Episode 1
Welcome back and happy 2020, dear readers!
Just some notes before we get to the recap…
Several of you have written asking about my The Morning After videos with Flare. There unfortunately aren’t any for now but they might return later on in the season. If that happens I’ll be sure to alert you here. For now there are only the Flare written recaps, which post the Tuesday morning after the episode airs. ICYMI, this week’s Flare recap is here.
Just a reminder that if you have requests regarding fashion worn on the show, please use this form or email me with the word “request” somewhere in the title or body of your message. As much as I love tweets and Instagram DMs, I can’t keep track of them when ID’ing fashion.
As always, I can’t encourage commenting enough! I would never have continued to do these for so many years if it weren’t for the community we’ve built here. I write these to spark a conversation, not to blindly send them out into the web. If you have an opinion, even if you don’t agree with me, please share it, as the discussion is what I consider the comment section to be for. I just ask that everyone please remain respectful of one another.
Finally, a friendly reminder that this site is and has always been a spoiler-free zone.
And now, let's recap...
INTRO
The season’s intro videos are pretty par for the course, but one quick moment in Victoria P’s video stood out to me. It was when her sister eagerly asked her if she was excited, and she responded with a pretty subdued…
Too many contestants’ enthusiasm tends to feel over the top to me, so I liked this simple, downplayed reply. You can tell she’s excited but quietly so, maybe managing expectations. This reminded me of a similar moment (that I also appreciated) during Lauren Bushnell’s intro video…
NIGHT ONE
In front of the mansion, with limos about to arrive, and after weeks of pre-season filming, fittings, and lead-up, Chris Harrison asks a question that, um, probably should have been asked (and most likely was asked) sometime in the weeks leading up to this moment. For example, Colton had a pre-filming sit-down at the mansion with Chris where they talked about his—gasp!—virginity. The timing of this question was our first clue that Hannah would become a talking point later on. I also have to point out Chris Harrison’s amazing professional straight face at Peter’s response…
Chris Harrison endlessly cracks me up. His face in the above moment is straight as can be, yet simultaneously screams, “Sure you are” and “Just you wait”.
In keeping with my tradition of sharing my first-impression notes from the limo exits, here are the women that immediately stood out to me…
Alayah, 24, orthodontist assistant: Striking but sweet. Her DRESS! Major frontrunner potential.
Sydney, 24, retail marketing manager: Solid one-liner with “Not every girl from the south makes bad decisions”. I feel like she could be a dark horse of the season.
Hannah Ann, 23, model: This girl is CON-FI-DENT. Peter seems pretty taken with her. Serious frontrunner.
Sarah, 24, medical radiographer: I like that she shows her nerves. I’m not getting vibes from Peter though.
Lauren, 26, marketing executive: Love how down-the-earth and normal she seems. Elegant. Good on Peter for noticing and commenting on her (spectacular) “power jumpsuit”.
Victoria P, 27, nurse: I like that she takes a moment before walking towards Peter. Not sure if she’s praying or just soaking in the moment or what, but I (and I’m sure most contestants) wish I’d done something similar to just gather myself.
Mykenna, 22, fashion blogger: Yay, Canadian! She’s very pretty and expressive and I can see her being a major player (if not a frontrunner) this season.
Madison, 23, foster parent recruiter: She’s the right amount of cool, the right amount of confident. Giant paper airplane - this is cute. Also I’m legit impressed by that airplane (even if she had nothing to do with it).
Tammy, 24, real estate agent: Metal detector gimmick. As far as airport/flight/plane gimmicks go, this is pretty cute. She seems fun.
Kiarra, 23, nanny: The suitcase girl. DAMN that’s impressive.
I’ve mentioned over the years that Chris Harrison’s sense of humor for some reason rarely makes it on screen. I filmed this show years ago now (man, time flies!), but I haven’t forgotten my surprise at how funny his on-the-spot quips can be…
The edge in his humor actually reminds me a bit of Andy’s, except it’s way cleaner/more PC.
Lexi, 26, marketing coordinator: The red convertible, which I’m 99% sure has been used in previous season entrances. She strikes me as smart and sophisticated.
Deandra, 23, home care coordinator: I had a laugh at the contrast of the provocative one-liner with her wholesome occupation, which of course flashes onscreen at this exact moment…
The contrast reminds me of Katie’s intro video from last season, where the placement of her voiceover served as proof that the editors are entertaining themselves…
Katrina, 28, sports dancer: I can’t get over the flawless delivery of the “hairless pussy cat” line. The pacing, the way her eyes narrow on “pussy”, the Vanna White-esque presentation of the framed cat photo…
This girl should pursue a career in comedy. Seriously. I’m upset she was sent home Night One!
