan might have hoped, and she’s starting to feel the pressure of potentially not extending Mark a rose. Just then, the crew comes in to save the day with a challenge card from Jesse, sending them on a scavenger hunt that’s meant to help them deepen their connection.
As they meander around the boat, they encounter several challenges, including to play games of Never Have I Ever and Would You Rather, before ending their hunt with a charcuterie board and some champagne waiting to greet them. They discuss their futures and what they want out of life, and they connect over finding love again after losing their spouses suddenly.
By the end of the date, Mark is feeling much more confident about his and Joan’s connection. But, his bubble is burst not long after, as Joan arrives at the mansion the next afternoon for a pre-rose ceremony chat to let him know that, despite their great date the day before, she doesn’t necessarily see a path forward for them in a relationship. She says she didn’t want to go into a rose ceremony without having a conversation with him first, so that he wasn’t left blindsided. Mark takes it in stride, telling Joan that the experience has changed him for the better, regardless.
After Mark’s emotional exit, the men are pretty shaken up as they go into the rose ceremony. Joan gives roses to Pascal, Chock, Jordan and Guy. Keith and Jonathan also get sent home.
Next week, Joan meets the families! New episodes of The Golden Bachelorette air Wednesday’s at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
