Episode 2
I just want to mention something about fashion requests: In your email, please specify where/when the item you’re requesting was worn! Eg. “Suzy’s hoop earrings from the first Group Date”, not just “Suzy’s hoop earrings”. This will vastly increase the chances of having me successfully ID your request. Thank you!
And now, let's recap...
LAST WEEK, CONT’D
Episode 2 picks up with the rest of Peter’s conversation with Hannah, and by conversation I mean a whole lot of fervent embracing, head and hair caressing, back stroking whilst gazing into each other’s eyes, and obvious near-kissing. In a nutshell, it was about 10 minutes’ worth of this…
… which gives us no pause whatsoever about Peter still “dating” 20 or so other women in the search for a future wife. The cleanest of slates, the most concluded of closures. (I spoke my mind about this over at Flare and will resist repeating myself.)
After Peter cancels on his Group Date, there’s an exchange between Sydney and Natasha that I deemed .GIF-worthy. Sydney vents about how SHE is ready to move forward and is ready to show Peter that yet. Natasha hits the nail on the head with her response…
THIS. IS. IT. A lot of viewers might’ve watched this Group Date and assumed the women’s frustration was due to missing out on time with Peter, but there’s more to it than that. It’s not just about being single and looking. It’s about MONTHS of anticipation, the countless hours of conversation with casting and producers and friends and family. They’ve gone into this with a world of expectations (even if they’re the expectation-managing type, like myself) and at this point have been cooped up for about a week, first in a hotel room for days, then in the mansion for days. It’s the sheer BUILD-UP to this Group Date, for those measly minutes with Peter. It’s about seeing through the whole purpose in their being there, to simply experience the thing they signed a (terrifying) 30-page contract to experience. This alone would make a semi-cancelled Group Date frustrating as hell.
I have to say, I LOVE Natasha. She’s both the comic relief and the voice of reason of the season (usually two separate women play those parts). She’s smart, sassy, says it like it is, yet with likability and charisma. I appreciated how pissed she was at all this, but most importantly how she TOLD PETER TO HIS FACE she was upset. She doesn’t act one way in her ITMs or with the women but then later kiss Peter’s ass in his presence.
ROSE CEREMONY COCKTAIL PARTY / CHAMPAGNE-GATE
There is a lot to unpack with this godforsaken champagne situation. First, in setting up what’s even happening, we see Kelsey in a Girl Chat with Kiarra, Deandra, Alayah, and Tammy. After this clip, Kelsey is shown setting up the champagne and going to get her time with Peter. In my notes I originally had this marked as a .GIF to show the support between the women…
… something I’ve felt has been more and more shown over the last couple of seasons. Even 5 years ago, I don’t think you’d hear one women tell another women how “excited” she is for her in sharing a special moment with the Bachelor. The show is smart to have gotten with the program since we don’t need to be force-fed rivalries; we all know the best and most reliable love stories to come out of this franchise tend to be friendships.
Anyhow, file the above clip away for later.
Kelsey goes off to get her champagne moment with Peter. Two of the women with whom she was seen speaking, Kiarra and Tammy, root for her. But notice the shot of Mykenna “stealing” Peter away—Tammy is barely visible but clearly behind Mykenna…
That was some obviously sloppy editing. We all knew Mykenna’s “steal” felt a bit off. In fact, I am 100% sure Mykenna taking Peter was actually from when Peter first arrived that evening and she handed him a drink, from a different moment in the evening altogether…
So right away, there’s a bunch of out-of-order editing. Obviously Kelsey must have felt jilted by Mykenna enough to later say something, so I do believe that Mykenna took time with Peter when Kelsey wanted (or was expecting to be given) it. I wonder if she was just annoyed that Mykenna had taken him first (wouldn’t be the first time people were pissed about this), OR if there was actually another time Mykenna stole him that evening but it wasn’t captured well on camera and therefore not fleshed out. I happen to personally think Kelsey had set up her champagne BEFORE Peter even arrived, and she was possibly encouraged to then take Peter first, making Mykenna’s “steal” as bothersome as it was.
At any rate, we get a GREAT reaction from Tammy when Kelsey calls Mykenna’s excuse BS to her face…
I kind of don’t agree with either party here. I do appreciate that Mykenna backs off and doesn’t try to escalate things, but her reasoning was a little weak, bordering on insulting. She says one thing but then contradicts herself in the course of one sentence (it was a “last minute” thing, yet it was also “something planned”) and I think it would have gone over better if she’d just owned her actions and been no-nonsense in her defense. But I also feel like Kelsey is too quick to point fingers at other women for not following the rules and not immediately blaming the very producers who gave her an ice bucket and blanket for her champagne setup.