Victoria F, 25, medical sales rep: The “dry sense of humor” joke. I consider this a far less successful version of the above, not only in terms of the joke but especially the delivery. If you’re going to make a hyper sexual joke, you have to stick the landing. At any rate, she makes up for it in her endearing embarrassment afterwards.
I had to make a .GIF of Peter’s adorable expression as she walks away, where he watches her like he’s 12 years old and just spoke to his crush for the first time…
Jenna, 22, nursing student: The “emotional support cow”. Certainly one of the more random gimmicks of all time. Am I missing a cow or farm reference of Peter’s from Hannah’s season?
Savannah, 27, realtor: The blindfolded kiss. I get that she was going for “bold”, but I don’t love this as it robs Peter of HIS first kiss of the season. This season is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for him too.
Kelley, 27, attorney: I normally don’t love the “we met before” contestants, but Kelley seems as smart and realistic as they get. What impresses me about this exchange his how much he remembers about HER. I don’t actually get the impression he’s 100% on her, but rather that he really focuses on each person he spends time with. This is a great look for him.
Alexa, 27, esthetician: Peter, “How are you doing?” Alexa, with a shrug and zero affect, “I’m OK.” Hahaha! I like this girl. She has no idea what she’s doing there and I relate HARD.
No season would be complete without a visit from a former lead, usually in the context of suggested lingering feelings, and this season gets going with that early. Hannah arrives to return Peter’s “wings”, and you can cut the sexual tension here with a knife…
Night One progresses as usual, but you knew I’d have to point out the editing surrounding the arrival of the First Impression Rose. If you’ve been reading my recaps for awhile, you’ll know the ladies were told to sit in that familiar U-shape formation to wait for something to happen. (They did not just happen to be sitting, all squeezed together like that). Now note Jade is sitting two over from Mykenna, but for Mykenna’s stressed-out expression at the rose, it’s Maurissa in that spot. That expression was taken from a different moment entirely and likely had nothing to do with the FIR…
During 1-on-1s, Mykenna tries to steal Peter from Natasha, whose no-BS response immediately made her a favorite of mine…
Year after year there’s always the question of “can the Bachelor turn down a steal?” since he always seems to say yes. So the above lesson is that you ask him and NOT the woman he’s speaking with.
GROUP DATE #1
The first Group Date is the traditional relay race, this time with an airport theme, because in case you forgot, Peter is a pilot. The moral of the story on this Group Date (and Night One for that matter) is that playing fair gets you nowhere, while cheating gets you far.
Who’d be emotional and upset and ready to blow if the race’s winner had NOT cheated? In this sense, Shiann has been doing herself no favors. She was increasingly upset Night One for having her time robbed by someone who’d already had it (Hannah Ann), enough to confront Hannah Ann about it. When Kelley “won” the race, Shiann cried—not for having lost, but because of the injustice of it all, which trust me, I can relate to. I am #TeamShiann because I too am a person who values fairness, manners, meritocracy. That said, Shiann’s crucial mistake was showing just how upset she was. Doing so would seal her fate, ensuring that any future 1-on-1 time would be stolen from her and her specifically, by women who’d already had time of their own.
As Kelley makes her way to interrupt Shiann’s 1-on-1 time, you can practically see in her face, as she fights a smile, that this was not her idea…
Yes, Kelley’s a willing offender in this moment because everyone knows by now how frowned upon it is to steal time if you’ve already had it (especially if you’ve had as much as she’s had). And only so much can be blamed on producers; after my 1-on-1 date in Korea, I made it clear going into that week’s Rose Ceremony that I wouldn’t try to get 1-on-1 time with our Bachelor, and no producer tried to change my mind. (They didn’t even mention it; perhaps they saw me as a lost cause.)
But remember, everything else about Kelley’s above move is not plotted by her. Given they’re in a hotel, I seriously doubt she’d even know where to find Peter if it weren’t for producers’ directions, and I also doubt she even knew it was Shiann she’d be interrupting. Meanwhile, it was (of course) no coincidence that it was poor Shiann whose time would be cut short. Also, note how they COULD have sent Hannah Ann to steal from Shiann again, but because what irks Shiann most is the unfairness of being interrupted by someone who’s had their share of time already, Kelley was sicced on her this time around.
MADISON’S 1-ON-1
I find it verrrry interesting that Madison was chosen for this particular date. I mean, whether or not it was the show’s idea in the first place that Peter’s parents should renew their vows (news flash: it most likely was), it’s still a pretty major date on which to be taken. Meanwhile, as we get to know Madison better, it’s coming to light that she’s cautious (her word), moves slow in relationships (also her words), and has managed expectations for this experience (in an ITM she said, “There’s hope… there’s someone really great out there… and hopefully it’s him”—NOT “It’s him, he’s my future husband.”) Thus, I feel it’s no coincidence that one of the more pragmatic, careful ladies of the season would be taken on the most involved, investment-inducing, designed-to-fall-fast date.
