When Nick took to the hometowns of his final four women, we were wondering if The Bachelor spoilers‘ predicted outcome would be accurate.
Or, as the promos have teased, would there a major twist?
There was in fact a surprise twist involved in The Bachelor Season 21 Episode 8, which we’ll get to in the recap below. As for the results?
Let’s just say not everyone’s family warmed to the suitor after a string of negative press that has dogged Nick Viall since … well, 2014.
There have been so many different seasons with which to watch The Bachelor online at this point that his reputation is well established.
Whether that’s a good thing or not is subject to debate.
First up was Nick’s date with Raven Gates in Hoxie, Arkansas, where of course her brother is a cop, and of course they went four-wheeling.
After some nearly NC-17 mud wrestling in a local wetland, Nick and Raven met her parents and celebrated that her dad is cancer-free.
Even following that far more important news, Nick still went through the motions and asked her dad for permission to propose to Raven.
He said yes … to an engagement. Not a marriage yet.
An interesting caveat, but then again, maybe Raven wasn’t ready either, as she choked hard when attempting to say the L-word to Nick.
In Dallas, we basically got a long intro for Rachel Lindsay as The Bachelorette this summer, as her hometown date couldn’t have gone better.
For a promotional video, that is. And maybe for Nick.
On their hometown date, we learned that Rachel is a committed churchgoer, and who is comfortable in her own skin on many levels.
As for being an interracial couple with Nick, Rachel said it’s not lost on her, but, “you have to be confident to be, you know, not the norm.”
Nick, as the first white guy she’s brought home, was a bit nervous about that fact, especially as her mom openly looked for “red flags.”
She didn’t find any – at least not yet – and Rachel, while she didn’t profess love to Nick, did call the date “perfect,” so we’d call it a win.
In Miami, Corinne Olympios took Nick shopping and made off with $ 3,423 in new clothes (for herself) and a lot of anxiety (for Nick).
At her house, Corinne told Nick she loved him, obviously not holding back like Rachel and Raven had. She’s a real go-getter, Corinne.
As for her family? Corinne’s dad told Nick that she wouldn’t be happy as the breadwinner of the family, which … tells you a lot.
They loved him, though – including Corinne’s nanny – and despite how awkward a lot of that date was, it went really well.
Those fans hoping against hope that Corinne will not be The Bachelor winner may be encouraged by Vanessa’s and Raven’s dates.
Still, Ms. Olympios is who she is, Nick is clearly attracted to that on a very fundamental level, and she acquitted herself well on Monday.
Speaking of Vanessa, in Montreal, she took him to meet her special-needs students in a touching and humbling hometown date experience.
Vanessa’s students approved of Nick, though her parents – her mom’s side first, then her dad’s – would prove to be a harder deal to close.
Her sister and mom feared that Vanessa was going to be too accommodating to Nick and not put herself, her future and her career first.
It’s like they watch The Bachelor or something, right?
At her dad’s, Vanessa realized she had more questions than answers, and he grilled Nick on comparing his daughter to the other three.
Finally, Nick did earn his blessing to propose, should things get to that point, but he had to work for it, and dreaded his upcoming decision.
So who got the boot at the NYC rose ceremony?!
With Nick unsure what to do, and three women (Corinne excluded) second guessing what what they should’ve said, a knock on the door.
Who could it be approaching Nick’s hotel room but Andi Dorfman, the woman whose season started a quixotic TV love quest for Nick.
To be continued, because obviously …