The Bachelor Recap: Ice Baths, Sleigh Rides, and a Conspiracy Theory

*Warning: This post contains spoilers from the recent episode of The Bachelor, so if you haven’t seen it, stop reading.*

Last week’s episode of The Bachelor was a shortened one, only featuring Raven’s fantasy suite date. This week, however, promises to show both Rachel and Vanessa’s fantasy suite episode in Finland, which will be especially interesting, given that we know the fate of Nick and Rachel’s relationship. We’ll see what happens!

THE END OF RAVEN AND NICK’S DATE

The episode started at the end of Nick and Raven’s fantasy suite date, with the two kissing goodbye. Raven said, “I will say, Nick is pretty good at what he does, so I’m pretty satisfied,” which we can only take to mean that the two were physical and that Raven, indeed, experienced an *intimate first* — especially given the super cute montage the editors gave her the morning after.

Aww, Raven! Seriously, so happy for her. That’s so important.

RACHEL AND NICK’S DATE

Nick and Rachel met up and set off on skis to a little log cabin, and she shared her fears about vulnerability with the viewers before sharing them with Nick. She then said that the number one feeling driving her was a feeling of fear, specifically of rejection, which TBH is not a great feeling at this point in the game, and is pretty telling. I’m starting to wonder if maybe what happens is she rejects him, though, because he still seems very into her. The two of them walked outside and saw a sleigh hooked up to some reindeer, which they made out in, because of course.

The two met up again (with Rachel wearing a crop top in below-freezing weather) and Nick bumbled his way through a toast (is he already drunk?). They tiptoed around the “love” conversation, with her asking, “Do you know where you stand with me?” and him answering, “Not quite.” It only got more convoluted from there, with him vaguely urging her to tell him she loved him, including the fabulous line, “If you were to check your ego at the door, what would your heart say,” to which she responded, “that I’m falling in love with you,” after which she burst into laughter and then they kissed. However, he then told her, “Rachel, I am falling for you, 100 percent,” which is more than he’s told any of the other women, which again begs the question — what’s going to happen between these two?!

They then opened the fantasy suite card and, duh, decided to spend the night together. In the morning, the two cuddled and seemed super happy together. They made breakfast and discussed their future, and Rachel said she was “all in” and confident.

VANESSA AND NICK’S DATE

Vanessa was super eager to see Nick after her hometown date was less stellar than planned. (Side note: Can any of these women see Nick without jumping on him like tiny children? I’ve never done that with a partner in my life, am I missing something?) Anyway, though it was literally snowing, their date involved an ice bath for some depraved reason. They wore matching shiny blue bathing suits and beanies to jump in freezing cold water (which they had to walk to barefoot on snow), before walking back to a sauna. They then REPEATED THIS over and over.

Literally no date sounds worse, but Vanessa actually seemed to love it once they started. They both said things about how the two of them could get through anything together, and how it bodes well for a future together — TBH, I hate when contestants take dates like this and make a big deal out of it, like it means something in the grand scheme of life. Just because you can sky dive together or do an obstacle course, it doesn’t mean you’ll survive being laid off from your job or having a miscarriage. But whatever, the two connected… for a minute.

Then, they started talking about the idea of being traditional, and Nick called Vanessa’s family “traditional” and said he was nervous about it. She said she didn’t see herself compromising on her core values, and Nick said, “interesting.” She included in this her “Sunday tradition,” which again seemed to make Nick unhappy, though he chalked it up to them being “too similar.” It was a very confusing conversation! He seemed to think they were very different, and be annoyed by that, but then he said they were too similar… I don’t get it, but they ended up cuddling in the hot tub in the end, so maybe the editing just made it look like a bigger deal than it was.

Later, presumably after thawing out and taking showers, they cozied up in a cabin by a fire and Vanessa brought up the question of “being traditional” again, and also of moving. Nick said he would likely not move to Canada because he was “very proud to be an American,” and Vanessa is “proud to be a Canadian,” so that’s not really settled yet. It really feels like both of them is saying during this whole conversation, “Compromise is very important… but you should be the one to do it.”

Then, Vanessa dropped the love bomb, and Nick told the camera that while it was an amazing feeling, he was worried their relationship might have the potential to have more conflict. He said he also thought it had the potential to be incredibly passionate — he sounds very conflicted, and certainly not ready to make any decisions about her. Either way, the two headed off to the fantasy suite together.

THE ROSE CEREMONY

Before the rose ceremony, the women all reflected on how far they’ve come with Nick. At this point, they’ve all told Nick they love him, and this is the last step before they’d meet his parents and potentially become engaged. They were all visibly nervous (and freezing) walking up to the rose ceremony. Nick addressed them with a lump in his throat, and he obviously didn’t want to let any of them go — but y’know, he can’t have three wives!