Peter’s parents continue to be some of my absolute favorite Bachelor parentals of all time. I LOVE that his father isn’t afraid to cry. He moved me with his choked up Hometown Date moment last season, and did so again on this date…
COULD HE BE ANY SWEETER. I should also mention that I have a soft spot when it comes to mentions of the passing of time, of wondering where it went. Nothing says contentment and happiness like time passing quickly, as bittersweet as that is.
In the evening, Madison officially wins my heart along with Peter’s. I LOVE that she could openly admit how much she loves her parents and their relationship, how she sees the positive qualities she loves about her dad in Peter, and how she’s always said she wants to marry someone like her dad. Some people would criticize this as weird, but I seriously relate to this. I adore my dad and it’s no coincidence that he and Andy share many traits. I just love the self-assuredness and maturity this statement shows, and to me it proves that, even at 23, she very possibly is ready for all this. (As opposed to talking about how “ready” she is, as others have done in the past.)
Finally, the cherry on top, Madison says something that it AMAZES me more people don’t say…
UGH, YES. As I’ve said over the years, this isn’t dating musical chairs. Sure, getting cast on this show involves a lot of chance, but from Night One forward, it’s not. And love how grounded and realistic Madison is, how she doesn’t NEED it to be her, and how confident and well-raised that sentiment proves her to be.
GROUP DATE #2
The ladies are brought to a theater where Hannah tells them an in-a-nutshell story about her sexual past with Peter. She then provides the traditional tenuous connection to the Group Date activity (because apparently telling an audience a personal story about sex somehow makes you more confident in yourself or your sexuality). I continue to get a kick out Natasha, who responded to this blatantly BS explanation with…
Peter is sent to find happens upon Hannah crying alone and what ensues is the post-Bachelor/ette conversation of our dreams. Let’s be honest: conversations like this have surely happened. There have definitely been post-season regrets, breakups, and hookups. But rarely are we privy to witnessing such conversations, and I’ve got to give producers credit for managing to get this in all its glory ON CAMERA.
That’s not to say it was uninterrupted, uncut footage. There were a couple of sticky editing spots, and one in particular stood out to me: Peter asks Hannah if she’d consider coming on the show, yet her response feels… off. Her initial “I mean” is definitely real, but in the next shot, Peter suddenly has to look over his shoulder to see her. Also, the fact that we don’t see “maybe” come out of her mouth makes me seriously doubt she said it (at least in this moment)…
I don’t think Hannah would seriously consider this, which is why I doubt she’d respond with a semi-encouraging “maybe”. My sister and I discussed this and agreed it’s (unfortunately) highly unlikely Hannah would return, given it’s pretty unheard of for a former lead to “demote” herself by going on another season as a contestant. This led to a pretty funny rundown on which were the biggest “demotions” in Bachelor history. We established the runner-up to be Jake Pavelka on Bachelor Pad , and the winner to be Ben Higgins on Winter Games. (Did we miss any? Let me know!👇🏼)
Finally, Hannah reminds us why she’s an all-time favorite by tearing back the 4th wall for the gazillionth time. We’ve always been led to believe that the new Bachelor or Bachelorette is completely over their heartbreak, that they were crowned the new lead for being ready and available and highly eligible—NOT that they became ready and available and highly eligible in order to become the lead. But what Hannah is basically admitting here…
… is something we’ve always known but have never been able to prove: contestants can and do want to be the lead, they do gun for it, and do behave in certain ways to achieve that goal. Case in point, Hannah is right to defend herself when Peter asks why she didn’t ask him out over Tyler, why she didn’t reach out. It was an entirely reasonable assumption that Peter would be intentionally remaining as single as humanly possible in the interest of not messing up his chances at Bachelor. He would be like 99% of leads in doing so. It’s also easy for him to say, in retrospect and now that he’s starring on his own season, that he would have wanted to hear from her. But when faced with the mere possibility of a relationship with Hannah, who had already hurt him and deemed him her third choice on national television, versus the guarantee of being the star of his own season… I’m not so sure he would have chosen her, to be honest.
The entire conversation caught on camera, in my humble opinion, reeks of production (not that I’m complaining). People on this show continue to confide in and trust their producers long after filming, and it just seems too convenient and too perfect that, in this hyper-connected world and given their history, these two would somehow have remained two ships in the night. I’m not saying they were expressly told to do (or not do) anything, but there’s no way the power of suggestion didn’t pave the way for this scene.
That’s it for the premiere! Let me know your observations in the comments below.
As always, my frontrunners based on Night One can be found over at Flare.
