The Bachelor Recap: Send-Offs and Second-Guessing

Rosemary Donahue
Feb 07, 2017

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

Last week’s episode of The Bachelor ended with the showdown of the century season between Corinne and Taylor, and it was obvious we hadn’t seen the last of it in the previews. Before everything went black, we saw Taylor coming out of the darkness rather than heading home as she was supposed to. Let’s catch up with the group and see where things are now…

THE AFTERMATH OF LAST WEEK AND THE ROSE CEREMONY

Taylor crashed Nick and Corinne’s date, and our flaxen-haired villain was obviously pissed — Nick didn’t seem to be too happy either, TBH, though he consented to go outside and talk to Taylor. She immediately told him that Corinne was a liar and that she’d lied about Taylor’s character earlier in the day, and she felt she’d been sent home unfairly. She told him to “open his eyeballs,” after which he said he respected her opinion but sent her back on her way. Nick told Corinne that what Taylor said wouldn’t affect anything going forward, and Corinne seemed more confident than ever. Nice try, Taylor!

They then moved right into the rose ceremony, continuing the non-traditional structure of this season. The women seemed especially nervous entering this ceremony, which was validated when Chris Harrison came with news that there wouldn’t be a cocktail party. That usually means that Nick doesn’t need any extra time with the women because he knows exactly what he wants to do, and the news sends anyone who hasn’t had much time with him that week into a blind panic — this week, most notably of which was Jasmine. The women with roses, of course, were feeling confident as ever.

Notable goodbyes were Josephine, a member of the peanut gallery; Alexis, our fave dolphin shark girl and Jaimi, the first openly LGBTQ Bachelor contestant. Now, it’s all women Nick calls “serious” contestants, including a few women who’ve made little to no impression on the audience so far. Astrid? Whitney? We hardly know ye.

TRAVELING TO ST. THOMAS AND A ONE-ON-ONE

Nick announced at the end of the rose ceremony that they’d be traveling to St. Thomas, and everyone cheered (even if they didn’t seem to know where it was). Upon arrival, he said he “loved island living,” perhaps referencing his Bachelor in Paradise days, though let’s hope this version of island life is a little bit different for Nick (though if his colorful shorts are any indication, we may be in for a rocky ride). Kristina was given the first one-on-one, and it started immediately with a ride on a TINY plane with water-landing capabilities. She was totally game, but back on the ground, Jasmine was not stoked that she wasn’t picked for the date and the other women comforted her. Side note: It’s always so strange to me how these women are able to be here for each other under these circumstances!

Kristina opened up to Nick about her family; she’s adopted and still has a sister back in Russia. He seemed very interested and wanted her to share more, but wasn’t pushy about it. It was a nice change to the usual Bachelor scenario where people either share too much too quickly to force a connection, or don’t share it all up front and the other person acts like they’re putting up walls. Nick acknowledged that it was normal for her to not tell him everything immediately, which was great.

Meanwhile, back at the house, a woman named Lorna showed up to basically fulfill all the women’s needs — and basically ended up just filling in for Corinne’s nanny back home, Raquel. Poor Lorna. Back on the date, Kristina and Nick sat down to “dinner” and Nick asked more about her family situation (so much for taking it slow), and she opened up about her early life in Russia. She told him a story he probably wasn’t expecting, about how her family never had food and she eventually ended up in an orphanage. After a few years, she was given the choice to leave her sister behind and come to America to start over with a new family, which she took — Nick was moved to tears by her story, and told her she was incredible. He immediately offered her the rose, and she accepted.

THE GROUP DATE

After the group date card was read and two women were left off, the women assumed that Danielle L. and Whitney would be on a two-on-one date and the tone immediately changed. Two-on-ones breed tension; there’s no getting around it. Anyway, the group date started with a game of beach volleyball, which was probably not a good choice for women who are already in a competitive mode.

Many of them stated their concerns off the bat, saying that they weren’t there to play volleyball or compete in a literal sense for his time before quitting the game to sit on the beach and, more or less, pout. Group dates are terrible, to be fair, and I’d have a really rough time with them. The last shot before a commercial break was a dramatic scene of Nick kicking at the waves in the ocean, and like, c’mon Nick. Rally and go talk to your girlfriends.

During the nighttime portion of the date, Nick immediately started talking to Rachel. Their conversations are super refreshing and honest, 90 percent of which I put on Rachel (#RachelForBachelorette). She told him exactly what she felt, and in an honest and communicative way. He received her feelings nicely and obviously wants her to be there; they left the conversation asking each other for honesty, and it was a real conversation a couple would have IRL. Many of the other women were similarly stressed out and felt like they needed reassurance, but Jasmine especially, seeing as she hasn’t had a one-on-one date yet. Back at the hotel, Whitney and Danielle L. were stressing out just as much over the prediction that their date is a two-on-one.

