Author: Christina Schoellkopf

February 29, 2016 8:46pm PT by Christina Schoellkopf

‘The Bachelor’  ABC

Things get steamy between Ben and his final three women as he breaks show rules by saying the L-word, twice. But a break-up leaves him confused and in tears.

[Warning: This story contains spoilers from Season 20 of ABC’s The Bachelor.]

And then there were three. 

The Bachelor kicked off in Jamaica this week, and ABC was already Jamaican-fans-crazy with teasers of Ben Higgins saying “I love you” to two women. But who would the lucky ladies be?

Keep in mind this was no ordinary episode. The three remaining ladies — Caila (who still can’t stop smiling), Lauren (who let Ben hand-feed her grilled cheese) and JoJo (who courageously survived wild, ocean pigs) — had a very special opportunity. If Ben felt strongly about the date, each woman would have the chance to spend the night with her favorite man from Warsaw, Ind., in a hotel fantasy suite. (Very romantic … until you remember there are cameras pointing at them in all directions until the lights finally turn off.)

Ready for the drama? It was easily the most emotional week of season 20 yet. Here’s a breakdown of what went right and, in some cases, horribly wrong on each date. 

Caila’s Date

Sometimes, it’s not what you say but what you don’t say that can ruin an otherwise perfect day. Leading into his date with Caila, Ben was feeling pretty positive. He confidently shared in his private interview, “Caila would be a great wife. I have no doubts about that.” But things quickly took a turn for the worse when the two of them went down a private rafting ride along the Martha Brae River. The silence between them was so loud it was borderline cringe-worthy. See for yourself. 

Luckily, for both Caila and viewers alike, something came over her that helped the Ohio native break down her nerves. Maybe it was the Coconut water, or her stunning outfit change, but regardless she was soon back in the game and ready to steal Ben’s heart. Once they sat down for dinner, she confessed her true feelings: “Every time I’m with you … like I think about it and it just feels right. And part of me has wanted to tell you something for a long time, and that is that I’m in love with you.” 

What was Ben’s reaction? Silence … before a cute kiss. Caila did not seem to mind her boyfriend dodging the subject, “Ben doesn’t have to say anything … There is no other place I’d rather be in the world than in his arms.”

Even though Ben did not drop the L-word, the night still had a fairytale ending — literally with fireworks going off outside their window while they kissed in a bed fit for two, before the door to their fantasy suite closed on the cameras. 

Lauren’s Date

Before meeting up with Lauren, Ben paused to reflect on how it felt to wake up next to Caila. On his way to date number two, he said, “It’s almost weird going on a date with a girl after leaving a date with a woman I care so much about.” (Really? Almost weird, Ben? Of course it’s weird.)

After shrugging off some back-to-back date guilt, Ben met up with his blonde-crush Lauren and had the most adorable date in store for her. Together, the two helped save baby turtles! 

Their one-on-one time this week was pretty flawless from start to finish, ending with Lauren finally confessing how she really feels about the bachelor: “I do feel like I’ve been meaning to tell you something … I feel like I’ve felt this way for a long time, but I am completely in love with you, and you really are like the man of my dreams.”

And to her surprise — Ben broke the Bachelor rules and said I love you back! Not even just once, he repeated the big l-o-v-e multiple times and of course asked her to spend the night with him. (Did anyone else notice their clothes sprawled across the room the next morning?)

JoJo’s Date

Baby sea turtles might be cute, but JoJo’s date almost put Lauren’s to shame. Ben took his Texan to one of the most romantic landscapes in Jamaica. After jumping off a waterfall and kissing in the water, JoJo decided to let her guard down and share what was on her mind.

After their romantic dip in the water, she sat down with Ben — who she now refers to as her “babe” — to tell him, “I’m not just falling in love anymore. I do love you.”

And believe it or not, after already saying those three little words to Lauren, Ben looked JoJo straight in the eyes to say, “JoJo, I love you, too.”

Now, do not forget she and Ben left off in an awkward place after JoJo’s hometown date. Her brothers accused Ben of brainwashing the women to fall in love with her, her mother gave them little personal space as she chugged her champagne, and Ben looked truly angry for the first time on the show. 

But he and JoJo were able to work things out during the second half of their date, and the two ended the night in the fantasy suite (complete with a private, indoor jacuzzi). 