THE FASHION
Requests
Victoria P’s Wild Fable sweater sells HERE.
Victoria P’s exact Forever 21 leggings are sold out but there’s near-identical model by the same brand HERE.
Mykenna’s Princess Polly “Clove” bodysuit sells HERE.
The following is an Instagram post request…
I’m not sure how practical this is but it’s just COOL and unique and I love the cutout/layered-like details. Hannah Ann’s Maaji “Crush Onyx” one shoulder sports bra sells HERE. There’s a great look-for-less selling HERE.
The following two are also Honorable Mentions that I consider to be tragedies because both would be WAY better had the ladies’ hair been worn up. Exhibit A, Jasmine…
It’s not so much that I LOVE this dress (I kind of feel like it’s wearing her, not the other way around) but rather I admire the choice. It’s very red carpet glam (it would legit be at home at any awards show) and makes a bold statement while still being a black gown. However, the fact that Jasmine wore her hair down here borders on upsetting to me. The shoulders are the whole point of this dress (NOT the plunge neckline), so to obscure them with long (black!) hair is a fashion crime, no matter how beautiful her hair is. (In case you’re wondering, I would have worn a low-do—think a low chignon—a statement but not huge earring, and a some sort of a barely-there, simple body chain down the front.) Jasmine’s Alamour The Label “Elanur” gown sells HERE.
Exhibit B, Tammy…
This was such a beautifully feminine gown that COULD veer bridal but manages not to. I love the asymmetrical details and how it complements the dress instead of distracting or detracting. It’s simply a gorgeous dress. However, Tammy too committed the hair-down crime. The single strap detail is completely lost in her long hair...
A CRIME, I TELL YOU. Tammy’s Alamour The Label “Gabriela” gown sells HERE.
My second runner-up for Best Dressed is Madison with her 1-on-1 date dress…
Okay, so Madison could wear just about anything and look great, but this was a particularly “wow” look. In terms of color on her skin tone and fit on her body, there’s nothing more you could ask for in a cocktail dress. The earrings, too, jazzed things up while staying in good taste. Madison’s Katie May x Grace Kong dress sells (very on sale!) HERE. Her earrings were the most requested item of the week. They’re by Express and are sadly sold out (HERE), but there’s a pair selling on Tradesy (HERE). The best dupes I could find sell HERE and HERE.
Runner-up for Best Dressed is Alayah with her Night One look…
This dress set the bar VERY high for the night (she was first out of the limos) and few looks lived up to it. The material and color had an almost liquid effect and I couldn’t stop staring at the floaty train as she made her way into the mansion. (I may have rewinded just to watch it… yes, I am weird.) There were a lot of plunging necklines but this was the best executed, in my opinion. Very little puckering along the sides, no visible boob tape (something I’m kind of in awe of, given the slinkiness of the fabric)—it’s like it was made for her. Yes, I might have preferred at least a semi-updo, something slightly dressier to fit the formality of the dress, but I’m not offended by her hair down here. She looked like a modern day Disney Princess. Alayah’s Jessica Angel gown is the Style #385 (in Blush) and it sells HERE.
And… drumroll… my Best Dressed is Lauren with her power jumpsuit…
Oooooooh this is yummy fashion goodness! It’s bold, ballsy, and sexy while showing no skin whatsoever. The embellishments feel subdued, only adding interest and glam, not tackiness or distractions. The shoulder pads feel powerful (as opposed to costume-y, as is sometimes the case) and I love the high crew neckline, how covered up it all is. The very best part… you know what’s coming… is that she WORE HER HAIR UP! It says a lot about her taste that she not only wore this jumpsuit, but that she wore it without the accompanying belt (it doesn’t need it—click the link below to see it with the belt), and that she knew a ponytail would work best. (It seriously works better than even an updo would.) There’s a red carpet Cat Woman vibe to this that I LOVE and I cannot wait to see what else Lauren packed in her suitcases.
Lauren’s Nadine Merabi “Bella Black” embellished jumpsuit sells HERE. The best look-for-less I could find sells HERE.
Worst Dressed
My Worst Dressed is Courtney with her sequined number…
To me this is the perfect example of a dress having too much going on. I can handle sequins done tastefully, but not as a busy pattern on a super strappy, tie-up gown and with cleavage. This dress is way too prom-y for my tastes, and the words “sophisticated”, “elegant”, or “understated” unfortunately do not come to mind when you see it. In my opinion, if you’re going to do sequins, go slick (NOT princess-y) and play down everything else. Same goes for straps or busy patterns. I’m not saying Courtney doesn’t look good, but that’s because she’s gorgeous, not because this distracting dress is doing her any favors. Sorry, Courtney!
PS—If you disagree with me and love this dress, you can find it HERE.
Until next week, fellow pandas!