The first rose went to Raven, and she immediately accepted it. Then, finally the second rose went to Vanessa, sending Rachel home at long last. She sat down on a couch with him and seemed unsure what to say, but handled herself with grace. Nick weirdly said, “Selfishly, I hope this won’t be goodbye forever.” What does THAT mean? He gave no indication of why he let her go, and she was the only one he actually gave any statement of love back to during the season. Conspiracy theory time: I think the producers wanted him to let her go to be the next Bachelorette, and he did, and now he’s hoping they’ll somehow date in the future when neither of their seasons work out. (I know: I’m out of my mind, but crazier things have happened — have you seen UnReal?!)

Rachel’s goodbye and limo ride was tearful and heartbreaking, but it’s good to know that she’s the next Bachelorette and that they’re working hard to find a plethora of suitors for her, because she really deserves a chance at (manufactured) love. I’m glad she’s back on top, if just for now.

THE FINALE

The finale is fast approaching, and to be quite honest, I have no idea who Nick will choose. Raven was a dark horse this season, and this whole Vanessa thing is super confusing. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens next week!

Who do you think Nick will pick next week? Let us know @BritandCo!

(Photo via Laura Cavanaugh/FilmMagic)

No matter what kind of day you're having, Marissa Cooper's having a worse one. Mischa Barton's The O.C. character went through the ringer during the first three seasons of the teen drama (remember how she overdosed in Tijuana...and also saw her parents post-hookup after their divorce?).

And during her time on The O.C., Mischa Barton struggled with drug and alcohol abuse. She was arrested for a DUI in 2007 and eventually received involuntary psychiatric hospitalization in 2009 after allegedly threatening to end her own life. And in a new interview, Peter Gallagher (who played Sandy Cohen on the show) says he's "just so grateful" for "the fact that she’s still alive."

  • Mischa Barton starred alongside Peter Gallagher in The O.C. from 2003-2006.
  • The actress has revealed the "trauma" of being a star at that point in her life.
  • Peter recently opened up about how he's thankful "she’s still alive."


Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for FLC/John Lamparski/Getty Images

The O.C. follows Ryan Atwood, who moves in with the Cohens after getting kicked out of his mom's house, and starts a relationship with Marissa shortly after. While Peter Gallagher played Adam Brody's TV dad instead of Mischa's, Sandy was a definitely father figure for Marissa, and it seems like Peter felt that same responsibility off camera.

"I’ve always felt very protective of her," Peter told The Independent. "First fame is toxic. First fame can kill you. She was 16 years old when she started working with us, so just the fact that she’s still alive, I’m just so grateful."

“You can go to therapy every day for the rest of your life,” Mischa said in a 2023 interview with The Sunday Times. “There’s just a certain amount of trauma [from] all that I went through, particularly in my early twenties, that just doesn’t go away overnight.”

Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage revealed that season 1 overdose not only served as a cliffhanger, but gave “network executives an escape hatch on a performer they had been wary about” (via People). But Mischa Barton got her big break, becoming "how people knew the show," and (thankfully) Marissa recovered — only to die after a car crash in season 3.

As hard as that season 3 ending is to watch, Mischa did have the opportunity to watch it with Rachel Bilson and Melinda Clarke for the first time on their rewatch podcast. "It needed to be a thing, after everything she's been through, but if it's here I'll watch it with you," Mischa says.

"I couldn't do it, Mischa, I couldn't do it," Rachel adds. "But I'm going to do it if you're going to do it."

Mischa says even though being written off the show "was a little bit of a bummer," it wasn't necessarily a surprise. "The character was just doing too much," she told Vanity Fairin 2023. "And I think they ran out of places for her to go. It was not the best thing in the world, [but] there wasn’t much you could do at that point. It was whether she could sail off into the sunset, or die. At that point, I guess it’s better to have the more dramatic ending.”
What did you think of The O.C. season 3 finale? Let us know on Facebook!

Former Disney Channel star Dylan Sprouse and model Barbara Palvin are certainly living the sweet life after tying the knot in Palvin's native Hungary. The couple, who have been together for nearly five years, have always been pretty low-key — except for the occasional and undeniably adorable Instagram post (and a stunning wedding!). We are simply ~obsessed~ with this celebrity couple, especially after they pulled out all the stops for their couple's Halloween costume. Keep scrolling to see some of their best moments :').

See Dylan Sprouse & Barbara Palvin's Halloween Couple's Costume!

For Halloween Dylan Sprouse and Barbara Palvin stunned as the Phantom and Christine from Phantom of the Opera. Dylan wore a mask and a black cape, while Barbara wore a beautiful white dress. While the costume is obviously a nod to the musical, it also totally reminds us of their day as bride and groom.

"In Sleep He Sang to Me," Barbara said in a post, quoting the musical's titular number. "@dylansprouse my forever Phantom."

Who did Dylan Sprouse marry?

www.instagram.com

On the couple's wedding day (July 15, 2023), Barbara wore a Vivienne Westwood wedding gown to celebrate her Hungarian nuptials, bringing together their nearest and dearest for an intimate(-ish) celebration. Barbara and Dylan tied the knot on her parent's property, which conveniently doubles as an event venue, with plans to host an larger wedding in California in the fall.