Another funny observation: Notice the whipping cream and syrup in the above .GIF. It would appear Mykenna’s “something planned” involved pancakes or something…
… yet with the time suck that was Champagne-gate, it was never shown.
Kelsey “returns” from setting up her champagne, but I’m pretty darn sure this is when she first sat in this arrangement. The odds of all four women, in this order, being sat at one of MANY seating areas like this are just too slim. So the above clip of her with the women was taken from this moment, AFTER she had already set up her champagne (supporting my theory that Kelsey set it up before the evening began, despite it being edited to seem mid-Cocktail Party). But out-of-order editing isn’t that big a deal (we know it happens all the time); the main purpose in me capturing the following clip was Kelsey’s response to the women’s questions…
This is classic appeasing by producers. Notice how she’s “all good” despite missing out on time (Mykenna) and still not having had it. A producer told Kelsey to wait for a promised time slot (I was told this MANY times—no 1-on-1 time is unscheduled, which makes “stealing” all more producer-influenced), and she was cool with that. So imagine the certainty that her expectations will be met (literally, she’s been TOLD she WILL have that time), versus what ends up happening.
Champagne-gate bothered me in that some people actually seem to believe Hannah Ann intentionally stole Kelsey’s bubbly. Obviously there’s major friction between these women and I would love to know more about why Kelsey is so hell-bent that Hannah Ann KNEW what she was doing, especially in the face of so much evidence that the whole thing was producer-planted. (As I said over at Flare, Kelsey would’ve needed an example or two as to why she distrusts Hannah Ann so much, meanwhile, pettily calling her a “pretty princess” only worked against her argument.)
In short, based on what we were shown, I’m #TeamHannahAnn. Look, I’m no Hannah Ann loyalist but it’s OBVIOUS she didn’t do this on purpose and to prove it, I’ve drawn up a (terrible) diagram of this part of the mansion grounds…
The blue dot is Kelsey (talking with the 4 women), and the green dot is Hannah Ann, embarking on her producer-arranged time with Peter. A is where Kelsey’s champagne is, and B is the producer-planted champagne. Based on where Hannah Ann and Peter were and the direction in which they were headed, OF COURSE they would hit Kelsey’s champagne setup first.
Also note how hilariously placed champagne B is. Like, it’s not at the entrance to the gazebo or noticeable at all, really. It’s towards the back, hidden enough that Kelsey would later BUMP INTO IT WITHOUT NOTICING IT. How Hannah Ann was supposed to find that on her own from where she started is beyond me.
Another thing worth noting is Hannah Ann’s wording of how the idea for champagne came about. As I said above, no 1-on-1 time with Peter is had without first discussing it with a producer: what you’ll do, what you’ll talk about. With that in mind, notice the clear difference between “I was literally like” and “It was literally like”…
It’s clear it was a producer’s suggestion that she have champagne with Peter, and they sent her off in the direction where she would OBVIOUSLY encounter Kelsey’s fireplace champagne first and assume it was set up for her.
I hate to give Champagne-gate any more airtime than it’s already gotten, so I’ll close with the moment Kelsey SHOULD HAVE KNOWN what was up, with her (amazing) Direct-Look-Into-Camera™ (first of the season!)…
I mean, this moment really sums it all up. She’s been encouraged to share her special champagne with Peter, to set it up as an event with all the accoutrements, only to hear what is definitely someone else popping it open. This is the moment your foiled plans make you realize you’re a lab rat, not the moment you blame another lab rat for them.
GROUP DATE
The next day, as Madison reads the Group Date card, Lexi (who apparently has yet to go on a date) pinpoints where the true excitement of going on a date comes from…
I’m not downplaying the interest any of them have in Peter, but they are STIR CRAZY. What I find interesting is that this little quip was SHOWN—it really lines up with the overall non-crazy and non-desperate edits contestants get nowadays, versus the old days where their excitement was shown as sheer desperation to see the Bachelor.