Pretty soon, Jasmine got time with Nick, and it devolved quickly. She talked about choking him multiple times, and actually put her hands on his throat, which was a clear sign it was time to go. While she said she wanted to do it out of frustration rather than necessarily violence, that’s still never something to joke about let alone actually mime, and he sent her home immediately — and I’m glad he did it. That was not okay. While she was clearly having a lot of feelings and was unable to get them out clearly in such a stressful situation, and that’s probably not something she’d do in a more normal situation, that’s also not an okay thing to do.

THE TWO-ON-ONE DATE

Danielle L. and Whitney met Nick for a helicopter ride, and Danielle had a lot of feelings right off the bat. This is understandable! She’s had a lot more time with him than Whitney, and it’s strange that he’s comparing the two of them in this way. Whitney got one-on-one time with him first, which is the most time we’ve seen of her on camera. He told her immediately that she’s “really beautiful” and has a calming aura, which explains why he’s kept her around even though they haven’t had much time.

Nick went right in with the hard questions for Danielle L., asking immediately what she asked herself when she thought about a future with him. She said that she could see herself bringing him home to her parents, to which he awkwardly left her alone and said, “Give me a second, I’ll be right back,” and went to break up with Whitney. She didn’t let him off the hook easily, and said that it was easy to say that when they hadn’t had that much time together. They hugged awkwardly on their beachfront cabana for about 10 seconds too long, and then Whitney took her helicopter home. During the dinner part of the date, Danielle L. compared falling in love to falling off of a cliff, which doesn’t really bode well for the rest of the relationship, so we’ll see.

Danielle gave Nick some pretty lackluster answers during dinner, however, that he didn’t seem to like, and his eyes got this glazed over look they get when he’s about to send someone home. When she finally told him she was falling in love with him, he fell completely silent and his face went red. I began to get the sense (along with the rest of the internet) that this two-on-one date would have no winners. He stayed silent while she giggled nervously, saying, “I’m so glad we’re on the same page,” as if she could speak it into existence. And what a shocker — he didn’t give her the rose, after all.

He was obviously very conflicted about it and didn’t want to hurt her (or make a mistake). His rationale was just that he didn’t feel it back and didn’t want to hurt her more in the future, which I respect. She thought he was making a mistake too, and her tearful limo ride home was hard to watch. She did wisely acknowledge that “you can’t make someone love you” while he ruminated on the fact that she had been someone he’d had a ton of excitement about just a few weeks ago and it had dwindled. Hey bud, maybe that’s the problem with the whole Bachelor setup in the first place! You can overanalyze everything, get infatuated with the experience over the people, and fall in love with the idea of love rather than the actual people/person — but hey, that’s part of the fun of watching.

THE END OF THE EPISODE

The episode ended with Nick walking into the hotel room to talk to the women, clearly reeling over the decisions he’d had to make during the night. He began to cry, telling them that the relationships with the women he’d sent home had “fallen flat” and that he was terrified it’d happen with the rest of them. He revealed that he wasn’t sure if he could keep going through the process before walking out. That seems incredibly irresponsible and strange to tell them all that and not let them respond or ask questions, but hey, that’s Nick for ya!

Keep watching to see what happens next week, which looks like a rollercoaster of tears, anxiety and probably a few weird sports-themed dates, because of course!

What did you think about Nick’s decisions this week? Let us know @BritandCo!

(Featured photo via Maarten de Boer /Getty)

Whoa, Ellen Pompeo Just Spilled On "Brutal" Body Image During 'Grey's Anatomy'

Ellen Pompeo just opened up about a shocking part of her early Grey's Anatomy years. Ellen joined the show, set at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, in 2005 as lead character Meredith Grey. She went on to inspire and empower viewers, and years later, Ellen just opened up about her own body image struggles and insecurities while playing the iconic character.

Here's what Ellen Pompeo said about the "brutal" commentary on her body during Grey's Anatomy.

Ellen Pompeo admits she "hated" her body when she was younger.

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When she was younger, Ellen Pompeo tells People, "I was so skinny and I hated it and everyone thought I had an eating disorder."

"It was a whole situation with how skinny I was, and there was so much negative attention," she continues. "Girls today can be gorgeous and thin and thank God we're not allowed to comment on women's bodies, even though people do. But I just had so much anxiety and lacked self-esteem because people were so critical of my physicality."

And those emotions got even stronger after she became a star, thanks to 2000s tabloids, which "would say horrible things," Ellen says. "I just remember being so anxious on red carpets, and the comments about my weight and my body. I'm so glad, maybe, hopefully things have changed, because it was much, much more brutal 20 years ago."