After JoJo’s date, the episode became very painful to watch — yet too hard to look away. Now that viewers had seen Ben confess his love for both Lauren and JoJo, the lingering thought on everyone’s mind was “poor Caila.” The show cut to the software sales rep. looking happy as could be, still blindly enamored by Ben. After expressing that she wanted “to be the woman he wakes up next to the rest of his life,” Caila decided to surprise him! 

But after driving up to visit him uninvited, the real surprise was on her. The bachelor decided to take the opportunity to sit Caila down and end their relationship right then and there. 

“I am in love with two women here, and I just couldn’t say it back to you,” said Ben. (Ouch. That’s harsh)

He added, “You are like, literally what I described at the beginning of this as my perfect wife. I knew this was going to get hard at the end, because I knew I was going to have to say goodbye to somebody that I was falling for.” After hearing his monologue, Caila showed some sass and called Ben out for using “a line.” Even when Ben tried to tell her he’d miss her, she cut him off to say, “You don’t have to say that.” (You go, Caila. Way to stand up for yourself.)

Finally, it was time for Ben to walk her out. But just before the car drove away, Caila threw open the door to say some final thoughts. See how it went down in the clip below. 

Even if you were not Team Caila, it was hard to watch the tearful car ride home without feeling for the girl. 

There is a silver lining though. Caila tweeted a positive message after the episode wrapped Monday. 

Were you sad to see Caila go? How do you feel about Ben saying “I love you” to two women? Who do you hope Ben ends up with at the end? Share what you think in the comments below. 

February 22, 2016 8:56pm PT by Christina Schoellkopf

‘The Bachelor’  The Bachelor/ABC

One contestant gets a romantic surprise this week from an ex-boyfriend, asking to get back together.

[Warning: This story contains spoilers from Season 20 of ABC’s The Bachelor.]

Four women left. Three roses to go.

This week on The Bachelor, tension was high and things got very personal as Ben Higgins went home with the four remaining women — Amanda (the sweet esthetician and divorced mother of two), Caila (the confusing software sales representative) JoJo (a real estate developer with perfect hair) and Lauren (a flight attendant who captured Ben’s heart since stepping out of the first limo). Here’s a breakdown of the highs and lows on each hometown date. 

Amanda’s Hometown – Laguna Beach, CA

Is there anything more adorable than seeing Ben in “dad mode”? The bachelor headed to sunny Southern California for quality time with the cute mama Amanda. The two had quite the romantic reunion, as they literally ran up to each other along the sandy shore to share their first kiss back in the Golden State.

Finally, it was time for the moment Amanda and Bachelor diehards have been waiting for — Ben finally met her cute daughters Kinsley and Charlie. Though the girls initially gave him the cold shoulder, Ben finally won them over after making sandcastles and playing a fun game of tag. Take a look at how they got along in the clip below.

Ben got a thumbs up from her little ones, but would the bachelor get parental approval? Her dad seemed pretty skeptical, asserting, “There’s a big difference in thinking you want children in your life and actually having children in your life.” Meanwhile, her mom also shared her concerns, “He seems like he’d be a great dad. But is he ready to be an instant dad?” Regardless, the date ended drama-free! At the end of the night, Amanda confidently said in her private interview, “I feel like I am in love with him. I can 100% see him being a great dad to my kids and being a great husband.”

Do you think Amanda is right in thinking Ben would make a great dad? Let’s hope he would be better than her ex-husband, who Amanda says cheated on her and did not make their kids a priority. (Her ex Nick Buonfiglio at least shows love for one of his daughters in his LinkedIn profile picture.)

Lauren’s Hometown – Portland, ORE

Ben said goodbye to SoCal and headed up North to pay Lauren and her family a visit in Portland, Oregon — ironically nicknamed the City of Roses. Upon laying eyes on his blonde crush, Ben lit up and gave her a smooch on the spot. Later, the two walked hand in hand to grab a bite to eat from a food truck … and Ben did the cheesiest thing; he hand-fed her a grilled cheese sandwich.

After sitting down for a chat in a “whiskey library” (happy hour, anyone?) Lauren brought Ben home to meet the fam. Immediately, Lauren’s sister kept it real, expressing her concerns for “LoLo” bringing someone home after barely knowing him. She stole Ben away to ask a big question: What makes Lauren stand out? Ben’s reaction might surprise you. The thought of how much he cares for Lauren made him tear up! See for yourself:

Could this mean Ben is in love with Lauren? 