It’s the season’s sponsored Group Date and the women are told to style outfits using Revolve clothes and to strut down a runway in them. Victoria F proceeds to freak out about this, but what got me was her producer’s reasoning as to why this date activity makes sense…
Ok, can I just say, this is SUCH utter mumbo jumbo and it really brings me back to that time of (oftentimes nonsensical) producer rationalizations. (Including but not limited to “going after what you want”, “living in the moment”, and “making the most of this experience”—I’ve already shared one that really stayed with me, also involving a comfort zone, obviously.) The producer is coaxing Victoria F into just going for it, explaining why this is conducive to pursuing a relationship with Peter, when IT LITERALLY MAKES NO SENSE. How the hell could you show someone you’re interested in the side of yourself you want them to see if YOU ARE OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE and therefore not in full control? At best, you’re a little uncomfortable and at worst, you’re literally at your worst. I get trying new things and putting yourself out there and being adventurous (aka, every bungee-jumping date in this franchise’s history), but there is no world in which being made to walk down a runway in front of an audience shows a man a side of you you want him to see, unless you’re a) an actual runway model and this represents what you do for a living, b) really confident in an onstage setting and feel your best doing it, or c) scantily clad (DING DING DING)
It looks like c) worked out for Victoria F, because Peter HELLA NOTICED…
I’m not going to lie, I laughed SO hard at the above line. I rewatched it so many times that it EARNED its way to becoming a .GIF. What gets me is how seriously Peter refers to “her walk”, like it’s this important, consequential thing. It reminds me of the days when I used to watch America’s Next Top Model and contestants’ “walks” were spoken about with such seriousness, with reactions ranging from disgust to reverence, as though a model’s walk could very well save the world.
What got me about this conversation—a conversation that was obviously supposed to be feel-good and validating for Victoria F—was that, at the heart of it, Victoria F only really felt “noticed” by Peter after she 1) did something that made her panic with anxiety and discomfort, and 2) wore lingerie on a stage. Like, am I sounding like an old-fashioned prude, or is neither #1 or #2 the way one should WANT to get noticed…?
I don’t know what bugs me more: what a giant step back it is that a 25-year old woman (who, by the way, is a stunningly beautiful medical sales rep) to celebrate feeling noticed by a man for the way she displayed herself on a conveyer belt of women, OR, how the above VALIDATES the aforementioned producer mumbo jumbo. They’re equally annoying.
I get that this was a moment for Victoria F and I don’t want to lessen how good it probably felt to go from feeling invisible to visible. She’s an innocent player in a messed up game, but it just irks me how she was made to do things she wasn’t totally comfortable doing and then made to feel like the gains (feeling noticed, winning in the runway show) were because of that.
I feel like we’re all getting an idea of Victoria F’s overriding arc. Her Night One showing involved feeling invisible, her first words to Peter having been completely forgotten by him. She was seen crying in the mansion and then again in an ITM where she described the other women—her competition—as, “so pretty, so pretty”. Week 2, she’s struggling with insecurities, feeling like she’s not enough and has to compensate to stand out. I gather that in the long run, Victoria F’s story might be that this formerly insecure woman found strength and confidence throughout the experience. We’ll see if I’m right.
Let me be clear: I really LIKE Victoria F. Like, she’s a legit favorite of mine. I relate to her because I too would not want to walk down a runway in front of an audience. I relate to looking at the women around you on Night One and being in awe of how jaw-droppingly beautiful they all are. I LOVE how open she is about her general discomfort, how she whispers because it feels more private (I too was a whisperer!), and how she literally shields her face from the camera…
I’ve got to say, I dug how Peter handled this. He read the situation and took it upon himself to whisk Victoria F to a quiet corner where a camera wouldn’t be a foot from her face. Sure, they were mic’ed, but you’d be amazed the difference that bit of distance can make. I thought he handled this impending meltdown really well, telling her he recognized how she’s different and how it only makes him more interested, not less. So yeah, lingerie-clad runway walk aside, there was a happy ending here.
Finally, before Hannah Ann vs Kelsey II, there’s an editing flub that I wanted to point out. Kelsey says in her ITM that there have been two nights where she hasn’t cried, yet in the next voiceover (the text in parentheses) she contradicts herself …
Needless to say, the voiceover is frankenbitten to death. I just thought it was interesting how there’s always such an emphasis on everything sounding like it was so recent (the big one: how, upon moving into the mansion, everyone refers to Night One as “last night” even though it was two nights prior), so much so that the editors must’ve been on “last night” autopilot and flubbed the very point that was being made: That Kelsey had finally reached this point of happiness and contentment, just in time to have the rug pulled out from under her by Hannah Ann. The rug pull isn’t as jarring if she was crying “last night”.
That’s it for Episode 2! Let me know your observations in the comments below.
As always, my frontrunners based on this episode can be found over at Flare.