"This past weekend was supposed to be an intimate event, but we ended up having 115 guests in the end because there are a lot of people we care about, and we wanted them all to be there," Barbara told Vogue.

When did Dylan Sprouse and Barbara Palvin get engaged?

www.instagram.com

Barbara Palvin on Instagram: "♥️"

After months of speculation surrounding the couple's engagement, Dylan and Barbara confirmed their engagement in conversation with Sprouse's twin brother, actor Cole Sprouse, for V Magazine in June, sharing that they got engaged last September.

"We didn't necessarily feel the need to be fully transparent with the public about that aspect of our engagement," Dylan said. "What we wanted to do with Stephen [Gan, V editor-in-chief] and the V team is make something that was kind of tongue-in-cheek about the nature of private versus public. We're playing with the idea of perception."

Barbara noted that the lovebirds wanted to announce the news "on our time," adding, "When some people leaked the information that we got engaged, our PR team was like, 'Hey, so you guys should do maybe a post about it or talk to this magazine or talk to that magazine…' That really annoyed me because I knew we were building this story up. So, I'm very happy that we ended up doing it our way."

When did Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse start dating?

Sean Zanni / Stringer / Getty Images Entertainment

See Dylan Sprouse & Barbara Palvin's Dreamy Halloween Costume: "My Forever"

According to People, the couple met back in 2017 after a party when the Suite Life On Deck star slid into the model’s DMs (and as they say, the rest is history). The duo made their relationship Instagram official back in 2018 with Barbara’s sweet birthday tribute for Dylan’s 26th birthday.

Let’s be real here for a second though, we all knew they were endgame the minute Dylan went above and beyond to support Barbara at the Victoria Secret Fashion Show that same year (remember this viral video?). Three days after the fashion show, the Hungarian model told Vogue Australia that she hadn’t had a boyfriend in six years, but had now found “the perfect guy” in Dylan (we aren’t crying, you are).

How old are Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse?

Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images

Barbara Palvin was born on October 8, 1993, making her 31 years old. Dylan Sprouse was born on August 4, 1992, meaning he's 32 years old. So there's only a one-year age gap between them!

Stay up to date with all of Brit + Co's favorite celebrity relationships. Let us know your thoughts on Twitter!

This post has been updated.

2017's The Beguiled gave us one of the best groups of people of all time: Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Sofia Coppola, and Kirsten Dunst just to name a few. And we're finally getting an Elle and Nicole reunion thanks to Apple TV+! "THRILLED to bring @rufithorpe genius hysterical heart-wrenching heartwarming book to your TV screens alongside a dream group of people!" Elle says on Instagram. Rather than having to test the success of its pilot, the series has already been ordered — even though the book it's based on isn't even out yet! Here's everything you need to know about the series.

  • Dakota and Elle Fanning will produce the upcoming Apple TV+ show Margo's Got Money Troubles.
  • The series follows Margo, who signs up for OnlyFans after learning she's pregnant.
  • The cast includes Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Nick Offerman.

Who's in the Margo's Got Money Troubles cast?

Amy Sussman/Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Margo's Got Money Troubles Cast

We couldn't contain our excitement when we learned Margo's Got Money Troubles will star Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning, but knowing Michelle Pfeiffer is also joining the cast is too much to bear! This is the first time the actress will collaborate with her husband, TV creator David E. Kelley, so we can't wait to see the magic they'll create (via Deadline).

Nick Offerman from The Last of Us and Parks and Rec will also star.

When is Margo's Got Money Troubles coming out?

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Margo's Got Money Troubles Release Date

We don't have an official release date for Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's TV show yet. I'm thinking if the TV show is in the early stages of planning, we could see it in 2025! Check out all of this year's best New TV Shows to hold you over until then.

What is Margo's Got Money Troubles about?

Amazon

Margo's Got Money Troubles Plot

Margo Millet is the daughter of a Hooter's waitress named Shyanne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and an ex-wrestler (via Deadline). She's always had to make it on her own, even though she's not sure how. When she enrolls in her local junior college, she's totally unprepared to get swept up into a torrid love affair with her English professor — or to get pregnant.

Now at 20 years old, Margo needs an income and fast. She decides to experiment with OnlyFans and ends up taking some of her estranged father's advice from the world of wrestling to create a character users will fall in love with. You can order the book now!

What is Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's new TV show?

Tima Miroshnichenko/Pexels

Margo's Got Money Troubles is coming soon to Apple TV+ thanks to a bunch of different producers. A24 is backing the film, as well as Elle and Dakota Fanning’s production company Lewellen Pictures and Nicole Kidman’s Blossom Films, to name a few.

What else has Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman starred in?

Focus Features

Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman starred in 2017's The Beguiled. The movie follows John McBurney, an injured Union soldier, who winds up at a female Southern boarding school after deserting the Civil War. But soon, as the women help him, tensions turn to rivalries and friends turn to enemies.

Are you excited for Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's TV reunion? Let us know what other New TV Shows you're watching in the comments.

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This post has been updated.