Caila’s Hometown – Hudson, OH

With her typical so-happy-your-cheeks-hurt smile, Caila greeted Ben in her hometown of Hudson, Ohio. To Ben’s surprise, she had quite the unusual date planned. First, she took him to her high school where she said she “became [her] own person” and first “felt like [she] was home.” (Did this strike anyone else as odd to take him back to school? Well, it got even weirder.) Caila introduced Ben to what she considered a very special … bench, even telling him he was the first person “worthy of the bench.” 

The date took a stranger turn when Caila asked Ben to design a home with her. After coloring an imaginary house, Caila surprised Ben by revealing they would build a real toy house, courtesy of her Dad’s toy company. Check out a clip of their date below, which ended with a kiss in a hard hat and a weird round of applause.

Once Caila brought Ben home to meet her family, she shared the full range of her feelings to her mom and dad. The sweetest moment had to be when she whispered the words, “Daddy, I know this is it.” But does Ben feel the same way? 

JoJo’s Hometown – Dallas, TX

Finally, the drama of tonight’s episode kicked in when JoJo’s hometown date began. It started off with a promising start; JoJo came home to a bouquet of roses and a love note. She began to eagerly read it out loud — But to her surprise and horror, the letter and flowers were from her ex-boyfriend! (A prime reality TV moment, indeed.)

Upon realizing her ex Chad was trying to get back together, JoJo called him to break it off. He kept pouring his affection, saying, “It’s taken me this time apart to mature and think about what I want for the future … and it’s you … I don’t want to lose you.” She seemed to have ended it right then and there but do you really believe she’s over him?

With the worst timing, Ben showed up while she was still in tears from the tough phone call. After the Texan admitted she received a romantic surprise from her ex, Ben said, ”I feel very uncomfortable with this.” But for whatever reason he decided to shake it off, comfort her and introduce himself to her parents and siblings. (Um … an ex is still in the picture and Ben still felt that confident?)

Things only got worse once Ben met JoJo’s family, especially when he sat down with her overprotective brothers. Her bros became very critical of JoJo actually falling in love after just two one-on-one dates and only about a month of knowing him. But their criticism screamed hypocrisy: One of the brothers, Ben Patton, had his own moment on a reality dating series. He was on the short-lived show Reality For Love on NBC, so can he really judge? Tension hit a breaking point when JoJo’s older brother accused Ben of “brainwashing” the contestants to fall in love with him. 

The Rose Ceremony

After four intimate dates, it was time for Ben to say good bye to one woman. This week, he sent Amanda home. As he walked her to the limo, she called him out for bringing her back just to dump her: “If you were having any doubts it would have been nice to have let me know instead of sending me back to LA just to say good bye at a rose ceremony.” (You tell him, girl.)

In front of Amanda, Ben kept quite the poker face. But once she drove away, he broke down into tears. 

Do you love or hate that Ben’s a crier? Were you sad to see Amanda go? Do you think Ben will break JoJo’s heart? Share your thoughts below in the comments.

February 15, 2016 6:55pm PT by Christina Schoellkopf

‘The Bachelor’  ABC

After introducing one contestant to his parents, Ben sends his date packing in front of the other women.

[Warning: This story contains spoilers from Season 20 of ABC’s The Bachelor.]

After an uncomfortable episode last week — where the women survived wild, ocean pigs and Olivia’s exit was so dramatic, she took to Instagram to defend herself from haters — The Bachelor took a refreshing turn. This week, Ben Higgins introduced the six remaining women to his hometown of Warsaw, Indiana. 

The episode kicked off with a cute reunion between Ben and his parents (which made him that much more attractive as a family man). With a giddy tone, Ben explained to his mom and dad what each woman meant to him; he said he is more himself with JoJo than with anyone else, described Becca as standoffish, felt that Emily might be too young for marriage, failed to explain the complexities of Caila, broke the news that Amanda has two children and floated on a cloud as he shared that his chemistry with Lauren is something “you can’t even explain.” 

First One-On-One: Ben Gets in Dad-Mode and Shoots Hoops with a Professional Basketball Player

After his little family huddle, it is not much of a surprise that Ben took Lauren on the first one-on-one date — and it quickly got personal. After driving past the high school where Ben was the quarterback football star, he brought the blonde flight attendant from Marina Del Rey, Clif., to the Baker Youth Club, where Ben worked with children for four years.

Lauren (and viewers alike, who cannot help crushing on Ben) were treated to seeing the bachelor in “dad-mode,” as he played with the kids and was literally a shoulder to cry on to one little boy who started tearing up in a corner. But the real surprise came when basketball player George Hill of the Indiana Pacers and Coach Frank Vogel showed up to shoot some hoops with the kids. 