And she's not the only celebrity to get vulnerable.

Ellen Pompeo isn't the only celebrity to get honest. While on The Drew Barrymore Show, Pamela Anderson got real about her decision to go makeup-free, inspiring Drew to remove her makeup and throw her hair extensions on the ground — on live TV!

"It just hit me a couple of years ago, and I was like, you know, just shaking my head, going, ‘Who am I?’" Pamela said. "You know, and that’s when I went home into my garden and started planting things and getting into nature and going back to the trees that knew me since birth. I bought my grandmother’s property and renovated it, and I just started taking it all back. And then started peeking out without makeup. And then I started realizing, ‘Oh, I feel great as me.'"

Check out 35 Gorgeous Makeup-Free Celebrity Selfies — From Alicia Keys To Pamela Anderson for more inspiration.

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10 "Outdated" Relationship Rules You Should Ditch (But You're Probably Still Doing)

Like anything superoutdated, some relationship rules totally give us the ick — times 10! You'd think the progression of society would have led to their extinction, but they're still being touted as law among singles and couples alike. From pretending you're not excited to talk to someone to believing "happy" relationships are free from disagreements, we have 10 relationship rules that make us roll our eyes every time we hear them.

Stop letting these outdated relationship rules dictate your partnership:

Mizuno K

1. Being Afraid To Make The First Move

Have you ever been out with friends and saw someone who caught your eye? What about if they noticed you looking and smiled? It's the perfect scenario for a meet-cute, but only if one of you makes a move. In our honest opinion, this is your cue to be the first one to break the ice because you never know what could happen. Based on personal experience, your courage could lead you to your future spouse!

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2. Waiting A Certain Amount Of Time To Call Or Text

Remember when we were told that you couldn't show how interested you were in someone? Ugh, we wish we could erase all traces of this "outdated" rule because there's no reason to pretend you're not. The whole "aloof" behavior is so early 2000s so just talk to the person you like. Chances are they're worried about the same thing and may be waiting for you to reach out anyway.

Vlada Karpovich

3. Assuming Date Nights Only Include Dinner & A Movie

Please free yourself from the idea that date nights only count if dinner and a movie are involved. There are so many activities you and partner can do that won't feel repetitive if you're willing to switch it up. From picnics in the park or bike rides to letting your inner kid run free at an arcade, there's other ways to spend time with your partner.

Andrea Piacquadio

4. Avoiding Kissing (Or Sex) On The First Date Because You Think It's "Bad"

Want to know a big secret? Someone on our team turned an online meet-cute into a first-date that led to sex and they've currently been with their partner for 10 years! Even if your goal isn't to enter a long-term relationship, it doesn't mean you're a terrible person if you feel compelled to share an intimate or sexual moment with someone.

As long as both parties are openly communicating their desires in a respectful way, we don't think anything bad has to come from acting on what you want.

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5. Sweeping Emotions Under The Rug To Avoid Conflict

We're letting out a huge sigh here because this is a huge lie we're also guilty of believing before. Emotions are temporary and shouldn't outweigh logic, but pretending no one has them is odd. We're hardwired to be expressive, but have come to believe that it's better to swallow them instead of being honest about how we're feeling.

It can be obvious when you or partner are upset about something, so don't let those emotions linger as the elephant in the room. The more you try to push your feelings aside, the easier it becomes to lash out later.

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6. Feeling Pressured To Get Engaged Or Married

Isn't it exciting when people announcement their engagement or get married? That could stem from an ingrained societal feeling or maybe our internal love radars get triggered by public displays of affection. Still, we don't believe you and your partner have to feel like it's time for the next step if you're not ready.

The reality is marriage isn't just about cute photo opportunities so you shouldn't rush into something just because someone else thinks you should. As long as you and your partner know what works for your relationship, that's all that matters!

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7. Feeling Pressured To Have Children (Even If You Don't Want Them)

This is a hot take, but we don't think you should be worried about having children if you don't want them. I know it's the topic of conversation for a lot of reasons, but being responsible for another human isn't something to be taken lightly. Kids aren't toys you can pick up and put down when you don't feel like being bothered. They require a lot of love, attention, and direction even when you're sick.

If you and your partner are sure you don't want to become parents, it's your right to remain child-free.

Mikhail Nilov

8. Believing Only One Person Is Responsible For Bills

In a society where the price of groceries and healthcare have skyrocketed, it's bizarre that people believe only one should should be responsible for bills in 2025. If your situation allows for it then that's great, but there are more two-income households than ever. According to one study, around 52 to 58 percent of couples worked between 1998 and 2017.