THE FASHION
Requests
Mykenna’s Lulus jumpsuit sells (super on sale!) HERE.
Mykenna’s Showpo “Mystery Lover” romper sells HERE.
Mykenna’s Lovers + Friends “Amy” mini dress sells HERE.
It’s just a very sweet, feminine ensemble. I happen to be a polka dot fanatic, and I love how she styled it with casual sneakers. Just a cute look, top to bottom. Victoria F’s Privacy Please “May” mini dress is sold out (HERE) but there’s a preowned S selling HERE. There’s also a great alternative (and major look-for-less) HERE.
From the Revolve show…
It’s not so much that I love this ensemble and would wear it as is, but I really RESPECT Natasha's unique personal style and how she whipped this up in the same time it took other ladies to pick out sequined mini dresses. I like Revolve and do shop there, but there is sometimes the tendency for a lot of young women who are all wearing Revolve to look kind of… um, the same? I’ve done the Revolve week thing here in NYC and know they limit what you can select for gifting (it’s usually certain brands that want to push for exposure), so this makes me respect all the more that Natasha could look so unique and represent her funky style given the fact that there were probably some limitations. (Aka, they were limited to a showroom—I doubt they had the entire site to shop from.) Natasha’s Understated Leather “Jackson” coat sells HERE, but since it’s on the pricey side, there’s a great look-for-WAY-less HERE (I’m usually hesitant to link out sites like Shein but I figure 722 reviews can’t be wrong). Her Lovers + Friends “Zeal” shorts sell HERE (excellent looks-for-less HERE and HERE). Her h:ours “Daiquiri” bralette is sold out (HERE).
My runner-up for Best Dressed is Kelsey with her jumpsuit…
When Kelsey first showed up in this jumpsuit, I wrote in my notes, “WOW”. It’s a shame the legacy of this jumpsuit shall be asinine drama that was Champagne-gate. I love the tuxedo-y feel and how (especially with the sort of geometric neckline detail) it has a powerful, almost masculine vibe yet is still undeniably sexy. I didn’t even mind her hair down because it felt slick and formal and intentional. Kelsey’s Black Halo “Lena” jumpsuit (her color is Champagne! Ha!) sells HERE but since it’s still full price and pretty pricey, it’s worth linking out wallet-friendlier options (HERE). The best look-for-less I could find with a similar geometric neckline detail sells HERE.
This week’s Best Dressed is… drumroll…
Alayah with her Rose Ceremony outfit! Gosh, I just loved this. First, I love velvet, especially in an interesting color, which this plummy, berry-ish pink certainly is. I dig the gathered knot detail (though we didn’t see much of it on the episode) and LOVE how she wore a coordinated blazer to sit outside where it tends to get chilly at night. (Now that is foresight!) The earrings are fun and make a statement, and best of all—that FABULOUS formal bun to seal the deal. This was a major win, and Alayah’s officially the one to watch in the Best Dressed section.
So it turns out Alayah’s Cinq à Sept velvet “Ryder” dress was made famous by Amal Clooney who wore it on a date with George. It’s sold out on most regular sites but can be found in a size S HERE (solid deal), and in various colors and sizes HERE. (The Black is also SUPER on sale HERE!) Her matching velvet “Renault” blazer is sadly sold out (HERE). Her Canela earrings aren’t available on their site (HERE) but I found a decent dupe HERE.
Worst Dressed
I actually thought twice about including this week’s Worst Dressed because I feel kind of bad about it. However, the fashion section is and never has been a personal thing and it’s just my personal, humble opinion…
I was legitimately upset when I saw Courtney appear in this dress. I was hoping her Night One gown was just a one-off, that she got carried away, but this dress is… not great. It’s like an ill-fitting pageant gown-meets-figure skating costume-meets-Black Swan hybrid. It really does feel like black feathered wings have been artfully placed on her boobs, along with some sparkly embellishments for good measure, giving it a distinctly costume-y vibe. PLUS, the fit is really strange on the sides (are those stray feathers?), making her appear wider than she is. Finally, while I don’t mind a sheer overlay on the right dress, it really just feels like too much here. I think it’s French lace? Or some other pattern? Regardless, it’s a pattern PLUS sheer overlay PLUS embellishments PLUS wing boob covers PLUS a plunging neckline with cleavage. It’s simply too much. What kills me is she is SO BEAUTIFUL and has a killer bod—I just wish she’d wear a dress that doesn’t distract us by wearing her. Sorry, Courtney! :(
Until next week, fellow pandas!