Later, Lauren was the lucky woman to meet Ben’s best friends from home, and Ben could not have looked happier to have her on his arm. Their special time together ended with a deep conversation, in which the two talked out Leah’s horrible lie last week (about Lauren being a different person with Ben than she is with the other women). Lauren left the evening, confidently saying, “I’m falling in love with Ben from Warsaw, Indiana.”

Second One-On-One: JoJo and Ben Escape to the Windy City for a Dinner Date on Wrigley Field 

After smooching with Lauren in Warsaw, Ben stole JoJo away to Chicago for a dream-like date on Wrigley Field. As a serious Chicago Cubs fan, Ben was in heaven as he and JoJo played a game for two and rounded the bases, with the entire stadium to themselves. The cutest part of all? The two enjoyed America’s favorite pasttime while wearing matching Mr. and Mrs. Higgins uniforms. (Could this be a sign?)

Somehow dinner on a table for two magically appeared on the field (just go with it) and things got real when JoJo brought up again how she was feeling scared to get vulnerable. You would think Ben would have had it by now with her insecurities, especially when he brought up his concerns of asking a girl at the end of the show to marry him and being nervous about her answer. But he shook it off with that cute dimpled smile of his and they ended the date on a high note, sharing a kiss inside the stadium’s score board. 

Group Date: Oh So Awkward Again, Ben Gives out the First Hometown Rose 

Finally, it was time for the dreadful group date, where the pressure was on between Becca, Caila and Amanda to snag the group date rose. This time around, the rose meant far more than just being safe for another rose ceremony. It meant Ben was ready to meet the woman’s family, since next week the four remaining girls will show Ben around their hometowns. 

After boat rides on the lake and flying kites together, Ben pulled each woman aside for a little chat. In Becca’s alone time, she expressed deep feelings for Ben, but things got very awkward when she told him, “I really like you,” and he gave no validation in return. She looked him straight in the eye and said, “Don’t blind side me.” 

Ultimately, Ben made it clear he is ready to see Amanda in “mom-mode,” as he gave the group date rose to the mother of two. Becca’s reaction? Her most emotional moment yet. She cried saying, “Why would someone want to keep putting themselves out there for someone who gives nothing in return? …I’m just like what am I doing? Why am I here, you know?” (Oh, Becca. Don’t act like this is your first rodeo.)

With the group date rose in hand, Amanda left with Ben for a surprise one-on-one date. But can you even call it a date? Ben took her out to dinner to…McDonalds. After munching on egg McMuffins, they literally went behind the counter to hand out drive-thru orders. (What?!) The most cringe-worthy moment had to be when Amanda and Ben pulled a Lady and the Tramp, eating their way through a French frie before stealing a kiss. Luckily for Amanda, Ben finally showed some real romance by taking her to a street carnival. She tolerated Ben screaming for dear life on a rollercoaster and kissed him on the Ferris wheel. 

The Last One-On-One: Ben Introduces the First Woman to His Parents

Emily was the lucky lady to first meet Ben’s mom and dad. She was so happy when she got the one-on-one date card that she actually bawled on the spot. But unfortunately for her, Ben’s mom was really not feeling the Vegas twin. When Ben pulled his mother aside for her raw and real opinion about the 22-year-old, Mrs. Higgins anxiously questioned if Emily was ready to be a wife and literally broke down in tears. (Ouch.)

Maybe it had to do with Emily telling Ben’s mom about her aspirations to be a professional cheerleader, potentially for the Denver Broncos. Did you know Emily and her twin Haley chased this dream all the way to a cheerleading reality series? Skip to 3:53 in the video below to see the twins on the show Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders: Making the Team:

After not receiving much support from his parents about his relationship with Emily, Ben decided to call it quits. For whatever reason he thought it was a good idea to break up with Emily in the backyard of where the women were staying … but all the girls watched through the window as he said goodbye! A tearful Emily came running into the house and cried as she gave the women a play by play of what went down. 

The Rose Ceremony: Ben Narrows It Down to Four

Finally, it was time for the rose ceremony, where Ben said goodbye to Becca. The chiropractic assistant from San Diego, Clif., was pretty pissed at her crush, aggressively asking, “Why did you do that?” After a very long journey, Becca’s Round 2 on The Bachelor ended with another tearful limo ride. 

Was it wrong of Ben to string Becca along, after she told him not to blind side her? Were you ready to see Emily go home? Share what you think below in the comments.