Photo: Channel 10 via @ash_lee13
EPISODE 7
To kick off the episode, Jimmy rocks up to the mansion on a bike. The sound of the engine makes the women scream out of excitement - oh, the MANLINESS!
We were also introduced to Jimmy’s cousin and sister, who were tasked with grilling the girls in the mansion and getting intel to report back to the bachelor himself...This led to a couple of awkward confrontations, which we’ll get to later.
Underdog Lily
Lily then gets chosen to go on a surfing date, and surprise surprise she is pretty much perfect at it first go.
We know they have a connection, but this date convinced me she will land herself in the top three. She’s still 23 years old though, so I'm not so sure they would match up in the outside world.
Tense dinner dates
Jimmy’s sister tells us dinners in their family can get pretty confronting, and she must have foreshadowed dinner at the mansion that night. There were tears.
In the middle of the table sat an ‘honesty box’, which held anonymous questions from all of the women. Classic ploy from production to stir the pot.
Tatum, after some silent prodding from Steph, took aim at Holly. Tatum claimed she was standoffish and presented a different side to Jimmy than she did to the other girls. She seemed to keep having a stab, leading to Holly feeling the pressure and leaving the table to have a cry.
Pretty interesting act to call Holly out for the first time in front of Jimmy’s family.
Jimmy’s sister later tells him he doesn’t think Holly would be a good future partner because they are too similar in personality.
His cousin then hints Steph might be someone with dodgy intentions.
See ya later Steph…Or not.
Upon hearing this news, Jimmy decides to invite Steph to the bach pad for a one-on-one chat. In this situation, everyone would expect to see Steph packing her bags and waving goodbye to the mansion. But she stayed, walking right back into the cocktail ceremony. We still don’t even know what was said on the ‘date’ or why it was even a thing.
We were just confused.
Mixed emotions
The previews led us to believe someone was leaving at the cocktail party… and I personally thought it was Holly to start with, because of the shenanigans at dinner previously.
Maybe Jimmy agreed with his sister and thought while Holly was his type they just wouldn't be able to resolve conflict in the future?
WRONG.
After cracking it at the girls in the mansion, and having enough of the bitchy dynamics, Tatum says “CATCHYA GALS” and blows the girls a kiss on her way out.
It surprised me, and obviously surprised the other women who tried chasing after her with gasps the size of luna park.
It was a chaotic rose ceremony… we’re getting close to the tail end, folks!
Holly and Steph were left waiting until the end for their roses, complimented by voiceover pitting them against each other (because we need more of that on mainstream television, right?)
Alas, it was Stevie who loved us and left us.
EPISODE 8
A mad dash to get this Bachie Flight landed has Channel Ten plonking two episodes one after the other, and gosh it’s going to be a long night.
With promises of a Jimmy favourite leaving, the Bachelor did not disappoint when the front runner of the show - as confessed by Jimmy - was in fact Brooke.
Having to leave due to a passing relative, we can only hope Jimmy wasn’t her penguin. (Look up Penguins and true love... GOALS!).
When in doubt, combine all your date ideas into one and hope she likes something
It’s one-on-one time for the ever so radiant, pure sunshine of a person, Carlie. I am not sure there would be many people who would love the thought of zip-lining down a building, but Carlie sure does.
“This is fun… fun… awesome…” Gosh, I am glad someone enjoys Jimmy’s constant obsession with flying.
The date takes a swift turn to a 1920’s themed rooftop dinner, creating a champagne fountain, some hula hoop entertainment, hula hoop lessons and a real deep chat about moving in together... It’s a lot of just everything.
Scholar, Jocks and Beauty Queens unite
Nothing like the thought of a highschool sweetheart to have your heart fluttering. But like all high school dramas, there tends to be a bully and I’m giving this title to Stephanie.
Holly decides to sit behind Jimmy and casually sit back in her chair with her legs on the desk.
A “no no” for Steph who clearly doesn’t realise they are not actually back at school.
There was a debate on if love at first sight exists and some dodgeball.
Debate Queen Laura won the first alone time and scored the one-on-one date rose. Then self-confessed “funny girl” Sierah scores the second, only to have no idea what to talk about with Jimmy after exhausting every adjective to describe how amazing she finds herself. Tonight we saw ‘too much gas’, with Sierah thrown out of the plane. But in true-Sierah-fashion she ends with a bitter rant about how Jimmy doesn’t deserve a “tall, horny bogan”...
CONNECTING FLIGHT
I’m not sure if it’s because of the bad ratings and the mad dash to get this show land before it’s cut, but Channel Ten decided tonight was the night for a long-haul flight. Finding herself “in Italy” (not the real deal - budget‘s low) Jimmy takes Laura on an Italian-themed pasta date. And it was… awkward.
Laura scores a rose and lunges for a kiss, only to have Jimmy turn his head so quickly I thought a producer had uttered the word Pilot (....“I’m a Pilot,” Jimmy swiftly adds). The poor girl was mortified, Jimmy was mortified, I was mortified, the crickets were mortified… and my heart just ached for her.
Monster-In-Law, Rumour Has It, Snakes on a Plane...oh and an Emergency Exit
Jimmy takes all the girl’s mothers speed dating and everything is so smooth sailing that one could be fooled into thinking they were intruders… PLOT TWIST!!
Jimmy then questions new frontrunner Jay at the Bach-Pad about if she really wants kids after hearing a “rumour”.
Everyone knows it has Steph’s name written ALL OVER IT. But she “hand on heart” promises she didn’t say it, even though the evidence is on national TV. It’s times like this I wish Australia did Bachelor reunions to expose the lies.
Rebekah then took Jimmy aside mid-way through the rose ceremony, asking to just send her home without the traditional ceremony.
The poor darling knew she was not going to receive a rose. It makes me mad to see a sweet girl leaving before Pilot-hating, ‘throw everyone under the bus’ Stephanie. But here’s to hoping all comes out next week.