Realistically, it's a privilege to be in a situation where one partner can cover the bills by themselves. To make it a requirement for all relationships is not only "outdated," but it's also tone deaf since everyone's socioeconomic status isn't the same.

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9. Skipping Conversations About Money In General

According to money expert Tori Dunlap, it's easy to make common financial mistakes whether you're single or in a relationship. But that's no reason to avoid talking about finances with your partner. Maybe you're afraid of triggering your partner if you've noticed red flags tied to sneaky expenses, or you've been taught that it's not your place to talk about money.

Regardless of what makes you think you can't talk about something that affects both of you, there's no getting around having honest conversations in 2025. Both parties need to be aware of what's going on in case of unexpected emergencies or if you're planning for a huge trip, starting your homeowner journey, and more.

Timur Weber

10. Thinking You Shouldn't Get Into Arguments Because You're "Happy"

It doesn't matter how much you love your partner, disagreements and arguments are bound to happen because you're two different people. The only thing we don't condone is allowing them to become violent because domestic disputes aren't healthy.

If that's not an issue and you're only arguing about your partner leaving the kitchen cabinets open, we're not worried you're going to break up. Truthfully, neither should you!

Which "outdated" relationship rules are annoying to you?

Follow us on Facebook for more relationship conversations!

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Travis Kelce Finally Just Answered Those Retirement Rumors

The Kansas City Chiefs suffered a Super Bowl tough loss on February 9, 2025, and there's one major thing on everyone's mind now — is Travis Kelce retiring? The subject's come up multiple times throughout the 2024-2025 NFL season, but much like his brother Jason the previous year, Travis hasn't given a definitive answer on the matter. Amid everything from Taylor Swift wedding rumors to starring TV roles (anyone else watch Grotequerie?!), the Chiefs tight end definitely has a lot going on right now. Could all this — plus an overall great football season, sans the Super Bowl loss — add up to the end of his NFL career? Here's what we know so far.

Scroll to find out everything we know about if Travis Kelce's retiring.

Travis Kelce wants to "get back to the mountaintop."

Travis Kelce finally just gave us a final answer on those retirement rumors (for now, at least): he's not retiring!

“I’m coming back, for sure,” Travis said in a text to Pat McAfee. The Chiefs might have lost the 2025 Super Bowl, but Travis isn't ready to give up.

“Gonna try and get to the best shape I’ve been this offseason and get back to the mountaintop," he continues. "Got a real bad taste in my mouth with how I played in that last game and how I got the guys ready for battle. I can’t go out like that!!!!”

Travis isn't doing anything halfway.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

On February 12, 2025, Travis Kelce opened up about his potential retirement on the New Heights podcast. "I know everybody wants to know whether or not I'm playing next year, and right now, I'm just kicking everything down the road," he said. "I'm not making any crazy decisions."

Travis shared that the Super Bowl loss a "tough pill to swallow" and a "tough reality," but also noted that the Chiefs team is focused on "being there" for each other in the aftermath.

"I'm gonna take some time to figure it out," he continued at the time. "And, I think I owe it to my teammates that if I do come back, it's a wholehearted decision," he said. "I'm not half-a—ing it, and I'm fully here for them."

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- YouTube

During the 2025 Super Bowl, Travis only made four catches, resulting in a gain of 39 yards — his "lowest postseason output since 2019" according to The Athletic. Still, USA Todayreported that he broke Jerry Rice's record of 35 career Super Bowl catches. However, it was pretty clear that even a record-breaking performance wasn't enough to bolster Travis's mood.

The football star didn't hold a larger post-game conference, but he noted that they "haven't played that bad all year" and said that the Chiefs "couldn’t get it going offensively" to a few reporters. He acknowledged, "You don't lose like that without everything going bad," before leaving for the night.

And Patrick Mahomes says Travis Kelce is "a joy."

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Still, Chiefs quarterback, Patrick Mahomes was asked about what comes next for Travis's career. "I'll let Travis make that decision on his own," Patrick said. "He's given so much to this team and to the NFL, and he's been such a joy, not only for me to work with, but for people to watch."

Mahomes notes Travis "still has a lot of football left in him" and that he "always makes plays in the biggest moments." He said, "But I know he still has a love for the game, and he’ll get to spend some time with his family and make that decision on his own."

Patrick reassured everyone, "He knows he’ll come back here with open arms. We love that guy not only for the football player, but for who he is every single day."

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Travis made his way to the suite with Taylor and his family after the tough Chiefs loss. It was a stark contrast from his "fight for your right to party" vibes of last year, so we hope we was able to find some comfort among his loved ones. And as for if Travis is actually retiring, we'll definitely keep an eye out for what he says and does next. 👀

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This post has been updated.

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