Boys and Girls of Bachelor Nation, we had a moment. A real, honest moment. Two biracial people of color on a date talking about race and racism in a very personal, poignant and political way. Tayshia and Ivan’s date was the most woke moment in The Bachelor franchise history to date. It’s about time.
I also thought that date was special for another reason. I have written in the past about the introvert’s “curse” referring to how their personalities can be challenged by a show that’s more set up for extraverts to thrive. Aside from the fact that Tayshia is quite drawn to Ivan, this date night at her place was perfect for him [cue Bill Withers and Grover Washington, Jr. Just the Two of Us].
It wasn’t a typical one-on-one where the couples have a public activity and then a private dinner in a public place. This entire date was private. In addition, it felt real, like the kind of date that would happen in the real non-Bachelor world where the travel and lodging is provided by somebody’s car driving over to somebody’s place and they order dinner in. Tayshia’s fabulous suite and the incredible room service aside – that dessert was MASSIVE – it’s the kind of COVID-related creativity on the producer’s part that made for good TV[1] in addition to helping further Ivan’s cause.
Good winning move by him, by the way, in the group Sing-a-Song-to-Tayshia date [cue Sly and The Family Stone Sing a Simple Song] to call her up on stage next to him. She clearly liked that.
As long as we’re handing out kudos to the producers, the race to Tayshia’s suite between Ben (for real) and Ed (this had to be scripted) was fabulous misdirection on their part. And really, EVERYBODY was awake and dressed at 2:30 a.m? Seriously? And Chris Harrison just happened to have a bottle of wine open to share with Ed?
Of course, the whole thing was really about Ben no matter what time it actually was. He apparently is this season’s Can’t Get Out of His Head Person. That generally goes badly for said person unless the lead likes that person, which Tayshia clearly does. So they had a nice clearing of the air about his being too passive at the last group date and he still remains a serious contender.
The Villanously Manipulative Noah went fully villainously manipulative by crying wolf in making a mountain out of a molehill and throwing all the guys under the bus and making me mix metaphors because that’s what good villains do. Noah is cunning, deceitful and wholly self-absorbed which means I like him in a villainous sort of way. And he’s heading to a confrontation with Wall Street Dude who called out Noah’s emotional intelligence in a way that My Daughter Diandra (MDD) said sounded like me LOL[2].
Speaking of MDD, she called the Group Date where the guys had to do all kinds of vulnerable things outside of their comfort zones, the “worst corporate retreat ever.” Zac, another serious contender, got the prized Group Date Rose (GDR) but I’m sorry, nobody is worth me drinking a habanero smoothie with buffalo testicles and beetles. [cue Bad Company Movin’ On]
Frontrunners: Still Ivan, Ben and Brendon. With that GDR, Zac seems like less of a dark horse.
Gone and Nobody Will Miss You: “Mr. Muy Caliente Smokeshow” Chasen.
Why Is He Still Here? Ed.
I liked this episode. Give the producers (and editors) a rose!
P.S. This episode’s viewing wine – another one with a high quality-to-price ratio: San Gregorio El Vergal Tempranillo.
[1] Surely, the pillows were pre-sliced and ready to explode.
[2] However, Wall Street Dude referred to four elements of emotional intelligence which indicates he’s most familiar with the Goleman model. I prefer the more robust five domain model by Multi-Health Systems based on the work of Reuven Bar-On.
Ray's Musings 
Leave a Reply